• Join one of Pyrenean Odysseys guided day walks or treks in the Pyrenees mountains
• Learn about navigation, flora and fauna, culture and history as you walk
• Enjoy quiet day trips or trek to remote peaks, on isolated footpaths, miles from roads and far away from civilisation
• Come on your own, with friends or family or as a group
• Small groups, generally less than eight people

If you’ve ever been on a guided walking holiday, the chances are that you had a great time. Walking in the Pyrenees with a trained mountain professional is both fun and a learning experience. Years of walking, working and living here mean we have chosen the  routes we think best, can improvise if the weather changes, know where to look for birds and animals and take the hassle out of map reading.

The Pyrenees are a fantastic place for a guided walking holiday and Pyrenean Odysseys are based in the heart of the Pyrenean National Park (see the wonderful photos on their site). Both our treks (Mont Perdu Tour + Pyrenean High Route) and our day walks (Discover the Pyrenees) take place withing this protected universe of the National Park. We are also very close to the Spanish border and on our three treks we criss-cross back and forward across the border to discover “ the other side”; on both the Mont Perdu and second Pyrenean High Route treks, we also spend several days in the Ordesa National Park.

 The Pyrenees are home to more than 250 unique plants and flowers as well as being one of the few places in Europe that you can see the famous bearded vultures (Lamergeyer) and golden eagles. With a guide you have a much better chance of spotting all the unique Pyrenean flora and fauna.

Walking in a Group

Group walking is a nice, relaxed way to meet people because you are discovering new things together. You will be made welcome whether you come as a single person, a couple or a pre existing group. The supportive bonds that build up in a walking group can be very strong. We even have people who met in our groups planning their holiday dates so they can meet again!  You don’t need to worry about whether you will manage to “keep up” with the group.  We will discuss your walking experience with you before you come and once you are here we will adapt itineraries to suit all in the group.

Maps

You don’t need to do any map reading or navigation but we find that most people joining these guided holidays like to have their own maps so they can track their progress. The best maps are the IGN “Carte de Randonnée” 1:25000 scale. Mandy or Jonathan will show you where you are on the map or, on treks, will plan each day’s walk with you ahead of time over a drink at the refuge. You can learn a lot about map reading from them so don’t hesitate to ask.

Local Transport

Transport arrangements vary depending on the trip, its start and finish points and what is required in between. None of our holidays require for you to have your own car and we organise all transport whether it be mini-van or public bus services (which we are using more and more for both convenience and environmental reasons). We can also, by arrangement, collect you from Pau or Lourdes for the transfer to Luz St Sauveur but equally the SNCF bus service takes 55 minutes from Lourdes to Luz, runs every few hours and is extremely efficient. We offer a wide range of guided walking holidays and treks. Some walks return to the comfort of Hotel Les Templiers at the end of each day, others have a mix of hotel and refuge accommodation and others are all refuge based. Treks traverse the high passes of the Pyrenees – often passing between France and Spain. Choosing the right walk for you depends on a number of factors, such as how fit and used to hill walking you are, whether you would rather stay in a village setting or hike miles away from the roads and stay in refuges, whether you are more interested in flora and fauna, culture or high mountain landscapes and peaks.

Which Guided Walk is for You ?

The guided walks you will find on this site are very varied in feel and challenge. Some are relaxed strolls where the emphasis is on enjoying the scenery at a comfortable pace, stopping regularly for photos and learning a bit more about these magnificent mountains (e.g. Discover the Pyrenees, Flora and Fauna of the Pyrenees). A local catchphrase is ‘the mountains are for everyone’ (it sounds better in French!) and you certainly don’t have to be an Olympian to enjoy walking here. However, other holidays are much more demanding physically and you’ll end the day with that pleasurable feeling of having really given your all. These guided walks involve elements of climbing or scrambling and long hard days. So do make sure that you ask us about what you are looking to do and we’ll help you determine that is right for you.

Guided Walking/Trekking Program 2010

Discover the Pyrenees

Four day walks of intermediate level with Mandy discovering some of Great Sites of the High Pyrenees. Seven nights in Hotel Les Templiers. Two days for relaxing or exploring independently (visit to Lourdes or Pic du Midi de Bigorre perhaps).

HRP 1 (Pic du Midi d’Ossau to Gavarnie)

A hut to hut trek along the Pyrenean High Level Route (Haute Route Pyrenéenne). From the Pic du Midi d’Ossau to Gavarnie.  Date: 11-18  Sep. 2010.

Tour of Mont Perdu

Our equivalent of the Tour of Mont Blanc, but on this one you get to climb the summit! A great high mountain hut to hut trek. Date: 14-21 August 2010.

HRP 2 (Gavarnie to Port de Bielsa)

Along the Pyrenean High Level Route (Haute Route Pyrenéenne) – via the Ordesa Canyon and the Breche de Roland and three big Pyrenean cirques Gavarnie, Estaubé and Troumouse.  Date: 17-24 July 2010.

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