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Summer Pyrenees Family Holiday with teenagers

Summer Pyrenees Family Holiday with teenagers

From $ 1,670 AUD

Description

Challenge the family to an unforgettable week of adrenaline-fuelled activities with this active Pyrenees trip. From Soldeu, head out around Andorra trying fun new experiences along the way. Get the pulse racing on hiking and cycling adventures, then spend a wet and wild afternoon whitewater rafting. Take advantage of the location and explore nearby hamlets on horseback or go fishing in the local lakes. This is sure to be an inspiring week, enjoying Andorra’s adventure playground as a family.

Trip Name
Summer Pyrenees Family Holiday with teenagers
Last Updated
2024-08-29
Days
8
Capacity
16
Highlights
  • From scenic valley hikes to mountain biking and zip-lining, there's a great mix of activities for all ages and the whole family will be entertained
  • The Noguera River is one of the top five rivers for white-water rafting in all of Europe, thanks to its many safe exit points and continuous stretches of steady foaming rapids
  • Fabulous hosts make you and your family feel at home, and knowledgeable and friendly guides help you and your family get the most out of your adventure in this beautiful part of the world
  • The hotel is occupied only by Intrepid travellers, making for a wonderful atmosphere and the chance to chat with like-minded families
  • Enjoy a flexible activity schedule. If you and your family want to relax a little more, there are many chances to opt out of the adventure and simply soak up the fresh air and perfect Pyrenean scenery

Itinerary

ITINERARY CHANGES Our itineraries are updated regularly throughout the year based on customer feedback and to reflect the current situation in each destination. The information included in this Essential Trip Information may therefore differ from when you first booked your trip. It's important that you review this information prior to travel so that you have the latest updates. Due to weather, local conditions, transport schedules, public holidays, political unrest or other factors, further changes may be necessary to your itinerary once in-country. Your group leader or local representative will keep you up to date with any such changes once your trip is underway. OPTIONAL ACTIVITIES A selection of optional activities that have been popular with past travellers are listed in the day-to-day itinerary. This isn't an exhaustive list and should be used as a guide only for some of what might be available. Prices are approximate, are for entrance fees only, and don’t include transport to and from the sites or local guides unless indicated. All activities are subject to availability, and maybe on a join-in basis. It may not be possible to do all the activities listed in the time available at each destination, so some pre-planning for what you are most interested in is advised. When it's recommended that travellers pre-book these activities, look for a note in the Special Information section of the day-to-day itinerary. For most, they can either be organised independently on the day, or let your group leader or local representative know you are interested at the Welcome Meeting and they can assist. Where activities are considered medium or high risk, we work with operators whose safety and credentials we have sighted and assessed. Although it is possible that you may find the same activity cheaper with another operator on the ground, we cannot vouch for the safety or quality of that operator. Medium and high-risk activities not listed above have not been assessed by us and as such our staff and group leader or local representative are unable to assist you with organising these activities. Activities that contravene our Responsible Travel policies are also not listed. Please remember that the decision to partake in any activity not listed is at your own discretion and risk.

Day 1 - Soldeu
Benvingut! Welcome to Andorra. Situated on the southern slopes of the Pyrenees, Andorra sits between France and Spain. Although small, this country is blessed with some of the finest scenery in the Pyrenees and is a great base for an active week in the mountains. A complimentary transfer from Toulouse airport is included to the hotel in Soldeu, a gorgeous ski resort town which will be your base for the trip. There will be a welcome meeting at 5 pm tonight followed by dinner, then the night is yours to relax and prepare for tomorrow’s adventures.
Day 2 - Cycling and Zip Wiring in Cortals Valley
This morning you will join your fellow travellers for welcome meeting before heading off on the first of many activities. Be sure to check with the hotel check-in staff to check the exact time of this meeting. Drive to the stunning Cortals Valley (approximately 30 minutes). Here you and the family will enjoy a full day of activities. Enjoy some easy riding on the only flat off-road track in Andorra, which leads to Engolasters Lake, glimpsing some beautiful scenery along the way. At the other end of the lake is the zip wiring and tree top centre. After a short briefing, you and your family will climb up into the trees and enjoy the thrill of crossing the area by zip lines and rope obstacles. After some time to rest by the lake and enjoy a picnic lunch, you'll enjoy stunning views head to a look out point over the capital city Andorra La Vella from a scenic look out. Then it's an easy off-road bike ride back to the vehicles to return to Soldeu. The older and more confident bikers can enjoy an additional 5 km downhill on the road with switch backs and views.
Day 3 - Walking to Salamandres Lake
Venture out for your first excursion into Andorra's mountains today. It's a short (10 minute) drive to Entorn at the base of the stunning Ransol Valley Ridge. Starting at 2000 metres above sea level, climb 250 metres to Salamandres Lake. Here lives the small yellow dotted amphibian, the Salamander which gives the lake it’s name. For the more energetic you can challenge yourself to continue the hike up to the Ransol Ridge at 2,500m. At this height, spectacular views can be enjoyed across the Andorran peaks. The rest of the day is a gradual descent back down going past the Roca del Home Dret, the rock of the straight man. This is a great way to ease yourself into trekking and to acclimatise to the altitude. Keep your eyes open for native flora and fauna, such as the griffon vulture, which can often be seen soaring overhead. Arrive in the beautiful Incles Valley where you'll cross the Incles river and take a gentle path back to the hotel. You'll arrive back at the hotel between 3 and 4 pm, giving you a chance to relax in the sun, explore the village or visit a neighbouring hotel’s spa centre.
Day 4 - White-water rafting on Noguera River
Crossing the border into Spain, take the high mountain pass over the Port de Canto through very some Mediterranean scenery, still at 1,000 metres high. You can stop at the Port de Canto lookout point to take in the lovely foothills of the Spanish Pyrenees. Continue down to the village of Sort (Catalan for 'luck') where at the rafting centre you and the family will be kitted out with wetsuits, helmets, life jackets and a paddle. From the top of the Noguera River, enjoy 14 kilometres of exhilirating white water rafting. Noguera River is renowned as one of the top five rivers for rafting in Europe, thanks to nice stretches of continuous but not too rough water, and many exit points. After a fun ride over a weir and through the Olympic kayaking course, arrive back at the rafting centre to take a shower. The centre has a beautiful garden with a swimming pool and a bar, so you can spend some time here before heading back to Soldeu. Notes: There is a support vehicle that follows the rafting. Those who don't want to, or are too young to raft, can follow along in the vehicle or relax and unwind at the centre. Children must be at least 8 years old to participate, and 8–12 year-olds will be able to raft grades I & II only.
Day 5 - Free day in Soldeu
Today has been left free for you to choose from the many activities that are on offer in Andorra. You may decide to go horse riding, or perhaps visit the thermal baths of La Caldea. If you have a head for heights and a good level of fitness, you can try your hand at ferrata climbing. This is a style of climbing that uses handy equipment such as rungs and a steel cable to traverse tricky and rugged terrain. Further cycling or mountain biking are also options for today, as is canyoning. Otherwise, simply relax and enjoy the sunshine, or do a spot of duty-free shopping.
Day 6 - Mountain biking to Abelletes Lake
Head out today on a mountain biking adventure the whole family will enjoy. You will be provided with a helmet and fitted to your bike before taking a short drive (20 minutes) to Port d’Envalira at 2408m the highest road pass in the Pyrenees, a climb that has featured several times in the Tour de France. A road descent then an off road track to the Abelletes lake which is the official border between Andorra and France, a chance to have a foot in both countries. A quick transfer back to 2400m then descending to Grau Roig valley to enjoy your pack lunch surrounded by mountains, pine trees and source of the Valira river. After lunch it is off road all the way back to Soldeu following the Valira river on 4x4 tracks. You finish up the ride below Soldeu at the local Caves Manacor market, where you can purchase souvenirs or taste a variety of local products such as hams, cheeses and spirits. Then a quick transfer back to the hotel.
Day 7 - Walking in Incles Valley
Walk from the hotel to the nearby Incles Valley for today's walk. Set off along forested mountain slopes and along a single track through the woods where there are beautiful flowers, rhododendrons (in June), wild fruit (midsummer) and wild mushrooms (in September). The gently climbing path zig-zags up to the stunning Cabana Sorda Lake, which sits below an impressive semi-circular amphitheatre of rock – an ideal stop for lunch. If the weather allows, you can take a refreshing dip in the cold mountain water. At the beginning of the Summer it is likely there will be snow around the lake, and later in the Summer it is possible to walk around the lake or perhaps watch the fishermen catching mountain trout. After lunch, descend through beautiful meadows and woodland to the valley floor, where you head back to the hotel.
Day 8 - Soldeu
There are no activities planned after breakfast today and your adventure comes to an end. You're free to leave at any time after check out. If you'd like to extend your stay, just get in touch with your booking agent ahead of time to organise additional accommodation. If you'd like to take the complimentary group transfer to Toulouse Airport, please advise at the time of booking. It will be an early morning transfer, arriving at approximately 9 am.

Trip Dates

StartEndPrice FromRoom Type
06-07-202513-07-2025AUD $ 1,670-
20-07-202527-07-2025AUD $ 1,670-
27-07-202503-08-2025AUD $ 1,670-
03-08-202510-08-2025AUD $ 1,735-
10-08-202517-08-2025AUD $ 1,735-
17-08-202524-08-2025AUD $ 1,735-
05-07-202612-07-2026AUD $ 1,755-
19-07-202626-07-2026AUD $ 1,755-
26-07-202602-08-2026AUD $ 1,755-
02-08-202609-08-2026AUD $ 1,755-
09-08-202616-08-2026AUD $ 1,755-
16-08-202623-08-2026AUD $ 1,755-

Accommodation

Hotel (7 nights)

Accommodation description

The style of accommodation indicated in the day-to-day itinerary is a guideline. On rare occasions, alternative arrangements may need to be made due to the lack of availability of rooms in your selected accommodation. A similar standard of accommodation will be used in these instances. GENERAL ROOMING CONFIGURATIONS: Family of two - All family groupings of two will be put into a twin room. Family of three - Wherever possible we will put you in a triple room. Please be aware that in some places triple rooms are in short supply. This means that, in practice, a triple room will often simply be a twin room with a mattress on the floor or a further bed squashed in. Where it is impossible to provide a triple room, you will have to decide which of your party takes the single room. Family of four or more - You will most likely stay in two twin rooms. If and wherever possible we will aim put you in a quadruple room. Whilst we will do our very best to ensure that families are roomed close together (in some cases, we can arrange adjoining rooms), we can’t guarantee this. Most family holidays occur during peak season and we sometimes have little to no control over where you will be put. You need to come prepared for this. Accommodation is clean and simple. You'll mainly stay in small, locally-run, 2-3 star hotels and guesthouses, which reflect the character of the area,generally these will be a twin room with private facilities. Sometimes you'll stay in larger, more comfortable hotels or occasionally rustic accommodation with basic facilities. We use a variety of accommodation on most trips; chosen for their value for money, location and atmosphere. We also try and incorporate unique accommodation experiences, such as a night with a local tribe, or sleeping under the stars in the desert.

Meals introduction

While travelling with us you'll experience the vast array of wonderful food available in the world. Your group leader will be able to suggest restaurants to try during your trip. To give you the maximum flexibility in deciding where, what and with whom to eat, generally not all meals are included in the trip price. This also gives you more budgeting flexibility. As a rule our groups tend to eat together to enable you to taste a larger variety of dishes and enjoy each other's company. There's no obligation to do this though.

Transport

Private Bus

Included activities

Included activities are listed in the day-to-day itinerary, all other activities are optional and at your own expense. If you choose not to participate in the included activities on this itinerary, the cost will not be refunded.

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