The Camin Reiau route starts and ends in Vielha, the main town of the Val d’Aran. Vielha is conveniently accessible by bus from Barcelona, making it easy to reach without a car.
Because it’s a circular route, you don’t need to arrange any return transport. You simply walk back to where you started.
Food
Because you’re never too far from a village, you can plan to eat out for most meals rather than cooking or carrying much food. There are supermarkets or small shops in the villages and towns along the way, often closing on Sundays and during midday.
Breakfasts in the accommodations are often very complete, with fruit, eggs, bread, cured meats, coffee, etc. and served between 8 and 10 am. You can eat lunch at a restaurant in the villages along the way (usually open from 1 to 3 pm) or buy something at a supermarket before starting the day’s hike. There are no shops in Montgarri, but the hut serves lunches and other food. Dinners are usually served at around 8 pm and restaurants are usually open from 8 to 10 pm.
Sometimes, the schedules on Google Maps are not up to date. You might find some restaurants or grocery shops closed even though it says they are open. This happens especially in the low season (spring and autumn), so it’s worth packing some snacks.
Extra activities
Because the stages are short, you’ll typically arrive in the overnight village during the afternoon, leaving you with plenty of time to stroll through the streets, visit a local church, sit on a terrace, or enjoy an activity before dinner. This is one of the things that makes the Camin Reiau feel like much more than just a hike.
Some of the things you can do:
- Salardú (Stage 1): After the first day on the trail, the public swimming pool in Salardú is a great way to cool off and stretch out tired legs.
- Les (Stage 6): Les is famous for its thermal waters. After a full day of hiking, you can treat yourself to a spa session here to relax before the final two stages.
Navigating
The Camin Reiau is well signposted. The route largely follows the GR 211, marked with the classic red and white stripes of the Gran Recorrido (long-distance trail) network.
In some sections, you’ll also encounter local PR (Pequeño Recorrido) trails, marked with yellow and white stripes or valley-specific signs.
At trail junctions and at the entrance to each of the 33 villages, you’ll find wooden signposts and information panels with directional markings, so it’s generally easy to stay on track.
Still, it’s always recommended to carry the GPX on your phone as a backup. Don’t forget to download it before setting off. While navigating, you can use flight mode or low-power mode to save battery.
Money
You don’t need much cash on the trail as most hotels, restaurants, and even the mountain hut accept bank cards.
