Andorra is a country that offers a wide variety of ski slopes in different areas of the Andorran territory. The most important and largest ski resorts are:
- GrandValira with access from Encamp, Canillo, El Tarter, Soldeu, Grau Roig and Pas de la Casa.
- Vallnord with access from Ordino, Arcalís, Pal and Arinsal.
There are other smaller ski slopes such as La Rabassa de Naturlandia with access from Sant Julià de Lòria. There is also the Parador Canaro ski school in Vall d'Incles.
In Canillo you can enjoy ice skating thanks to the rinks at the Palau de Gel d'Andorra.
Skiing in GrandValira
The Grand Valira ski resort is located between the parishes of Encamp and Canillo, in the eastern part of Andorra. It is 6 km from Andorra La Vella, the capital. It has a difference in altitude of 940 metres and an altitude range of 1,700 to 2,640 metres.
Facilities of GrandValira, the ski resort in Andorra
The GrandValira resort has excellent facilities which are made up of the following:
3 gondolas, 15 fixed chairlifts, 15 detachable chairlifts, 17 tele-railways, 8 cableways, 7 conveyor belts, 1 funitunnel (the Funicamp), more than 1,100 snow cannons and around 67 ski lifts.
The GrandValira ski resort has the capacity to mobilise a total of 120,645 skiers per hour across its 240 skiable km. In 2019 GrandValira invested 13 million euros in innovation, improving the quality of services and expanding the domain.
GrandValira is an ideal ski resort for everyone, in season its snow is perfect, very well cared for and the environment it offers is privileged in all sectors.
Activities and experiences to do in GrandValira
GrandValira offers a large number of ski slopes: 18 green slopes, 38 blue slopes, 32 red slopes and 22 black slopes. It also offers 4 Ratrac ski routes, 2 children's circuits, 1 permanent Boarder Cross in the Pas de la Casa sector, 3 snowparks (located in the Pas de la Casa, El Tarter and Grau Roig sectors) and 3 competition stadiums. All this occupies more than 1,930 hectares.
In addition, you can also enjoy other adventure experiences as GrandValira has facilities such as a cross-country circuit, two circuits for mushing or dog sledding, three areas for snowshoeing circuits, two snowmobile circuits and a helicopter flight base.
Other activities that can be done within the GrandValira's grandiose facilities include: snow rafting, building authentic igloos, staying in an igloo hotel located at an altitude of over 1,300 metres with restaurant and jacuzzi services, helicopter flights, tubing and buggy driving.
Services offered at the GrandValira ski resort
- Gastronomy: GrandValira offers a wide range of gastronomy, with around 40 restaurants distributed in all sectors of the resort.
- Ski and snowboard school: group and private lessons are offered in different languages and at all levels.
- For children: GrandValira offers six snow gardens for the youngest members of the family and five nurseries.
- Parking: there are both open-air and covered car parks where you can leave your vehicle securely parked.
- Medical: GrandValira has five medical centres.
- Shops: you can find shops right on the slopes where you can buy or rent the necessary material and equipment. You can also rent a ski locker, a kind of cupboard that can be rented to store your equipment for the next day or to keep your things there while you enjoy skiing on the slopes.
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Skiing in Vallnord and Pal-Arinsal
The Vallnord ski resort is smaller than GrandValira. It offers 63 km of slopes for all levels and tastes. Snowboarders, skiers and snowshoers can enjoy it.
Activities and experiences to do in Vallnord and Pal-Arinsal
In addition, during the summer season the Vallnord and Pal-Arinsal slopes become the perfect setting for hiking enthusiasts and mountain bike adventurers. When the snow is not in season, there are magnificent routes in Vallnord Bike Park and Vallnord Mountain Park.
In the winter season, if you don't want to ski or snowboard, the Vallnord and Pal-Arinsal resorts offer other options such as orienteering circuits, the Big Zip zip line available all year round and for all ages, helicopter flights, the rope park in the Serra forest and excursions on the snowtrike (a snow bike that has skis instead of wheels). You can also simply take the La Massana gondola lift, the Arinsal gondola lift and go to the resort to admire the beautiful scenery and enjoy the atmosphere. For stunning views from the heights, we recommend taking the Pal Arinsal cable car.
The resorts of Vallnord and Pal-Arinsal offer excellent gastronomy in both sectors. What could be better than enjoying a tender veal burger with caramelised onion, foie gras with a glass of mulled wine and enjoying the magnificent mountain views?
Services offered at the Vallnord and Pal-Arinsal ski resort:
- Gastronomy: in both sectors there are many cosy cabins where you can rest and recharge your batteries.
- Ski and snowboard school: group and private lessons are offered in different languages and at all levels.
- For children:
- Parking: you can find open-air car parks where you can leave your vehicle securely parked.
- Shops: you can find shops right at the foot of the slopes where you can buy or rent the necessary mountain material and equipment. You can also buy souvenirs and souvenirs. You can also rent a ski locker, a kind of cupboard that can be rented to store your equipment for the next day or to keep your things there while you enjoy skiing on the slopes.
Prices are generally lower than in the GrandValira ski resort.
Vallnord and Pal-Arinsal facilities, in Andorra
The Vallnord Pal-Arinsal ski resort has two sectors, as its name suggests, first Pal and then Arinsal. Their names are due to the nearest towns to each of them. Each of them can be accessed by cable car or you can also go up with your own vehicle, with the possibility of parking at the foot of the slopes. The most common way to access the slopes is by the corresponding gondola lift, depending on the sector. In addition, the two sectors are connected by a cable car, so it is possible to access the Arinsal slopes if you parked in Pal and vice versa.
There are slopes for all levels, namely: 7 green slopes, 18 blue slopes, 17 red slopes, 4 black slopes and 5 slalom slopes, also known as alpine skiing.
The two sectors have magnificent facilities, a cable car, two gondolas, 12 chairlifts, 8 ski lifts and 6 conveyor belts. They can accommodate 38,000 skiers per hour.
Ski slopes timetable in Andorra:
The general opening hours of the slopes of Grandvalira, as well as Vallnord and Pal-Arinsal are from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, including holidays and New Year's Eve.
With the arrival of spring in March and April, it is common for the afternoon to be extended by one hour.
Free shuttle bus in Andorra to the slopes
There is a free bus service to go up to the slopes simply by showing your ski pass. This type of bus runs from the town centre: Line 1 from Andorra La Vella and Escaldes-Engordany. Line 2 from La Massana, Arinsal and Erts. The service timetable is always subject to the timetable of the slopes both in the morning and in the afternoon.
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When is the ski season in Andorra?
The beginning and end of the ski season always depends on the weather conditions but usually starts in November or December and ends in April.
The official websites of Vallnord and Grandvalira offer all the latest information, as well as the weather and even live video cameras from the different sectors:
- GrandValira: https://www.grandvalira.com/webcams-de-grandvalira
- Vallnord Pal and Arinsal: https://vallnordpalarinsal.com/es/webcams/
