Excursion, Guide, to Puig de l’Ofre

The Valley of Sóller is one of the most significant locations in the Sierra de Tramuntana for hiking and mountain sports enthusiasts. With countless routes along the north coast of Mallorca, in this municipality of Tramuntana, we can enjoy nature in a unique way. Located at the foot of Puig Major, in the Valley of Sóller, we encounter unique landscapes featuring mountains as representative as Puig Major itself - the highest mountain in Mallorca at 1436m, Els Cornadors, or l’Ofre, among many others. Peaks that can be conquered through ancient and historic routes leading us among olive trees and ancient oaks along stone paths that have been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 2011. So today, we bring you one of these routes, perhaps one of the most special, to explore two of the most important and representative hiking points in the Valley of Sóller: The excursion to Puig de l’Ofre through the Barranc de Biniaraix.

FROM THE GRAND HOTEL SÓLLER TO THE BARRANC DE BINIARAIX

We will start our route from the Grand Hotel Sóller towards Biniaraix through Carrer de Sa Lluna, a small village that is part of the municipality of Sóller known for its Mallorcan architecture and picturesque square. We will reach this place in about 15 minutes. Once there, we will continue our ascent until reaching Ses Rentadores de Biniaraix, where clothes were traditionally washed, and this is where we connect with the beginning of the ascent to Barranc de Biniaraix: a canyon formed by the L’Ofre stream, located between the Sierra de Son Torrella, L’Ofre, and Els Cornadors, where the Barranc de Biniaraix trail, with 1,932 steps, leads us towards Puig de l’Ofre - get more information about Barranc de Biniaraix in our article: Discover Barranc de Biniaraix in one of the best times of the year -. During our ascent, we can enjoy magnificent landscapes and witness a clear example of mutual respect between humans and nature through the ancient stone terraces that guide us to the summit, offering the choice to continue towards l’Ofre or take the right path towards Font de Can Cati, an alternative route leading back to Biniaraix. We will continue towards l’Ofre until we reach the top of Barranc de Biniaraix, known as Salt dels Cans.

FROM SALT DELS CANS TO PUIG DE L’OFRE

Once we reach Salt del Cans, we will continue our route towards Cases de l’Ofre through a path that offers fantastic views of Puig de l’Ofre (1,091m) with its characteristic cone-shaped appearance. Along the way, we will also spot a cross placed by the Brotherhood of Sant Sudari de Sóller in 2008 known as La Creu de l’Ofre. This cross marks the ascent on the GR-221 route towards Coll de l’Ofre, and we will continue until reaching the clearing a few meters from Coll de l’Ofre, where we will encounter a crossroads. We will proceed towards the ascent to Puig de l’Ofre, reaching Coll de’n Poma on our left, marking the beginning of a trail that will ultimately lead us to the summit of Puig de l’Ofre.

Once we have reached the summit, we can enjoy some of the best panoramic views of the Sierra de Tramuntana. Undoubtedly, a magical place where we recommend taking a break to have a snack and enjoy the fresh air of Tramuntana before continuing our excursion and starting the descent back to the Valley of Sóller. After our break, we will resume the journey towards Coll d’es Cards, descending from the summit of Puig de l’Ofre towards the reservoirs until we reach Coll de l’Ofre again. From there, we will continue towards Portell de sa Costa through a well-defined trail towards Coma de Son Torrella. Upon reaching Portell de Sa Costa, an old gate without barriers built into a dry stone wall, where the long descent towards Sóller and Fornalutx begins, we will initiate the return descent through about 800 meters of elevation.

FROM PORTELL DE SA COSTA TO BINIAIRAIX

It is important to note that the descent can be challenging in some sections, but it can be navigated without any issues until reaching the final stretch. A paved section where we can see Font de na Martorella before reaching Camí de Monnaber, an asphalted road connecting Biniaraix with Fornalutx. We will continue to the left to reach Ses Rentadores de Biniaraix again. From here, we will continue our descent towards the center of Sóller through the main path of Biniaraix, leading us back to its square and eventually reconnecting with Carrer de Sa Lluna, which will guide us to the center of Sóller and then to the Grand Hotel Sóller.

L’OFRE AND ITS SYMBOLISM

Visiting Puig de l’Ofre means visiting one of the most emblematic locations in the Sierra de Tramuntana. It marks the end of the Sierra de Son Torrella and the beginning of the Sierra de Alfabia, forming part of the three peaks that surpass 1000 meters and guard the Cúber reservoir, located at its feet, along with Sa Rateta and Na Franquesa. Additionally, l’Ofre presents peculiar characteristics that differentiate it from the mountains in its surroundings. It is one of the only peaks in the Balearic Islands that preserves its vegetation intact, which is lush even above the one-thousand-meter mark. Apart from standing out for its almost perfect pyramid shape, giving it an almost volcanic appearance and placing it among the ten highest mountains in the Balearic archipelago.

Undoubtedly, a must-visit if you are a hiking and nature enthusiast, offering not only one of the most emblematic peaks in the Sierra de Tramuntana but also incredible landscapes along this route, millennium-old dry stone paths along Barranc de Biniaraix, Cúber reservoirs, and the chance to encounter animals during this fantastic excursion through the Tramuntana.

If you are staying at our hotel and want more information about this or other hiking routes in the Sierra de Tramuntana, feel free to ask our reception team, who will be happy to assist you!