# Irati Forest One of the largest beech and fir forests in Europe, between the Salazar and Aezkoa valleys: the Cubo Waterfall, the Irabia reservoir and the Fábrica de Armas. Fuente: https://www.geocalia.com/en/spain/navarre/irati-forest · Revisado: 2026-11-12 ## What Irati is The Irati Forest is a forest of beeches and firs that covers the headwaters of the River Irati, in the Navarrese Pyrenees, between the Salazar valley to the east, the Aezkoa valley to the west and the French border to the north. Visit Navarra counts it among the largest and best-preserved beech and fir forests in Europe. Inside there are three protected areas, the nature reserves of Mendilatz and Tristuibartea and the strict reserve of Lizardoia, and it is a special protection area for birds: black woodpecker, white-backed woodpecker, bearded vulture, peregrine falcon and golden eagle. It is not a park with a single gate. You enter through three different places, each with its own car park, walks and services, and it is best to choose before setting out. ## How to get there and where to enter Via Ochagavía, to Casas de Irati. This is the best-known access. Just before Ochagavía the NA-2012 road branches off: it is about 23 or 24 km and 40 minutes to Casas de Irati, with an information point, rangers, a car park, picnic area, bar-restaurant and electric bike hire. From here the path to the Cubo Waterfall begins. Note: in 2026 the road closes for roadworks on 16 to 20 and 23 to 27 November, and in winter it may close because of snow. Via Orbaitzeta, to Arrazola and Irabia. From the Aezkoa valley, the Arrazola area is about 8 minutes from Orbaitzeta, with an information point, car park and picnic area. From Arrazola a road of about 15 minutes continues to the Irabia dam. On the same side, about 5 km from Orbaitzeta, is the Fábrica de Armas. Via Izalzu, to Irati-Abodi. 3.5 km from Ochagavía, at Izalzu, the road to Larrau (France) leaves. About 15 km from Ochagavía is the Irati-Abodi mountain centre, in the former customs post at Pikatua, with a café at weekends, marked trails and cross-country skiing in winter. Approximate times by road, estimated: from Pamplona, about an hour and a quarter to Orbaitzeta or Ochagavía, and about two hours to Casas de Irati; from San Sebastián and Vitoria-Gasteiz, two to two and a half hours; from Zaragoza or Huesca, more than two and a half hours. Irati is enjoyed more with a night in Ochagavía or in Aezkoa. By bus, Alsa links Pamplona and Ochagavía Monday to Saturday, leaving Pamplona at 15:45 and returning at 9:00, according to the tourist office. From Ochagavía there is no transport to the forest: without a car, only by taxi or on a guided trip. ## Where to park and how much it costs In high season a maintenance fee per vehicle is charged at the Casas de Irati and Arrazola-Irabia accesses. At Arrazola, according to the Aezkoa valley, it is €7 per car, €3 per motorbike, €28 per minibus and €45 per coach, with a reduced rate with discount. Visit Navarra states that at the Irati-Abodi and Azpegi-Fábrica de Armas accesses nothing is charged. Outside high season parking is free. If a car park is full, don't leave the car on the verge: try another access. ## How much time and when to go A day covers one access: the Cubo Waterfall from Casas de Irati, or Irabia and the Fábrica de Armas from Orbaitzeta. With two days you do both sides and stroll around Ochagavía at dusk. October and the first half of November are the most beautiful time and with the most people: the beech wood turns red and yellow and the mushrooms arrive, which need a permit to pick (€10 per day at the Ochagavía tourist office or at the valley council in Ezcároz). In May and June the forest is green and has fewer visitors. In summer it is a cool place to escape the heat. In winter there is snow, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing at Abodi, and the Casas de Irati access may close. ## Dónde está - Zonas: Pyrenees - Cerca: Canfranc, Candanchú and Astún (a 57.7 km), French Basque Coast (a 60.9 km · France), Hondarribia (a 67.2 km), Tena Valley (a 68.1 km) ## Qué hacer - **Cubo Waterfall on the Errekaidorra circuit** (3 h 20 · 10.0 km · Families used to walking · On your own · parking fee in high season): This is the classic Irati route. It leaves from the Casas de Irati car park, enters the beech-and-fir forest along forest tracks and paths and reaches the Cubo Waterfall, a cascade that falls into a round pool. Visit Navarra includes it in the Errekaidorra circuit: 10.04 km, 226 m of cumulative ascent and low difficulty. You can also reach the waterfall by the Urbeltza river path. The route The Errekaidorra circuit explains Irati's forestry history with six outdoor interpretation points (oars, masts, the lock, the ash, the cables and the rails), with panels on flora, fauna and geology. The forest passes through lands of Salazar, Aezkoa, Soule and Cize. After the waterfall, the return follows the river in a last loop back to the start. Allow about three hours at an easy pace with stops. Getting there and parking From Ochagavía, on the NA-2012: about 24 km and 40 minutes to Casas de Irati. In high season a parking maintenance fee is paid. At Casas de Irati there is an information point, open every day from 9:00 to 18:00 in November 2026, and a bar-restaurant. When to go In the second half of October the beech forest is at its best, and the waterfall carries water in spring and after the autumn rains. In November 2026 the Casas de Irati road is closed from 16 to 20 and from 23 to 27 for works. - **Loop around the Irabia reservoir** (3 h 10 · 10.9 km · Families and walkers · On your own · €7 fee per car in high season): The Irabia reservoir sits at the heart of the Irati Forest, in Orbaitzeta, and the beech wood runs down to the water on all its shores. It is fed by the Urbeltz, Urtxuria and Egurgio streams. The full loop is one of Irati's flattest long walks: almost eleven kilometres with very little climbing. A dam from the 1920s The reservoir was built in 1921-22 and raised in 1942-44. The dam is 40 m high and holds enough water to regulate the flow of the Irati in summer, a river that drives eight power stations over 40 km. The loop, kilometre by kilometre The local trail SL NA-53C circles the reservoir: 10.9 km, about 3 hours 10 minutes and 80 m of ascent, according to the Aezkoa valley. It is circular, so you return to the start without retracing your steps. Almost the whole route is under trees, close to the water. At the tail of the reservoir, at the opposite end from the dam, is the free Egurgio refuge, with ten places, no booking and an untreated water fountain; it is only for mountaineers on a crossing. Bring water from the car. Three places to start Visit Navarra gives three starting points: The two dam car parks, about 15 minutes by car from the Arrazola area. They put you right on the shore. The Casas de Irati car park, on the Ochagavía side. From there the loop is lengthened by the out-and-back path to the reservoir. The Azpegi refuge, beyond the Arms Factory, by an access that pays no fee. Arrazola, the fee and the dam From Orbaitzeta you drive up in about 8 minutes to the Arrazola area, with an information point, rangers, a picnic area with barbecues and toilets in high season. In high season, vehicles arriving at Arrazola or continuing to the dam pay the maintenance fee: €7 for a car and €3 for a motorbike, or €4 and €2 with the discount ticket. Outside high season parking is free. The two dam car parks are small: in autumn, arrive early. If you have energy left: other circular routes From Arrazola and the dam other signposted trails of the valley leave: SL NA-54C Erlan-Irabia: 4.6 km, 110 m of ascent, 1 h 15. SL NA-52C Plaza Beunza track: 5.2 km, 90 m, 1 h 50. SL NA-57B Ursario Forest: 6.7 km, 260 m, 2 h 45. SL NA-58B Mendilatz Reserve: 5.3 km, 390 m, 2 h 20. To sleep nearby, the Hostal Rural Mendilatz is at kilometre 4 of the reservoir road. - **Royal Munitions Factory of Orbaitzeta** (1 h · Everyone · On your own · free): In the Txangoa ravine, at the entrance to the Irati Forest from the Aezkoa valley, stand the ruins of the Royal Munitions Factory of Orbaitzeta. The Crown took over the Aezkoa mountains in the 18th century to build it beside the valley's old ironworks: here there was wood for charcoal, iron mines and water to drive the machines. Its job was to supply the army with ammunition. An industrial village at the foot of the border The factory lasted about a century. Being so close to France made it a target for looting and fires; it recovered each time, until it closed for good in the 19th century. It was not just one building: the complex was tiered on three levels, with the factory, the church, the homes of more than 150 workers with their families and the troops who guarded it, and a system of aerial platforms that carried the charcoal and ore from the stores to the mouths of the furnaces. Today you walk among partly consolidated walls. The Furnaces building has been rehabilitated by the Government of Navarre, and the whole complex has been an Asset of Cultural Interest since 2008. The Kultur Ola, in the old palace Next to the ruins, the factory's old palace houses the Aezkoako Kultur Ola, the interpretation centre run by the Valley Council. On the first floor you buy tickets and watch a video about Irati and the people of the valley. The second floor reconstructs the factory as it worked in 1784, with machinery and panels, and shows bombs, ingots and slag that came out of it, as well as a model Aezkoan house and a section on forestry work. The third tells the story of the valley's emigration to America in the 20th century. It opens at Easter, at weekends in May and June and every day from 1 July to 10 November; for the rest of November, at weekends, and over the December bridge, from the 3rd to the 10th, it is best to confirm beforehand. The hours and individual rates are in an image on the website: call 848 680 534 or write to aezkoakokulturola@gmail.com. From the same centre guided visits of the ruins are run, by prior booking; for groups of 15 or more, the combined visit costs €6 per person. There is a lift at the back of the building. Getting there without a fee From Aribe, take the NA-2030 towards Orbaitzeta; past the village, about 3 km further, turn left at the junction and continue 1.5 km to the factory. In total, about 5 km from Orbaitzeta. This access to Irati, the one for the Arms Factory and Azpegi, does not pay the maintenance fee charged in high season at the Arrazola area. Continuing to Azpegi About 3 km further up is the Azpegi refuge and, in the meadow beside the border, the megalithic site: cromlechs and dolmens scattered across the meadow, the largest about 10 m in diameter. If you do not want to drive, the Auñak 4x4 excursion passes the factory and the cromlechs. - **Short walks from Casas de Irati** (1 h 30 · Families with small children · On your own · parking fee in high season): The Casas de Irati, also called Casas del Rey, are the reception centre on the Salazar valley side and one of the most used gateways to the Irati Forest. They are 23 km from Ochagavía on the NA-2012, about 40 minutes of mountain road, 100 metres from the hermitage of Nuestra Señora de las Nieves. They have regulated parking, an information point, a ranger service, a play area and picnic area, a bar-restaurant in the old Rangers' House, an exhibition room and bicycle hire with a small workshop. If you do not want to do the 10 km of the Cubo Waterfall, shorter walks leave from here. Notice: because of improvement works, the access road to the Casas de Irati will be closed from 16 to 20 and from 23 to 27 November 2026. On those days you can enter Irati through the Irati-Abodi mountain centre or through Orbaizeta, in the Aezkoa valley. The walks The senses walk is the shortest: a circuit of about 2.3 km and barely 136 metres of ascent, with panels explaining the trees and shrubs along the way. It leaves from the Virgen de las Nieves area, passes the ruins of the Casas de Irati and the remains of an 18th-century fort, and the hermitage, built in 1954 with a traditional shingle roof and murals by Bartolozzi and Sotés. You have to ford the River Urtxuria, which carries little water in summer; if necessary, you cross barefoot. The Urbeltza river path, which Visit Navarra presents together with the Cubo Waterfall route, follows the river from the same car park: you can walk beside the water and turn back whenever you like. The old track of Casas de Irati links the Koixta reservoir with the hermitage along a wide, old timber-hauling track, with no difficulty. Halfway along, a 200-metre detour leads to the Akerreria viewpoint, at 1,150 m, over a cliff. Combined as a circuit with the old track to Koixta it is about 11.5 km and 715 metres of ascent: already a half-day excursion. The Zabaleta forest trail is the long option: 8.3 km circular and about 400 metres of ascent, along the south slope of the La Cuestión and Zabaleta hills, with views over the narrow Irati valley, to the forestry house at the tail of the Irabia reservoir, and back among beeches. The senses walk and the Urbeltza path are good for small children: short distance, dense forest and water close by. Ask at the information point for the map and the state of the paths. Hours, services and fee In November 2026 the information point is open every day from 9:00 to 18:00 and the bar-restaurant from 10:00 to 17:30, according to the Ochagavía tourist office. The Casas de Irati are open in spring, summer and autumn and closed in winter, when the road may be cut: check its state before you set out. In high season a maintenance fee is paid when parking; via Irati-Abodi and the Orbaizeta Arms Factory it is never charged. - **Ochagavía and the hermitage of Muskilda** (2 h 30 · Everyone · On your own · free): Ochagavía, Otsagabia in Basque, lies at 764 m at the head of the Salazar valley, where the rivers Zatoya and Anduña meet. Its origins go back to the 11th century. It is the village from which you go up to Casas de Irati, and the afternoon left over after the forest is well filled with a stroll through its streets and the climb to the shrine of Muskilda, on the hill above. Along the streets of the Zatoya and the Anduña The village is of stone, with cobbled streets and houses bearing coats of arms from the 18th and 19th centuries. Over the Zatoya there is a bridge with a Plateresque cross, and another bridge crosses the Anduña. Montxo Armendáriz filmed Secrets of the Heart here. Muskilda on foot or by car On foot, a signposted path of about 3 km leaves from the upper part of Ochagavía and climbs through the hills to the shrine. There is another option, the Romerías track, shorter but steeper. Along the way you come across a Gothic cross, the Arritxuria one, a wayside shrine and a four-metre stone pillar dated 1654. By car, leave Ochagavía on the NA-140 towards Isaba and, a few kilometres on, take the turning that climbs to the shrine. At the top there is a small car park with a picnic area next to the entrance. From the ridge there are broad views of the valley, and the track continues towards the Arpea and Abodi pastures and the Irati Forest; on a clear day you can see the Orhi. What the shrine holds The church of Nuestra Señora de Muskilda is Romanesque, from the 12th century, and tradition links it to the reign of Sancho the Strong. Its square tower has a conical roof of wooden shingles, as is the custom in the valley. Inside, a 15th-century wrought-iron screen separates the nave from the chancel, and a Baroque altarpiece of 1672 holds the image of the Virgin, a seated 14th-century Gothic carving with a flower in her right hand and the Child on her knees. The walled enclosure includes the guesthouse, the hermit's house and the ruins of the hermitage of Santa Cruz. 8 September and other pilgrimages On 8 September, Ochagavía's patron saint's day, the procession circles the hermitage accompanied by the village's dancers, led by the Bobo, a character with a two-faced mask. There are also pilgrimages on 23 April, 3 May, 26 July and 15 August. November and December hours In November, the hermitage is open on Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 16:30 to 18:00, and Saturdays and Sundays from 11:00 to 14:00 and from 16:30 to 18:00; it is closed on Tuesday and Thursday. In December it opens only on certain days: ask at the tourist office. In the same building as the office, the Nature Interpretation Centre explains on three floors the geology, fauna and vegetation of Irati, with an ethnographic room on the valley. Until 14 December it is open Monday to Thursday and Sunday from 10:00 to 14:00, and Friday and Saturday also from 16:30 to 19:30. - **Pikatua Viewpoint and Irati-Abodi** (1 h · Everyone · On your own · free): To see Irati from above, without walking, drive up the Larrau pass road, the NA-2011 towards France, from Ochagavía and Izalzu. At kilometre 8, by the roadside and at about 1,300 metres above sea level, the Pikatua viewpoint opens the view over the Irati Forest, the Abodi range and the peak of Orhi, at 2,017 m, the first "two-thousander" of the Pyrenees counting from the west. It is a stop of a few minutes that easily turns into half a morning if you continue to the mountain centre. Irati-Abodi Very close, about 15 km from Ochagavía, a quarter of an hour by car, is the Irati-Abodi mountain centre, in the former customs post of Pikatua. It is open in all seasons and is one of the three entrances to Irati from the Salazar valley, along with the Casas de Irati and Remendía. The maintenance fee is never charged here, and there is a large car park a hundred metres before the building. It has a café, information on routes and equipment hire: in winter, skis and snowshoes; the rest of the year, bikes and hiking equipment. The café is open on Saturdays and Sundays from 10:00 to 17:30 in November; telephone, 621 27 58 07. When the Casas de Irati road is closed, for example because of the works planned for 16 to 20 and 23 to 27 November 2026, Irati-Abodi is the alternative entrance recommended by Visit Navarra. The Bortz Kolore routes From the car park leave the Orhi Bortz Kolore, five signposted routes in five colours and of differing difficulty: A very short, easy walk 50 metres from the building, whose first 400 metres are flat and suitable for a wheelchair with an assistant when the ground is dry. Two routes to Muxumurru, at 1,626 m, the foothill peak of the Orhi, a chamois area and a viewpoint over the deepest part of Irati: one, ideal for introducing children to the mountains, leaves from the bend at kilometre 10; the other, circular and demanding, drops to the forest floor and climbs 566 metres. Two routes to the Orhi peak, the shortest and the longest. The project reminds visitors that, although very accessible, the Orhi is high mountain: check the weather, bring warm clothing and do not climb in fog. In winter With snow, Irati-Abodi has three easy cross-country ski trails totalling 22 km and another of 16 km for more experienced skiers. There are four trails that can also be done with snowshoes, Cerrillar, Cruz de Osaba, Zamukadoia and Koixta, and the equipment can be hired at the centre. The season's prices are published on the centre's website. Getting there and combining it From Ochagavía, take the Izalzu road, at 3.5 km, where the Gartxot route begins, based on a popular legend, and continue climbing towards Larrau. It is a mountain road: in winter it may have snow or ice. Dogs may come on a lead. On the way back, in Ochagavía you can round off the day with the village and the hermitage of Muskilda. - **4x4 excursion through the Irati Forest from Garralda** (Families and anyone who does not want to walk · Desde 240 € per group of 4 people): Auñak Excursiones is a company from the Aezkoa valley that tours the Irati Forest in a 4x4 minibus driven by a professional guide. It is the way to get into the forest without walking and with someone at the wheel who tells you what is passing the window: the history of the border, the wars and the smuggling that crossed these mountains. Departure from the Garralda tower The meeting point is Garralda, one of the villages of Aezkoa, next to the church tower. There are departures every day, morning or afternoon, always by prior booking and subject to availability. The website does not publish fixed times: the departure time is agreed when booking, by phone (688 697 058) or by email (contacto@aunak.es). Garralda is on the western side of Irati, a few minutes from Orbaitzeta, and a little over an hour from Pamplona by car; you leave the car in the village and continue in the minibus. Iron, stones and border The company cites these places among what it shows: The Royal Arms Factory of Orbaitzeta, the ruins of the 18th-century munitions factory in the Txangoa ravine. It has its own page: the Arms Factory. The cromlechs, prehistoric stone circles. At the Azpegi megalithic site, next to the border, the largest is about 10 metres in diameter and holds a tumulus inside; around it are up to sixteen more, visible from the road. The Urkulu tower, on the border ridge. The hórreos of Aezkoa, the valley's granaries of wood and stone on pillars. The website does not detail the itinerary of each outing, so ask when you book which of these stops are on yours. Price per group and what to ask The tour costs from €240 for a group of four people, about €60 each; for groups of another size you have to ask the price. Auñak does not publish the duration, whether there are seats for small children, in which languages it guides or the cancellation conditions: these are the questions to ask before confirming the booking. Who it makes sense for For families with children who cannot manage a long route, for older people or those with limited mobility and for a rainy day when you do not feel like getting muddy. Also for anyone who has already walked in Irati and wants to understand the valley: what you see from the minibus is centuries of border. The mountain taxi Auñak also has an eight-seat taxi to take and collect hikers, cyclists and pilgrims on the Camino de Santiago at any point. It is useful for doing linear routes without coming back by the same path. - **Guided walk through the Irati Forest with naturalists** (3 h · Families and nature lovers): With a naturalist guide the forest changes: you learn to recognise tracks, birdsong and plants, and understand why the Irati Forest is so important. It is one of the largest beech-and-fir forests in Europe, spread across the Aezkoa and Salazar valleys in Navarre and those of Cize and Soule in France, with high pastures regulated by facerías, agreements on use between valleys that are more than 500 years old. For the white-backed woodpecker, Irati is a key place: according to local guides, it has its highest density here. Who guides Itarinatura is a nature guide company made up of environmental educators with many years of experience in the Navarre Pyrenees. Their outings aim for you to understand the whole landscape, not just one species, and they have experience of outings adapted for people with disabilities. They guide in Spanish, Basque, English and French. They have designed more than fifteen interpretation panels in natural areas of Navarre and have carried out studies on Pyrenean forests for the Government of Navarre. What they offer Forest walks: plants and their uses, animal tracks, flora, fauna, geology, ethnography and the history of Irati. Bird watching: among the species they look for are the crossbill, rock ptarmigan, alpine chough, bearded vulture, wallcreeper and white-backed woodpecker. Night outings: moonlit walks, stargazing and basic astronomy. Mycology outings: basic mycology and how to tell edible mushrooms from toxic ones, in autumn. The deer rut: outings to listen to stags in rut, also in autumn. Arms factory: a visit to the ruins of the 18th-century Royal Munitions Factory of Orbaitzeta. Bunker route: the bunkers built beside the French border after the 1936 war. They also design tailor-made activities and travel to wherever the group is. Price, booking and meeting point The website publishes no prices, durations or meeting points: they are agreed when booking, depending on the activity, the time of year and the group. Contact them on +34 660 268 750 or at itarinatura@yahoo.com. For the rut and mushrooms, book early: they are seasonal activities. The Ochagavía tourist office has the list of the valley's other guide companies. Before you go In November 2026 the access road to the Casas de Irati will be closed for works from 16 to 20 and from 23 to 27; confirm with the guide which way in to use on those days. Bring mountain footwear, warm clothing and a waterproof. If you are with children, tell them their ages when booking. - **Irati by electric bike** (4 h · Adults and teenagers with some bike experience): Irati has a mountain bike network of 16 routes and more than 400 km of tracks, shared by the four valleys across which the forest extends: Salazar and Aezkoa in Navarre, and Zuberoa and Cize in France. With an electric bike you can climb the hills around the forest without much preparation, and see the beech-and-fir forest from above before going into it. It is a good way to cover more ground in a day than the footpaths allow. Where to hire Visit Navarra says there is bike hire at Irati's three reception centres: Irati-Abodi, Casas de Irati and Arrazola, where you can also get small repairs done and ask for information on the routes. It is the most practical option if you want to set out directly from the forest. With Irati Active Irati Active, based at the Hostal Haizea in Aurizberri-Espinal, near Orreaga-Roncesvalles, hires electric bikes for half a day or a full day, with or without a guide. It is open every day from 8:00 to 18:00. Its website shows two Orbea Urrun models. They suggest easy routes through the Irati Forest, designed to see the forest from the surrounding hills, and another through Roncesvalles that combines a stretch of the Camino de Santiago with tracks to a Roman road and the site of a Roman settlement of about 4.5 hectares, probably Iturissa. The hire includes a helmet, insurance, a lock, a phone holder and a tailor-made route; if you wish, they give you a GPS with the track loaded so you can follow the way without worrying. For more experienced cyclists they also organise guided stage-by-stage MTB crossings of the Irati Forest. The website does not publish prices, minimum ages or deposit: ask when booking on +34 679 448 081 or at iratiactive.info@gmail.com. When to go and what to bear in mind The best time runs from spring to autumn. In autumn the beech forest changes colour; in winter the high tracks may have snow and the Casas de Irati road may close. In November 2026, moreover, that road will be cut for works from 16 to 20 and from 23 to 27; if you go on those days, set out via Irati-Abodi or Orbaizeta. Although the e-bike helps on the climbs, you ride on mountain forest tracks: it helps to have some bike experience. Bring water, food and warm clothing, and a charged phone. Always ride on the marked tracks and paths and respect walkers and livestock. To round off the day From Aurizberri-Espinal you have Orreaga-Roncesvalles nearby and, through the Aezkoa valley, the Orbaitzeta Arms Factory and the Irabia reservoir, with its walking loop. If you enter through Salazar, Ochagavía is the most convenient base for eating and sleeping. ## Dónde comer - **Bar Restaurante Auñamendi** (Restaurant, Ochagavía, €€). Qué pedir: the weekend menu if you go from Friday to Sunday, or on the bar terrace a plate of octopus or the chicken salad with Roncal cheese - **Casas de Irati bar-restaurant** (Bar, Ochagavía (Casas de Irati), €). Qué pedir: a sandwich or a combination plate on returning from the Cubo Waterfall; for groups of 10 or more, the pochas and lamb chilindrón menu by booking - **Irati-Abodi Mountain Centre café** (Café, Izalzu (Irati-Abodi), €). Qué pedir: a hot coffee and something to nibble before the colour-coded routes or after cross-country skiing ## By car: Choose one side of the forest and sleep nearby Irati is visited by car, and each access is in a different valley: Casas de Irati via Ochagavía, Arrazola and Irabia via Orbaitzeta, Irati-Abodi via Izalzu. Between them there is more than an hour of mountain road, so it is best to sleep on the side you are going to explore. Presupuesto orientativo: 70–120 € por persona y día. ### Dónde dormir if you're driving - **Hotel Rural Auñamendi** (Small hotel, desde 85 € / night): The Auñamendi is a family hotel on the square in Ochagavía, on Calle Urrutia, in the stone village of the Salazar valley from which you go up to Casas de Irati, about 40 minutes along the NA-2012. Its name is that of Mount Anie in Basque, and also the Basque word for the Pyrenees. The building has been in hospitality for half a century: it began as the bar Casa Zazón and was completely refurbished in 2014. Thirteen rooms named after the valley The rooms are spread over three floors with a lift and bear the names of places in the area. All have a full bathroom, central heating, wooden floors, television and free wifi. What changes between them is the view: Blankoa, Beiegu and Jasule, double rooms with a double bed, have a balcony onto the square; Blankoa, two small ones. Zubiat, Bidezarra and Abodi, with two beds and the option of an extra bed, face the mountain and also have a roof window. Udi, Sarria and Ori are on the attic floor; Sarria faces the pine woods. Muskilda and Irabia are the family rooms: two beds and a 1.50 m sofa bed. Muskilda is very spacious, with large windows onto the garden and the mountain. Irabia and Koista are adapted for people with reduced mobility, and the common areas are too. Rates by season Prices per night including VAT, in low, mid and high season: Double: €85, €90 and €100; with breakfast, €109, €114 and €124. Triple: €120, €125 and €135; with breakfast, €156, €161 and €171. Family room for four: €140, €145 and €155; with breakfast, €180, €185 and €195. Single use: €65, €70 and €80; with breakfast, €77, €82 and €92. The buffet breakfast costs €12 per person. High season is Easter, August, October, the first half of November, bridge holidays and Christmas; mid season, Easter week, June, July, September and May weekends; the rest of the year is low. Lounges, bikes and children There are two lounges: one for activities, with games, a computer and a small library, and another quiet one, with television and reading. The hotel stores bikes and skis, has a meeting room and, at reception, information on the area; the tourist office and the Interpretation Centre are 100 m away. For families with babies there are cots, high chairs, baths and a children's menu. The website does not say whether dogs are admitted or whether it has its own parking: ask when booking on 948 890 189 or at info@hotelruralaunamendi.com. Dinner without going out Downstairs is the Bar Restaurante Auñamendi, with a terrace onto the square, a set menu Monday to Thursday at €20 and a weekend menu at €30. From the door On foot, the path to the hermitage of Muskilda leaves from the upper part of the village. By car, Casas de Irati and the Cubo Waterfall are 40 minutes away, and the Irati-Abodi mountain centre about 15 km along the Larrau road. - **Camping Osate** (Campsite, desde 57 € / night): Camping Osate is on the Salazar valley road, at the entrance to Ochagavía, with the village next door and Casas de Irati about 40 minutes by car on the NA-2012. It is a member of the Navarre Campsites Association and an IMBA-certified mountain bike centre, the international mountain biking association. It has a bit of everything: pitches, bungalows, wooden houses, pods, pre-pitched tents and a hostel. One hundred and five pitches under the trees There are 75 pitches for tents and 30 for caravans, the latter with electric hook-up, on flat grass in the shade of the trees. Motorhomes can empty waste water and fill up with clean water. Two toilet blocks have showers with permanent hot water, there are three sink modules, washing machines, dryers and basins for hand washing, two barbecue areas and wifi. The 2026 camping rates, per night, in high and low season: adult, €7.50 and €6; child, €5.80 and €4.90; individual tent, €5.50 and €4.70; group tent, €8.40 and €7.60; car, €6.60 and €5.50; caravan or motorhome, €12 and €10; electricity, €8 and €7. Bungalows, wooden houses and pods 2026 prices per night, in high, mid and low season: 2-person bungalow, with bunk beds, 12 m²: €68, €62 and €57. 2+1 bungalow, double bed and sofa bed, 16 m² and covered porch: €92, €83 and €72. 2+2 bungalow, double and two bunks, 16 m²: €100, €90 and €82. 5-person bungalow, three bedrooms, 34 m²: €156, €144 and €130. 8-person bungalow, two floors, 42 m²: €175, €162 and €144. 4-person wooden house, two bedrooms, 34 m²: €137, €125 and €115. Camping pod for 2 or 3, 12 m², with a small kitchen: €75, €63 and €58, plus €10 per night for a third person. The bungalows have a full bathroom, heating, equipped kitchen, fridge and television. In July and August, pre-pitched Comanche tents for four are also rented, at €95 in high season and €80 in low. Sheets, €4; towels, €3; washing machine or dryer, €4. The wooden hostel A wooden building with 56 beds in eight rooms of six, each with a full bathroom. Each bed has a pillow, pillowcase, mattress protector and blankets; if you do not bring a sleeping bag, sheets can be hired. Private rooms from €55 for two in low season, and a bed in a shared room at €20 outside high season. Groups of ten or more get half board from €42 per adult in the hostel. Seasons and dogs High season 2026 includes Easter, the May bridge, the June Irati Xtrem, 15 July to 31 August, the Pilar, All Saints and the weekends of September and October. Dogs come on a lead: €3 per night on a pitch and €4 in a bungalow. The website publishes no opening dates or check-in and check-out times; ask when you book (948 890 184 or 608 296 382). For cycling The campsite prepares bike route packages through the Navarre Pyrenees and the Irati Forest. To get up to the forest without suffering the climbs, see Irati by electric bike. In the village, the Bar Restaurante Auñamendi serves a set menu, and the climb to Muskilda leaves from the upper part of Ochagavía. - **Hostal Rural Mendilatz** (Small hotel): Mendilatz is a rural hostel at kilometre 4 of the road that climbs to the Irabia reservoir, in Orbaitzeta, on the Aezkoa side of the Irati Forest. It is already inside the hills, past the village towards the Arrazola area and the dam, so in the morning you step out of the door into the forest without going down to the valley. It has private parking and large gardens around it. Sixteen rooms for thirty There are 16 rooms with 30 places in all: doubles with a double bed, standard and superior, doubles with two beds, triples and quadruples, the latter with single beds. All have a full bathroom, television, wifi and heating, and are cleaned daily. The website does not publish prices: availability and rate can be checked in its booking section or on 948 766 088. Breakfast, dinner to order and picnic Mendilatz has no restaurant or meal service, and it is worth knowing before you arrive. What it offers guests: Breakfast, from 8:00 to 10:00. Combination-plate dinner with dessert, to order before 16:00. Served at 20:00 sharp. Picnic bag, by booking, to eat on the trail. Café with porch. Services and facilities are only for those sleeping there. Eleven mountain bike routes with tracks It is a house designed for bikes. It has a bike store with sockets for charging e-bikes, a repair workshop and a washing area, and the website publishes eleven mountain bike routes through Irati with their Wikiloc tracks, which they also load onto your GPS from a computer at the hostel. They range from the 16 km and 539 m of ascent of Nabala-Arlagain to the 66 km and 1,257 m of Pikatua-Erlan; in between, Txangoa-Soraluze (23 km), Roncesvalles (30.5 km), Burdinzokoa-Canal (39.4 km) or the Irati Queen Stage (65.6 km). They do not hire electric bikes, but give contacts for who does; see also Irati by electric bike. For families, without a dog Outside there is a playground, a football pitch and a volleyball court. Pets are not allowed: if you are travelling with a dog, Camping Osate, in Ochagavía, does accept them. There is also no charging point for electric cars. Hours and cancellation Check-in is from 15:00 to 20:00 and check-out from 8:00 to 11:00. Cancellation is free up to 15 days before arrival; bad weather does not count as a reason to cancel at no cost. What is nearby The Irabia dam, the starting point of the reservoir loop, is further up the road. The Royal Munitions Factory is about 5 km from Orbaitzeta, along the Azpegi road, and pays no fee. ## By bike: More than 400 km of tracks under the beech wood Irati's mountain bike network adds up to 16 routes and more than 400 km of forest tracks, with bike repair and hire at Irati-Abodi, Casas de Irati and Arrazola. With an e-bike, the climbs to the hills around the forest are within anyone's reach. Presupuesto orientativo: 70–120 € por persona y día. ### Dónde dormir if you're cycling - **Hotel Rural Auñamendi** (Small hotel, desde 85 € / night): The Auñamendi is a family hotel on the square in Ochagavía, on Calle Urrutia, in the stone village of the Salazar valley from which you go up to Casas de Irati, about 40 minutes along the NA-2012. Its name is that of Mount Anie in Basque, and also the Basque word for the Pyrenees. The building has been in hospitality for half a century: it began as the bar Casa Zazón and was completely refurbished in 2014. Thirteen rooms named after the valley The rooms are spread over three floors with a lift and bear the names of places in the area. All have a full bathroom, central heating, wooden floors, television and free wifi. What changes between them is the view: Blankoa, Beiegu and Jasule, double rooms with a double bed, have a balcony onto the square; Blankoa, two small ones. Zubiat, Bidezarra and Abodi, with two beds and the option of an extra bed, face the mountain and also have a roof window. Udi, Sarria and Ori are on the attic floor; Sarria faces the pine woods. Muskilda and Irabia are the family rooms: two beds and a 1.50 m sofa bed. Muskilda is very spacious, with large windows onto the garden and the mountain. Irabia and Koista are adapted for people with reduced mobility, and the common areas are too. Rates by season Prices per night including VAT, in low, mid and high season: Double: €85, €90 and €100; with breakfast, €109, €114 and €124. Triple: €120, €125 and €135; with breakfast, €156, €161 and €171. Family room for four: €140, €145 and €155; with breakfast, €180, €185 and €195. Single use: €65, €70 and €80; with breakfast, €77, €82 and €92. The buffet breakfast costs €12 per person. High season is Easter, August, October, the first half of November, bridge holidays and Christmas; mid season, Easter week, June, July, September and May weekends; the rest of the year is low. Lounges, bikes and children There are two lounges: one for activities, with games, a computer and a small library, and another quiet one, with television and reading. The hotel stores bikes and skis, has a meeting room and, at reception, information on the area; the tourist office and the Interpretation Centre are 100 m away. For families with babies there are cots, high chairs, baths and a children's menu. The website does not say whether dogs are admitted or whether it has its own parking: ask when booking on 948 890 189 or at info@hotelruralaunamendi.com. Dinner without going out Downstairs is the Bar Restaurante Auñamendi, with a terrace onto the square, a set menu Monday to Thursday at €20 and a weekend menu at €30. From the door On foot, the path to the hermitage of Muskilda leaves from the upper part of the village. By car, Casas de Irati and the Cubo Waterfall are 40 minutes away, and the Irati-Abodi mountain centre about 15 km along the Larrau road. - **Camping Osate** (Campsite, desde 57 € / night): Camping Osate is on the Salazar valley road, at the entrance to Ochagavía, with the village next door and Casas de Irati about 40 minutes by car on the NA-2012. It is a member of the Navarre Campsites Association and an IMBA-certified mountain bike centre, the international mountain biking association. It has a bit of everything: pitches, bungalows, wooden houses, pods, pre-pitched tents and a hostel. One hundred and five pitches under the trees There are 75 pitches for tents and 30 for caravans, the latter with electric hook-up, on flat grass in the shade of the trees. Motorhomes can empty waste water and fill up with clean water. Two toilet blocks have showers with permanent hot water, there are three sink modules, washing machines, dryers and basins for hand washing, two barbecue areas and wifi. The 2026 camping rates, per night, in high and low season: adult, €7.50 and €6; child, €5.80 and €4.90; individual tent, €5.50 and €4.70; group tent, €8.40 and €7.60; car, €6.60 and €5.50; caravan or motorhome, €12 and €10; electricity, €8 and €7. Bungalows, wooden houses and pods 2026 prices per night, in high, mid and low season: 2-person bungalow, with bunk beds, 12 m²: €68, €62 and €57. 2+1 bungalow, double bed and sofa bed, 16 m² and covered porch: €92, €83 and €72. 2+2 bungalow, double and two bunks, 16 m²: €100, €90 and €82. 5-person bungalow, three bedrooms, 34 m²: €156, €144 and €130. 8-person bungalow, two floors, 42 m²: €175, €162 and €144. 4-person wooden house, two bedrooms, 34 m²: €137, €125 and €115. Camping pod for 2 or 3, 12 m², with a small kitchen: €75, €63 and €58, plus €10 per night for a third person. The bungalows have a full bathroom, heating, equipped kitchen, fridge and television. In July and August, pre-pitched Comanche tents for four are also rented, at €95 in high season and €80 in low. Sheets, €4; towels, €3; washing machine or dryer, €4. The wooden hostel A wooden building with 56 beds in eight rooms of six, each with a full bathroom. Each bed has a pillow, pillowcase, mattress protector and blankets; if you do not bring a sleeping bag, sheets can be hired. Private rooms from €55 for two in low season, and a bed in a shared room at €20 outside high season. Groups of ten or more get half board from €42 per adult in the hostel. Seasons and dogs High season 2026 includes Easter, the May bridge, the June Irati Xtrem, 15 July to 31 August, the Pilar, All Saints and the weekends of September and October. Dogs come on a lead: €3 per night on a pitch and €4 in a bungalow. The website publishes no opening dates or check-in and check-out times; ask when you book (948 890 184 or 608 296 382). For cycling The campsite prepares bike route packages through the Navarre Pyrenees and the Irati Forest. To get up to the forest without suffering the climbs, see Irati by electric bike. In the village, the Bar Restaurante Auñamendi serves a set menu, and the climb to Muskilda leaves from the upper part of Ochagavía. - **Hostal Rural Mendilatz** (Small hotel): Mendilatz is a rural hostel at kilometre 4 of the road that climbs to the Irabia reservoir, in Orbaitzeta, on the Aezkoa side of the Irati Forest. It is already inside the hills, past the village towards the Arrazola area and the dam, so in the morning you step out of the door into the forest without going down to the valley. It has private parking and large gardens around it. Sixteen rooms for thirty There are 16 rooms with 30 places in all: doubles with a double bed, standard and superior, doubles with two beds, triples and quadruples, the latter with single beds. All have a full bathroom, television, wifi and heating, and are cleaned daily. The website does not publish prices: availability and rate can be checked in its booking section or on 948 766 088. Breakfast, dinner to order and picnic Mendilatz has no restaurant or meal service, and it is worth knowing before you arrive. What it offers guests: Breakfast, from 8:00 to 10:00. Combination-plate dinner with dessert, to order before 16:00. Served at 20:00 sharp. Picnic bag, by booking, to eat on the trail. Café with porch. Services and facilities are only for those sleeping there. Eleven mountain bike routes with tracks It is a house designed for bikes. It has a bike store with sockets for charging e-bikes, a repair workshop and a washing area, and the website publishes eleven mountain bike routes through Irati with their Wikiloc tracks, which they also load onto your GPS from a computer at the hostel. They range from the 16 km and 539 m of ascent of Nabala-Arlagain to the 66 km and 1,257 m of Pikatua-Erlan; in between, Txangoa-Soraluze (23 km), Roncesvalles (30.5 km), Burdinzokoa-Canal (39.4 km) or the Irati Queen Stage (65.6 km). They do not hire electric bikes, but give contacts for who does; see also Irati by electric bike. For families, without a dog Outside there is a playground, a football pitch and a volleyball court. Pets are not allowed: if you are travelling with a dog, Camping Osate, in Ochagavía, does accept them. There is also no charging point for electric cars. Hours and cancellation Check-in is from 15:00 to 20:00 and check-out from 8:00 to 11:00. Cancellation is free up to 15 days before arrival; bad weather does not count as a reason to cancel at no cost. What is nearby The Irabia dam, the starting point of the reservoir loop, is further up the road. The Royal Munitions Factory is about 5 km from Orbaitzeta, along the Azpegi road, and pays no fee. ## As a family: A storybook forest for every age Irati has short walks for the youngest, a half-day route to the waterfall for those who already walk and, if nobody wants to walk, a 4x4 excursion. The beeches, the water and the stories of smugglers and arms factories do the rest. ### What works best The short walks at Casas de Irati, with a play area next door The Cubo Waterfall, 10 km with little ascent, for children who like to walk The Orbaitzeta Arms Factory: ruins to explore The 4x4 excursion from Garralda ### Where to sleep Hotel Rural Auñamendi, with two family rooms Camping Osate, bungalows for up to eight Mendilatz, with a playground ### Where to eat Picnic at the picnic areas of Casas de Irati or Arrazola Children's menu at the Auñamendi, at €14 ### Worth knowing A baby carrier is better than a pushchair on the tracks In autumn, the car parks fill up at weekends Bring warm clothing: it is cool under the forest ### Qué hacer as a family - Cubo Waterfall on the Errekaidorra circuit - Loop around the Irabia reservoir - Royal Munitions Factory of Orbaitzeta - Short walks from Casas de Irati - Ochagavía and the hermitage of Muskilda - Pikatua Viewpoint and Irati-Abodi - 4x4 excursion through the Irati Forest from Garralda - Guided walk through the Irati Forest with naturalists - Irati by electric bike ## Consejos ### Arrive early in October On autumn weekends the car parks fill up. First thing you find a space and a silent forest. ### Bring boots and something warm The forest tracks have muddy stretches after rain, and under the trees it is cool even in summer. ### Sleep in Ochagavía It is the nearest village to Casas de Irati and deserves a stroll along its cobbled streets. ### Choose a side Casas de Irati and Arrazola are in different valleys, more than an hour's drive apart. ## Preguntas frecuentes ### Do you have to pay to enter the Irati Forest? In high season a maintenance fee per vehicle is charged at Casas de Irati and at Arrazola-Irabia; at Arrazola it is €7 per car. The Irati-Abodi and Fábrica de Armas accesses do not charge it. ### Which is the best-known route? The Cubo Waterfall from Casas de Irati. The Errekaidorra circuit, which passes the waterfall, is 10 km with 226 m of ascent and low difficulty. ### When is the beech wood at its prettiest? In the second half of October and the first days of November, as the colour changes. ### Can you go without a car? There is an Alsa bus from Pamplona to Ochagavía Monday to Saturday, but it does not reach the forest. From Ochagavía you need a taxi or a guided trip. ### Where do you eat? At the bar-restaurant at Casas de Irati, open daily from 10:00 to 17:30 in November, or at the restaurants in Ochagavía.