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Isisibarri waterfall, discover one of the greatest natural jewels of Araba.
The Isisibarri waterfall is one of the most beautiful waterfalls in Araba. A waterfall that is less than 70 meters from the Bocarrón del Zarakua, a sinkhole caused by karst erosion, which is part of the system of sinkholes, chasms and dolines of the Apodaka karst. A huge hole through which the waters of the Isisibarri stream and the Zubialde river seep. Although this phenomenon is very interesting, our goal is for you to enjoy the Isisibarri waterfall. An impressive waterfall, which is only formed during certain times of the year. Remember that we offer guided tours and excursions for groups throughout the Basque Country, do not hesitate to contact us. Do you want to know the Isisibarri waterfall with us?
Information about the Isisibarri Waterfall.
- Reservations and quotes: Here.
- Length: 3.6 km (round trip)
- Duration of the route: 1 hour and 30 minutes.
- Attractions: Waterfall, sinkhole and karst landscapes.
- Services: Excursions, hiking trails, guided tours, wildlife observation routes….
- Location: Ondategi, Zigoitia, Gorbeia Natural Park, Araba, Euskadi.
Isisibarri waterfall.
The waters of the Isisibarri stream create one of the most beautiful waterfalls in Araba. A small waterfall that is striking for its composition. Its location at the bottom of the ravine, next to the Bocarrón del Zarakua, offers us an idyllic space. Unfortunately, this waterfall can not be seen throughout the year. And it is that while in summer it is usually dry, in periods of heavy rains the ravine is usually flooded completely making the waterfall disappear under water. After this cascade, the waters of the stream Isisibarri join the river Zubialde to disappear completely in the mouth of Zarakua. As you can see, it is an idyllic, magical space. We recommend you to take a look at the video.
Route.
The route to the Isisibarri waterfall starts from the small rural village of Ondategi, in the municipality of Zigoitia. Remember that although the route is simple, to see the Isisibarri waterfall it is necessary to go down to the riverbed itself. A very technical and slippery descent, which we only recommend to do in the company of a mountain guide. We leave you the indications to be able to arrive.
- The route starts from the small parking lot that we found in the street Ondategi Entitatea, about 200 meters down the street below the church.
- From the parking lot we must head to Sarragoa Kalea, we recommend you to follow the signs of the Sarragoa oak, also known as the oak of Ondategi. One of the singular trees of Araba.
- Once at the oak of Ondategi, we must pass the fence and go 475 meters until we find the first detour, turn right.
- We follow the trail another 185 meters until we find another detour, we turn right again.
- We travel another 115 meters until we find the Zubialde riverbed, if you have followed our directions and you are visiting this space in winter, the riverbed will have water and you will have to cross the curious step that they have created to overcome this obstacle, we recommend you watch the video.
- After crossing the river, we find a new detour. We take the path to the right again, we continue parallel to the riverbed for about 500 meters until we reach a pass that allows us to cross the fence. We are already close.
- After walking another 100 meters we reach a sign that says Zarakua, this is where we find the viewpoint of Bocarrón del Zarakua. Be careful, it is not conditioned.
- If you want to descend to the riverbed, you must follow the path and walk along the right bank of the river for about 80 meters until you find a path that descends. Remember that we only recommend descending in the company of a qualified mountain guide. The ravine is usually flooded, which makes the ground we walk on unstable.
What is the Bocarron del Zarakua.
The dictionary defines the word bocarron as a hole or large opening, and that is what it is, a hole in the ground, a sinkhole. A large natural cavity produced by the dissolution of calcareous rocks, through which the waters of the Isisibarri stream and the Zubialde river disappear. Undoubtedly a geological ecosystem of great scientific and scenic interest. An essential element of the karst landscape found in the Gorbeia Natural Park.
Guided tours.
We offer guided tours to the Isisibarri Waterfall for small groups throughout the year. An excellent option for associations or companies that want to learn about this geological phenomenon with the help of a local guide. Remember that our tours can be adapted in duration and content according to the preferences of each group. Would you like to know the Isisibarri Waterfall with us? Do not hesitate to contact us, we will help you as much as possible.
Excursion to the Gorbeia Natural Park.
As you know, we offer all kinds of tourist services in Euskadi. In this case, in addition to the visit to the Bocarrón del Zarakua and the Isisibarri Waterfall, we also organize full day excursions to the Gorbeia Natural Park. A proposal that includes transportation, lunch in a local restaurant and a guide for the whole day. A comfortable and attractive way to enjoy nature. Do not hesitate to to contact us. Remember that we organize excursions for groups all over the Basque Country. We recommend you to consider the possibility of guided visits to places such as San Juan de Gaztelugatxe, Rioja Alavesa or Iparralde. We are waiting for you!
What to see nearby.
If you want to take advantage of your visit to visit other places of interest in the area, we recommend that you take a look at the places mentioned in the following list. Remember that you can expand the information of each place by clicking on its name. We hope you find it helpful.
Vídeo.
As usual in all our publications, we have created a short video to show you as real as possible the Isisibarri Waterfall. We encourage you to take a look at it. If you like this kind of videos, we encourage you to subscribe to our YouTube channel to discover all the experiences and places that we recommend in Euskadi. We are waiting for you!
Where to park.
Although you can park in Ondategi, around the church, the reality is that there are not many parking spaces. We parked in a small parking lot on Ondategi Entitatea street, about 200 meters down the street from the church. It is signposted. We leave you the location. Remember that Ondategi is very small, so we recommend you to respect the neighbors as much as possible. If you do not find a place, you can park next to the town hall of Zigoitia.
The Isisibarri Waterfall is one of the many natural jewels we have in Araba. A very attractive proposal for lovers of hiking and geology. If you want more information about our routes or excursions in Gorbeia, do not hesitate to contact us. In case of doubts, we recommend you to use the comments system that you will find at the end of this article. We will try to respond as soon as possible. Ondo pasa!
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