Few things in the Pyrenees match a beech wood in autumn. The Ordesa valley in Aragon and the Irati Forest in Navarre are two of the most spectacular woodlands in Spain when the leaves turn yellow, orange and red. This route links them in six nights, with stops in Aínsa, Jaca, the Hecho valley and Ochagavía.
You collect the motorhome on the afternoon of day 1 and return it on the morning of day 7. That is a six-day rental, above the 4-day mid-season minimum (roughly until late October; in November, low season, the minimum is 3). The colours are usually at their best from mid-October to mid-November, although it depends on each year's weather.
Route plan
Route map
Tap a day or a stop to see it on the map, or press "Follow the route" to travel it stage by stage.
Approximate line between stops, not a navigation itinerary. Check road conditions and restrictions for large vehicles before you set off.
Day-by-day itinerary
Day 1 · Pick-up and a short leg to Lleida
You collect the motorhome between 16:00 and 19:00 in Les Franqueses del Vallès and, after the handover, head west. In just under two hours of dual carriageway you reach the Lleida area, a bend-free stage to get the feel of the V66. Sleeping here leaves day 2 free to enter the Aragonese Pyrenees in daylight and without rushing.
Day 2 · Barbastro, Aínsa and Torla
From Barbastro you climb into the Sobrarbe alongside the El Grado reservoir. Aínsa deserves a long stop: its arcaded Plaza Mayor, castle and cobbled lanes make up one of the best-preserved medieval towns in Aragon. Park outside the narrow old quarter. In the afternoon, follow the River Ara to Torla-Ordesa, at the foot of the national park, with the Mondarruego cliffs rising above the village.
Day 3 · Ordesa valley and the Cola de Caballo
The classic Ordesa walk starts at the Pradera and follows the River Arazas through beech, fir and pine, past the Estrecho, Cueva and Abanico waterfalls, up to the Gradas de Soaso and the Cola de Caballo (Horsetail Falls). It is about 17 km there and back, five or six hours at a steady pace. At busy times, including some autumn dates, access from Torla to the Pradera is by shuttle bus only: check the national park website before you go.
Day 4 · Jaca and the Hecho valley
Via Biescas you reach Jaca: the Romanesque cathedral and the five-pointed citadel fill a morning. Then the Hecho valley, one of the quietest in the western Pyrenees, with stone houses, the monastery of Siresa and the road towards the Selva de Oza, which narrows at the Boca del Infierno gorge: take it slowly. If you have time, neighbouring Ansó, very similar in style, is close by.
Day 5 · Roncal valley, Ochagavía and Casas de Irati
Drop down to the Canal de Berdún road, cross into Navarre and head up the Roncal valley to Isaba. The Laza pass takes you over to Ochagavía, with its medieval bridge and steep-roofed houses. From here a road of about 23 km climbs to the Casas de Irati, the starting point for waymarked walks among the beeches, such as the one to the Cubo waterfall. Check the access and parking conditions there, and return to sleep near Ochagavía.
Day 6 · Orbaizeta, Irabia, Olite and Lleida
Make an early start and cross into the Aezkoa valley to Orbaizeta, near the ruins of its old arms factory. The loop around the Irabia reservoir, about 10 km, is the finest walk in the forest at this time of year. Then it is a driving day: via Pamplona and the AP-15, a leg-stretch in Olite beside the Royal Palace, and on via Zaragoza to Lleida. It is a long day, but it leaves the morning of day 7 under two hours from the return, between 9:00 and 12:00.
Where to sleep
Torla, Jaca, the Hecho valley and Ochagavía have campsites, and several villages in the area have authorised motorhome areas. Some mountain campsites close at the end of October or open only at weekends, so confirm before you set off. To choose well, see our guide to where to sleep in a motorhome.
You may park wherever any vehicle may park, as long as you are not camping: no awning, chairs or levelling chocks, and no emptying of waste water. Do not spend the night inside Ordesa National Park or at the Casas de Irati and Irabia sites: sleep in the villages and go up by day.
Where to sleep with a motorhome in Catalonia
Practical tips
- On autumn weekends the access roads to Irati, from Ochagavía and from Orbaizeta, get very busy: go midweek or arrive first thing.
- Pyrenean nights are already cold in October and November; the V66's Truma heating handles it, but pack warm clothes and waterproof footwear for the forests.
- The route is about 1,200 km: with the 300 km a day included in Segimon Rental's 3 to 6-day rentals (1,800 km over six days) you have plenty to spare.
- From mid-November snow is possible on the Laza pass and in the Roncal valley: check road conditions with the DGT and consider carrying chains.
- Park outside the old centres of Aínsa, Hecho and Ochagavía, which have narrow streets, and use the signposted car parks.
Frequently asked questions
When is the best time to see the autumn colours in Ordesa and Irati?
Usually from mid-October to mid-November. Irati, lower and wetter, tends to turn a little later than the higher parts of Ordesa. A hard frost or a windstorm can cut the season short, so keep an eye on local news.
Can you drive a motorhome up to the Pradera de Ordesa?
It depends on the date. In summer and during some autumn periods, access from Torla is by shuttle bus only; outside those dates private vehicles are allowed, with limited parking. Check the national park website and, if in doubt, leave the motorhome in Torla.
How many days do you need for the Ordesa and Irati route by motorhome?
Six nights, as here, is sensible. With 4 days, the mid-season minimum, pick one of the two: Ordesa and Aínsa, or Irati via Ochagavía. For a shorter autumn trip closer to home, try our mushroom route through the Solsonès and Berguedà.
