Hiking and wildlife watching in the Pyrenees

We'll meet at 9am at Lourdes station to meet the group and brief the guide, before transferring to the Cauterets massif where we'll begin our hike above Cauterets.

On this first day, we'll head up the Ilhéou valley, a pastoral valley dotted with mountain pastures and clearings shaped by the summer grazing, with valleys and grassy slopes ideal for observation. We'll keep an eye out for marmots, often visible near their burrows, and for the mountain birds of prey that regularly fly over the area.

The ascent follows a well-marked path and leads to a high altitude lake, nestled in a mineral and open environment. Depending on the weather and the shape of the group, a short exploration option is possible.

Settle in and spend the night at the Ilhéou Mountain hut, on the edge of the lake: quiet time for dinner, collective feedback and preparation for the next stage of the expedition.

After breakfast at the Mountain hut d'Ilhéou, we continue on towards the Col de la Haugade, a high-level pass that opens the door to the Marcadau valley. The ascent takes us across grassy slopes and sunny ridges, an area ideal for spotting isards.

Higher up, the environment becomes mineral and typically granite, with rocky bars frequented by Iberian ibex, which can be seen through binoculars brought along by your guide.

Switching to the Marcadau side, we walk alongside a glacial lake that bears witness to our geological history, before descending along a comfortable path lined with hooked pines.

The route leads to the Mountain hut where we'll spend our second night, set on a vast high plateau renowned for its wealth of wildlife.

We'll spend the night here, in the midst of an unspoilt natural setting where the evening light magnifies the surrounding peaks.

On this, our third day's hike, we gradually make our way up to a wild valley, untouched by the main hiking routes. From the very first slopes, grasslands and clearings are home to marmots, so we adjust our pace and take breaks to observe them without disturbing them.

As we continue to climb, we reach a more mineral environment, ideal for observing mountain wildlife. Isards may appear on the grassy slopes or rocky ledges. And if we're lucky, we might even catch a glimpse of the more massive silhouette of the ibex, discreet but very present in this sector.

We descend to the bottom of the Marcadau valley, then the path follows the clear waters of the torrent, between forests of hooked pine, wetlands and open clearings. We arrive at our Mountain hut for this hike, where we spend our last night in a peaceful setting at the foot of the great summits.

After breakfast at the Mountain hut, we head for the mythical Gaube valley along a shady path through a mountain forest of fir and beech trees, punctuated by clearings and a cool atmosphere at the start of the day. The path takes us to the edge of the turquoise waters of Lac de Gaube, dominated by the high peaks: pause at the water's edge to enjoy the site and try your hand at some nature watching.

We then descend towards the Pont d'Espagne, the gateway to the high valleys where waterfalls and torrents gather. We continue along the sentier des Cascades towards Cauterets, skirting the torrent between waterfalls and forest cover: this is a good area to spot the dipper: a bird that frequents these tumultuous waters.

As the day progresses, we return to Cauterets, then take a transfer to Lourdes station for the return journey and the end of our stay.