ANDORRA NATURE PARKS
PLACES YOU WILL SEE
In Andorra there are three Nature protected spaces, probably the highest concentration of protected areas in the world. They are the Valle de Sorteny, the Madriu-Perafita-Claror and the Valles del Comapedrosa. Find out here about their main attractions and the information points in each one.
Valle del Sorteny
This protected park in the Ordino parish runs along both banks of the Sorteny river and covers an area of over 1,000 hectares. Although the smallest of the three, it has a rich biodiversity, with over 700 species of flowers and plants. Much of the park has been designed for educational purposes. It has its own botanical gardens, with species known only to the Pyrenees and growing in this nature park, and has accessible routes for all levels. The fauna in the park includes ibex, the Pyrenean brook salamander and the common frog. The Centre de Natura, the park's modern interpretation and exhibition centre, is in the village of Cortinada. There is also an information hut in the main car park, open in the summer, near the village of Serrat. Just a little over 10 km away, there are a wide variety of hotels in Ordino, as it is near the Ordino Arcalís ski resort.
This is the biggest natural space in Andorra, with over 40,000 protected hectares in the parishes of Andorra la Vella, Encamp, Escaldes-Engordany and Sant Julià de Lòria. It covers 10% of the surface area of Andorra and its landscape is spectacularly beautiful, which is why it was declared a UNESCO cultural landscape world heritage site. Guided tours for visitors are organised in summer to discover not just the fauna and flora, but also the footprint left by humans, who have made sustainable use of its resources for over 700 years. The "bordas" (small buildings for farm animals) and remains of forges are just two such examples. It has four big car parks at the main entrances in each parish. In Andorra la Vella you'll also find the Portal del Valle (c/ Prat de la Creu 74-76), a visitors' reception centre. The nature park also has a number of mountain shelters.
Valles del Comapedrosa
This is the westernmost of the two Nature Parks in Andorra, in the parish of La Massana. Its legendary Alt de Comapedrosa (2,942 m) is the highest peak in the Principality. In the park you can find species of typical alpine flowers, such as the alpine violet or the Pyrenean mouse-ear. The park's regular inhabitants include Aurelio's rock lizards, golden eagles and bearded vultures. The Interpretation Centre is in Arinsal, with exhibitions and audiovisuals on the park. Given its proximity to the Vallnord-Pal Arinsal ski resort, there is a wide range of hotels, restaurants and tourist attractions on offer.