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    Stage 34: L’Illa Refuge – Malniu Refuge

    🔥 Download the quick guide GR11
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    GR11 Stage 34: L’Illa Refuge – Malniu Refuge

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    If you have any doubts about this stage, you can ask them in the Club. There we share real experiences, advice and solutions among those of us who are preparing or walking the GR11.

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    Refugi de L'Illa - Refugi de Malniu

    ↔️ Distance: 14.6 km
    📈 Unevenness (+760m), (-1.120m) 📉
    🕒 Time: 5h20min (walking time non-stop)
    ⚠️ Difficulty: In early summer there may be snow on the Coll de Vallcivera (2544m) and in the Portella d’Engorgs (2696m).
    💧 Water: Along the stage we will find several streams.

    📌 (0h0min;0km) Refuge of the Island (2,480m). The path ascends behind the shelter towards the dam💧 of L’Illa Lake, leaving it to the left and shortly after it reaches a junction where the GRP and the GR7 continue to the left (N) and the GR11 continues to the right.

    📌 (0h15min; 0.7kms) Coll de Vallcivera (2.544m). We leave Andorra behind and enter Catalonia. On the other side stands the Pico de la Muga (2860m). The trail descends sharply to the Pla de Vallcivera to continue descending through the valley floor. The meadows give way to pines, and so we reach the head of the Valle de la Llosa, where we connect with the GR107 and the GR11.10 variant and where we locate a meadow with the…

    📌 (1h25min; 4.6kms) Cabaña dels Esparvers (2,070m). We will continue straight ahead (Este), sharing the route for 200m with the GR107, until we reach a junction indicated by a pole. The GR107 continues north towards Portella Blanca, while the GR11 turns right, crossing a stream. stream💧 And the mountain we see in front of us rises up in a zigzag pattern.

    📌 (3h10min; 7.8kms) Portella de Calm Colomer or d’Engorgs (2,697m). We descend to the other side through rough terrain to Estany de la Portella; we leave it to the left and continue without losing altitude through rocky terrain towards Estanys dels Minyons, which we also leave to the left. The terrain improves and the path begins to descend; in the distance we can already see the small refuge d’Engorgs.

    📌 (3h45min; 9.9kms) Refuge d’Engorgs or J. Folch i Girona (2,375m). From now on, the GR11 shares a route with the local trail 102, marked in yellow. Follow it downhill (South) and cross the stream💧 (4′). You will reach a kind of balcony that you descend to continue halfway up the south face of Puigpedrós (2914m). The trail eventually splits off from the stream💧 and enters the pine forest; in some sections, the trail becomes confusing. Almost at the end, you leave the meadows and you can already see the shelter parking area and the Estany Sec.

    📌 (5h20min; 14.6kms) Malniu Refuge (2,130m). Source.

    • Coll de Vallcivera
      Coll de Vallcivera
    • Cabaña dels Esparvers
      Cabaña dels Esparvers
    • Climbing up to the Portella d'Engorgs
      Climbing up to the Portella d’Engorgs
    • Camino de la Portella d'Engorgs
      Camino de la Portella d’Engorgs
    • Arriving at Portella d'Engorgs
      Arriving at Portella d’Engorgs
    • Portella d'Engorgs
      Portella d’Engorgs
    • Descending from the Portella d'Engorgs
      Descending from the Portella d’Engorgs
    • Descending from the Portella d'Engorgs
      Descending from the Portella d’Engorgs
    • Refugio d'Engorgs or J. Folch i Girona
      Refugio d’Engorgs or J. Folch i Girona
    • Riu Duran
      Riu Duran
    • The Camino de Malniu
      The Camino de Malniu
    • Refugio de Malniu
      Refugio de Malniu

    At the beginning of the stage, Refuge of L’Illa (+376 801 044; refugi@refugidelilla.com).

    During the stage, Cabaña dels Esparvers (regular, 3 people) and Refugio d’Engorgs or J. Folch i Girona (good condition).

    At the end of the stage we have the Refugio de Malniu (+34 616 855 535; info@refugimalniu.com).

    - Alpina: Andorra (Scale: 1/40,000).

    The Malniu refuge is accessible by car from Malniu via a forest track (10kms).

    Quick guide
    GR 11

    with everything you need to know before undertaking the Pyrenean Path