Sustraiak Natura, active tourism in the Lea Artibai region.

Active Tourism is synonymous with Sustraiak Natura, a young company that offers experiences that combine people and nature.

If what you are looking for is to know the Lea Artibai region through nature and active tourism, we recommend you to talk for 5 minutes with Julen Hernando, responsible for Sustraiak Natura, a person who exudes love for his land and adventure as soon as you see him. Sustraiak Natura, was born 3 years ago with the aim of showing the natural value of the Lea Artibai region through active tourism experiences around its headquarters, the Hotel Antsotegi and the town of Etxebarria.

Although Sustraiak Natura has more than a dozen active tourism experiences, our selection was traditional, simple, hiking, a decision, of which we are glad. Watch our experience with Sustraiak Natura and Julen Hernando.

Enveloped by the natural beauty of Euskal Herria, Sustraiak Natura offers us to experience from the respect for the environment, enjoying every step, every jump, every moment.

Hotel AntsotegiHotel Antsotegi, one of the most special hotel establishments that we have known so far, gives us the opportunity to enjoy its comfortable and charming facilities through the wonderful packs (w-packs), packages that combine two of the most demanded services in the Basque Country, charming hotels and active tourism experiences. The Antsotegi Hotel joins Sustraiak Natura in this adventure of showing its environment through activities related to nature. The Antsotegi Hotel is located in an old forge in the municipality of Etxebarria, a hotel that captivates for its interior and exterior aesthetics, its gastronomy and the family attention they offer.

Geographical scope: You choose, mountain, beach or both, the Lea Artibai region has a wide range to choose from. Imagine, green mountains, millenary forests, rivers of crystalline waters, cliffs, beaches and you, it doesn’t sound bad, does it? Although Sustraiak Natura bases most of its active tourism experiences in the Lea Artibai region, it also offers services throughout the Basque Country, contact them!

All kinds of levels and experiences: From Sustraiak Natura they are aware that each person is a world. Where some see adrenaline and the best jump of their lives, others see danger and fear, that is why Julen, our guide, made sure of our physical level and tastes to plan the active tourism experience we were going to do. Sustraiak Natura offers active tourism experiences suitable for all types of profiles, children, adventurers, seniors … Sustraiak Natura think, we enjoy.

Public events: Its zip-line, climbing wall and Herri Kirolak (rural Basque village sports) activities are a great success in all the municipalities from which they are requested. And the fact is that this type of experience captures an age range (from 12 to 16 years old) for which in the past there were hardly any activities, a difficult stage in which adventure helps to control and mature our mind.

Our experience, hiking: The adventure began at the Hotel Antsotegi, headquarters of Sustraiak Natura and the hotel where we were staying, an establishment that we highly recommend. Although our choice was clear, hiking, our destination was not so clear, and we had not even thought about it, we had not thought about the details. It was not necessary, Julen, our guide, suggested us a circular route that had as its protagonist the summit of Mount Kalamua, it sounded good, it promised to be a nice experience to remember our stay in the region of Lea Artibai, we did not even think about it, the Kalamua was waiting for us.

We moved in the vehicle that the company has for these occasions to the slopes of Kalamua, a short trip, just 10 minutes, in which Julen told us the planning he had done, a circular route, in which we would summit two emblematic mountains of Lea Artibai, Mount Kalamua (also known as Max) and Mount Akondiagana. The route, low profile, only gave us problems at two points, 2 slopes where the slope was somewhat higher than the rest of the route, but since when do you climb a mountain without suffering a little? The reward, made the fatigue disappear from our mind, a 360 degree view in which not only glimpsed Bizkaia and part of Gipuzkoa, we also had the opportunity to contemplate the Larrun mountain and its historic cog railway, a view to take off the txapela, a small balcony, from which to contemplate the coast and interior of Euskal Herria.

Julen, surprised us with a hamaiketako (11 o’clock lunch in Basque) at the top of Mount Kalamua, a luxury lunch where we had the opportunity to taste the local cheese Santamañe, an Idiazabal Denomination of Origin cheese that has been awarded with the Super Gold distinction in the International Cheese Awards 2016. After the ascent to Kalamua, we headed to Akondiagana mountain, a route full of trenches, caves and holes in the ground that reminded us of the history of our people, a story that Julen told us at every step, a mountain and history guide, a two in one with whom we enjoyed a beautiful morning in the mountains.

Materials: Sustraiak Natura has all the necessary materials to carry out the mentioned activities, we only have to bring illusion and desire to experience the essence of the Basque nature.

Activities for groups: Special experiences for groups. Corporate incentives, bachelor/bachelorette parties, schools, families, friends… a nice and simple plan to enjoy the Basque nature.

Familiar attention: Professional attention with familiar treatment, a combination that helps us to create a relaxed, familiar guide-client relationship. Julen Hernando, responsible for this active tourism company, is a young person, with a lot of energy and a great experience in the sector. A person who has mountaineering and adventure in his blood, a hobby he inherited from his father, the well-known Basque mountaineer Emilio Hernando, the youngest person who was part of the first Basque ascent to Everest in 1980.

As you can see, Sustraiak Natura not only promises great active tourism experiences, it also creates them, will you sign up for the next one?