Route along the Ullíbarri Gamboa reservoir.

Enjoy the route along the Ullíbarri Gamboa reservoir, a circular route that takes us along the shore of this impressive natural landscape.

The route along the Ullíbarri Gamboa reservoir is one of those routes that attract attention. An environment to take the hiccups, which offers routes for all ages and physical states. Thus, currently, there are 2 main routes, the circular route between Garaio and Azua, of 13 kilometers, family friendly, without any difficulty and the route around the entire reservoir of Ullíbarri Gamboa, a route of more than 45 kilometers that satisfies those who require a greater effort. Although we chose to travel this route on foot, most people who visit Ullíbarri Gamboa do it on 2 wheels, by bicycle. The absence of steep slopes and the comfort of the route make this reservoir in Alava one of the most popular places for cycling in the vicinity of Vitoria Gasteiz. In this article we will break down every detail of the route that connects Garaio and Azua, focusing on the less demanding and familiar route of this environment: 13 kilometers, 3 hours. The route that we present today is popularly known as the Tour of the wetland of the tails of the reservoir or the southern route of the Ullíbarri Gamboa reservoir, terms that allude to the southern route that we find in this environment. The so-called tails of the Ullíbarri Gamboa reservoir are of great international importance due to the Mendixur Ornithological Park, a space where you can see the migratory birds that rest in the Basque Country. A place included in the Ramsar Convention that reminded us a lot of Urdaibai Bird Center, another space where in addition to enjoying the striking birds that visit us, we can also enjoy walking through the marshes of Urdaibai, a route that separates Gernika and Kortezubi, and that helps us to know this place of the coast of Bizkaia. Our destination today is the Garaio Park, a park located on the banks of the Ullíbarri Gamboa reservoir that invites us to stroll over the approximately 116 hectares it covers. Its location, next to the mouth of the Zadorra River, makes this enclave even more interesting, providing a perfect habitat for the hundreds of ducks, hedgehogs, storks, robins and herons that seek shelter among the different nooks and crannies created by this enormous body of water. Thanks to the various dirt and stone tracks laid out along the Garaio Park, it is now possible to walk or cycle around its perimeter in total comfort. To this fact, we must add the different parking lots, toilets, viewpoints, showers and other leisure equipment found in the vicinity, public services, which, centralized in the information office of the Park of Garaio, provide us with everything we need for this type of activities. However, many of these services are limited to the summer season, so we recommend that you check the opening hours of the Garaio Park before planning your next adventure.

The southern route of the Ullíbarri Gamboa reservoir does not hide any difficulty, moreover, many families are encouraged to make this journey either on foot or by bicycle. We recommend this route outside the summer season, as the great demand for the beaches that form the banks of this reservoir make this area has a large influx of people during that time. The vast majority of people who make this tour, do so in autumn, a time of year in which the forests surrounding the reservoir give us a nice perspective. As general culture, mention that the Ullíbarri Gamboa reservoir besides serving as one of the most important leisure areas of Araba is also a strategic space hydrologically speaking, and is that, as if supplying the entire city of Vitoria Gasteiz was not enough, also supplies part of the municipalities of Bizkaia.

The Garaio Park, one of the most successful leisure spaces among the people of Alava, invites us to travel through the interior of Euskadi while enjoying one of the most valuable natural environments of Euskadi. During our adventure through the Ullíbarri Gamboa reservoir, during the route between Garaio and Azua, the different birds we saw and the water that surrounded us, caught our attention. Remember, there are 2 options for touring the Ullíbarri Gamboa reservoir, touring it completely or only its southern perimeter, the so-called tails of the reservoir. There is no excuse, this environment adapts to the physical condition and age of all the people who visit it, creating different options for the visitor. In our case, we wanted to cover this route on foot, so we directly discarded the more than 45 kilometers that lead us to completely cover the entire perimeter of the reservoir and opted for the 13 kilometers that make up the so-called Tour of the wetland of the tails of the reservoir, a perfect plan for families. Which of them do you choose?

Route: Although at first it may be a little cumbersome to get to your starting point, this route has no loss, everything is properly marked with signs like the one you can see below.An amazing route, which allows us to enjoy a space full of oak and pine forests, a space where wetlands and viewpoints merge making us participants of the beauty of this environment. Remember, this is a circular route, so you can start and finish at the point that best suits your needs. In our case, everything began and ended at the last parking lot of Garaio. If you plan to follow our steps, we recommend you to leave your vehicle in one of the numerous parking lots that we find at the end of the Provincial Park, where the road ends, next to the beach. When we arrive at the Provincial Park of Garaio, a huge sign welcomes us, it is here where we find the first of the parking lots. If we follow the road, it will lead us directly to the park’s information office, where, in addition to providing information about the different itineraries in the area, we can also rent bicycles for the route.We continue ahead, we leave the north beach of Garaio (toilet area) to the left until we reach a crossroads, turn left and continue straight ahead until the road ends. It’s time to get out of the car, it’s time to walk. Next to the parking we find a small information panel that tells us information about the environment and the direction we must follow. We head towards the shore, it’s time to take the dirt track and stone by which we will go around the perimeter of the swamp. In our case we did the route counterclockwise, but it is indifferent. Once on this track, we must only follow the marks of this itinerary, there is no loss. We travel about 500 meters until we find the imposing footbridge over the water that crosses the reservoir from side to side. Impressive. This is the Zadorra footbridge (208 meters), an architectural element that, using the same technology that is used in the pontoons, the spaces where the moorings of the nautical boats of our ports are located, transports us to the other end of the reservoir without any effort. We turn left, return to the dirt and stone track, this time to walk along a large part of the shore before reaching our next intersection, the Azua footbridge (432m). At this point the trail splits for those who want to do the 45 km route. Straight ahead to complete the perimeter of the reservoir, to the right for those who, like us, want to do the so-called “vuelta las colas del embalse de Ullíbarri Gamboa” (return to the tails of the Ullíbarri Gamboa reservoir). This walkway is not at water level, it is a bridge that never seems to end. Undoubtedly, the footbridges that we find along this route are one of the great attractions of the route along the Ullíbarri Gamboa reservoir. When arriving at the other end we take direction Azua, we turn to the left. We pass through the urban center of Azua, where we find an old church in ruins and a couple of houses before entering completely into the wetlands of Lubiano. The route to this point has no mystery, we just have to follow the path closest to the water, a claim that surprises us with the sudden arrival and flight of fishing birds. During the tour we will find several fences, do not worry, all of them have a small door through which you can pass without any problem. The rest of the route continues along the shore of the reservoir until we reach an area where the road takes us directly out of the reservoir, a sign marks the direction in which we will return to our point of origin, the Provincial Park of Garaio (3.5 km). At this point we pass again through a small urban center, this is the neighborhood of Urizar, a sign indicates again that we must turn left. We approach what appears to be the dam of the reservoir. We continue the route, this time a little further away from the water. Remember to apply logic in all the crossings that you find: look for signs and if you do not find them always turn left, trying to walk close to the water. Doing this, we will reach a bird observatory, we are in one of the flood zones of the route. We return to walk along several walkways, this time smaller and narrower, but of great charm. At the end of these walkways we arrive at the entrance of the Garaio Provincial Park. We are close to the end of the route. If you do the route in summer, it is time for a well-deserved swim. It’s time to relax. By the way, on the way back, next to the information center we found a viewpoint that you must visit. The views are simply amazing. Highly recommended.

Recommendations for the Ullíbarri Gamboa reservoir route.

• The route should be done in a counterclockwise direction.
• Comfortable shoes, most of the route is on a dirt and stone track.
• There are not many litter garbage cans along the route, keep the garbage generated in a bag.
• Carry plenty of liquids, as there are hardly any fountains along the way.
• Remember that the proximity of water always means that we are in a humid and somewhat colder environment.
• Carrying spotting scopes or a camera is not crazy, the birds that can be seen and photographed during the route are abundant.
• If you make the route of the reservoir by bike, we recommend taking special care on the walkways. It is better to walk along them.
• Depending on the time of the year when you do this route, you may find several people practicing one of the star activities of this reservoir, fishing. In our case, at the end of November, we met several of them, either on the shore or inside the reservoir, in canoes.
• If you want to extend this adventure you can merge it with a visit to the Ornithological Park of Mendixur. A place where we can appreciate the migratory birds during their stay in our lands.
• Respect the existing silence in the marked areas.

Surroundings: The Ullíbarri Gamboa reservoir was built in the 1950s to supply water and electricity to the capital of Alava, Vitoria Gasteiz. Several villages in the area suffered a great loss as part of their land was buried under water. Today, it continues to fulfill the functions for which it was built, making it possible for a large part of the Basque Country (Araba and Bizkaia) to have drinking water in their homes. The Zadorra river, one of the most important water flows in Araba, is responsible for supplying part of the more than 220 cubic hectometres of water in the Ullíbarri Gamboa reservoir. A large liquid surface, which has created a new habitat around it. The fact is that the different wetlands that have been created since its construction have given rise to a rich ecosystem in which a great variety of species currently coexist. So much so that the Ullíbarri Gamboa reservoir has been catalogued as one of the most important wetlands in the Basque Country. A space included in the Ramsar List of Wetlands of International Importance and where we have the opportunity to see endangered species such as the grey heron or osprey. In addition to its ecological value, we must mention the fact that it has become a reference point for leisure in the province of Araba, a space where you can enjoy a great day outdoors with the family. Whether in summer or at any other time of the year. The Ullíbarri Gamboa reservoir offers a wide range of experiences to choose from. As if that were not enough, the different picnic areas that we find around this huge artificial lake contribute to make our stay more comfortable if possible. A perfect plan to enjoy Vitoria Gasteiz and all the attractions that surround it.

How to get there: Although this route can be accessed from the provincial parks of Garaio, Landa or Mendixur, we recommend starting from Gario Park. To get here we have 2 options, private transport or public transport. In case of opting for public transport, the only existing one is the regular line of the company PESA, whose route connects Vitoria Gasteiz with Eibar passing through Ullíbarri Gamboa. This bus leaves from the bus station of the capital of Alava and runs through several municipalities before reaching our destination, we recommend checking schedules and route by contacting directly with the company that offers the service: Transportes Pesa. On the other hand, if you choose to arrive by private transport, the best option is the A-3002 road from Vitoria Gasteiz. There is also the possibility (for the bravest ones) of starting the bike route directly in Vitoria Gasteiz, since, from the capital, from Gamarra, there is a route known as the Green Itinerary of the Navarrese Basque Country that takes us to our starting point.

Where to eat: Scattered around the Ullíbarri Gamboa reservoir there are several picnic areas that, perfectly conditioned, provide a space where you can enjoy a good home-cooked meal. Anyway, if this proposal does not seem attractive, you can always visit Vitoria Gasteiz and enjoy some of the most striking places in the city. If you want a good, nice and cheap restaurant, we recommend the restaurant “el siete”, a place where you can eat typical Basque food at very good prices.

Route through Ullíbarri Gamboa by bike: The route that we present today is one of the most used by the Basques and Basques themselves to ride a bike with the family. And it is that the low difficulty of the route that runs along the perimeter of the Ullíbarri Gamboa reservoir, coupled with the beauty of the surroundings, makes it one of those perfect places to enjoy nature while practicing some sport. In this case, when doing the route by bike, comes into play the possibility of making the complete return. That is to say, to go from the 13 kilometers that we did on foot, to the nearly 45 kilometers that has the complete perimeter of the reservoir. The choice is yours. Of course, whichever you choose, remember that some of the walkways have slippery ground, so we recommend passing them on foot, with caution. We are sure that you will not regret this route through Araba, the greenery, the water, the viewpoints and the wildlife found in this environment makes it virtually impossible to refuse this proposal.

Information office: The best place to get information about everything that surrounds this route is the information center of the Garaio Park, a space located in the northern area of the park, from which they offer services for all the spaces of the Ullíbarri Gamboa reservoir: Garaio, Landa and Mendixur parks respectively. The people in charge of this information post have enough training to monitor the correct use of this space, carry out educational experiences or interpret nature, so we recommend you to ask them anything that comes to your mind. We are sure that they will help you in everything they can. It is in this same place where they allow us to rent bicycles for public use to make the route that we recommend today. What do you prefer route on foot or by bike?

If you choose to bring your own bicycles or you are simply going to do the route on foot, the fact that the information office at the Ullíbarri Gamboa reservoir is closed does not affect your planning. On the other hand, if you decide to rent the bicycles there, you have a problem. For this reason, we would like to emphasize that you should consult the opening hours of this center on the website of the Provincial Council of Araba. Anyway, as a guideline, we indicate that this center is usually open daily from June 15 until the beginning of September. In any case, due to the variations that year after year are made on the schedules, we recommend consulting the schedules before venturing to make the route of the Ullíbarri Gamboa reservoir.

The beaches of Araba: Many people who visit the Basque Country think that the province of Araba does not have any beaches. A statement that is not entirely true. And the fact is that the different marshes and reservoirs that we find in the interior of Euskal Herria have created leisure spaces that have everything that the beaches of the coast have to offer. In the absence of coastline, these inland beaches, have a very good quality of water, environment and services, facts that make the blue flag that recognizes it annually hondee on the beaches of Landa and Garaio. That is why, when talking about the beaches of Euskadi we should also include all these beaches that we show you today. If we take a walk around the Vitoria Yacht Club, the Aldayeta Yacht Club, the Landa Provincial Park or the Garaio Provincial Park, we will have the opportunity to see firsthand how the leisure offer of these areas is equal or superior to that of any other coastal area in the Basque Country. In addition, we must bear in mind that the other areas surrounding the beaches of the Ullíbarri Gamboa reservoir allow us to enjoy sports as different and attractive as hiking, cycling, rowing, canoeing, windsurfing, sailing … we just have to choose one and enjoy. Which one do you choose?

Other family routes in Euskadi: Euskadi is a land that invites the traveler to walk, to explore the land he has chosen as a destination, and, as we have already mentioned in several articles, the different routes that we find both inland and along the coast of Euskal Herria are one of the attractions that most attracts the attention of those who visit us. The routes that we recommend below are recommended for families, thus covering a large percentage of the people who visit us.

These routes are just a small representation of all the charming routes that you can find in our land, we strongly recommend that you do not miss the opportunity to visit any of them. Of course, now it’s time to choose one of them. We choose the Berganzo Water Route, a real wonder.

Videos: After our route through the Ullíbarri Gamboa reservoir, we have published a short video on YouTube to try to show you the nature of this route. An audiovisual, through which we try to show all the people who read us the possibilities offered by the Garaio Park and the tails of the Ullíbarri Gamboa reservoir. A space to enjoy a great family day in the interior of Euskadi. We invite you to subscribe to our YouTube channel, we are sure you will find many videos that catch your attention and that can help you when choosing your next destination.

The route along the Ullíbarri Gamboa reservoir is a perfect plan for those who want to know our land practicing active tourism. Especially for those who want to do it with the family, surrounded by the little ones of the house. An incredible adventure that becomes more intense as the path gets closer to the water. Undoubtedly this is one of the most demanded routes of the Alavesa plain. Do you dare to make the route of the tails of the Ullíbarri Gamboa reservoir? We have loved it!