Expert Coronallacs Traverse: Andorra & Spain

The Coronallacs adventure starts in Andorra la Vella, the gateway to the Madriu-Perafita-Claror Valley. This stunning landscape is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of Andorra's most iconic natural features. The trail steadily ascends, leaving the urban landscape behind and entering rugged alpine terrain sculpted by glacial valleys and granite formations. The long, steady ascent requires endurance and focus, but the well-marked trail is rewarded with pure alpine air and stunning vistas, such as Pic de Perafita (2,753 m) in the distance.

Follow the course of the Madriu River through dense pine forests and past traditional stone bordas (Andorran agricultural villages), relics of the country's pastoral heritage. You will walk alongside the Camí de l'Ossa beside the Riu Madriu. This path is made up of rocks embedded in a tree-lined road and opens up to reveal clearings in the forest. Refugi de Fontvert is located halfway through the valley and is the perfect place to rest and recharge. Shortly afterwards, you will come across the Farga del Madriu ruins. As you climb higher, the landscape opens up to reveal meadows and stony terrain with fewer trees and stunning panoramic views.

The final section crosses the high cirque of the Madriu Valley and leads to the beautifully situated Refugi de l’Illa (2,490 m), located near the glacial Lake de l’Illa. Surrounded by granite peaks and pristine, high-mountain silence, this remote, atmospheric hut is the perfect place to spend your first night, deeply connected to the wild spirit of Andorra’s highlands.

This high mountain stretch connects two remote mountain refuges via the GR11 trail, which spans the border between Andorra and Spain. The route winds through wide, pastoral valleys and rocky passes, passing chains of small glacial lakes along the way. After an exposed traverse around the cirque below Bony del Manyer (2,809 m), a long descent leads through waterfalls and a pine forest to the granite plateau of Malniu. The refuge there stands close to a tranquil lake surrounded by scattered boulders.

From the refuge, the path skirts high tarns before dropping gently into the grassy basin of Pla de Vallcivera. This leads to Cabana dels Esparvers, which is nestled amongst meadows and streams. The main ascent then begins, following cairns over rougher terrain to Portella de Calm Colomer (2,740 m), the highest point on the route, where you can enjoy views of the Engorgs peaks and the border ridges.

Beyond the pass, the trail descends past the Portella and Minyons lakes and the Refugi d'Engorgs, continuing down a rocky valley. Gradually, the gradient eases and the path enters an open pine forest with flower-filled clearings. A final gentle traverse brings you to the Refugi de Malniu, set on a knoll above the Estany Sec mountain lake, offering views of the surrounding granite summits.