Visit the Bardenas Desert, a surprising Far West setting

In the mood for nature and relaxation? We strongly recommend a visit to the Bardenas Desert. An exceptional place that we have visited. We share our experiences and recommendations.

What is the Bardenas Desert?

The Bardenas Reales, located in the Autonomous Community of Navarre in northern Spain, are a natural jewel of wild beauty and almost supernatural singularity. Covering more than 42,000 hectares, this semi-arid desert, shaped by millions of years of wind and water erosion, offers a landscape that oscillates between spectacular rock formations, desert plateaux and gentle hills.

Walking along the paths of the Bardenas Reales, you often find yourself transported to a world apart, where time seems to have etched every detail of its passage into the rock and soil.

The unusual rock formations, such as the famous Castildetierra, give the impression of having been sculpted by artists’ hands, creating a natural art gallery that amazes visitors at every turn.

This natural park, declared a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO, is a paradise for nature lovers and photographers.

The flora and fauna that inhabit these lands seem to have adapted their colours and shapes to the territory’s dominant chromatic palette, composed mainly of ochre and earthy tones. Throughout the seasons, a variety of animal species can be seen here, including sheep, golden eagles and Egyptian vultures, which find refuge in the region’s steep cliffs and hidden valleys.

Visiting the Barden Desert also means taking advantage of a vast network of paths and tracks, allowing you to explore this magical place on foot, by bike or even on horseback. These routes invite you to discover a multitude of panoramas, from the endless plains to the more rugged relief, offering an ever-changing natural spectacle.

How do I get there?

The Bardenas Desert is not in the West of the United States, but in Spain. To be more precise, this incredible place is in the Navarre region, around 1h15 south of Pamplona.

• From Madrid: To the north-east of Madrid, by car, allow just under 4 hours.
• From Barcelona: To the west of Barcelona, the Bardenas desert is just over 4 hours away by car.
• From France direct: You can fly to Pamplona, Zaragoza or Bilbao. Then hire a car.

The easiest way to reach the Bardenas desert is by car, which you can hire from Discovercar in Barcelona or Madrid.

Visit the Bardenas Desert: a Wild West setting

This natural desert park is made up of 3 distinct parts. The magical landscapes you can admire here have been sculpted by the strong gusts of wind that blow through the park, the heavy rains and the erosion of the sedimentary soil. Visiting times are from 8am to one hour before sunset.

You can visit the Bardenas Desert and its 3 zones:

• La Blanca: This is the central and most deserted part, with impressive rock formations and iconic steep ravines. It covers an area of 170 km2. It is divided into Blanca Baja and Blanca Alta. You’ll come across the famous Castil de tierra fairy chimney (Blanca Baja). The soil here is whiter than in the other parts because it has a high salt content.

This is the most visited part because it is the most impressive. It’s easy to get to via Arguedas. You can stop off at the Bardenas information centre along the way.

• La Negra: The southern part is made up of hills, deep ravines and high plateaux (culminating at 600 m altitude).
• El Plano: In the far north, a greener area where crops are grown, as the terrain is less rugged and virtually flat. You’ll also find El Ferial, an artificial lake.
  

How do I visit the Bardenas Desert?

First of all, you should know that the Bardenas Tourist Information Centre is located on one of the roads leading into the park: km 6 of the NA-8712.

The park has several entrances, 5 in all, spread throughout the Bardenas Reales. For a detailed map of the entrances, click here. The most frequently used is the one near Arguedas, which takes you directly to the most impressive part of the park (La Blanca).

Once you’ve arrived, you can visit the park in any way you like:

By bike : There are paths and circuits for cycling around the park and getting to the most outstanding spots. In the surrounding area, you can hire bikes with or without a guide. For a guide to prices, you can consult this hire company’s website. It’s handy because the price includes transfer/pick-up at the entrance to the site. There are around 10 signposted routes. Maps are available from the Bardenas tourist office, listed above.

On foot : There are also signposted footpaths through the park. For example, you can drive into the park and then park at the start of the walks you want to do. You can find a map of the various routes here.

Motorised (camper van, car, motorbike, etc.): It’s perfectly feasible, but it’s imperative to respect the roads designated for cars. Remember, this is a protected area. The aim of the park is not to build more access roads for cars. The proposed paths must be respected, with a speed limit of 40 km/h. Moreover, it is forbidden to spend the night in the park in a van.

Personally, we stayed in the car. With young children, it’s the easiest way to get around. We then stopped off for short walks in certain places.

Whichever option you choose, don’t forget to take plenty of water and a small snack – you won’t find anything on site!

How you visit this place may also depend on the weather…

Visit the Bardenas Desert by 4×4

If you’re reluctant to go there in your own car, for fear of damaging it or getting lost, you can opt for 4X4 tours. The advantage is that you can go into lesser-known areas in complete safety. The route: you’ll pass through the Plano, the Castildetierra, the Bardena Blanca Alta and Baja, the Rallón and the Blanquizales de Pisquera, places you can observe closely by making several stops.

A very good compromise. Not suitable for under-12s. Price: €60 for a 4-hour excursion.

When should you visit the Bardenas?

The weather varies greatly depending on the season. It can be cold, with heavy rain, or very, very hot.
We had two different experiences. Emilie went in May with her family. Following heavy rain, the terrain was impassable by car in some places. They nearly got bogged down several times. And as far as I’m concerned, we went at the end of September and it was still very hot! It doesn’t seem to compare with July/August either, because we could go for afternoon walks with young children without being completely knocked out by the heat.

Things to remember when choosing a date (even if things aren’t exactly the same from one year to the next, of course!):

• Watch out for rain:

If it is raining when you are in the nature park, or if it has rained very recently, it will be difficult to visit on foot or by bike. By car, some roads will be closed, so beware of getting stuck in the mud.

The driest periods are January, February, July and August. The wettest periods are March, April, November and December.

• Watch out for the heat:

In summer, it can be very hot, even too hot if you’re not used to it. It’s hard to go hiking when it’s over 35 degrees, or at least not very pleasant. In addition to the high temperatures, there can also be gusts of wind (the Cierzo). This wind increases the feeling of dryness. On the other hand, there is no humidity, which does not make the temperatures feel any worse.

And temperatures are not mild all year round. There is such a thing as winter, with temperatures sometimes below zero. With the wind, it can be freezing, but there is rarely snow.

In conclusion, the ideal times to venture to this surprising place are :

• September,

• October,

• May (in theory it’s better than April as far as rain is concerned, but be careful, there can still be short but heavy showers, cf. Emilie’s experience!)

• June,

• January and February if you’re not too cold.

Where to stay? Find a hotel near the Bardenas.

A family hotel with a splendid view :

Very close to the entrance to the Bardenas Park (Bardena Negra section), we can’t recommend the Santuario de Sancho Abarca hotel enough. We both tried it out. The rooms are really not expensive and they are large (40€ per night without breakfast, otherwise add 5€ per person). They are basic and the decor is rather rustic, but the location of the hotel is perfect and the welcome is top notch. If you’re coming as a family, it’s very practical: they can add 2 extra beds to make a room for 4, as they are very spacious (€15 per extra bed).

Some rooms have incredible views over the Bardenas Reales park. This hotel is ideally located for visiting the Bardenas Desert! You can also enjoy this unique view while having an aperitif on the terrace in front of the hotel. The baroque Virgen de Sancho church next to the hotel adds a real charm to the place.

A few organisational tips:

Given that this hotel is quite remote, unless you are planning a ‘picnic’ for the evening, you will have no choice but to dine in the hotel restaurant. The food is simple and the room very rustic, but it does the job perfectly. They even offered to cook pasta specially for the children. The same goes for breakfast, which we recommend you book in advance and eat there (€5).

We didn’t try it out, but it looks like they offer packed lunches. We mention this because we lost a little time going to the nearest town to do some shopping for a picnic before returning to the Bardenas park.

Access to the hotel is not easy. For a few kilometres, you have to take a very stony road (more like a track) with occasional holes in it. The road twists and turns for 6 km to reach the summit where the hotel is located. But don’t worry, it’s well worth the effort! Try to get there before sunset, as the view is superb.

An atypical design hotel : Hotel Air Bardenas

If you’re not coming with the family, here’s a great hotel close to the Bardenas desert. You’ll have a room with a view, where you can also choose to sleep in a bubble under the stars!

A completely different style, design and luxury: the Aire de Bardenas hotel. We didn’t try it out, but it’s quite well-known. It’s an experience in itself, in addition to the visit to the natural park. Obviously, the prices are not at all the same as the hotel we recommend above!

An unusual hotel, not far from an entrance to the Bardenas Natural Park. For example, there are rooms with a private garden or an open-air bath. The rooms open onto the outside with bay windows. You can even book a ‘bubble’ room with a transparent roof to have the sensation of sleeping under the stars… in short, this is truly atypical accommodation. If you don’t know what it’s like, take a look at some photos to get an idea.

The hotel restaurant offers a menu based on fruit and vegetables from the garden and local produce.

Informations and Bookings

What to do around the Bardenas Desert?

Tudela

This town is really just around the corner, and it would be a shame not to make a stop there. The main square, plaza de los Fueros, is perfect for a lunch break. You can let the kids play and enjoy a drink on the terrace! The city is renowned for its gastronomy, which showcases the region’s produce, particularly the vegetables that grow on the great plain. Before or after your break, you can also pay a visit to Tudela’s pretty cathedral. Many travellers opt for a hotel in Tudela: see the range of accommodation on offer.

Pamplona

Not far from the Bardenas, just over an hour away, this is a very pleasant town, particularly famous for the Saint Fermin festivities, which take place every year at the beginning of July. The town fills up with thousands of people dressed in white with red sashes. The famous bullfights in the streets liven up the town during these festivities.

In two days, you can visit Pamplona, part of which is surrounded by ramparts. Stroll around the fortifications, visit Santa María Cathedral, take a break in the Taconera park with its deer and peacocks, visit the University of Navarre museum… Personally, we spent 3 nights / 2 full days there. We were with children, so the pace was really short and it was perfect. And we’d found accommodation right in the centre on Airbnb, but you can find all the hotels in Pamplona here.

The Navarre wine route

Another option for discovering the Navarre region, but one that hasn’t been tested, is to wander through the vineyards and visit the bodegas (wine cellars). If you want to taste several wines in several bodegas, be careful if you’re travelling by car! You can also plan wine-related activities (e.g. a “family grape harvest” in September/October and leave with your own wine).

We hope this information will help you organise your stay in the Bardenas Reales desert and make the most of these incredible landscapes. In the south of Spain, on the Andalusian side, there’s Fort Bravo, for lovers of mythical westerns, and Oasys in the Tabernas desert.

For a more urban stay (but with just as much heat in summer!) we strongly recommend Seville. A magnificent city in Andalusia with a very warm atmosphere.

Emilie