Hike & Canoe, Mont-Rebei Gorge
Mont-Rebei Gorge is approximately 2 hrs 45 min from Barcelona by car where you’ll find it nestled on the border of Aragon and Catalonia where the gorge forms the border. It’s a bit of a drive from Barcelona but definitely worth the trip and there’s always an option to spend the night at one on the mountain refuges there. We were lucky enough to have our van/campervan, where we slept for the night, but if you were keen to stay somewhere for the night, would recommend a small hostel called Alberg de Montfalcó http://www.alberguemontfalco.com/el-albergue . It’s situated at the start of the gorge and is the prefect location, with stunning views.
We started the hike from a parking area called Moll de Corcá, where we had organised with a company to rent canoes once we hiked to the end of the gorge. There’s a few companies to choose from and different options, but we decided to hike from the start to the end of the gorge and return on a canoe along the river. The company also gave us a small boat ride to the other side of the lake, where we started the hike.
Once we were dropped off by the boat we started with a climb above the West side of the lake, where you’ll have some great views of the lake behind. At the top of the climb approximately 3 km you’ll find a hostel, where we stopped for a quick drink and chat to other hikers in the area.
Passing the hostel we continued the hike down through a small forest until it opened up alongside the river, where the views begin to get stunning. Along the river you’ll be faced with incredible laddered stairs on the cliffs in excess of 500m in height on the cliff above. Perfectly safe but if you’re scared of heights, get ready to conquer your fears.
Once up and over the laddered stairs you’ll descend down and over a small bridge crossing the river. The path will then begin to traverse on the other side of the river and it’s when the hike really starts to get incredible. The path leads into trails cut into cliff, with shear drops to the side into the river and the cliffs thundering above - it’s breathtaking. You’ll see people on canoes paddling below and there’s ample locations for some beautiful pictures. Probably the best bit of the hike.
Follow the trail along until it opens up and once again you’ll cross another small bridge, where your canoe will be awaiting for you. Lot’s of options to consider, where you can either hike back the way you came, take a boat ride back to the start or if you’re feeling up to it, jump on a Canadian canoe and paddle the 7km back to the start. Be warned the wind tends to pick up in the afternoon, so be careful to check conditions before you start or you’ll be faced with a strenuous long paddle back.
For us the Canoe was definitely worth it and gives you a completely different perspective of the gorge. We firstly paddled through the steep sided gorge, until it opened up and it’s then, we decided to park up on the waters edge and take a well earned swim in the water. The water was the perfect temperature to cool off and get a bite to eat before paddling our way home to the start.
Once we had finished the canoe it was time for a well earned beer and barbecue by the lake watching the sunset, next to the van. There was a few other camper vans parked up and a perfect location, minus the mosquitoes.
The hike in total is approximately 10km with a 7km return canoe. The hike itself is a moderate level and most people with an average level of fitness should be ok, but you need to be reasonably fit for the return canoe. Especially if the wind picks up in the afternoon.
The company we used was called Ager Aventura and the trip was: https://ageraventurat.com/kayak-congost-montrebei-montrebei-aragon-ruta-senderisme-embarcadero-masana-parquing .
An amazing day in nature and was a perfect stop over before we headed to the Basque Country for some surfing.
Please note I also offer Private Guided Hikes to Mont-rebei Gorge, so please get in touch and we can guide you around the mountain to suit your fitness levels.
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