Arakatu Experiences

Catalonia has such a varied and extensive landscape that it is worth seeing from above. At Arakatu Experiences we organize balloon flights through different areas of the Community, from the mountains to the plains of Llobregat. Our headquarters are in La Pobla de Lillet, a small town on the banks of the Llobregat River in the province of Barcelona.

Our balloons rise between 2,000 and 3,000 meters high, a magnificent distance to have different plans with friends, family or partner. The departures we have prepared are:

• Knowledge flights: with capacity for 8 people through the heart of Catalonia. We will go by jeep to the flight point and you will be able to choose the destinations: Solsonés, Bergadá, Ripollés, Bages, Osona or Cerdaña.

• Walk through the Pyrenees: the north offers us spectacular landscapes. With two options to choose from, the Western Pyrenees (through the Aneto and Maladeta peaks, among others) and the Eastern (Pedraforca, Orri and Comabona), we will be between 3 and 4 hours of flight through the mountains, where we will go by 4x4 from our center.

• Romantic route: a flight for two people lasting 1 hour and a quarter. Leaving at 6:30 in the morning, it is a perfect time to see the sunrise from a bird's eye view of the center of Catalonia.

All flights include a toast with cava from the region, a balloon flight certificate and images of the experience so that you can remember this moment fondly.

Catalonia has a landscape full of enviable mountains thanks to our natural border in the Pyrenees. At Arakatu Experiences we take advantage of this natural gift to do snowshoe routes along the slopes of these mountains. The great height of this mountain range allows this sport to be organized during many months of the year, not only in the coldest weeks of winter.

We have tours for all levels and ages, and even children from 8 years of age can participate.

• 2-hour routes (easy level): they are simple routes, with a gradient of 200 meters and about 5 kilometers in distance. La Molina and Vall de Font, in Cerdagne, are the initiation routes. The Rasos de Peguera and the Pla d'Anyella, in Bergadá, are other easy routes to start getting in touch with snowshoes.

• Half-day routes: between 3 and 4 hours long and with moderate gradients, they are low and medium level routes. Also in Cerdaña and Bergadá, we will go up to Estany del Passet, Puigllançada, Pico de la Mina, Pla dels Avellans and the area of Bulloses, Rasos de Peguera and Lagos de Malniu.

• 1-day routes: some reach 6 hours of walking. We will even crown some peaks with considerable slopes. Ascents to Puigpedrós, Gallina Pelada and Tossa Plana de Lles are some of the high-level routes we will do.

We even do à la carte tours, in case you know of an ideal trail for snowshoes in the Pyrenees.

Mountain bike routes are one of the specialties we deal with at Arakatu Experiences. Based in La Pobla de Lillet, we do routes according to your level on the bicycle through the varied terrain of central Catalonia, with ups and downs and obstacles with which to do a good adventure sport.

The routes are as follows:

• Green routes (easy level): to go with the family and discover the Catalan environment in peace. With hardly any slope and less than 10 kilometers, they are 2-hour routes in which children over 6 years old can go.

• Blue routes (medium level): here the obstacles begin. To mix the knowledge of the culture of the people of the regions around the Llobregat river and entertaining trails with a slope of up to 400 meters, lasting a maximum of 3 hours in less than 30 kilometers of distance .

• Red routes (high level): with dizzying roads full of obstacles, if your life means nothing without the bicycle, this is your color. 1,000-meter slopes and 40 kilometers of route in which the physical demand is considerable and skill with the bike is a requirement to emerge unscathed and satisfied at the end of the adventure.

• Black routes (very high level): we are talking about another thing. In order to do this route, we will ask you for a sports resume to demonstrate your level, or having done the red route successfully. With an unlimited distance and gradient and with obstacles that follow one after another, this experience is for mountain bike masters.

For the green and blue colors, it is possible to rent bicycles with us, but for the other two levels (red and black) you must come with your own and in good condition.

Apart from the wonders of the landscape of the Catalan regions of Bergadá, Cerdaña, Solsonés and many more, inside the soil there are other intact places where you can play sports among the rocks. Caving is one of the specialties of Arakatu Experiences. Sign up to discover Catalonia underground, with the stalactites and stalagmites that have formed in the caves.

Adapted to all levels, we are dedicated with great enthusiasm to taking you through the caves that will leave you, for the spectacular nature and for the physical exercise, with your mouth open.

• Baptism: to begin the caving adventures, you can choose two destinations. The first is the Anes Cave in Prullans, in the Cerdaña region, and the second is the Bofia de la Boixadera (with underground lake included) in Bergadá. With about 300 meters of travel, we will spend between 2 and 3 hours passing by columns and large stone halls.

• Initiation: a small step forward in terms of skill. The Tuta de Saus (in Pobla de Lillet) is a cavity with incredible views, but very sensitive to deterioration. It was inhabited in prehistoric times and now, if you are over 16 years old, you can visit it with us to learn the importance of preserving these ancient houses in the rock.

• Medium level: in the Rotgers cave in Bergadá. Between 3 and 4 hours we will walk through the narrow steps and occasionally climb the white plaster walls.

You will love all of them, so, if you have time, you can try doing this adventure sport in Catalonia.

At Arakatu Experiences we have planned a good number of hiking routes through several of the regions of central Catalonia, as well as routes through the mountains. Because the terrain that surrounds us, and that we take care of and teach to anyone who ventures into sports, has forests, mountains, plains... everything to adapt the path to the level you want.

We move through Cerdagne, Bergadá, Solsonés, Osona, Ripollés, the Catalan Pyrenees and even part of France. Which means that you don't have to come to our headquarters, in La Pobla de Lillet, to enjoy physical exercise on the trails. The starting points are distributed throughout the region and you only have to contact us to meet.

We divide the paths into levels: easy, medium and high. But, above all, we organize the routes according to duration:

• Half day: easy, medium-easy and medium level, these are routes that last from 3 to 7 hours (depending on location and difficulty), and we recommend some such as Els Empedrats, the Passat del Catllarás, the Circular Vallcebre in Bergadá; the Malniu Lakes or the Ascension to Tosa Plana in Cerdanya; and some in Osona, like Cinglera de Tavertet; and in France, to the Lake of the Bulloses.

• One day: given the time we are going to dedicate to these routes, their difficulty is medium and high. You should have a little physical preparation and know that, apart from a satisfactory physical effort, you are going to explore in detail the secrets of each of these places. For those over 16 years old, you can test your endurance with the Ascension of Carlit, in the south of France, crown the summit of Puigmal in Ripollés, or climb the Gran Volturis in Urgell. Some last up to 10 hours, during which we will take breaks to eat something with a wonderful landscape.

• Hiking: do you have the time and desire to go hiking for several days? The Wind Horse Route, in the Cadí-Moixeró Natural Park, between Cerdaña and Bergadá, is a medium level route that consists of 6 stages that complete a total of 85 kilometers. The terrain will change from mountains to forests of red and black leaves. You will love getting immersed in nature.

We will always go under the guidance of qualified instructors, who have a long time of experience and have been connecting with adventurers to show them rural Catalonia.

Archery is an activity that never goes out of style and that, when done in the middle of nature, gains a lot of interest and entertainment. At Arakatu Experiences we organize shooting sessions in the regions of Cerdagne and Bergadá. Our center is in La Pobla de Lillet, but we carry out this activity in more places in Catalonia.

For 2 hours, which is how long the experience lasts, you will have time to practice knowing how to hold the bow, tighten the string well and shoot the arrow towards the yellow dot on the target. With games to motivate you to sharpen your aim, and with the help of experienced instructors and wise advice to improve in an instant, it will be time to reach the final competition.

As you have come in a group (minimum of 4 people), with friends or family, you will surely take this game very seriously in which there will only be one winner. You will have several attempts to pierce the target and get all the possible points surrounded by the beautiful landscape of the Catalan natural environment.

We recommend that this activity be practiced by those over 12 years old, and we also give you some advice so that you come prepared: skill and technique are worth much more than strength. So try to relax and take the bow calmly, but with control and forcefulness.

At Arakatu Experiences we have been concerned about bringing you the natural world of Catalonia in the form of sport. The via ferratas are another of our favorite activities: for all levels, also for children and in various regions and places throughout the region.

Our headquarters are in La Pobla de Lillet, but it is not necessary for you to come here if the via ferrata is in another area. We will agree to go to the meeting point and start the adventure from there.

The instructors are specialists in many adventure sports, and in the ferratas they adapt to each person's ability to take you to the most suitable one and enjoy the sport and a beautiful landscape. The levels are as follows:

• Initiation for children: in La Canalassa for those over 8 years old. A simple route with some exciting sections for the little ones in the Bergadá region. For 3 hours they will have their first contact with the vertical walls so that they are encouraged to do more in the future.

• Initiation for adults: there are also simple routes for older people. TheRoca de la Creu in Ripollés, and Puig Arnau de Canalda in Solsonés are the two easy routes for adults. Another 3 hours for people from 16 years old.

• Medium level: we are going to two K3 level tours. One in Bergadá, Roques de l'Empalomar; and the other in the Bajo Ampurdán, Cala del Molí, with the Mediterranean below your feet.

• Medium/high level: a bolder step on these K4 routes. We go to Osona to do the Baumes Corcades; and to Bages, where the Teresina waits. About 4 hours of physical exercise.

• High level: the Cal Curt in Bergadá has a K5 difficulty and is the most complicated route we organize.

But if you know of a via ferrata in Catalonia that you would like to do and that is not among those mentioned, contact us to do it with us. We will offer you what you need to complete a day between dams, handrails, bridges and zip lines.

To discover the streets and monuments of the towns that make up the regions of Bergadá and Cerdanya, at Arakatu Experiences we have developed some themed gymkhanas for the heart of these towns in Catalonia full of culture. To learn about its history and some legends that are still alive, fun and guidance come together in these games for adults (from 16 years old).

We are located in La Pobla de Lillet, but we organize these adventures in several surrounding towns, which are a way of doing alternative tourism in Catalonia.

The gymkhanas are the following:

• The inheritance of the Montasells: in the 15th century, you are 16 years old and the challenge of finding the inheritance that your grandfather left in the bowels of Berga. This way you will walk through the streets of the capital of Bergadá and learn about its roots for 3 hours of mystery, history and fun.

• The fairies of the pool: a tourist gymkhana in La Pobla de Lillet, where the fairies have left multiple enigmas in corners of the town that will make you travel through the entire town while you think about how to solve the problem. magical mystery.

• The rescue of the 100 maidens: you will enter a story of knights from the Middle Ages in Bagá, where you will have to save these unfortunate women by overcoming challenges.

• The Devil's Cross: our last gymkhana, this time in Bellver of Cerdaña. You will immerse yourself in a work by Bécquer while you walk through the medieval castle of this town to decipher all the puzzles proposed by the locals.