La de St-Maurice, Refuge d’Amitges and Estany del Port de Ratera

Magnificent hiking in the Aigüestortes y Estani de Sant Maurici National Park. You'll come across numerous mountain lakes that are unique to this park.

Fourth and final stage of this loop in the Encantats. No technical difficulties except for the length of the descent once you have passed the first pass. Magnificent view of the Encantats in the morning as you leave the refuge.

Long stage between Amitges and Colomina: splendid views of the ridges and valley, crossing summer pastures and forests. Passing by the Estany Llong refuge. The gentle but long descent leads to the Colomina refuge, a peaceful haven after this beautiful day in the mountains.

This walk starts from the free car park at Prat de Pierro. Most of the walk is in the shade. There is plenty of water throughout the route. There are numerous picnic spots along the streams or on the banks of the Estany de Monestero.

Head towards the Espot Valley, one of the main valleys to the east of the Aigüestortes National Park and Lake Sant Maurici. After passing the small town of Espot and the Riu Gelat campsite, head up the valley where the Rio Escrita flows to reach the end of the road and a large free car park. Lake Sant Maurici is only 3.5 km from the car park. It takes about an hour's leisurely walk through a beautiful forest. You can then climb up to the Renata waterfall, then to the Amitges refuge, and head towards Col de Port de Retara.

Third and penultimate stage of this loop in the Encantats. Still lots of beautiful lakes and magnificent jagged peaks silhouetted against the sky. Significant elevation gain and sometimes tricky paths with steep slopes, scree and sections with ropes, which fortunately were already in place.

This second stage offers a return route to the Banhs de Tredos via the Sendrosa Pass (Coth deth tuc Gran de Sendrosa). The ascent of the Tuc Gran de Sendrosa is optional for hikers with sure-footedness. This option, which is well worth the detour for the exceptional view from the summit, involves a 300-metre climb along the rocky ridge and requires using your hands on relatively easy climbing holds (PD), though there are a few exposed sections where a sure footing is essential. The descent is always slightly more technical than the ascent. Not recommended for inexperienced walkers or those prone to vertigo. This route is well worth the effort for its wild scenery, the flowers and the abundant vegetation in June. The descent from the pass is quite long and a little steep before rejoining the Day 1 trail, just below the Taxis car park.

This challenging hike in the Aigues Tortes National Park follows the Vall Gerber upstream, passing by the lake of the same name, through a landscape dominated by mountain pines, rhododendrons and heather. It continues through a more rocky landscape dotted with a multitude of lakes of all sizes, some named and others unnamed. Towards the end of the route, a short detour leads to the Refugi Mataró, a small metal structure offering welcome shelter in this area where thunderstorms can be very violent. A refreshing breath of fresh air in a peaceful, unspoilt natural setting, though you’ll need to be mindful of several sections requiring caution on both the ascent and the descent.