| Alquezar - Orbaitzeta | 659km | ||
| 354km off-road | April / October |
Quick GLR 25 overview
The GLR 25 motorcycle adventure route leads you for over 659 kilometers through the Navarre and Aragon regions of Northern-Spain. 354 of those kilometers will traverse over off-road sections. If the going gets tough, The Back-up Tracks will support you with 19 different sections. With a total of 4 connecting GLRs to this GLR 25, you’re able to continue to Adventurise the region. Let’s get going!
GLR 25 Route info
You start your GLR 25 motorcycle adventure just outside the old town of Alquezar. The village, situated on a 660 meters high hill overlooks the Sierra de Guara Natural Park to the north. Due to the Natural Park, your first 20km westwards will be over paved road. After some intervals between on-road and off-road sections, you’ll end up in the province’s capital Huesca.
From here your off-road adventure really begins! Of the total 317km in front of you, 250 kilometers will traverse over off-road sections! Yes, that’s almost 80% off-road! If that isn’t adventurous enough, I don’t know what is anymore.
In the middle of this long off-road section, you’ll explore the Bardenas Reales semi-desert. This wild place is mesmerizing, but treacherous as well. Temperatures in summer will rise well above 40 degrees celsius, but during rainfall, this area is the most dangerous. The sandy surface will turn into a slippery substance. You won’t be able to keep your bike upright! It’s that slippery. Besides that, the rainwater will erode deep underground trenches. These will collapse when you unknowingly ride over them. I recommend this place best to be visited in Spring or Autumn when it has been dry for several days before your visit.
After these long off-road sections to Pamplona, you head north-east to the Atlantique Ocean. This is the moment to dip your toes into the Ocean if you want to do a real coast-to-coast trans-Pyrenean adventure!
For the final piece of the GLR 25, you’ll head back into the mountains. In the border village of Orbaizeta, you end your long journey. From here you have the opportunity to continue your adventure into Spain or hop over the border into France. You find all about the connecting routes down below!
GLR 25 Region
One of the longest routes of the GLR Network crosses the border between France and Spain. Explore with this adventure route the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in France. In Spain, you traverse the provinces of Navarre, Zaragoza, and Huesca. Don’t wait and read all about these different regions down below!
Pyrénées-Atlantiques
The Pyrénées-Atlantiques department is located in the south-west corner of France. Heavily influenced by the Basque culture, this region shares a rich cultural heritage with its neighboring country. French is the predominant language, but many dialects are spoken with its roots in the Basque.
The landscape of Pyrénées-Atlantiques is dominated by the Pyrenees in the south, stretching its entire southern border. The highest peaks are located in the south-east corner of the department, with Pic Palas reaching an altitude of 2974 meters. Further to the north, the Pre-Pyrenees fade away into the lower plains.
It’s the combination of the Pyrenees in the south and the Atlantique Ocean to the west, that this region is known as the wettest of France. With an average precipitation of 1050mm a year. For us as Adventurisers, the best time of the year will be between April and June, just before the intense heat of the year takes the overhand.
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! Navarre is therefore known as the transition zone of Spain.
Besides the richness and diversity of landscapes, you can also find the reminisce of Navarre’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, Navarre 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. Be sure to enjoy the local siesta underneath the variety of vegetation.
Zaragoza
The province of Zaragoza is located in the autonomous region of Aragon. As part of the old kingdom of Aragon, this province feels wild. The semi-arid climate dictates the landscape. Like an oasis, the river Ebro cuts the province in half. This thin line provides the highly needed water for its population. Scarce annual rainfall, between 380 to 460 millimeters, makes the area around the Ebro basin the most populated. The surroundings outside the Ebro basin are wild and perfect for us as adventurisers!
But don’t let you be caught off guard! In summer, the temperature regularly rises up to 45 degrees celsius. Without any noticeable shade, it becomes a struggle to survive the day! Due to the surrounding mountains, almost no moist air reaches the province.
In winter, the climate is harsh and cold. Cold dry winds, called the Cierzo, provide a windchill comparable with the French Mistral. The best time to visit Zaragoza is in spring and autumn, although these months give the highest precipitation.
As an adventuriser, don’t let you get caught off guard. Zaragoza consists of wild landscapes and is a beautiful place in itself. But like in alpine conditions, this semi-arid environment can be a tough place to adventurise!
Huesca
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 25.
Izpegi Pass
The Izpegi Pass is a 672 meters high pass, connecting the borders between France and Spain. This pass has a rich history, besides that the Tour de France passed several times, it has been a battlefield in 1794. If you love history, this is a nice place to make a detour!
more info
Nacedero Urederra Baquedano
Take a day off to enjoy the beautiful trails with many waterfalls in its path. Urederra, which translates into ‘beautiful water’ in Basque, does the right to its name! With the highest waterfall of 100 meters, it’s a nice destination for a rest day.
more info
Lumbier Canyon
These canyons are a lovely place to have your siesta! Taking a swim is questionable though, as the entire area is protected. Shade can be provided by the many scrubs or canyon walls.
more info
Barndeal Reales
This Badlands region of 42k hectares in the southeast of Navarre is a semi-desert you must visit! As a matter of fact, our GLR 25 visits this region. I would advise you to go as early as possible in summer and avoid the region when the soil is wet.
more info
Thank you for downloading the GLR 25! 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.
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 25 Adventure by connecting different GLRs. To make your life even simpler, I’ve put together all the options down below!
Connections in Orbaizeta
You’re deep into the Pyrenean mountains and you’ve finished the GLR 25. Great! Because I’ve two great GLRs to continue your motorcycle adventure. Take the GLR 20 over the border into France. This route navigates over the French side of the Pyrenees. With a total of 371 kilometers, this route is used for French Trans-Pyrenees motorcycle adventures.
If you don’t want to cross the border into France, I have the GLR 21 for you. This route guides you to the south. Due to local environmental laws, only 10 of the in total 145 kilometers are off-road. But don’t be fooled! This route traverses over bad road surfaces, sometimes even worse than your average off-road section.
Connections in Alquezar
At the southern end of the GLR 25, I also have two different options to continue your adventure. Take the GLR 23 to the east. This 446-kilometer long route will guide you through the Huesca and Lleida provinces of Northern Spain. 257 of those kilometers will be off-road, so this GLR is definitely adventuring worthy.
You also have the option to travel up north! Take the GLR 24 to further explore the Huesca region. This 182-kilometer long GLR sports 38.5 kilometers of off-road sections. This due to the stricter off-road legislation in the region.
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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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The GLR 49 Motorcycle Adventure Route
The GLR 49 motorcycle adventure route leads you for over 125 kilometers through the Primorje-Gorski Kotar County of Croatia and the Inner Carniola & South-east Slovenia regions of Slovenia. 78 of those kilometers will traverse over off-road sections. If the going gets tough, The Back-up Tracks will support you with 3 different sections. With a total of 3 connecting GLRs to this GLR 49, you’re able to continue to Adventurise the region. Let’s get going!
The GLR 48 Motorcycle Adventure Route
The GLR 48 motorcycle adventure route leads you for over 361 kilometers through the Goriška Coastal–Karst regions of Slovenia and the Istria and Primorje-Gorski Kotar County regions of Northern Croatia. 113 of those kilometers will traverse over off-road sections. If the going gets tough, The Back-up Tracks will support you with 13 different sections. With a total of 5 connecting GLRs to this GLR 48, you’re able to continue to Adventurise the region. Let’s get going!
The GLR 47 Motorcycle Adventure Route
The GLR 47 motorcycle adventure route leads you for over 88,9 kilometers through the Goriška / Inner Carniola regions of Slovenia. 65,1 of those kilometers will traverse over off-road sections. If the going gets tough, The Back-up Tracks will support you with 4 different sections. With a total of 5 connecting GLRs to this GLR 47, you’re able to continue to Adventurise the region. Let’s get going!