The Pic de Casamanya from the Col d'Ordino

de fr

A different side of Andorra if you want to get away from the shopping centres!
A demanding hike (it’s a tough climb) without being difficult, but offering sublime 360° views of the surrounding Pyrenean peaks and valleys.
At the start and finish, in the shade of mountain pines, and if you’re hiking in late August, there are raspberries to enjoy all along the way.

Details

n°2467660
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 7.32 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 4h 10 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate
  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 736 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 736 m
  • ▲
    Highest point: 2,719 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 1,983 m
Downloads
Open in the mobile app
Download GPX GPX
Download PDF PDF

Description of the walk

The route starts from the Ordino Pass. Park in the small car park on the right as you approach from Ordino.

The very well-marked path starts from the pass and is signposted in yellow.

(S/E) Follow the path on the left (coming from Ordino) heading north. It climbs gently through the woods and heads north-north-west.

(1) At the junction with a path (not shown on the map) that descends towards Meritxell on the right, continue climbing. The pine trees become sparser and the path soon opens out completely, offering increasingly beautiful views of the two valleys of Canillo on one side and Ordino on the other.

The climb continues northwards, without much difficulty (apart from the elevation gain) to the summit of Pic de Casamanya.

(2) Descend via the same route back to the Ordino Pass (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 1,983 m - Col d'Ordino
  2. 1 : km 1.69 - alt. 2,162 m - Crossroads
  3. 2 : km 3.66 - alt. 2,719 m - Pic de Casamanya
  4. S/E : km 7.32 - alt. 1,983 m

Notes

Make sure you have good walking shoes, especially for the return journey: from the (2) the path gets steep (and so the descent is steep) and there is no water or shade.

Bring warm clothing: it can be chilly at the summit, especially if it’s windy.

Worth a visit

Ordino is a pleasant holiday resort; it is one of the few villages in Andorra that has retained some of its authentic character.

Reviews and comments

4.6 / 5
Based on 5 reviews
Reliability of the description
4.8 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.8 / 5
Route interest
4.2 / 5
Maryma
Maryma

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 30, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

I can confirm the enthusiasm of other hikers regarding the beauty of the route and the views.
Once you reach the summit of Casamanya Sud, I strongly recommend continuing on to the peak of Casamanya Nord and, above all, to the edge of the plateau where rocky spires rise up from a desert-like expanse. Mind-blowing!
However, I’ll be more cautious than Cambrins regarding the circular return route via a ‘passage that may look daunting but isn’t difficult’. Not everyone is cut out for scrambling down, facing the drop, chains in hand and legs stretched out. Even less so if you’re afraid of heights! Especially as this type of passage is repeated 5 or 6 times!
That said, I’m grateful to him because the route is magnificent.
The path continues to the Mirador El Quer (€5 entry fee). However, from there, the only way back to the starting car park is along the road! Another 2 to 3 km...

Machine-translated

Philippe47
Philippe47
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : May 13, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Hike undertaken in May with snow from 2,200 m. Crampons are required. The route is easy to follow. Beautiful views at 2,900 m.

Machine-translated

DG46
DG46

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 21, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

A superb hike offering stunning views of the two Andorran valleys, as well as the Ariège Pyrenees

Machine-translated

cambrins
cambrins

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 07, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

It’s a shame to just do the round trip. After the West Peak, carry on towards the North Peak, passing beneath the Middle Peak. Once you reach the plateau, follow the yellow markers and ‘head down’ towards the Col d’Arenes. The passage may look daunting but isn’t difficult: chains are in place for safety. Then the return is straightforward, following the yellow markings all the way: you descend towards the valley and the large car park set up for visitors to Pic d’El Quer and the statue. Complete the circular route by heading back up to the pass. There are far fewer people on this alternative route.

Machine-translated

Randonnéepartage
Randonnéepartage

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 30, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

A magnificent hike, with a very accurate map and route description. It’s a constant climb from the moment you leave the woods; make sure you pack warm clothes, as with temperatures of 5°C and a strong wind throughout the ascent, you’ll need to dig deep. The 360° panoramic viewpoint over Andorra is exceptional. Being in good shape is vital – 760m of elevation gain over 4km – and the descent is steep but well worth it for the magnificent views. I’d happily do it again.

Machine-translated

Other walks in the area

Walking Cami del Toll Bullidor

Visorando member
↔1.76 km ↗+118 m ↘-110 m ◔0h 50 ▲Easy
⚑Departure from Canillo (Andorra)
A very short, easy hike to see a beautiful waterfall. There is only one path and it is very easy to follow.

Walking Pic de L'Estanyo from Canillo (Andorra)

Association / Club / Walk leader
Pic de L'Estanyo depuis Canillo (Andorre)
↔18.22 km ↗+1,449 m ↘-1,451 m ◔9h 20 ▲Difficult
⚑Departure from Canillo (Andorra)
Pic de l'Estanyo is the second highest peak in Andorra (2,915 m). The view of the other peaks in Andorra is magnificent. It is accessible from Sorteny or Ransol for the most well-known routes. It can also be accessed from Canillo, which is the subject of this guide. This is a long hike with a significant elevation gain. The trail is generally well marked up to Estany Gran, then you have to follow the cairns and the trail where it exists.

Walking Ensagents Refuge and Lakes

Visorando member
Refuge et Étangs d'Ensagents
↔9.78 km ↗+668 m ↘-668 m ◔4h 40 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from Encamp (Andorra)
A fairly demanding hike through mountain pines and rhododendrons to reach the refuge and then the Étangs d'Ensagents, set in a predominantly mineral environment. The calm, the omnipresent water and the beauty of the landscapes more than compensate for the considerable effort required to negotiate a few very steep passages. A breath of fresh air just a few kilometres from the consumer frenzy of Pas de la Case.

Walking Monturull ridge to Coma Extremera peak via the Madriu Valley

Visorando member
↔27.52 km ↗+2,204 m ↘-2,202 m ◔14h 10 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from Escaldes-Engordany (Andorra)
You have to be curious enough to venture far south of the Principality of Andorra to have heard of the Monturull peak, the Tossal Bovinar or the Colilla peak; names that are not as famous as the great peaks of the West. However, these peaks are well over 2,700 metres, even reaching 2,800 metres, and are located in eastern Catalonia. The ridge on today's itinerary is located just south of the Principality of Andorra. It marks the southern border with Spain. The southern slope of this ridge is gentle and accessible, while the northern slope is made up of ravines and steep cliffs. Naturally, the southern route is the most popular, but I decided to tackle this journey by looping around the north. I will therefore start this loop from the Madriu Valley in Andorra.

Walking Estany de la Cabana Sorda and return via Val d'Inclès

Visorando member
Estany de la Cabana Sorda et retour par le Val d'Inclès
↔13.86 km ↗+763 m ↘-763 m ◔6h 10 ▲Difficult
⚑Departure from Canillo (Andorra)
This beautiful and demanding hike allows you to discover several high-altitude lakes in an exceptional environment, including Estany del Querol, Estany de la Cabana Sorda and Estany d'Anrodat, to name but the most important. Other small lakes, some of which are unfortunately drying up, dot the route. After a particularly challenging descent, the return journey takes you along the Chemin de l'Ubac d'Inclès, which allows you to discover this beautiful valley as you walk alongside the Riu d'Inclès, close to pastures where cows, donkeys and horses graze in the summer. However, you will need to save your strength for the climb back up to the car park, which can be very tiring at the end of the walk.

Walking El Serrat - Pic de Tristagne - Refuge de l'Étang Fourcat

Visorando member
↔9.89 km ↗+1,319 m ↘-450 m ◔6h 35 ▲Very difficult
⚑Departure from Ordino (Andorra)
The fifth and final stage of the high-mountain route passes by the iconic Pic de Tristagne, which towers over the many lakes in the surrounding area, and its short, fairly exposed ridge route, before returning to France via the magnificent Étangs Fourcat site.

Walking Comapedrosa Refuge - El Serrat

Visorando member
↔13.91 km ↗+710 m ↘-1,405 m ◔6h 00 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from La Massana (Andorra)
The fourth stage is in the high mountains, easier than the previous two, allowing you to reduce your effort. Many trails through forests and woodlands make for a more bucolic and enjoyable hike. This stage presents no technical difficulties, but orientation and following the route are complicated due to numerous crossings and intersections of hiking trails. It is essential to have a hiking app and the GPX track to avoid getting lost.

Walking Tour of the Cirque dels Pessons lakes

Visorando member
Tour des étangs du cirque dels Pessons
↔10.37 km ↗+518 m ↘-519 m ◔4h 25 ▲Difficult
⚑Departure from Encamp (Andorra)
This hike allows you to discover most of the lakes in the Cirque des Pessons while avoiding the crowds of hikers thanks to two off-trail sections that are therefore very little or not at all frequented. No fewer than sixteen lakes are on the itinerary, some identified and others unnamed. A wild landscape with rounded rocks shaped by ancient glaciers, streams and crystal-clear lakes, mountain pines... all this makes for an unforgettable experience, despite the difficulty of some sections.

For more walks, use our search engine .

The GPS track and description are the property of this route's author. Please do not copy them without permission.