Visit the desert of the Bardenas Reales in one day.

The Bardenas Reales desert is a natural reserve of 42,000 hectares located in the south-east of Navarre (region of northern Spain). It is simply the largest desert in Spain and Europe. The Bardenas desert is full of varied fauna and flora (more than 25 species of raptors). This is why it is listed as a world biosphere reserve by UNESCO.

The Bardenas Reales natural reserve is divided into 4 parts: El Pano, the Blanca Alta, the Blanca Baja and the Plana de la Negra. We only had one day on site to visit the Bardenas, we chose to focus on the Blanca Baja. The most touristy part.

Blanca Baja is certainly the most touristy part of the Bardenas desert, but also the most unusual. Indeed, in the middle of it, there is a military base. No danger if you stay on the paths and authorized areas.

The main entrance to Blanca Baja is via the Bardenas visitor center, located about 20 kilometers from Tudela. We advise you to stop there to get a map of the natural park with the main info. A few meters further on, the asphalt will turn into a pretty gravel track, passable with a classic car (no need for a 4x4). The classic tour makes a loop of 35 kilometers and passes through all the essential sights of the Bardenas desert. We advise you to take your time, and to stop regularly to enjoy the views and the few hikes available.

This desert expanse is magnificent, but also very fragile. Let's think about preserving it together by respecting the instructions and not walking outside the authorized paths.

Los Tres Hermanos is our first real stop after changing the tire! We are captivated by the beauty that nature offers us. This almost white clay soil, eroded by rain and wind, offers us a very photogenic play of textures and shadows. We want to immortalize every corner of these geometric shapes.

We continue our journey and observe large mountainous reliefs that have the look of the American West. In its large cliffs, hides a cave that was the secret hideout of Sanchicorrota, one of the greatest bandits of the region in the 15th century. This famous cave can still be visited today.

Then, the scenery changes again, the greenery is less present and the trail takes us through the middle of a small canyon: Blanquizales de Pisquerra.

Castildetierra is the postcard of the Bardenas desert and the unmissable spot in the Bardenas. At the top of this pretty fairy chimney, we can see the stone base of an ancient statue that miraculously stands at the top.

You can easily stop with your car in front of it and take the opportunity to walk around it and take your souvenir photo.

Cabezo de las Cortinillas is a 360° panoramic viewpoint over the surroundings. You have to take a path that leads to 200 steps to reach its summit. The latter are no longer in good condition due to the erosion of the earth below and will require you to be in good physical shape. The arrival is spectacular and we stay for many minutes admiring the landscapes and its different reliefs under the golden light of the end of the day.

The sun will soon set, and it's time for us to find a spot to sleep with the rooftop tent before nightfall.

The Bardenas Reales Natural Park enjoys a Mediterranean climate and can be visited all year round. We were there at the end of September and we had a magnificent sunny day with temperatures between 25 and 30 degrees.

Entry into the Bardenas is free. The site opens at 8:00 am and closes one hour before sunset.

The Pisquerra, Rallon, Ralla, Gorra and Zapata areas (which represent 6% of the 42,000 hectares) are closed to access from February to September, as they are protected during the breeding and nesting period of the vultures. To find out the exact dates, we advise you to go to the website www.bardenas-reales.net on page 1 of the 'Tourist Info' tab.

We were with our rooftop tent during our visit to the Bardenas desert and we chose to enjoy our last nights in nature. If we had to choose a hotel, we would go for the Hotel Aire de Bardenas which offers an immersion in nature with its suites. Obviously, there are accommodations for all budgets and all styles!

You should know that wild camping is forbidden in the Bardenas Reales Natural Park. We found two fantastic spots that perfectly reflect the atmosphere of this unique desert in Europe on park4night. Far from any big city, we enjoyed our (slightly cool) evenings to observe the stars and the Milky Way. Magical moments that we won't forget.

The first spot is the Mirador Punta de la Negra, located on high ground, we watch the vultures fly away a few meters from us at sunset. The second spot is located at the Ermita de Santo Domingo, where we are surrounded by this clay soil typical of the region. We witness a magnificent sunset when we cook our pasta.

We are counting on you to leave the places as you found them so that we can enjoy them for a long time to come.

We stayed one day in Bardenas and we were able to see the must-sees of the Blanca Baja. If we were to do it again, we would stay at least 2 to 3 days to explore the other parts of the Bardenas Natural Park and discover the diversity of landscapes that the largest desert in Europe can offer us.

Are the Bardenas overrated? We discovered this spot, still little known, via Instagram, and upon arrival, we were stunned by the beauty of the landscapes. These desert landscapes are unique in Europe. They have also been used as the backdrop for a James Bond film (The World Is Not Enough), certain scenes in the series Games of Thrones, and numerous commercials. We also believe that the desert doesn't stop at the touristy part, the Blanca Baja, and is full of hidden treasures in the other three parts.

We hope this article has helped you prepare your trip to the Bardenas. For us, it's a must-see during a road trip in northern Spain. To follow our adventures live, we invite you to our Instagram account!