Ribera Sacra on foot: Mao Canyon and Gabín Birch Wood · 2 days

Two days walking the Mao canyon and the relict Gabín birch wood, with certified guide, rural lodging, full board and a Mencía tasting at a Ribeira Sacra winery.

In Ribeira Sacra · Ourense

Getaway · 1 nights

From 70 € /person

No commitment · We design it with you

At a glance

Two days walking with a certified trekking guide through the Mao canyon and the relict Gabín birch wood
16.5 km loop with +947 m elevation gain — split comfortably across both days
Wooden walkways above the Mao river and views over the Sil canyon (500 m deep)
Mencía and Godello tasting at a DO Ribeira Sacra winery at the end of day 2
Rural lodging with dinner, breakfast and picnic included — no logistics to think about

What you'll experience

Walkways, canyon and bends of the Sil River.

Meeting in Parada do Sil in the morning. Descent along the wooden walkways of the Mao canyon, stop at viewpoints overlooking the Sil and its heroic vineyard terraces. Lunch along the way (not included). Slow ascent in the mid-afternoon. Arrival at the rural accommodation, home-cooked dinner with the guide telling stories about the 18 forgotten monasteries.
Bidueiral de Gabín, oak groves and Mencía wine tasting.

After breakfast, circular route through the relict beech forest of Gabín and the chestnut groves. Picnic in the woods. Return to accommodation in the mid-afternoon and short transfer to a winery in the DO Ribeira Sacra for a guided tasting of Mencía and Godello with views over the terraces. Farewell.

What's included

This is what the bundle covers. If you want to tweak something, we'll sort it in the proposal.

Lodging

Rural house in the Ourense side of the Ribeira Sacra

One night in a rural house in the area (Parada do Sil, Castro Caldelas or Esgos depending on availability). Double or quadruple room, home cooking, no frills but spotless.

Activities

Guided hiking through the Mao canyon and the Gabín birch wood
Two days of hiking with a certified guide: day 1 to the Mao canyon and its walkways; day 2 to the relict Gabín birch wood and the century-old chestnut groves. 16.5 km loop, +947 m cumulative elevation.

Transfers

Own or rental car to Parada do Sil

The meeting point is Parada do Sil (Ourense). Reached by car; from Ourense city, 1 h via OU-536. The guide confirms parking 48 h before by message.

Meals

Dinner, breakfast and home-cooked picnic

Half-board at the rural house: day-1 dinner (Galician home cooking), day-2 breakfast and a picnic packed for the second day's route. Local, seasonal produce.

Extras

Mencía and Godello tasting at a DO Ribeira Sacra winery

Guided tasting at the close of day 2 at a DO winery: Mencía (red) and Godello (white) varieties, a walkthrough of the heroic terraced vineyards above the Sil canyon.

Included

· Certified professional trekking guide for both days
· Rural lodging one night (double or shared room depending on group)
· Day-1 dinner and day-2 breakfast
· Day-2 picnic for the route
· DO Ribeira Sacra wine tasting (Mencía and Godello) at a winery
· Accident and public liability insurance

Not included

· Transport to Parada do Sil (own or rental car)
· Day-1 lunch and day-2 dinner
· Drinks at dinner and winery extras
· Personal hiking gear (boots, daypack, rain jacket)

Choose your option

The plan is the same in all of them. Only what you pick here changes.

Rural house in the Ourense side of the Ribeira Sacra · One night in a rural house in the area (Parada do Sil, Castro Caldelas or Esgos depending on availability). Double or quadruple room, home cooking, no frills but spotless.

Boutique rural hotel

Upgrade to a restored boutique rural hotel with bigger rooms and a fuller breakfast. Ask about the supplement.
Shared room for groups

For groups of friends: quadruple room in the same house, at no extra cost over the package.

Mencía and Godello tasting at a DO Ribeira Sacra winery · Guided tasting at the close of day 2 at a DO winery: Mencía (red) and Godello (white) varieties, a walkthrough of the heroic terraced vineyards above the Sil canyon.

Visit to a Ribeira Sacra monastery

Swap for a guided visit to one of the area's Romanesque monasteries (Santa Cristina de Ribas de Sil, San Pedro de Rocas).
Catamaran on the Sil canyon

Swap for a tourist catamaran ride on the Sil canyon at sunset (~1.5 h, separate supplement).

Per-person guide price. The final quote arrives with the personalised proposal.

The area

Parada do Sil is one of the natural viewpoints over the Sil canyon, in the heart of the Ourense side of the Ribeira Sacra. A plateau of oak forests, century-old chestnut groves and stone hamlets hanging above the river, with the Mao canyon carving one of the prettiest tributaries of the Sil. Inland Galicia at its most unfiltered.

Ourense — 55 km · 1 h
Vigo — 165 km · 2.3 h
Santiago de Compostela — 150 km · 2.2 h

By car (recommended): from Madrid 5 h via A-6 / A-52 to Ourense, then OU-536 to Castro Caldelas and OU-0604 to Parada do Sil. From Vigo and Santiago, ~2 h via A-52 and AG-53.

By train: Renfe to Ourense (AVE from Madrid in 2 h 15 min); from the station, taxi or rental car to Parada do Sil (1 h).

By plane: closest airports are Vigo (VGO) and Santiago (SCQ); a rental car is mandatory to reach the meeting point.

Ribeira Sacra Ourense

Price calendar

Per-person guide price. The final quote arrives with the personalised proposal.

From	To	Price per person	Season
1 May 2026	30 Jun 2026	70 €	Spring
1 Jul 2026	15 Sept 2026	85 €	Summer
16 Sept 2026	15 Nov 2026	75 €	Autumn

Who this fits

With friends Adventure Romantic Disconnection History Local Life Gastronomy

It fits if you walk regularly (16.5 km and +947 m elevation over two days are not a Sunday stroll), you care more about the forest and the landscape than tough mileage, and you accept that lodging is rural — not hotel-grade. Great fit for couples, pairs of friends or small groups (min 2, max 10). It does not fit if you're after hard distance, if you need spa-level comforts, or if you expect a high-throughput backpack tour: pace here is slow and conversational.

Frequently asked

Got a question not listed here? Just ask.

Do I need to be an experienced hiker?

No, but you should be a regular walker. 8 km and +500 m elevation per day is fine if you hike a weekend or two each month.

What happens if it rains?

Galicia rains. The guide adapts the route and skips exposed bits if the Mao walkways are slippery. The trip is only cancelled under an orange weather alert.

Can children come?

From age 12 if they're used to walking. Below that the route is long.

What is the lodging like?

A local rural house, double or quadruple room depending on the group. Clean, cosy, home cooking — not a spa, no minibar.

Does it include transport from Ourense city?

No. The meeting point is Parada do Sil, reached in your own or a rental car.

Check availability

Request availability and we'll confirm within 24 hours.

No commitment Reply in 24 h No hidden fees