THE ROUTE

The ZBP route travels over the whole of the Basque Country (Iparralde & Hegoalde).

A cycling itinerary in the heart of this magical country with seven provinces that make up one: Euskal Herria.

Zazpiak Bat Packing is a ‘divide point-to-point’ route starting in Bayonne, and crossing the key towns of Saint-Palais, Tardets, Pamplona, Logroño, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Bilbao and finishing in Donostia (San Sebastian).

By that time, you have crossed the three provinces on the French side – Labourd, Basse-Navarre and Soule – as well as the four provinces on the other side of the border in Spain: Navarre, Vizcaya, Alava and Guipuzkoa.

The philosophy of this route is to use mainly trail roads to make the most of the local natural treasures. You will need a gravel or mountain bike to ride the trails safely.

Even though the route largely wanders off the beaten path, we wanted a route which was accessible to as many people as possible and therefore relatively well-balanced, allowing you to catch your breath thanks to some nice asphalted sections.

Taking your time and enjoying the journey is an integral part of the program on this trail. Allow between 6 and 10 days for those who want to fully experience the contrasts and magic of the area. For more advanced sportsmen and women, 2 to 5 days will do.

EQUIPMENT ADVICES

Bike: Gravel or mountain bike

Helmet: mandatory in Spain

Tyres: 44mm minimum > 57mm maximum / Tubeless (better range)

Water bottles: x3 (especially in summer, make sure you have plenty, because even though there are water points in almost every village on the Spanish side, there will be quite long sections with no refuelling facilities, particularly in the Bardenas).

Lights: front and rear

Safety Vest

Tent / Sleeping bag: there are many paying camping options (Summer/Fall period) along the entire route.

DESIGNERS

J.P MOTHES

An avid explorer of the Pyrenees, a journalist by training and a jack of all trades, JP enjoys creating original gravel tracks in the region.

ADRIEN

Trained as a photographer and graphic designer. Adrien is passionate about exploration and in love with paper. For the past four years, he has been self-editing his Haize hiking guides and now Bizi cycling guides.