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Hiking the secret sierras of Catalonia - SPAIN

South of the Encantats massif, (meaning "The Enchanted" in Catalan), in the Spanish Pyrenees, a small corner of Catalonia is full of unusual discoveries. With its sunny climate, terraced wheat fields and vineyards are at their best. You'll discover many typical villages perched in the mountains. The seemingly docile massif on one side, has impressive cliffs on the other, stretching for miles over emerald lakes. Spectacular views, perched hermitages and monasteries will delight your eyes and guarantee images to last a lifetime! A delightful family-run accommodation serves as a base camp, where the local art of living is at its best.

Itinerary

• Day 1: MONTREAL – BARCELONA : Participants meet at Montréal-Trudeau airport and fly to Barcelona.
  Dinner, overnight stay and breakfast on board.
• Day 2: BARCELONA : On arrival, meet your local guide and transfer to Senterada, where you will stay for 6 nights in a family-run inn. Approximately 2h30 drive to this charming village in Catalonia, north-east of Spain. Nestled in the heart of the Pyrenees, this picturesque village offers an authentic experience of Spanish rural life, surrounded by breathtaking natural scenery. Dinner included.
• Day 3: SIERRA DE MONTSEC : Transfer to the isolated village of Adons, built against a rocky outcrop, from where our hike begins. We pass a few meadows and alleys of poplars, then the path climbs through the garrigue to the Pa del Portus, a surprising and unusual spot in the Sierra Sant Gervas that opens up a view to the south and the Sierra de Montsec. Depending on the group's level and timetable, the hike can be extended to the summit of Avedoga, a typical local landmark. Return to the inn.
  Breakfast, lunch and dinner included.
  Distance: 6 to 8 km / Approx. walking time: 3 hrs / Elevation: +400m, -400m (or +500m, -500m).
• Day 4: MONTCORTES LAKE, PERACALÇ : Embark on a loop hike starting from the accommodation. Between meadows grazed peacefully by herds of local cows, climb through the village of Mentui to Lac de Montcortes, a refreshing spot much appreciated by walkers on hot summer days. Continue on to the Peracalç pass and ridge, suddenly revealing the eponymous village below, clinging to its limestone lace. Return to Senterada via another, more wooded route. 
  Breakfast, picnic lunch and dinner included. 
• Distance: 17 km / Approx. walking time: 4.5 hrs / Elevation: +550m, -550m.
• Day 5: QUERALT CONGOST : Short transfer to Pobla de Segur. Loop hike in the Queralt Congost (Catalan name for cliff areas): besieged by fields of almond and olive trees, the massif rises in reddish cliffs. A few old-fashioned footpaths wind their way between these sometimes surprisingly shaped reliefs, leading us through a pine forest to the village of Montso, perched high above the valley in a desolate semi-arid landscape. To the north, the view opens out towards the Pyrenees, while to the south we overlook the immense emerald lake of Sant Antoni. Next, a short trip to Pobla de Segur, home to Casa Mauri, an example of early 20th-century Modernist architecture. 
  Breakfast, picnic lunch and dinner included.
  Distance: 16 km / Approx. walking time: 5 hrs / Elevation: +700m, -700m.
• Day 6: MONTREBEIL : Transfer through the pretty, peaceful Sant Esteve de la Sarga valley to the Masia de Mont-Rebei. A gentle walk along the lake, soon becomes unusual: carved into the wall, the path takes the form of a balcony - like a ledge - above an arm of emerald water caught between 2 immense cliffs. This astonishing passage presents no particular difficulty and is secured by a handrail. The landscape opens up and the lake widens. We set foot on a footbridge and can now contemplate a spectacular and colourful landscape: the "Aragon Wall" and the "Catalonia Wall" form a huge V, with their orange cliffs hundreds of meters high, plunging into the green waters of the lake. The day continues in this spectacular setting, passing by the Mare de Deu de la Pertusa hermitage, built on an impressive rocky outcrop. Arrive in the village of Corça, transfer to hotel.
  Breakfast, lunch and dinner included.
  Distance: 12 km / Approx. walking time: 4 hrs / Elevation: +400m, -400m.
• Day 7: SIERRA DE SANT SALVADOR ET RIVERT : Transfer to Toralla, and go on a loop hike in the Sierra de Sant Salvador: a labyrinth of cliffs, dry rivers, and rounded slopes where vegetation struggles bravely to provide a little shade. After the vast panoramic views from the top of the mountain, we return to the adorable village of Rivert - one of the most beautiful, little-known and authentic villages in the Pallars, with its typical houses nestling at the foot of orange walls. Here, fresh water gushes forth from an unlikely resurgence, a veritable source of life in these arid lands, irrigating groves of poplars and other crops.
  Breakfast, picnic lunch and dinner included.
  Distance: 16 km / Approx. walking time: 5 hrs / Elevation: +650m, -650m.
• Day 8: TERRADERS LAKE : Transfer to the Terradets lake. Take a gentle walk along the shores of the lake before suddenly discovering the immense cliffs of the Terradets, and in particular of La Roca Regina, which literally tower 500m above us in absolute verticality. We pass at the foot of the cliffs along a spectacularly pretty path, which soon twists and turns to give us a superb view, then switches to the north side of the mountain and descends the gentle, shady slopes back to the vehicle. Before finishing the hike, we make a detour to Abella de la Conca: an incredible, spectacular village nestled against the cliff, dominated by elegant limestone needles. At its foot lie fields of almond, olive and wheat. On to Isona and one of Europe's most remarkable deposits of fossilized dinosaur footprints. Transfer to Barcelona for the last night. Festive tapas dinner and overnight stay at the hotel.
  Breakfast, picnic lunch and dinner included.
  Distance: 13 km / Approx. walking time: 3.5 hrs / Elevation: +400m, -400m.
• Day 9: BARCELONA - MONTREAL : Transfer to Barcelona airport for the return flight to Montreal. Transfer time approx. 3h20.
  Breakfast included.

The Challenge Against Cancer program is a series of fundraising travel campaigns to benefit cancer research. It offers its participants the chance to explore the world and surpass themselves through a variety of sporting activities. This unique adventure carries a deeply meaningful purpose, as the funds raised by participants help to make a significant difference to the advancement of cancer research.

Learn more about the Challenge Against Cancer Program