MOUNT HERNIO, THE MAGIC MOUNTAIN OF GUIPÚZCOA

TourDescription

Technical Route Details:

Distance: 6.97 miles (11.21 kilometers) on foot.
Elevation gain: 2,181 feet (665 meters).
Elevation loss: 2,181 feet (665 meters).
Technical difficulty: Moderate, with some challenging sections but accessible for hikers with basic experience.
Maximum altitude: 3,701 feet (1,128 meters) above sea level.
Estimated hiking time: Approximately 5 hours and 30 minutes, depending on pace and breaks.

This is a moderately difficult route with a considerable elevation gain, requiring good physical condition. The trail passes through varied terrain, so proper footwear is recommended.

Hello there! If you’re reading this, then you must be a hiking enthusiast or perhaps someone looking to try out a new adventure. Look no further because we’ve got the perfect moderate- difficulty hiking route for you – the breathtaking Mount Hernio in Guipúzcoa, also known as the “magic mountain” of the Basque Country. Trust us, you’ve got this!

The ascent to this legendary mountain is a favorite among Basque mountaineers and it doesn’t require any technical climbing skills. Mount Hernio sits right in the heart of Guipúzcoa and is surrounded by lush green valleys and traditional Basque stone houses called “caseríos”. Nature at its finest!

The climb up this iconic limestone massif, which stands over a thousand meters tall, takes you through stunning landscapes and forests, offering magnificent views of the valleys along the way. As you reach the slightly more challenging rocky area, you’ll need to put in a bit more effort, but don’t worry, it’s nothing you can’t handle! The reward for your hard work is truly spectacular views from the heights.

Tradition in its purest state

At the summit, you’ll discover numerous crosses that represent different promises and petitions, including a calvary of old crosses with iron rings and squares. According to tradition, passing by one of these crosses is said to have the power to heal.

After taking some incredible photos and admiring the stunning scenery, we’ll make our descent. You can choose to have a delicious lunch in the interior of Guipúzcoa or head to the coast. You’ve accomplished this challenge – well done!

Book Your Experience

Feel the Basque Country

from 600€

Book Your Experience

Feel the Basque Country

If you're ready for an adventure, Mount Hernio in Guipúzcoa awaits you! Known as the "magic mountain" of the Basque Country, Hernio offers a moderate-difficulty hike that takes you through

from€from 600€

Book Your Experience

Testimonials

El sábado 25 de mayo hicimos un tour privado privado por Biarritz y San Juan de Luz. Lo organizamos el día anterior sin apenas tiempo y gracias a Diego pudimos recorrer esas zonas tan bonitas de la costa francesa. Diego es un guía excepcional, gran profesional e implicado totalmente para que sus clientes disfruten al máximo de la excursión. Cuando volvamos a Donosti sin ninguna duda, volveremos a contactar con él. Así da gusto viajar!!! Grupo de Menorca

Reservamos este tour cuando llegamos a San Sebastián abrumados por las opciones y los lugares a donde ir. Nuestro guía Diego fue fabuloso y nos llevó a 5 bares de pinxtos que sirven platos fabulosos y bebidas locales. Su conocimiento de la zona y su historia fue fantástico. Una gran introducción a la zona y su cocina que ambos disfrutamos muchísimo. ¡Gracias Diego!

Hace unos años ( 2021), realizamos una experiencia por la costa Guipuzcoana y quedamos maravillados por la propia experiencia en si y por la magnífica compañía de Diego nuestro guía. Esta nueva experiencia en la costa Vizcaína ha sido si cabe como poco igual o incluso más enriquecedora porque nos hemos introducido en una parte de la maravillosa historia del País Vasco y como no podía ser de otra manera, nuestro interés ha sido compartido en compañía de nuevo de Diego. Gracias por todo tu saber estar, tus conocimientos de los magníficos lugares que hemos disfrutado y esperamos poder vernos muy pronto.

El propietario de Feel Basque Country, Diego, es un anfitrión increíble. Comenzando por su inglés bien hablado, su vehículo de transporte de alta gama, su increíble conocimiento mundano que comparte generosamente, su gran energía hasta su amabilidad y comprensión de lo que hace que un recorrido sea excelente. Mi marido y yo utilizamos Feel Basque Country para un recorrido en bicicleta eléctrica de 3 horas (muy divertido) y un viaje de un día completo a la región vinícola de Rioja. Ambas excursiones fueron de primera categoría. No dudaríamos ni un minuto en recomendar Feel Basque Country. Gracias Diego por una experiencia maravillosa en San Sebastián.

Pasamos 2 días completos con Diego y fue una experiencia maravillosa. Recorrimos 5 preciosos pueblos de la costa vasca el primer día. El segundo día fue un recorrido por una encantadora bodega del valle de Rioja y también una visita al Valle Salado de Añana. El valle salado no se parecía a nada que hayamos visto y era muy interesante. Diego creció en la zona y conoce mucho la historia de todos los pueblos. Aprendimos mucho, no puedo agradecerle lo suficiente. Su inglés también es genial. ¡Yo lo recomendaria ampliamente! ! !

Las lecciones de historia de Jamie fueron geniales. Brillante recorrido. Relajante y completo. Nunca nos sentimos presionados o abandonados. Tomaría cualquier tour que ofrezcan.

Diego, nuestro guía, fue muy informativo y su inglés fue excelente. Visitamos algunos lugares hermosos e interesantes que caminamos. Esto nos dio un buen sentido y ambiente de los lugares. ¡El vehículo en el que viajamos era súper cómodo!

Espectacular recorrido y Diego es un excelente guía. La ruta del vino de Rioja con comida típica regional es fantástica. Visité desde bodegas boutique hasta medianas y todas fueron excepcionales. No mucho el nivel de atención de Diego y el personal y las bodegas.

Este recorrido se organizó a través de nuestro hotel y no me decepcionó. Pequeñas bodegas independientes seguidas de un magnífico almuerzo en un restaurante local. Si está buscando autenticidad y recorridos sin corona, este es el indicado para usted.

This is the second time that we have toured with Diego and we cannot recommend him enough. He is so knowledgeable, kind, professional…so many great things to say. You will not be disappointed spending time with him.

¡Pasé un día increíble con Diego! De las vistas, al vino, a la comida, a la conversación y al conocimiento. Una experiencia de primer nivel en todos los sentidos. ¡Muy recomendable para todos en la región!

La gira que tuvimos con Diego fue 10/10. Mi esposo y yo hicimos un recorrido a pie / en automóvil por San Sebastián y Diego incluso hizo algunas paradas de pinxtos en el camino. Diego conocía perfectamente la historia de la región y fue muy complaciente con nuestras preferencias/solicitudes. 100% recomendable.

Honestamente, sentimos que habíamos hecho un amigo cercano al final de la luna de miel, y tuvimos mucha suerte de haber encontrado a Diego. Es una persona cálida y generosa, que se esmera en mostrar todo lo que ofrece Euskadi. Considero que cualquiera es muy afortunado de tenerlo como su guía.

Diego was amazing!! We booked a day trip to Bayonne, Biarritz, and Saint Jean de Luz. He was very responsive with coordinating our date and time. The day of our tour he was on time and was super enthusiastic about sharing his beautiful country and culture with us. He knew all of the perfect spots to see the gorgeous seaside towns and the pictures he took of us along the way will be with us forever. We had an amazing lunch with a great view and enjoyed our conversation. He wove in the perfect amount of history with pictures from the past with the current surroundings. His smile and positive attitude were infectious 😊!! We would definitely recommend Diego for Basque Country adventures. We wish you continued success!!

My wife and I spent 1.5 days with Diego and it was a wonderful experience. We spent a half day with him on a walking tour of San Sebastián, which ended with a pintxo tour. Diego’s local knowledge and history of the region provide for an invaluable experience, but it’s his enthusiasm and friendly personality that differentiates the tour from others. On the second day, we went to Rioja and visited 3 wineries. Without discussing our preferences prior to the tour, Diego selected 3 smaller wineries that offered very different experiences. These were exactly what we hoped to experience during our first visit to the area. A tour with Diego is like spending the day with a friend. Thank you for the incredible experience.

Diego and his company are great! Diego was busy but answered my call and was able to have one of his colleagues take us on the wine tour we wanted. Diego set everything up and his colleague, Martin, was excellent. Very nice, knowledgeable and informative! He explained to us the history of wine in the Basque Country, how it came to be the present style of wine making, the origins of wine in the region and the why, setting up the tour for each winery we visited to be that much more special. At the end of our tour, we went to a local restaurant to have a traditional basque dish, which was superb. The tour was set up and executed perfectly! Loved every bit of it and highly suggest you book with Diego, he’s very kind and will try his best to accommodate you and your party in whatever way he can to make your experience the best one possible.

My best friend and I spent a full day with Diego touring wineries in Rioja and it was incredible!! He brought us to a very unique local winery that we fell in love with. He is very knowledgeable, kind, funny, personable, a great driver, and will make it a trip you’ll never forget! We truly enjoyed our time with Diego and learning more about him and the beautiful Basque culture. We met as strangers and left with a new friend. I will be back just to go on another tour with him. Book with Diego… you will not be disappointed!

This tour is A+ TOP NOTCH quality, seriously. Diego took us to 3 very special wineries in the Rioja region, was friendly with the folks everywhere we went, showed us multiple cities, speaks flawless English, has traveled the world and has remarkable knowledge and stories, and is a great conversationalist in the car if you’d like to discuss anything. He is flexible to give you the kind of day and length of day you’d like to have. He is sincere, kind, professional, smart, funny, polite, and just an all around great human being who my wife and I look forward to seeing again. I have done excursions like this in Peru, Morocco, Norway, Jordan, and many other countries, and I can promise you that Diego’s company and service are literally world class level good. Book this tour with him and thank me later, trust me.

My daughter and I booked a 2 hour sunset sail . We found Diego through our hotel. We were picked up on time, and our cruise exceeded our expectations— beautiful 19 meter antique sailboat with a captain and mate. The evening was spectacular!

Diego from Feel Basque Country was a great guide! He is incredibly knowledgeable about the Basque region, and we learned so much on our tour. He came and picked us up at our hotel in a nice van and dropped us back at the end. I would definitely recommend Diego!

We’ve been on many wine tours all over the world, and this was by far the best! Diego was fantastic and so knowledgeable. He had an answer to every question we asked. We all described the day as magical and will be a memory that is never forgotten. Highly recommend booking with Diego and his team!!!

Embarking on a journey to explore the Basque Country with my family, we entrusted our adventure to Feel Basque Country (FBC), a decision that greatly enriched our experience. Diego, our guide, was the epitome of excellence and warmth, guiding us through the Basque culture, cuisine, and landscapes with unrivaled expertise. If you're contemplating a visit to the Basque Country, I highly recommend Diego's services. Not only will you be guaranteed an extraordinary journey filled with memorable experiences, but you will also be treated to the highest level of service. Diego isn't just a guide; he's an ambassador of Basque culture and an invaluable companion on your travel. Eskerrik asko, Diego, for making our trip truly exceptional!

My family of 7 - me & my husband, 2 daughters & husbands, and 1 10-month-old granddaughter- just spent a glorious week in the Basque country. How lucky we were to have been assigned Diego as our guide. Besides his knowledge of the area, we just plain liked him! He left no area of interest untouched by us - San Sebastian, the French Basque country with Biarritz, the Spanish Basque country, a sidreria, and a winery. The trip was perfection thanks to our wonderful guide. I like to think that we left as friends - not “adios” but “hasta luego”. Thanks, Diego!!

Diego is amazing!!!! My boyfriend and I had spent a wonderful evening with Diego on a pintxo tour! Diego gave us a wonderful history and background on San Sebastián and took us to 5 different pintxo bars to try all the amazing food and drinks! We absolutely LOVED our experience and have recommended Diego already to many of our friends! We cannot wait to come back to San Sebastián and visit with Diego for a wine tasting tour in Rioja!

Jaime and Diego at Feel Basque Country were in a word the best, Jaime was so friendly, knowledgeable of all the local history and culture, respectful, fun, what an amazing individual. We will definitely recommend them to all of our friends and family.

We enjoyed our evening pintxos tours in San Sebastián with Diego very much! Not only did he expose us to a wonderful variety of pintxos and local wine, but his knowledge of the local history and culture was unparalleled. Diego also took great care to check in on our preferences and customize his tour for us, and we had so much fun learning and tasting with him! I highly recommend booking a tour with Diego

My family and I were very lucky to have a tour with Feel Basque Country out to explore the Rioja wine region from San Sebastián. From the start, Danny was fantastic. Extremely friendly, fun, and welcoming person to have take us on tour. He was extremely knowledgeable about the regions, basque history, local life, and wines importantly. We visited a few fantastic wineries, heading home with a few bottles, and a beautiful lunch and visit to LaGuardia. We had such an excellent day and get to leave with amazing memories forever. Thank you so much to Danny and Diego for having us! We are eager to explore more on our next trip to San Sebastián

Did two tours with these guys - one "off the shelf" and one bespoke tour. Brilliant guide who knew absolutely everything and made both really fun trips.

Diego was an amazing guide! His knowledge and enthusiasm ensured a perfect day in Basque Country - I have used many private guides in my travels and he is among the best.

A great day out (we did the French Basque coast tour) inspite of bad weather, Diego is very flexible, has great knowledge of the area and above all is a great guy! His car is also extremely new and comfortable! Overall a great experience!

Our day with Diego was fabulous… he took us to some amazing wineries for tastings and tours with great staff who he knew well so we were taken very good care of. We finished with a delicious lunch and lots of wine! Highly recommended and the only way to experience Rioja!🍷

My wife and I spent a full day with Diego touring wineries in La Rioja and had an incredible experience with him! He was knowledgeable, patient, friendly, a great driver, spoke fantastic English and built an itinerary and a day we will …More

My wife and I had a fantastic evening in San Sebastián with Diego. His abundance of local knowledge and enthusiasm for everything Basque and his food choices are amazing. I cannot recommend Diego highly enough.

This is the second time that we have had Diego take us on a tour. He is very knowledgeable of the area, so friendly and kind, proud of his heritage, and very professional. We highly recommend him and hope to experience his tours again in the future.

My wife and I spent the day with Diego touring Biarritz, Saint-Jean-de-Luz and Hondarribia. He is very knowledgeable of the history of the area and able to answer many questions, he is not working from a script. It is obvious he is passionate about the Basque country and the culture. I would definitely use him as a guide again. A wonderful day with a warm person.

Excellent experience !

The trip with Diego to La Rioja was wonderful. Certainly the best guide we could have found. He made all the arrangements we requested perfectly well, even though it was a last minute reservation. Extremely charming, knowledgeable about the area and recognized in it. It really exceeded all of our expectations! Highly recommended! Thanks Diego!

Excellent tour with Diego, very knowledgeable about the history of his country and super friendly, he gave us all the historical details of the places we visited and then took us to a restaurant with authentic Basque food and even taught us some words in his language, recommended 100%

Excellent ride from San Sebastian, visiting Biarritz, Bayonne, San Juan de Luz and Hondarrabia. Exclusive car and explanations from Diego who knows the history of all the towns and cities. The next time I go to the area I will hire him to do other cities in the Basque Country. The truth is that 5 stars is not enough.

Included

Pick up and drop off from/to the client's accommodation

Private vehicle with air conditioning and all transportation costs (parking, tolls, gasoil)

Private professional local guide in English

Visits to the mentioned places

Pic-nic with local products

Not included

Meals or drinks not mentioned above

MOUNT HERNIO, THE MAGIC MOUNTAIN OF GUIPÚZCOA

TourDescription

Book Your Experience

Feel the Basque Country

from 600€

Book Your Experience

Feel the Basque Country

from€from 600€

Book Your Experience

Testimonials

Included

Not included

Feel the Basque Country

Get in touch!

Feel Basque Country

Private Basque Tours

Contact information