The GLR 21 Motorcycle Adventure Route

	Jaca - Orbaitzeta		145km
	10.3km off-road		April / October

Quick GLR 21 overview

The GLR 21 motorcycle adventure route leads you for over 145 kilometers through the Navarre and Aragon regions of Northern-Spain. 10 of those kilometers will traverse over off-road sections. If the going gets tough, The Back-up Tracks will support you with 1 section. With a total of 4 connecting GLRs to this GLR 21, you’re able to continue to Adventurise the region. Let’s get going!

GLR 21 Route info

From the semi-arid interior to the green Pyrenees, this GLR 21 will show you the way! Although it may seem like this motorcycle adventure route isn’t that adventurous due to its high on-road percentage, it packs a punch! You start your GLR 21 adventure in Jaca. When you’ve made it out of the city, the only real off-road section begins. You traverse this off-road section for over 10 kilometers. After this, it’s only on-road to your destination in Orbaizeta. Doesn’t sound that interesting, right? Behold some of the worst road surfaces I’ve seen in Spain! The narrow roads cross the numerous valleys. When you’ve finally reached Orbaizeta, you’ve got enough opportunities to continue your Pyrenean Adventure! Read all about the connecting GLRs down below.

see connections

GLR 21 Region

With the GLR 21 you’ll dive into the transit zone from the green Spanish region down into the semi-arid interior. Explore the Navarre and Huesca provinces down below!

Huesca

Huesca is a province located in the Aragon region of northern Spain. Almost a quarter of its population lives in its capital. Since the gross of the population lives in the city, the rural areas are kept pristine. Huesca feels wild and like a frontier. Perfect for us as adventure motorcyclists. Huesca’s main attraction is its natural beauty. The province has the tallest mountain of the Pyrenees, the Aneto (3404m). It houses the National Park of Ordesa and Monte Perdido and hides many gorges in its landscape. The climate in the region gets dedicated by the Pyrenees, with an alpine climate to the north. Like most northern regions of Spain, the winters can be very cold and summer hot. Of Course, also depending on the altitude. Further to the south, the continental Mediterranean climate gets overhand, which can be very dry. This is also visible by the vegetation with dry brushes and thorny overgrown. The south of Huesca is very dry and can be scoring hot during summer.

Navarre

Navarra (Navarre) is an autonomous region in northern Spain. This region has a lot to offer for us as Adventurisers! The Pyrenees in the north and the semi-arid interior in the south creates a unique transit between diverse landscapes on the micro level! Navarra is therefore known as the transition zone of Spain. Besides the richness and diversity of landscapes, you can also find the reminisce of Navarra’s rich cultural heritage. From before and during Roman settlements to the post-Spanish Civil War, you’ll find its reminisce everywhere you look! Aside from the beautiful landscapes and rich cultural history, Navarra is also a dream for us adventure motorcyclists due to the mild climate. With average highs of 28 °C in summer, it’s a dream to explore the region, while during siesta hours relax underneath the variety of vegetation.

Adventurising isn’t only about getting as fast from A to B! A Region has so much more to offer! That’s why I give you some suggestions about things to do while Adventurising the GLR 21.

Mallos de Riglos

You’ll see this beautiful red rock formation from quite afar! It’ll lure you closer and closer until you’re standing at the base gazing up. Visit the Mallos de Riglos during sunset and you’re treated with a beautiful array of colors!
more info

Fort Portalet

Fort Portalet was built to guard the French Pyrenees border and to protect the access to the Col du Somport. Construction began in 1842 and finished in 1870. From then on it saw use through the first and second world wars. Nowadays the local government tries to restore this fortification to its old glory.
more info

Pic d’Orhy

Mount Orhy is the westernmost peak above the 2000m mark. This mountain located on the border between France and Spain has an important role in Basque mythology. On a good day, it’s possible to summit the mountain via 6 different routes.
more info

Urkulu

Another mountain pass connecting France and Spain with some ancient History. Right at the top of the Urkulu mountain, you find some romanesque ruins. Take this slight detour when you cross the border over the Pyrenees.
more info

Thank you for downloading the GLR 21! Good luck with Adventurising Europe. Speaking of Adventurising Europe, to keep the project going and free, we’re relying on a mix of sponsored advertisements and Adventuriser donations. Do you like what we’re doing and you want to support the project? Please consider a donation. You can read more about donations and support here.

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The Adventurising Europe project is all about documenting Europe through the eyes of adventure riders. Do you want to contribute to this mission? Become an Adventuriser! As an Adventuriser you’re part of our community and you enjoy the benefits of accessing the back-up tracks of the GLR-Network. Also you receive our regular updates on the project. It’s completely free, so enlist now!

Continue your GLR 21 Adventure by connecting different GLRs. To make your life even simpler, I’ve put together all the options down below!

Connections in Jaca

You’ve completed the GLR 21 down south and you want more! The GLR 22 will lead you east. This 327-kilometer long route is the route most people use for their Trans-Pyrenean adventure. With 103 kilometers of off-road sections, this motorcycle adventure route won’t disappoint!

To GLR 22

If you want to progress a little further to the south, the GLR 24 will guide you. This 182 km long route guides you through the Huesca province of Spain. With stricter off-roading legislation, this route sports only a little less than 39 kilometers of off-road sections.

To GLR 24

Connections in Orbaizeta

You’ve just crossed the interior of the Spanish Pyrenees and you can’t get enough of the Spanish roads. That’s great because the GLR 25 will continue your motorcycle adventure for no less than 659 kilometers. This great GLR will loop around to the west. More than half the distance will be traversed over off-road sections. Personally, this is one of my favorite GLRs!

To GLR 25

But don’t worry! If you have enough of Spain and you want to head into France, I have the GLR 20 for you. This motorcycle route will guide you through the Pyrenees to the east. This 371-kilometer long GLR is a great alternative for the Spanish Trans-Pyrenees route. Although France is a little more strict in off-road laws, this route will traverse for 56 kilometers off-road.

To GLR 20

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Exploring Europe through the eyes of an adventure rider. Making Europe a better place for adventure riders by creating the GLR Network.

As an Adventuriser you get access to our special Back-up Tracks for the GLR-network. These routes function as a back-up when the going gets tough. In the event you need to circumnavigate a piece of the original GLR, the Back-Up Track will lead you via paved road to the next section.

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