Almost a loop in the Encantats de Cavallers in La Molina

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A very beautiful hike in Spain, south of Vielha. There are numerous lakes: this is the largest concentration of lakes in the Pyrenees. The peaks are around 3,000 metres high and almost all are only accessible by mountaineering. The refuges are pleasant but small, so it is essential to book several months in advance.

Details

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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 48.34 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 4 days 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Difficult
  • ⚐
    Back to start: No
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 2,703 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 3,086 m
  • ▲
    Highest point: 2,817 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 1,318 m

Photos

Estany Sant Maurici
Portarro d'Espot
Cascade Saint Esprit
Refuge Mallafré et Encantats

Stages of the route

This route needs several days, find the details below:

  1. S
    Étang de Cavallers - Refuge de Ventosa

    Cavallers Pond - Ventosa refuge

    ↔5.13 km ↗630 m ↘127 m
    This is the first stage of a four-day circuit in the Encantats. It is the shortest stage and can be completed in an afternoon, but it is best not to arrive too late at the large refuges so that you can choose your bed and not have to wait too long for a shower.
    View the route
  2. 2
    Refuge de Ventosa - Refuge de Saboredo

    Ventosa refuge - Saboredo refuge

    ↔12.94 km ↗855 m ↘770 m
    This is the second stage of this four-stage loop in the Encantats. There are numerous lakes between these two refuges with beautiful ascents and descents. No technical difficulties, but some scree that is not very pleasant.
    View the route
  3. 3
    Refuge de Saboredo - Refuge de Mallafré

    Saboredo Refuge - Mallafré Refuge

    ↔10.76 km ↗613 m ↘1,020 m
    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.
    View the route
  4. E
    Refuge de Mallafré - Parking de la Molina

    Mallafré refuge - La Molina car park

    ↔19.50 km ↗597 m ↘1,176 m
    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.
    View the route

Notes

Over the four days:

  1. No problems.
  2. Numerous lakes but also a steep wall.
  3. A slightly tricky section along the Lac Glacé with a steep path and an 8-metre abseil, followed by paths with large steps (rocks) and several large scree slopes. There may be snow on 200 metres, but it is possible to bypass this.
  4. No problems except for the distance.

Worth a visit

An interesting four-day hike in the beautiful Encantats region.

Always be cautious and plan ahead when you're outdoors. Visorando and the author of this route cannot be held responsible for any accidents occurring on this route.

Reviews and comments

5 / 5
Based on 1 review
Reliability of the description
5 / 5
Ease of following the route
5 / 5
Route interest
5 / 5
philomene.montegut
philomene.montegut

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 21, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A wonderful hike in this magnificent area of the Spanish Pyrenees.
The description is perfect and reliable. Well done to the author.

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Other walks in the area

Walking Cavallers Pond - Ventosa refuge

Visorando Member
Étang de Cavallers - Refuge de Ventosa
↔5.13 km ↗+630 m ↘-127 m ◔3h 15 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from la Vall de Boí (Lleida)
This is the first stage of a four-day circuit in the Encantats. It is the shortest stage and can be completed in an afternoon, but it is best not to arrive too late at the large refuges so that you can choose your bed and not have to wait too long for a shower.

Walking Ventosa refuge - Saboredo refuge

Visorando Member
Refuge de Ventosa - Refuge de Saboredo
↔12.94 km ↗+855 m ↘-770 m ◔6h 10 ▲Difficult
⚑Departure from la Vall de Boí (Lleida)
This is the second stage of this four-stage loop in the Encantats. There are numerous lakes between these two refuges with beautiful ascents and descents. No technical difficulties, but some scree that is not very pleasant.

Walking Colomèrs

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Colomèrs
↔7.60 km ↗+387 m ↘-392 m ◔3h 15 ▲Moderate
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This easy hike takes you past a dozen or so lakes in the Cirque de Colomèrs, which has around thirty in total, some identified and others unnamed. The landscape is magnificent, combining pine undergrowth carpeted with rhododendrons and large areas of rounded rocks dotted with lakes of all sizes fed by crystal-clear torrents. On the way back, a stop at the Colomèrs Refuge allows you to conclude this circular route by enjoying the Estanh Major, into which multiple waterfalls flow. A summary of the Aygues Tortes and San Maurici National Park in all its splendour.

Walking The seven lakes of Colomèrs circular

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↔6.50 km ↗+295 m ↘-288 m ◔2h 40 ▲Moderate
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The Colomèrs lake circuit is a massif of mountains arranged in a circle, protecting some fifty lakes ("estanhs") in its bosom. The slow erosion of frost during the Ice Ages has left an inescapable landscape: a high mountain area with high, steep peaks of around 3,000m, such as Creu de Colomèrs, Gran Tuc de Colomèrs and Tuc de Ratera.

Walking Estany de Besiberri

Visorando Member
Estany de Besiberri
↔8.02 km ↗+550 m ↘-557 m ◔3h 50 ▲Moderate
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A classic in the Val d'Aran, an ascent to Lake Besiberri via the Val de Besiberri with magnificent views of the Besiberri, the Sèrra del Molar Gran and the Aneto.

Walking Lac Redon, Tuc deth Port de Vielha, Lac de Rius from Espitau de Vielha

Visorando Member
Lac Redon, Tuc deth Port de Vielha, Lac de Rius depuis l'Espitau de Vielha
↔13.91 km ↗+1,226 m ↘-1,226 m ◔7h 30 ▲Difficult
⚑Departure from Vielha e Mijaran (Lleida)
A lovely loop from Espitau de Vielha via Tuc deth port de Vielha (2,606 m), the magnificent Lac Redon (2,230 m), Coret deth Redon (2,454 m) and finally Lac de Rius (2,320 m). It goes up and down, and the slopes are quite steep. Very rocky landscape. Hike done in summer. Lac de Rius, which is pumped in summer and during periods of drought, can see its level drop by several metres, which detracts a little from its charm.

Walking Saboredo Refuge - Mallafré Refuge

Visorando Member
Refuge de Saboredo - Refuge de Mallafré
↔10.76 km ↗+613 m ↘-1,020 m ◔4h 50 ▲Difficult
⚑Departure from Alt Àneu (Lleida)
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.

Walking From the car park to the start of the 7 lakes route

Visorando Member
↔5.18 km ↗+291 m ↘-68 m ◔2h 20 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from Naut Aran (Lleida)
No particular difficulty and a beautiful hike. There is a taxi service that will take you from our departure point to our arrival point for €5 per person. It is not possible to drive your car to the arrival point for the start of the lake hike.

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