Winter Family Activity Holiday - Andorra
Itinerary
DAY 1 - DEPART LONDON
After your flight to Barcelona, you transfer by chartered bus
(3-4 hours drive) to your hotel in Andorra. Situated high on the
south side of the Pyrenees, squashed in between France and Spain,
the Principality of Andorra measures a mere 25 kilometres by 30
kilometres (that’s half the size of New York City!).The country’s
independence can be traced right back to Charlemagne, who captured
the region from the Muslims in 803 AD. Although it gained
independence from France and Spain in 1278, it was only in 1993
that the Andorran people voted to establish the country as a
parliamentary democracy, with two princes as its joint heads of
state. The national language is Catalan, but French and Spanish -
and, increasingly, English - are widely spoken. Andorra is blessed
with the finest scenery in the Pyrenees and is a great place for an
active week in the mountains.
Your base for the week is the small town of Soldeu (1800m) which
is located in the centre of this tiny, land-locked country.
Hotel - 7 nights (D)
DAY 2 – SNOWSHOEING
Today you head for the scenic Incles Valley - two minutes from the
hotel - where your Group Leader will give a quick lesson on how to
put on snowshoes. You then have time to get used to this new way of
walking. It really isn’t difficult at all and, although you might
feel a little ungainly at first, you’ll soon discover that you can
climb even a fairly steep slope with ease. With snowshoes you can
go almost anywhere - which means you can get to places that skiers
cannot. You set off along a trail through the forest, marvelling at
the peace and beauty of the snowy landscape. The group’s ability
will dictate how far you go and you’ll can take provisions for a
picnic in the forest.
You’ll also have an opportunity to learn the technique used to
locate and rescue avalanche victims (ARVA). Using a receiver you
locate the signal from a transponder that anyone venturing into
avalanche territory would normally wear. Having located the source
of the signal, you then search the snow using poles to locate the
victim. It’s a bit like a sophisticated game of hide-and-seek, but
it’s a fun way of learning a skill that could one day be a
life-saver! (BD)
DAY 3 – DOWNHILL SKIING
This morning you’ll try out another age-old method of getting about
in the snow – skiing. After heading up the Soldeu cable-car,
you’ll take a one hour lesson with a qualified instructor. Once
you’ve built up your confidence you can use the included lift pass
to try out your skills on the slopes. Your lift pass allows access
to runs in the Gran Valira ski area, the highest and most extensive
ski area in the Pyrenees encompassing the Soldeu-El Tarter and Pas
de la Casa-Grau Roig ski resorts, so naturally there’s an excellent
choice of slopes - from nursery to off-piste steep runs. Your ski
instructor or Group Leader can advise which ones are most suitable
for your level of ability. Beginners may well start off on the
quieter slopes at Canarro allowing you more space in which to get
to grips with your technique. (BD)
DAY 4 – SNOWMOBILING & IGLOO BUILDING
After breakfast you transfer to El Tarter ski station (1700m), a
ten minute drive away, to learn an interesting new skill - how to
build an igloo! All that’s required is a good supply of firm snow,
a spade and a team of willing volunteers. Igloo building is great
fun and kids will be thrilled to see how simple it is to make an
icy shelter. Knowing how to create your own shelter in the
mountains is a vital component of mountain survival.
In the afternoon you’ll undergo a dramatic change of pace as you
get to grips with snowmobiling. A snowmobile (also known as a
skidoo) is powered by a petrol engine that drives a single
caterpillar track. Like a motorbike you steer using handlebars,
these are connected to two parallel skis rather than a wheel. The
brakes are on the handlebars, and you don’t have to worry about
gears - there’s only forward and reverse. Large models with
powerful engines can travel at over 100 kilometres per hour, but
you’ll be using smaller models and taking things a lot more gently!
Driver and a pillion passenger sit on a motorbike-style seat, but -
for safety - smaller children may be towed behind on a sled.
Snowmobiles are simple to drive, but it’s important to take care
until you are used to the way they handle. You’ll then drive on a
circuit through the forest for up to an hour. (BD)
NB: You must be over 17 to drive a snowmobile. You will be
required to sign an agreement stating that, in the event of any
damage to the vehicle due to carelessness, you will cover the total
cost of the damage.
DAY 5 – CROSS-COUNTRY SKIING
The forest of La Rabassa near the Spanish border is a chance to see
a different area of Andorra, and is ideal for exploring and
absorbing the stunning snow-clad landscape on cross-country skis.
Longer, thinner and lighter than downhill skis, cross-country skis
are designed more for practicality than speed. Only the toe of your
boot is attached to a cross-country ski (unlike a downhill ski
where the whole boot is rigidly attached). Having the ability to
flex the heel allows you to climb as well as descend, which means
you can cross a greater variety of terrain. The pace is relaxed -
you’ll start on an easy circuit to get used to this new mode of
transport. (BD)
DAY 6 – DOG-SLEDDING & SKIING
Today you’ll learn how to harness a team of dogs at the kennel and
discover how a dog sled is handled. The dogs always get really
excited as soon as they see the sleds coming out, and it’s often a
struggle to hold them back, so the sleds have a snow anchor just
for that purpose. Each sled can carry two people plus a driver (or
musher) - pulled by a team of 4-6 huskies or 8 Alaskans. It takes a
while to get everything ready but eventually you set off on a
forest trail, with the dogs tugging hard at their harnesses before
they break into a smooth rhythm. All you can hear are the runners
of the sled fizzing over the frozen snow and the odd bark or yelp
from the dogs. Just hold on tight and enjoy the passing scenery for
around an hour! It is normally possible for children from about 8
years old to drive their own sled.
To minimise the amount of time waiting around the group will
normally be divided for this activity and whilst not sledding
you’ll hit the slopes for some more skiing. (BD)
DAY 7 – FREE DAY
Today is free for you to choose from the many activities on offer
in Andorra. You may wish to head back to the slopes for more
downhill skiing (in which case you’ll need to purchase a lift
pass), or simply relax. You could take a bus into the capital,
Andorra La Vella. If you’re in need of a little retail therapy,
there’s a treat in store: Andorra has no taxes and is thus the
ultimate place to go tax-free shopping. Most towns have a fair
variety of shops, but Andorra La Vella has by far the best
selection.
In Escaldes-Engordagny you can visit Caldea thermal baths. The
facilities are impressive - on three levels under a huge glass
dome, there are indoor and outdoor swimming pools, saunas,
hot-tubs, jacuzzi, Turkish baths and even a grapefruit bath! A soak
in the warm, mineral-laden thermal baths will help to ease away any
aches and pains. Although not cheap, a general entry ticket allows
you to pamper yourself for up to three hours. You can opt for one
of the many additional treatments that include various styles of
massage and hydrotherapy (at extra cost). The complex also has
shops, restaurants, and a children’s centre. In Encamp you may like
to visit the National Automobile Museum which houses an impressive
collection of cars and bicycles – one of the largest in Europe. You
could also take a ride in the state-of-the-art Funicamp gondola,
which runs from Encamp up to the station at Collada d’Enradort
(2506m) from where you could ski down to Grau Roig (for experienced
skiers only). If you’re keen to try out a more active pursuit, you
could go ice-skating in the Palau de Gel (ice stadium) in Canillo,
or relax and watch some curling or ice-hockey. (BD)
DAY 8 - FLY TO LONDON
This morning, you transfer by bus (approx. 4 hours) to Barcelona
where the trip ends for Land Only clients. Those on our group
flights continue on to London. (B)
ORDER OF ACTIVITIES
The order of activities may be changed to fit local
conditions. Depending on numbers, it may be necessary to divide
into smaller groups so that different activities can take place
simultaneously. Your group leader will coordinate this. There’s a
choice of café/bar/restaurants for meals and refreshments near the
areas the activities take place. Transport will be provided from
the hotel to El Tarter, and vice versa, at a fixed
time.
Quick Links:
winter family activity holiday andorra -
introduction
winter family activity holiday andorra -
factfile
winter family activity holiday andorra -
map
winter family activity holiday andorra -
dates & prices
winter family activity holiday andorra -
booking enquiry
winter family activity holiday andorra -
before you go
REF: Andorra – Winter Activity Week FPW - AC0007
