Aralar Natural Reserve

Prehistoric Euskal Herria is conserved here. Over sixty dolmens, burial mounds, cromlechs and menhirs can be seen in Aralar, the extensive natural reserve shared by Guipuzkoa and Navarre.

In the southeast of the territory of Guipuzcoa, extending into the Navarre region, the calcareous massif of Aralar is one of the most important mountain areas in the Basque Country, in terms of height and extension. It is also important for its ecological values, its megalithic heritage and its agricultural use: Aralar is the most important pasturage area in Gipuzkoa, most notably for Latxa sheep.

The isolated silhouette of Mount Larrunarri (Txindoki) (1,331 metres) is a reference point for mountaineers and trekkers, and counts on a huge number of long and short signposted routes which will take us into the landscapes of the natural reserve, with singular points such as the steep 'Ataun dome', Akaitz beech grove and the glacial cirque of Pardelutz.

Situation:
Located in the southeastern area of Gipuzkoa, the park also extends into the neighbouring region of Navarre. The Guipuzcoa part covers the municipalities of Ataun, Zaldibia, Abaltzisketa, Amezketa, Lazkao, Tolosa and the lands of the Enirio-Aralar region.

Flora and fauna:
Aralar park is flown over by Griffon vultures, Egyptian vultures, golden eagles and even ospreys. The European mink and the oxymycterus, along with the roebuck and the wild boar, are some of the 147 catalogued vertebrates. As we get higher, the holm oaks and oak woods of Aralar give way to beech groves and crags.