Cares Gorge: The Most Spectacular Hiking Trail in Spain

48 Comments / Europe, Spain / By

Road-Tripping Spain and Southern France Plus Ibiza in 12 Days – DAY 5

Have you hiked the Picos de Europa or the Peaks of Europe? No, it is not the highest mountain in the Spain; there are higher mountain ranges in Spain. Yet its summits higher than 2000 m proudly stand piercing the sky in the Northern Spain, because it offers some picturesque trails in Spain. The most spectacular hiking trail is the Garganta del Cares or the Cares Gorge, also known as “Diving Gorge”. It is a deep, incredible gorge made by the Cares river, which splits the remarkable, ragged limestone mountain ranges close to Spain’s northern coast. It is considered as one of the most breathtaking trekking trails that can be done in Europe. You walk on an impressive old hydroelectric maintenance track sculpted into the cliff-faces, high above the river. Huge rock walls border the magnificent route and you will experience varying microclimates. This trail is a must to hike!

Highlights of the Day

  • Transfer from Madrid to Poncebos
  • Garganta del Cares Hotel
  • Hiking the Cares Gorge Trail

Madrid to Poncebos

The Picos de Europa is divided into three parts – Cantabria on the right, Asturias on the left, and Castilla y Leon on the bottom. The plan was to hike the Ruta del Cares, which falls under the Asturias side. We checked out from our hotel in Madrid early in the morning, at around 7 AM. We planned to have breakfast on the go. So we picked up fresh multigrain breads from one of the supermarkets, and we already had our vegan dips bought from Granada to accompany with them during our quick breakfast.

Windmills in Spain
One of the highlights of Spanish highways is the landscape dotted with wind turbines – did you know that wind energy is the second source of electrical generation in Spain in 2017, and Spain is the fifth country in the world in terms of installed wind power after China, the US, Germany, and India?
On the way to Asturias from Madrid
Richie sped up the drive and we entered the beautiful Asturias region – known for its rugged coast, mountains, and medieval architecture – in less than 5 h

At one point, the clouds became dense, and the temperature dropped. It was chilling cold and we were startled by the sudden climate change and the beautiful roads that followed.

The drive got more interesting and adventurous as we approached the Poncebos village. The last 40 km we drove by the rivers Deva and then Cares with one side of the route always bordered by huge rock wall.

Garganta del Cares Hotel

We had booked a room for us in Hotel Garganta del Cares located in Poncebos village, just next to the starting point of the Cares Route right within the Picos de Europa National Park. We reached there at around noon. The weather was cloudy and cool.

Hotel Garganta del Cares
This yellow-washed 11-room hotel offers the closest beds and meals to the Cares Gorge walking trail and is well managed
Parking Space in front of Hotel Garganta del Cares
During the summers, because of high number of tourists, the road gets lined up with cars, but our hotel has its own parking space for free for hotel guests only, so we could easily park our car without struggling for parking space
Bedroom in Hotel Garganta del Cares
The rooms are simple, clean, and comfortable
Bathroom in Hotel Garganta del Cares
Every room has a private bath and shower
Restaurant in Hotel Garganta del Cares
Try the local Asturian delicacy called Fabada Bean Stew right from the kitchen of Hotel Garganta del Cares
Lunch in Hotel Garganta del Cares
We had a light lunch – local Asturian food – from the restaurant of the hotel before we went off for hiking

7 Facts You Should Know About the Cares Gorge Trail

  1. The Cares Gorge Trail was carved due to a construction of hydroelectric project back in the year 1950. Firstly, the workers built a water channel from a small dam in the Cares river at Cain (Leon) through the mountains to Poncebos (Asturias). After a few decades, they carved a footpath through the limestone along the canal as a maintenance trail, which is now known as the Cares Gorge trail.
  2. The trail is a 12 km one-way path with mountainous rocks bordering it along the crystal clear river of Cares.
  3. The expected time of hiking the route is 3 hours if you do it one way, and 6 hours if you do it round trip.
  4. The Cares Gorge is over a mile deep.
  5. Around 300,000 people walk the gorge each year. During summers, you will find too many people walking the trail.
  6. It is a great idea to hike the trail with family or friends, as there is no need to be any professional. Everyone can do it.
  7. You can easily hike the route with some tennis shoes, a light backpack, some water, maybe some food, a sunscreen, maybe a hat, and a windbreaker.
  8. If you are hiking from Poncebos, then the first 2-3 km of the hike is the most difficult. It is mostly climbing up a 300 m incline – this helps in warming up your legs for the rest of the trail.
  9. Once you are in the top, it is almost flat route, except a relatively large descent somewhere in the middle of the path.
  10. The route is mostly narrow and vertiginous, so people with serious vertigo issues should avoid it.

Hiking the Cares Gorge Trail from Poncebos to Cain

If you are staying in Poncebos village, these are the ways you can hike the Cares Gorge trail:

  • Hike from Poncebos to Cain and come back to Poncebos from the same route totaling to 24 km.
  • Hike one way from Poncebos to Cain and come back to Poncebos by a taxi. Taxi would cost you around €120, which is expensive.
  • Public transport is not frequent. There are two shuttle buses that leave Cain at 1 PM and 4 PM and reach Cangas de Onis. You need to change buses here and get another bus to Poncebos. This whole journey takes around 2.5 h. You need to reach Cain before 1 PM if you are hiking in the morning, and before 4 PM if you are hiking in the afternoon. You will get the bus tickets as you reach right in the bus.

Hiking the Cares Gorge Trail from Cain to Poncebos

If you are staying in Cain village, these are only two ways you can hike the Care Gorge trail:

  • Hike from Cain to Poncebos and come back to Cain from the same route totaling to 24 km.
  • Hike one way from Cain to Poncebos and come back to Cain by a taxi for €120.
  • The two shuttle buses that come to Poncebos from Cangas de Onis leave Poncebos at 4.15 PM and 7.15 PM. Change buses at Cangas de Onis and reach Cain. Time taken in total is 2.5 h.

The Cares Gorge Trail

We were ready to hike by 12.30 PM. Then we walked about a km ahead from our hotel and reached the trailhead. A barely visible trail twisting off into the distance into the tapered gorge greeted us.

Grey limestone landscapes of the Cares Gorge Trail
The Cares Gorge trail is full of dramatic grey limestone landscapes
Stony path of the Cares Gorge
We walked over a stone-supported path looking straight down at a river almost a mile below, and I was wondering how and where the guys building this crossing stood during the construction
Chilling next to some old construction on the Cares Gorge Trail
We came across the bones of a few old buildings left over from construction
Shepherd houses on the way
There were few red-tile roofed shepherd houses tucked into the steep walls
Wild goats on the way
There were many wild goats hustling on the trail
Cute wild goat on our way
There was one mama goat chilling somewhere on the trail
Goat couple on the way
Goat couple showing love to each other – or maybe they were arguing with each other
Posing with mountainous goat
Why not take a picture with a mountainous goat? But guess she was not interested, she eventually turned back!
Shaded corners of the trail
The microclimate got moist at many points of the walk, so we were walking across the few shaded corners of the trail
Our picture at Picos de Europa
We took breaks and got our pictures clicked with stunning backdrop of Picos de Europa
Amazing views on the way to Cain
The views are amazing all the time with the river below and the mountains around full of beautiful colors and nature
Water channel connecting Poncebos and Cain villages
The trail runs parallel to the water channel connecting Poncebos and Cain villages and has been upgraded with additional tunnels like this over the last 60 years
Upper reaches of the gorge
The route gets more stunning at every single step you take toward the upper reaches of the gorge
My photo on an impressive bridge of the Cares Gorge Trail
The impressive bridges gave us a taste of the opposite side of the canyon
Caves and bridges on the Care Gorge Trail
After going over a series of bridges, you will find caves carved into the rock face
Tunnels on the Care Gorge Trail
As you approach Cain, the gorge slims down and the path goes through various tunnels
Interesting tunnels on the trail
The tunnels are carved through the mountain and cross the river a couple of times
Posing inside one of the many tunnels of the Care Gorge
Few of the tunnels were so dark that I could hardly see any puddles I was walking through – this photo was just after I drenched my legs tripping on a pool of water inside the tunnel
Well-marked trail
The trail to Cain follows a well-marked path abundant with great vantage points
Beautiful bridges on the river
The last few miles was the most interesting part of the trail with all those bridges and tunnels
My picture on a bridge on the Cares Gorge Trail
Why not take a picture on one of the many beautiful bridges crossing the river?
Reaching Cain
The last end of the hike is absolutely easy with almost flat paths leading to Cain
Reached Cain village
That house on the right side of the photo marks the end of the trail and entry to Cain village
Cute cat in Cain village
Found this cute cat on the window of the same house
The Cares Gorge trail ends here in Cain
This was right at the end of the trail – I deserve to be clicked after hiking the 12-km trail in 3 hours

We took around 3-3.5 h to finish the trail. It was around 4 PM and we could not afford to miss the last bus. There was no wish to spend €120 for a taxi when we can reach our hotel in Poncebos for €28 per person. We were hungry but we gave up the idea of having anything in one of the few restaurants in Cain. There was no time. However, we picked up some dry fruits and chips to snack on during the bus journey.

Cain village
Cain is a very tiny picturesque village with very few restaurants
Alsa bus from Cain to Cangas de Onis
We got this Alsa shuttle bus that left Cain at 4 PM
Cangas de Onis town
Cangas de Onis is a beautiful town where we changed buses to Poncebos
Bus to Poncebos
At Cangas de Onis bus station, we changed from shuttle bus to big bus to Poncebos

The bus dropped us right in front of Hotel Garganta del Cares as it is its last stop in Poncebos. We felt dead tired. But somehow managed to taste the popular Austrian dish – fabada bean stew, and it was exactly what we needed before we called it a day! Goodnight!

Local traditional Asturian dish
A mixture of vegetables slowly cooked along with white beans made a hearty stew

Few Things To Keep in Mind

  1. You cannot use bicycles on the trail.
  2. There are no protective railings to prevent possible falls.
  3. Be very careful if you are with children as the trail has many striking and steep drop-offs.
  4. Be aware of the possible chances of rockslides due to rain, wind, or wild animals like goats that inhabit the area.
  5. Also be careful when crossing other hikers as the path is narrow in many places of the trail.

Net Expense for 1 Person (in EUR)

Let us have a look at the expenses of Day 5 in Spain – Cares Gorge.

  • Stay at Hotel Garganta del Cares for twin sharing (1 night): 25
  • Food in the hotel: 15
  • Fuel: 20
  • Miscellaneous: 20

Total expense (roughly): 80 EUR

For a more customized itinerary, whether for solo or couple or group of any number of people, feel free to contact me on Contact Us page.

If you are planning for a much-organized, tastefully-curated, stress-free yet exciting vacation, consider booking your holidays at Travel Love Repeat. It is going to be a treat for sure!

48 thoughts on “Cares Gorge: The Most Spectacular Hiking Trail in Spain”

  3. Thelittlelai: Beyond limits

    Wow, I was speechless while reading this post of yours. I as well love hiking so much, I think the highest mountain I’ve climbed was more than 2000 MASL, which took us two days and Cares Gorge is such an astonishing hiking trail that offers not just breathtaking view, but also challenging trail. I love the panoramic view and your photos have a stunning backdrop of limestone mountain. I would definitely include this in my bucket list, since i haven’t been to Spain. Thank you so much for sharing this with us.

    Reply
  6. ambujsaxena05

    You are a nice blogger and a better photographer! Your pics took my breath away! Cares gorge looks spectacular and the hike looks amazing! Since i aggregate Bed and Breakfast accommodations back home in India, I have an eye for good places to stay and your accommodation was good too! It was lovely reading your blog!

    Reply
  7. Milijana

    Oh, those goats are super cute!! Your comment of the loving or arguing goat couple made laugh! Love it. :-))

    Reply
  10. Adrenaline Romance

    That is a gorgeous hiking trail! This is definitely a must-visit for us. I like it that the trail crosses local settlements and farmlands; you learn a lot of local history and culture in addition to the adventure.

    Reply
  11. Deeptha

    Excellent hiking trail and kudos to you for completing it. I love the landscape and those beautiful mountain goats. Also, it must have been quite a task to construct that water channel on this kind of a terrain!

    Reply
  12. Marjorie G.

    Now this is what I haven’t done yet in my travels abroad, doing a mountainous trek. And you made a compelling case to do it in Spain, the views along the way are surreal, I think I would waste so much time stopping and taking pictures. Everything just looks amazing. It’s sad that you weren’t able to stay a little more. Is it expensive to stay in any of the accommodations there? Because I would sure love to spend the night over if ever I go there.

    Reply
  13. Swati Sinha

    This looks like an amazing trail to do with your family, Shreya. I loved the vistas presented, and Cain is so green and quaint. Loved the destination ! I would have loved going through the many tunnels and bridges ! I am glad you enjoyed yourself. Here’s to many more such lovely hikes

    Reply
  15. Anshula

    I love the seven facts listed in this post (it gave me such a good sense of place)! I love hiking in general and the trail looks gorgeous (I want to visit so badly). 3.5 hours doesn’t sound too bad (I say this before I feel the full force of the incline). P.S. That goat couple was too cute!

    Reply
  16. Hetal Kamdar

    I have never done hiking before, this trail looks spectacular and for the magnificent views I would love to go here some day. I have seen Mountain goats in Switzerland, they are so adorable. Cangas de Onis town looks so pretty and I cannot stop but admiring the stunning pictures clicked by you.

    Reply
  17. Karie

    The journey from Madrid by road was quite interesting with the weather changing suddenly. I noticed you were listening to Firestone by Kygo..one of my favs 🙂 And that was a very exciting hiking trip with nice views of those bridges , caves and tunnels. You captured the feeling well through your pics and videos!

    Reply
  18. Kenneth Ephraim Surat

    WOW such an adventure you had! I have been to Spain before but didnt do any adventurous activities like this (shameful!! haha). Someday…someday! I also love that your photos shows every step of the way, letting us travel with you through your blog.

    Reply
  20. sumit

    looking at the visuals , i guess the moody tones of the mist over the hgh mountain tops and the chill in the air would have added a sense of thrill to the entire hike. some great visuals , i am sure it would be a nyc hike to undertake . do people also do the return leg or everyone takes a bus

    Reply
  21. Savannah

    What a beautiful trail! I’m kind of stingy, so I think I would either just hike it one way and stay in the next town that night or make the full round trip. But I also HATE busses.

    Reply
  22. Kartik Kannan

    The village looks beautiful to take a walk through. small town vibes and very colourful and did you use the Volkswagen car parked there? The trail too is looking very peaceful and scenic. Not too many people out there, and that way the place retains its charm.

    Reply
  23. Harini

    This seems like a very strenuous trail.24 kms is a lot something which I can never do as I have a knee problem.The food seems well deserved after that strenuous hike.The room looks so cute and cozy.

    Reply
  24. Nicola

    I’ve been to Spain a few times but have never done any hiking there. Funny, my husband and I were saying just the other day how beautiful we thought it would be to hike in Spain. And it certainly is. The trail looks stunning! That bean stew looks like the perfect, hearty post-hike food as well.

    Reply

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