"Ascension to Monte Perdido, Ordesa Valley"

Read all the programme details and contact us if you are unsure whether your experience matches the route. The main challenge is sustained effort and accumulated ascent and descent, particularly on the way down. Altitude can increase fatigue, while wind and low temperatures add to the difficulty.

Previous mountain walking and summit experience are recommended. If you are new to this type of outing, the guide can assess your level or suggest a preparatory ascent.

Prepare with endurance exercise and mountain walks, carrying a loaded backpack and using the footwear and equipment you will take on the trip. Break in new boots beforehand. The route does not require technical rock-climbing skills, but you must be comfortable with heights and exposed passages.

What you need to bring

• Gore-Tex or equivalent waterproof jacket and trousers.
• Hiking trousers and a synthetic insulated layer or equivalent.
• Thermal base layer.
• Sleeping bag liner.
• Gloves and a spare pair.
• Headtorch.
• Warm hat, sun cap and sunglasses.
• 30–45 litre backpack.
• Sun protection.
• Food you enjoy and 1.5 litres of water.

Footwear

• Mountain boots suitable for snow, and gaiters. Semi-rigid boots are needed if there is snow.

Personal first-aid kit

• Sunscreen.
• Lip protection.

Food and drink

• The hut stay is on a half-board basis, so you only need food for the route: energy bars, chocolate and nuts, or a sandwich if you prefer something savoury.
• At least 1.5 litres of water per person per day is essential.

Equipment we can lend you

• Ice axe and crampons.
• Avalanche transceiver, shovel and probe, depending on the season and conditions.
• Helmet.
• Harness.
• A large backpack if you do not have one.

Included

• High mountain guide.
• Technical equipment: snowshoes and poles; ice axe, crampons, harness and helmet according to the season.
• Safety equipment: avalanche transceiver, shovel and probe according to the season.
• Initial assistance insurance.
• Photos and video of the activity.
• Technical advice.

Not included

• Hut accommodation and meals for participants and the guide.
• The price excludes travel to the meeting point, costs arising from leaving the route for any reason, and expenses caused by safety-related itinerary changes, such as transfers or taxis. It also excludes the bus between Nerín and Cuello Gordo for the guide and participants, payable directly on the bus at €30 per person return.

One-day Monte Perdido ascent

From Nerín, take the approach bus, which is not included in the price, to the area around Cuello Gordo at approximately 2,200 m. Walk to Góriz hut for a break, continue to Lago Helado and climb the Escupidera to the summit. Return by the same route in time for the last bus, which leaves Cuello Gordo at approximately 18:00.

Allow approximately 11–12 hours for the activity, with 8–9 hours of walking excluding stops. Distance: 22 km. Total ascent and descent: +1,500 m / −1,500 m.

This is physically demanding and suitable for very fit walkers accustomed to full days in the mountains with more than 1,000 m of ascent. The route crosses high mountain paths, uneven ground, scree and boulder fields. Previous experience on this terrain is required. The Escupidera is the most complex section when snow-covered; familiarity with an ice axe and crampons is advisable.

Recommended season: June to October. Depending on the weather, snow may remain on the Escupidera from May, through June and into the first half of August; an ice axe and crampons are then compulsory. From mid-August until the first snowfall, which may arrive in November, the upper sections are often snow-free and this equipment may not be needed. Requirements depend on actual conditions.

Meet at 06:30 at Nerín bus station. Take the first bus at 07:00 for the approximately 30-minute drive on the dirt track to Cuello Gordo. The last return bus leaves around 18:00; the programme gives an approximate finish in Nerín of 20:30.

Two-day option

There is an additional €200 charge shared between the participants, plus the bus and hut accommodation for participants and guide, which are not included.

Option A: from Pradera de Ordesa. Day 1: meet the guide in Torla, check equipment and transfer to Pradera de Ordesa, using the national park bus in summer. Walk to Góriz hut: 11.5 km, +900 m, 4 hours 15 minutes walking, 6 hours 30 minutes total.

Day 2: Góriz hut – Monte Perdido (3,355 m) – Pradera de Ordesa. Distance 20 km; +1,155 m / −2,055 m; walking time 9 hours 30 minutes; total 12 hours.

Option B: from Cuello Gordo. Day 1: take the bus from Nerín to the start near Cuello Gordo, approximately 2,200 m, then walk to Góriz hut for the night.

Day 2: Góriz hut – Monte Perdido (3,355 m) – Cuello Gordo. The programme lists 20 km, +1,155 m / −2,055 m, 9 hours 30 minutes walking and 12 hours total.