Grandvalira
Grandvalira in Andorra is the biggest ski resort in the Pyrenees and Southern Europe. It has 138 runs covering 210 km and offers a range of hotels at the foot of the slopes.
The ski area is divided into 7 different sectors: Canillo, Soldeu, Pas de la Casa, Encamp, El Tarter, Peretol and Grau Roig. There are various different access points between Encamp and Pas de la Casa. Most of these can be used by people with reduced mobility.
Among the many services on offer at the resort are equipment hire stores, a reservations centre, restaurants, snack bars, terraces and barbecues, a Wi-Fi zone, snowparks, kids’ trails, baby clubs, crèches and a variety of snow-based activities for non-skiers…
The season begins at the start of December and ends around mid-April, depending on the weather.
Season and day ski passes
With the recent addition of the Ordino Arcalís resort to Grandvalira, Grandvalira Resorts was born, a skiable domain that covers more than 240 km (Ordino Arcalís with 30.5 km and Grandvalira with 210 km), offering its guests a world of benefits. From now on, with the Grandvalira or the Ordino-Arcalís season passes, you can move about the largest skiable domain in Southern Europe with just one pass and no restrictions.
But if you only want to go just for the day, then the Ski Pass Plus+ is your best option. This pass gives you access to the two skiable domains of Grandvalira Resorts (Grandvalira and Ordino Arcalís) but with some very interesting pricing conditions: you only pay for the days you ski, with a 15% discount for the second day!
Request further information from Grandvalira and choose the pass that’s best for you.
And now, for greater convenience, you can top up your pass. You can book one with your purchase and have it sent to your home.
The webcams show aerial images of different sectors in Grandvalira.
Restaurants to suit all tastes are available. There are around 60 premises offering everything from self-service to table-service, “good fast food” and dinners in the mountains.
Schools and creches
Grandvalira also has four creches for kids aged 1 to 5. These are in the following sectors: Canillo, El Tarter, Soldeu and Grau Roig. They open from 9:30am to 4.30pm. There are packages for 1 to 5 days and morning, afternoon or full day bookings can be made.
The Ski & Mountain Academy is Grandvalira’s innovative ski school. It has six centres with over 400 instructors and caters for all levels and ages with ski school for adults and kids as well as specialist lessons.
This season, Grandvalira has taken things a step further and created Snowvolution, a learning programme for the youngest of the family, which combines skiing lessons with other snow activities. These programmes run for 8 to 10 days and take place during the mornings at the El Tarter and Grau Roig sectors in the winter season.
Other activities
There is a wealth of leisure and sports activities to enjoy, like snowmobiling, mushing, snowshoeing, snow tubing and zip wiring.
On Grandvalira’s website you can find details about passes, tourist ski packages and organised activities. You can also check slope conditions, view webcams, look at the event calendar and much more!
VALLNORD-PAL ARINSAL
The Vallnord-Pal Arinsal resort is one of the most comprehensive snow and mountain destinations in the Pyrenees with 63 kilometres of ski slopes.
The resort is fully equipped and ready to welcome skiers and snowboarders, families and groups of friends. Everyone will be able to enjoy the slopes, activities, facilities and quality service at the domain.
Information on the resort
The large graph on the right shows you all the information related to the resort at a glance. You can see, for example, conditions of the slopes in Vallnord-Pal Arinsal, broken down by their level of difficulty and sector. Another interesting feature is the webcam service: thanks to the images of the tabs below, you can take a look at the real-time situation in each of the resort’s sectors. To view the weather forecast, you can check the official website of the resort.
Vallnord-Pal Arinsal: slopes and sectors
Vallnord-Pal Arinsal is divided into two different skiing sectors, Pal and Arinsal, spread over the La Massana Valley.
Its 63 km of slopes include 5 slalom runs, 7 green runs, 18 blue runs (one of which is designed for beginners), 17 red runs and 4 black runs. Both sectors are connected by cable car, although each has different access points.
The 2 sectors of Vallnord-Pal Arinsal offer skiers a wide range of services. There are 2 schools, for instance, that offer courses for all levels with different durations, from one day or a weekend to season-long courses. Of course, there are also shops for renting and buying equipment. As for the cuisine and leisure on offer, all sites have a cafeteria/restaurant with a terrace and children’s play areas, a crèche, Wi-Fi areas and an intensive programme of activities for non-skiers. Options for those who’d rather not don their skis include snowmobile excursions and a ride on the cable car in La Massana.
Ski passes and promotions
As for ticket and package types, Vallnord-Pal Arinsal offers a Ski & Bike season pass valid for almost the entire year! This season pass is valid for 10 months, including the winter season, with access to all the facilities, ski lifts, slopes, Snowpark, etc., and the summer season, with unlimited access to 29 mountain bike circuits and the six ski lifts (including the La Massana and Pal Arinsal cable cars). This season pass also gives you access to the different sports events held during both the winter and summer seasons. Get all the details and more information at Vallnord-Pal Arinsal.
But don’t forget that this is not the only pass you can choose. The resort offers a second season pass, Ski & Nature, which will bring you closer to nature. It’s valid for 10 months and with it, you can try activities like skimo or snow shoeing in the winter, and go on hikes and other excursions in the summer. The pass also includes one return journey per day on the La Massana and Els Orriols gondola lifts in the winter, and on the Pal Arinsal cable car in the summer. What’s more, you’ll have free access to all the facilities and circuits in the resort and to any sports events that take place in either of the two seasons. Lastly, this pass enables you to access the site from 7 a.m. until 10 p.m.; even when it’s closed to other skiers, there will be ski patrol staff on hand at all times to keep you safe.
On the other hand, if you just want a pass for one day, Vallnord-Pal Arinsal also has a day pass for one or more days, up to a maximum of 10, that gives you access to all the slopes and facilities in the Pal and Arinsal sectors.
What’s more, in the Vallnord-Pal Arinsal resort you’ll also find other great promotions on services related to the resort, such as on accommodation (with the Pass+Hotel option) or with a rest and relaxation option (Pass+Caldea+Hotel), among many others.
Both the day and season Vallnord-Pal Arinsal resort passes offer pass holders a whole world of advantages. You’ll enjoy special prices and promotions on family packages, age discounts or discounts for buying your pass in advance. There are also countless other offers, including many ‘après-ski’ options.
Finally, another of the new features of the pass is that you’ll now be able to use it year after year. You’ll be able to top up the ‘rec pass’ online whenever you want, giving you more time to enjoy your favourite sport by skipping the long ticket office queues!
Opening hours and access
The resort is open for the winter season from the beginning of December until the end of April, from 9 am to 5 pm (with hours extended until 6 pm on Saturdays in March and April), and for the summer season from mid-May to mid-October, from 10 am to 6:30 pm, with hours extended until 7 pm during high season in August.
Vallnord-Pal Arinsal offers a free continuous bus service to get to the resort in winter, between key locations in Andorra and the foot of the slopes.
NATURLANDIA
Cross-country skiing in Naturlandia: Lovers of nordic skiing in Andorra won’t want to miss the only resort in the Principality that specialises in this discipline. It’s quite a unique space, as the slopes are inside a multifunctional enclosure, whose main function is as an eco-park and adventure park. The cross-country trails are in the highest area, located about 2,000 metres above sea level, and they have parking available. The sector provides all the basic services for a cross-country skier, such as equipment hire huts and café-restaurants with menus offering seasonal dishes.
This original resort also even has its own ski club and a school, whose instructors offer courses for all levels with different durations. You can enjoy an intensive course over several days, perfect for visitors from other parts of Andorra or other countries. You’ll also find guided excursions with instructors from the centre.
The 1,600 metre section, perfect for recreational purposes
Although there are other entertaining activities, such as descents in tubby, minitubby and Tobotronc in the Naturlandia upper sector, the area at 1,600 metres is devoted to the adventure park, and doesn’t have any cross-country skiing tracks. Some of the attractions you’ll find in this area are the Airtrekk, consisting of a wooden structure 45-feet high to put your sense of balance to the test, and buggy circuits for all ages. More information on the park’s website.
Animal park at cota 2000
If you’re an animal lover, then you’ve got to visit Naturlandia animal park. Located at the cota 2000 level, you’ll see native species in their habitat such as fallow deer, wolves, lynx and the park’s star attraction: the brown bear.
Tickets and passes: The park offers a variety of tickets. With the single-entry ticket, you’ll get access to all the activities at the cota 1600 level (depending on availability), the animal park at cota 2000, the tobotronc, snowshoe hire, etc. This ticket is only available during high and shoulder season. During low season, activities are selected individually according to availability.
For cross-country skiing, you can choose from a day pass, a two-day pass or a season pass if you prefer. This pass only grants access to the activity, however; equipment hire (if required) is charged separately.
Other activities such as ‘fat bikes’, snowmobiles, ski lessons and guided excursions on snowshoes are not included in the single-entry ticket or the pass.
Remember: all activities can be selected individually and children under the age of 7, adults over the age of 65, groups, large families, etc., are entitled to discounted prices.
Find out more information on these and other offers at Naturlandia!
Hours and additional information: Naturlandia is open from 9 am to 5 pm during the winter season, from late November to mid-April, and from 10 am to 6 pm (extended to 7 pm in August) during the summer season, from mid-May until early November.
The centre will remain closed in November and April (from the middle until the end of the month in the case of April) for maintenance and servicing.
Please also note that Cota 1600 and the Tobotronc will remain closed during low season months as well.
ORDINO ARCALÍS
The Ordino Arcalís ski area has 30.5 km of pistes. It is north-facing, which favours the quality and the quantity of the snow that the skiers find every season. In recent years, these natural conditions and the hosting of freeride competitions have turned it into an international benchmark for off-piste skiing.
Ordino Arcalís has all the equipment and facilities to turn your day of skiing into a fantastic experience. Whether you are with your family, friends or your partner, make the most of the activities, the facilities and the quality of the pistes.
Resort information
Take a quick look at the graphic on the right to see all the practical information about Ordino Arcalís. There, you’ll find the conditions of the slopes, the snowfall, live webcams, etc. You can also check the weather forecast on the resort website.
Slopes
Ordino Arcalís has 30.5 km of marked pistes: 11 yellow, 2 black, 9 green and 7 blue. The resort opens at the start of December and will remain open until the end of the season at the end of April.
Ordino Arcalís pass
A full part of the Grandvalira Resorts, Ordino Arcalís also has its own season ski pass. The season pass includes invitations to ski at other European and international resorts. You can also enjoy the Valls del Nord season pass, which grants you unlimited use of the two Valls del Nord resorts: Ordino Arcalís, in Ordino, and Vallnord-Pal Arinsal, in La Massana.
In addition to normal day passes, Ordino Arcalís also offers a wide range of multi-day packages and passes, with special prices that can include accommodation and other services.
Services at Ordino Arcalís
The most alpine resort in Andorra offers its visitors a wide range of services, such as a school with professional instructors specialising in the different on and off-piste ski methods and snowboarding. There are also shops where you can buy or hire equipment.
As for food and drink and entertainment, Ordino Arcalís has an updated range of eateries, including cafés and restaurants with a warm and welcoming atmosphere. It also benefits from children’s areas, a crèche, Wi-Fi zones and a full programme of activities for non-skiers.
