Coronallacs, five days linking Andorra's staffed mountain huts

There are plenty of ways to cross Andorra on foot, but the Coronallacs has a neat idea behind it. Link the country’s four staffed mountain huts in a single loop that leaves a street in Escaldes and returns to it five days later. If you have the legs and the experience, it’s the most complete way I know to understand the country from one side to the other.

What the Coronallacs is

Andorra Turisme describes it as a 92 km circular route through the Principality’s four staffed huts, designed so that you sleep in each and carry little weight. It’s split into five stages of 13 to 22 km, averaging 18.4 km a day, and totals 6,449 m of ascent and the same in descent. The grade is very hard. The Madriu listing rounds it to about 90 km, but the route’s own sheet gives 92.

It leaves central Escaldes-Engordany and passes through Encamp, Canillo, Ordino and La Massana before coming home. The line is high and exposed, which means views almost the whole way and a lot of exposure to the weather.

The five stages

Stage one leaves the Escaldes tourist office over the Tosca bridge and enters the Madriu valley on the GR7. It passes Entremesaigües, the Ràmio barns, Fontverd and La Farga, crosses the Pla de l’Ingla and ends at the l’Illa hut, 2,488 m. It’s 12.6 km with almost 1,500 m of ascent, the shortest day.

Stage two climbs to the Collada de Pessons at 2,810 m, passes seven of the twelve Pessons lakes, drops to Bordes d’Envalira, climbs again to Port Dret and ends at the Juclar hut, 2,310 m, beside the Juclar lakes. Stage three runs past Cabana Sorda and over the Collada de Meners to the Borda de Sorteny at 1,965 m, inside the Sorteny nature park.

Stage four is the hardest, 21.9 km with 1,904 m of ascent, from Sorteny to Comapedrosa via El Serrat, Llorts and the Angonella hut. You sleep at 2,265 m beneath the country’s highest peak. Stage five returns over the Portella de Sanfons, the Coll de la Botella and Sispony, follows the Camí Ral and enters Escaldes over the Escalls bridge and past Caldea.

What you see along the way

The official sheet notes what appears on each stage, and it gives a sense of the variety. On day one, mountain pine and broadleaf trees in the lower Madriu, and between Fontverd and Riu dels Orris, chamois, wild boar, mouflon and marmots. On day three, gneiss terraces by the Cabana Sorda lake and the iron-rich ground of Sorteny, where ore was once mined. On day five, from the Portella de Sanfons on the Spanish border, you can see the Aneto and the Pica d’Estats, then cross woodland with capercaillie, squirrels and roe deer before dropping to Sispony, home of the Casa Rull museum.

Who is it for?

It isn’t for everyone, and I’ll be blunt about that. Four stages involve more than nine hours of walking, and the official sheet repeats on each one that you must carry enough water and food. You need mountain experience, good fitness and the ability to read the ground. If you’re unsure, try a single stage first, such as the first one to the Estany de l’Illa, and spend the night there.

The upside is that you don’t need a tent or cooking kit. The staffed huts have showers, mattresses and basic meals, and I cover them all in mountain huts in Andorra. Information and bookings are at coronallacs.com, which I couldn’t read, so check prices and availability there.

When to go

Andorra Turisme advises keeping above 1,700 m only from the tail end of June until September is out, and the Coronallacs spends much of its time above 2,000 m. I’d go in July or August, with long days, and leave room for an extra night if the weather turns. The route sheet itself suggests a second night at l’Illa for the lakes or at Sorteny for the botanical garden.

One more thing. The GHIC and EHIC don’t work in Andorra, and on a trek like this I wouldn’t set out without travel insurance that includes mountain rescue. The emergency number is 112, and fire and rescue is 118.

And on the final day, after 92 km, the route walks you straight past Caldea. I wouldn’t need asking twice.