Family Pyrenees Multi-Activity Adventure - 8 Days

Our trip begins at Barcelona Airport (BCN) at 3pm. If you'd like an airport transfer today, the latest your flight can arrive is 2.15pm. We'll travel together as a group to Sort, a charming mountain village close to the Noguera River and the centre for water sports in the Pyrenees - the journey will take around three and a half hours. Our tour leader plans to meet you in the hotel reception at 8.30pm for those who wish to go out for dinner. There are no other activities planned today. If your flight arrives earlier in the day, you may have time to wait ahead of our group transfer to Sort. You can make the most of this time by exploring Barcelona with its many attractions such as 'La Boqueria' food market, Las Ramblas boulevard lined with bars and restaurants and not to mention the many incredible architectural works of Antoni Gaudi. The Barcelona metro line L9 Sud connects terminals T1 and T2 with the city of Barcelona every seven minutes and takes 32 minutes. Alternatively, you can take the Aerobus to the city centre. Bags can be stored at the airport's left luggage for around 10EUR per piece of luggage.

For those who want to immerse themselves in majestic alpine scenery, we have a morning walk in the Aigues Tortes National Park. We leave in the morning and head off in Land Rovers to the Sant Maurici Lake which is placed amidst the rugged mountain ranges of the Pyrenees with peaks of up to 3,000 metres/9,842 feet surrounding the area. The image of the two Encantats peaks is surely the most stunning one in the mountain range. We'll walk alongside the lake, passing a beautiful waterfall before reaching the 'Mirador', a viewpoint high above Sant Maurici. Here we'll have our picnic lunch, tucking into local specialities such as longaniza sausage or farmhouse goat cheese before continuing our walk along the other side of the Sant Maurici lake and then driving back to Sort. Our walk will take around three hours with 300 metres/984 feet of ascent. The minimum suggested age for this activity is 8 years old.

Experience the thrill of whitewater rafting. Driving to our activity base right next to the river, we don our wet suits and lifejackets to explore this exciting river on our rafts along a 14-kilometre/8.6-mile stretch of the river. Pass through some exhilarating rapids including the famous 'washing machine' rapid which will throw your raft onwards as you travel down the steep body of water and we are sure you will yell with triumph once through this rollercoaster of a rapid. The river Noguera is unique as there is a high enough water level all year round for water sports. We return to our spa hotel in Sort around 1pm, the afternoon is free. It's possible to add a second section of the rafting in the afternoon, taking you through more rapids and arriving at the picturesque Collegats canyon, an idyllic swimming spot and climbers paradise. The river is marginally quieter in this second section. Please refer to the budgeting and packing section for the additional cost.

This morning, we'll drive 30 minutes north to the Guingueta reservoir, one of the dammed lakes of the Noguera River. Here, we can soak in views of the Pyrenees, with the backdrop of mountains all around. After changing into our wetsuits and harnesses, we'll spend the morning abseiling, jumping and sliding down the Estaron Canyon. We'll be back at the hotel at lunch time and then the afternoon is free for more optional activities or relaxing by the pool or use the hotel spa; all guests 14 years and over will receive one complimentary day spa pass to use during their stay. See the Accommodation section for spa operating times. For those looking to explore Sort, there is plenty to see - the remains of the castle dating back to the 11th century still overlook the village. A great location with beautiful surroundings and the backdrop of the Pyrenees, the town also boasts pleasant bars and cafes where you can sit on the terrace and watch life pass by. In the evening, it's possible to organise dinner at one of the delightful restaurants tucked away in one of the small mountain villages not too far from the hotel. Sort itself is known for its choice of restaurants. Looks can sometimes be deceiving, some of the best eateries in town may not look appealing at first glance but it's not hard to find outstanding traditional Catalonian food at great prices. Typical set menus start at €25 per person. There are also several family-friendly options including a great pizzeria.

By today, you'll hopefully know which activities you liked most and there are plenty of possibilities for a very active day, perhaps exploring 'hell's' canyon which involves abseiling into a cave, horse riding, via Ferrata or an adventure park. Another option involves a more challenging way of floating down the river in an activity called hydrospeed where you hang on to a little board following the current through rapids and calmer sections of the river.

This morning is left free for relaxing or filling in with further optional activities that our tour leader can help you organise. This afternoon, we transfer to Geri de la Sal village where we change into our wet suits and spend the afternoon kayaking down the Noguera River through some exciting rapids and stunning canyons. These kayaks are often referred to as 'open kayaks' (inflatable, very stable mini-rafts). This area is one of the last habitats of the 'quebrantahuesos' vulture (or bearded vulture) which is close to extinction in Europe - with a bit of luck we can see one.

Today you can rest at the pool or on the banks of the river. Alternatively, you might like to go for a walk in the surrounding area or ask our tour leader to organize another activity for you. There is a wide range of possibilities; perhaps you may wish to spend the afternoon kayaking.

Departing Sort this morning, we drive to Barcelona Airport (BCN), a journey of around three and a half hours. We'll arrive around 1pm and this is where our trip ends. The earliest your flight can depart is 3pm.