Where can I find accommodation along the GR 11?

ByEduardo Azcona

Along the route you will find shelters, hostels, campsites and some camping areas.. In the municipalities you will have access to hostels and hotels. There will only be a few exceptions where these options will not be available depending on how you have organised the stages, but this will not be common. Bring a tent or the option to bivouac, will give you flexibility when trekking.

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Free shelters
GR11 with tent

The types of accommodation are very varied, as you will have seen. 

Mountain refuges in storage

For those who are new to the mountains, it should be said that mountain huts have a different way of working to a hotel. Normally we can choose half board, which includes dinner and breakfast. At these times, we usually help in the collection of dishes or in the preparation of the table, which is always shared with other groups. The guard is more than a hotel worker, he/she is the one who makes sure that everything runs smoothly, provides information, assists in case of mishaps, and a whole lot more. It is a profession that is not only very vocational, but also very special. 

  • Features: provide beds, blankets and meals. They usually have basic services such as showers and electricity. But we must not lose sight of the fact that, as we said before, they are not hotels and as a general rule they are located in inaccessible places, so we must appreciate what they have to offer. Some of them have large rooms with bunk beds, although the latest refuges that have been built in the Pyrenees are more like mountain hotels with small rooms, such as the Ibones de Bachimaña Refuge or the Cap de Llauset Refuge. 
  • Reservations: During the high season, it is essential to book in advance. Most refuges have online booking systems. For example, if you are coming to Góriz in high season, book months in advance. 

Free mountain refuges

  • Features: These constructions may be more or less comfortable, in better or worse condition, and may range from small shepherds' huts to huts owned by a forestry entity or municipality. In many cases they are maintained thanks to the disinterested action of individuals and groups. Their condition can vary greatly with the passage of time (the mere fact that a group has passed by and vandalised them can truncate our chances of spending the night comfortably).

Hostels

  • Features: basic accommodation, they are cheaper than hostels or hotels. They usually have shared dormitories and common services.
  • Reservations: reservations are recommended, especially in high season (depending on the area).

Hotels and hostels

I do not think there is any need for further information here.

Camping sites and campsites

  • Features: designated tent camping sites. They usually have basic services such as toilets and showers. We can also consider camping areas around refuges such as Góriz, which have their own regulations. Another casuistry can be rural lodgings that have an area with a camping option (an example of this can be found at Cabanya de Beget).
  • Regulations: In many nature parks, camping is only allowed in designated areas. Check local regulations. On campsites it goes without saying that this does not apply. 

Bivouac

  • Characteristics: sleeping outdoors without a tent, only with a sleeping bag and insulation.
  • Regulations: Legislation depends on each autonomous community. In natural and national parks it is permitted in certain areas, but subject to specific regulations to protect the natural environment. You can consult the article we have prepared exclusively to talk about the bivouac options along the GR11.

Planning where to sleep on the GR11 by booking in advance, every day, is complicated, especially if we are going to do it in one go. You are at the mercy of inclement weather, other problems that may arise, or how we find ourselves. Your planning can be blown out of the water. 

The recommendation is that you book in advance in problem areas due to saturation, especially in high season (e.g. the Góriz refuge), leaving you some margin for flexibility or change of plans. Bear in mind that the GR11 is between 44 and 46 stages (in a classic distribution), you can't book everything at once. 

Some considerations

  • High season: From June to September, accommodation can fill up quickly.
  • Useful tools: you can use the exclusive "Accommodation" section of the online guidebook, which you can combine with the online map of the GR11. 
  • Local contacts: Contact the refuges and hostels directly to confirm availability and make reservations. 
  • The accommodations in the different stages usually communicate with each other. Sometimes they can provide accommodation on successive days (this may not apply in high season, as they will obviously have a thousand things going on). 
  • Combine different types: alternate between shelters, hostels and camping to balance comfort and budget.
  • Flexibility: maintain flexibility in your itinerary in case you need to change plans due to weather conditions or accommodation availability.
  • Updated information: check recent reviews from other hikers for up-to-date information on accommodation availability and conditions (especially the status of free refuges).

Is there accommodation at the end of each stage?

In the classic 44-46 stage layout, there is usually a refuge or hotel at the end of each day. Where not, there is usually a free refuge, a campsite or the possibility to deviate from the route. to a nearby town. 

📋 In the GR11 guide we have an exclusive section in each stage where we explain the different possibilities. There we offer the most trekking friendly options for the trekking lover, giving different alternatives, including also those patrons who support the project.

Doing the GR11 in one go, staying overnight in hotels and shelters is simple on paper but complicated to do. We will have to stretch out already long stages, shorten others, plan the route very well, book well in advance in some places and weekends, and the most difficult thing is to stick to the plan despite the weather and any unforeseen events, which there will be.

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GR 11

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