The Vallnord ski resort is located in Andorra, between Ordino and La Massana. It combines 3 resorts: Arcalis, Arinsal and Pal. These mountains have different profiles and a wide range of activities for both adults and children. Here we explain some of the top features of each ski resort.
Located in the Ordino Valley, Arcalis is the highest area inside the resort. It offers great quality snow throughout the winter and they usually extend their skiing season, which makes it possible to ski (such as Freeride, Speedride or Snowboardcross). Furthermore, Arcalis offers slopes for beginners. "Megaverde" is a 8-km long slope considered to be the longest run in Andorra for beginners. If you are going to ski with children, this area has a Family Park, a ski area ideal for families to enjoy the snow together.
Arinsal, on the other hand, is an ideal destination for young people. The atmosphere on the slopes is electric. There are daytime parties and live DJs. In addition, the Arinsal village has restaurants, pubs and hotels to ensure maximum comfort. Bare in mind that Arinsal is connected to Pal, so you can easily ski there.
The Pal ski resort is another great way to enjoy the snow with family, thanks to its beautiful surroundings. There are spaces designed especially for kids, such as the Baby Club or "Peke Park". The resort has two conveyor belts and sledding area. You can get to Pal by car, gondola from La Massana or skiing from Arinsal.
If you need to use your smartphone while you ski, please note that since the 2014 season, Vallnord offers free Wi-Fi connection throughout the resort.
Esquiades.co.uk invites you to get to know this fantastic resort. Choose a hotel or apartment that you like and take advantage of the best deals for skiing in Vallnord.
Don't forget that if you don't have equipment, you can add it to your booking and we will inform you where you can collect it. You can also add ski and snowboard lessons. Make your reservation now!
PAL ARINSAL SECTORS
Arinsal is a great option if you want to try skiing and enjoy day parties inside the resort
It has 28 skiable kilometres. This sector is the smallest inside the Vallnord resort (and Andorra). The access is located 25 minutes from Andorra la Vella, and 15 from La Massana and only 10 from Arinsal (town).
Another option to access Arinsal is getting the gondola from La Massana, that takes you to the slopes in Pal. Both sectors are connected, from Pal you can get to the slopes in Arinsal through the chair lift that joins them together. This is a good car alternative, but this option is a bit slower because you have to change chairlifts 3 times and it takes around 20-25 minutes to get to the Arcalis access. The good thing is that you will be able to enjoy the incredible views during the journey.
For beginners, Vallnord Arinsal offers good learning areas, with adapated chairlifts specially for them. Skiers that have a medium level will be able to ski down blue and red slopes. This way is more comfortable learning and getting better. On the other side, there are a lot of riders and skiers that train at the Arinsal snowpark. This park has its own chiarlift, modules and difficult jumps of a good quality.
The good atmosphere inside the Arinsal ski slopes is thanks to the different activities such as day parties and live DJs. In addition, the Arinsal town offers a lot of restaurants, pubs and hotels that guarantee comfort.
In conclusion, Vallnord Arinsal is a good option for skiers and riders with different levels, for those that like freestyle, and those that have decided to spend a weekend enjoying the snow with their friends.
Pal is the ideal option to ski with children
The Pal sector es another magnificent option to enjoy skiing with your family, thanks to mountains that are not very steep and full of woods. It has 35 skiable kilometres, that are ideal for beginners.
15 minutes from La Massana but without a doubt the best option to access the resort's slopes with the funicular that connects Pal with La Massana. It's perfect to go out the hotel with your skiing boots already on. The access to this sector is also possible from the funicular in the Arinsal sector.
One of the most attractive things of the Pal sector, is that without a doubt the tracks are perfeclty integrated into the mountain, because it is possible to ski in between pine trees, a thing that is not very common in the Iberian Peninsula.
This zone inside Vallnord includes different spaces designed specially to ski with children, such as the Bably Club o the Peke Park themed with Pocoyo. The Peke Park has also got 2 own trasport lines and a sledge zone.
The freeride zones in Pal are also quite good. It allows to ski in between pine trees, this can be very fun but requires a good skiing level. If we compare this kind of skiing in Pal and in Arcalis, the Pal sector is not as good. Anyway, if you want to combine both sectors, you will be able to obtain a ski pass with access to both Vallnord sectors, and this way enjoy the all the features they offer.
In a few words, Pal is a sector where all types of skiers can go to, but the sector is specially prepared for families and beginners. It has all necessary conveniences and services inside the resort to enjoy some days skiing and is one of the sectors in Andorra that has a special atmosphere thanks to the pine tree forests.
In addition, if you are the kind of people that need their phone all the time, you will like to know that from the 2014 season, all the Vallnord sectors offer free Wifi connection.
- Location: The cable-car to the slopes is located 5 km from Andorra la Vella and 3km of Escaldes.
- Altitude: from 1550-2560 m
- Elevation gain: 1,010 m.
Tracks
- 7 green slopes
- 15 blue runs
- 16 red runs
- 4 black tracks
- Total: 93 km - 707 Ha
Specialised areas
- 5 tracks ISF
- 2 Freestyle Areas
- 1 Snowpark
- 1 Slalom Area
Complementary Activities
- Mushing
- Snowmobiles
- Snowmobiles for children
- Jump
- Snowshoeing
- Abseiling
- Skibikes
- Helicopter Flights
- Sleds
- T iro bow
- Laser Combat
- Orientation mountain
- Snow-snake
- Airboard
- Snowpark
ARCALIS SECTOR
Arcalis, in the Ordino Valley is the most alpine sector inside the ski resort. It's 30 minutes away from Andorra la Vella and 20 minutes from La Massana, where you can find nearly all the accommodations available in the area. Arcalis doesn't have a residential area, and this is why it is ideal to ski surrounded by mountains. But, you will be able to find accommodation in the towns near Vallnord and Andorra La Vella.
Arcalis has not connection with the other Vallnord sectors. But during the skiing season there is a free bus that can take you to La Massana where you can access Pal.
It has a total of 30 skiable kilometres, located between 1,900m and 2,600m of altitude, together with its northeast situation, that makes it a good option to ski even during spring. It has snow canons on one half of their skiing area. It also has the correct safety and information signs and marking.
The north situation of the sector, allows freeriding and snowboard cross, among other activities. Nearly all the Vallnord Arcalis area offers good options for a more extreme approach. The Arcalis snowpark has many jumps and modules, that make the park very attractive for ski and snowboard lovers that are more daring.
The general slope difficulty is quite high, but there are also easy slopes for beginners, such as Megaverde, that is a 8km long slope and is considered the longest slope for beginners in Andorra. And if you would like to ski with children you will be able to find the Family Park to enjoy the snow with your family.
This ski station is one of the only ones that offer speedride lessons and allow the use of some tracks. This type of skiing involves the descending of the steepest slopes using a small parachute.
In conclusion, if you are looking for good quality snow, slopes and tracks for all levels and types of skiers and a ski resort with all the necessary services, Vallnord Arcalis is your sector!
- Location: 14 km and 22 km from Ordino, Andorra.
- Altitude: from 1940-2625 m
- Elevation gain: 685 m
Tracks
- 7 green slopes
- 6 blue tracks
- 10 red slopes
- 2 black slopes
- Total: 30 km - 442 Ha
Specialised areas
- 5 tracks FIS
- 1Snowpark
- 1 Boarder cross
- 1 Woodpark
- 2 Freeride Areas
Complementary Activities
- Telemark
- Speedride
- Tandem Paragliding
- Heliskiing
- Diving under ice
- Guided tour GicaFer
- Snowmobiles
- Helicopter Flights
- Flights "Transfer" helicopter
- Wood Park
- Boarder Cross
- Snowpark
- Freeride Area