Meditative Pilgrimage: Long Trekking and Yoga Retreat

The first day is dedicated to preparing physically and mentally for the pilgrimage. At Casa Cuadrau and the surrounding area, we’ll practice yoga and review equipment together. We’ll help you organize your backpack and explain the route in detail.

Day two marks the start of our 3-day pilgrimage through these remarkable mountains. We’ll explore the most magical and untamed corners of Ordesa and Monte Perdido National Park, accompanied by Daniel Benito, a professional mountain guide who specializes in nature interpretation. As a yoga and meditation instructor, Daniel brings a holistic approach to the journey, offering sessions of meditative movement, pranayama, and meditation in the heart of nature.

On our final day, after returning to the house, we’ll rest, unwind with restorative yoga, and share our experiences. The last morning closes with a tea ceremony, before heading home completely transformed and full of vital energy.

It is an accessible trekking if you are in acceptable physical shape and have a minimum of experience hiking in the mountains. It is a suitable option for initiation to trekking or excursions of several days sleeping in nature.

We will leave Casa Cuadrau with our backpacks loaded with what is truly essential to satisfy our basic needs. During these three days, we are going to be absolutely self-sufficient. Sleeping, cooking and eating in the middle of nature and by our own means, that is, without the support of infrastructures, such as mountain refuges with services. We will make use of what Mother Nature offers us to establish our camp with what we take with us.

On the first day of the journey, we will go down the path marked GR-15.1 to the hermitage of San Urbez. After commending ourselves to this inspiring local saint, we will go up the Añisclo Canyon. Day 1 is the hardest part of the journey. We will walk more than 17 km. and we will progressively save a drop of more than +1000 meters. This canyon is one of the great jewels of the Pyrenees, both for the extraordinary beauty of its rocky cliffs sculpted by the passage of water, and for the exuberance of its biodiversity. In this wild botanical museum, there are more plant species than in the whole of the United Kingdom. A magical place, where we will immerse ourselves in an authentic forest bathing. We will enjoy the pools and waterfalls of a virgin high mountain river that will offer us a dream accommodation in Fuenblanca (1800mts).

On the second day, we will leave the canyon through the Grau de Foratiello, we will pass through San Vicenda, a paradise for cattle at this time of year. From here we will enjoy beautiful panoramic views of Monte Perdido, Sesa Mountain and the Añisclo Canyon. We will pass through Plana Canal, we will ascend through Tozal de la Fueva to reach the top of Los Sestrales (2,101mts.), the summit of our pilgrimage. This powerful mountain will offer us a fantastic bedroom under the light of the stars, where we can contemplate the immensity of the Milky Way and feel part of the immensity of the Cosmos.

On the third day, we will go around Los Sestrales and, after a dizzying descent of more than 1,200 meters of slope, once again crossing majestic mixed forests, we will arrive at the Romanesque Bridge of San Urbez, which we will cross again after three unforgettable days of journey. From there, only remains to overcome the last ascent to get out of the bottom of the canyon and return to the house, thus concluding a transformative and powerful pilgrimage experience in which we face our difficulties and overcome our fears.

DAY 1

• Route Difficulty: Moderate
• Total distance: 17 Km.
• Slope: +1.280 m. – 430m.
• Total time hiking: 9h.
• Type of Terrain: Marked trails in most of the route with uneven terrain and even the need to use your hands in specific steps.

Schedule:

• 7:30 h. Departure from the Casa
• 10:30 h. Lunch on the banks of the Río Bellos
• 14:00h. Rest and Snack in La Ripareta
• 19:00 h. Dinner, we set up camp and rest.

DAY 2

• Route Difficulty: Moderate
• Total distance: 12 Km.
• Slope: +874 m. – 489 m.
• Total time hiking: 7h.

Type of Terrain: Trails marked out in most of the route with uneven terrain in specific steps.

Schedule:

• 8:00 h. Departure from La Fuenblanca
• 10:30 h. Lunch in Foratiello
• 14:00 h. Rest and Snack
• 19:00 h. Dinner, we set up camp in Sestrales and rest.

DAY 3

• Route Difficulty: Moderate
• Total distance: 10 Km.
• Slope: + 644 m. – 1.240m.
• Total time hiking: 7h.

Type of Terrain: Marked trails in most of the route with uneven terrain and even the need to use your hands in specific steps.

Schedule:

• 8:30 h. Departure from Sestrales
• 10:30 h. Lunch in Portal de Belén
• 14:00 h. Rest and Snack
• 16:00 h. Expected arrival at Casa Cuadrau

Note: the route and schedules are subject to changes depending on the group and/or weather conditions.

They help us to understand, through experience, our deep connection with nature. It makes us notice in each step and in each breath, that the energy that exist inside us it is just the same as the energy that exists out there.

Nature is our greatest teacher. Silence and deep listening helps us enrich the experience She offers.

What is the level of difficulty of the journey?
The level of difficulty is medium. It may include sections with certain challenges.

People with little or no prior mountain experience, and a good physical condition, had no problem doing it.

Do you need to be well trained or is it something more relaxed?
You need to have a good physical condition and some experience in this kind of physical activity.

How many hours are we expected to walk per day?
About 8 hours per the day, including pauses for meals, interpretation of nature, etc. Approximately there will be around 6 hours of active walk.

The time of activity in the mountains can always vary depending on the conditions of the group and/or the weather.

Will the trek be very difficult and with big differences in elevation?
Technically they are not very difficult. However, you should to take into account the hours of walking and occasional steep slopes, both positive and negative.

Where will we sleep?
In two-person tents, shepherd’s huts (without services of any kind) and, if weather is favorable, in bivouacs.

Does everyone carry their backpack (including tents) or will they be carried to the destination every day?
Everybody will carry their backpack with their personal equipment (clothes, sleeping bag, mat, etc …) and food, which will be distributed among the whole group.

The tents and collective material (stoves, pots …) will be carried by the guides.

How much weight will we have to carry?
To a large extent, the weight you will carry depends how much you stick to the proposed “what to wear” list. If you limit yourself to this list and you carry light technical equipment, the backpack should not weigh more than 8-10 kg, including the weight of the food supplied by the team.

Is the trek in silence?
In the mornings, we will try to cultivate joyful silence, especially when walking. However, in the interpretative stops, breaks, etc., we will have time to share experiences.

Will we practice yoga daily?
Before leaving for the daily walk and at the end of the day, we will spend a few minutes practicing Sun Salutations and some yoga asanas to stretch and relax the body.

A moment of silence to connect with nature, with yourself and with the group. Sharing a bowl of “living tea” we deepen all the richness that dwells in “the way of tea” (Cha Dao).

We give ourselves the opportunity to make from something ordinary something extraordinary and full of meaning.

Including what we wear on the first day of the trek.

• 1 Light trekking footwear (sneakers or boots)
• 1 flip flops or crocs to rest the feet
• 1 summer trekking trousers (1 short or convertible and a long 3 seasons)
• 2 T-shirts (one on and a spare)
• 1 Underpants/panties
• 2 Pairs of socks (trekking)
• 1 pijama (or whatever you wear to sleep)
• 1 Thermal vest, merino or polyester
• Windbreaker jacket with gore-tex membrane or similar. Down jacket or similar
• Raincoat or poncho (ideal for Summer)
• Hat or cap
• Buff, hat and gloves
• Swimsuit (optional)
• Waterproof or plastic bag for dry clothes
• 2 plastic bags for dirty or wet clothes
• A pair of zip-loc bags for utensils (torch/batteries/camera)

• Technical trekking backpack (55 L minimum.): Once you have put all your things, there must be at least 10 liters of free space for the food of the 3 days that we will supply you.
• Light and warm sleeping bag. (nights at 2,500 m altitude can be cold) . We recommend you to bring a good sleeping bag down or synthetic. Approximate temperature range recommended: 1C ° comfort, Transition -5 °, Risk: -18 ° C

Others

• Light and insulating mat (Yoga mats are NOT appropriate)
• Razor
• Sunglasses
• Water bottle or Hydration Bladder Bag (min. 1,5 litre)
• Headlamp
• Sunscreen
• Trekking poles (optional, but very recommendable)

If you lack some of the necessary equipment, at Casa Cuadrau we have good quality sleeping bags and backpacks for rent.

• Simond Feather Bag or similar 0*C comfort temperature: €45 for the entire trekking.
• Trekking backpack of high quality comfortable and light: Woman 50lts.+ Man 60 lts.+: €35 for the entire trekking.

Check availability of these services by email (ops@casacuadrau.org) or WhatsApp at: 645 830 346.