Generalitat approves Aigüestortes expansion plan on 13 October

The Generalitat approved an initial expansion proposal for Aigüestortes and Estany de Sant Maurici National Park (Parc Nacional d'Aigüestortes i Estany de Sant Maurici) on 13 October 2026, linking the protected landscape with new areas beyond Boí in Spain. The plan would enlarge both the national park and its surrounding protection zone, but it still requires further approval.

Aiguestortes expansion proposal sets out new protected land

The proposal would add 2,259.10 hectares to the national park and 3,577.43 hectares to its peripheral protection zone. Together, the change would raise the protected area and its surrounding zone to 43,572.78 hectares, an increase of 8.94 percent from the current total. The Generalitat's announcement dated 13 October 2026 identifies the measure as an initial proposal rather than a completed enlargement.

The national park would receive land from La Torre de Capdella, including the decentralised municipality of Espui, and from Sort. The peripheral protection zone would also gain land from La Torre de Capdella, Rialp, Vilaller, Vielha e Mijaran and Espot. The Generalitat says the included land is publicly owned and has the support of the affected local authorities and the park's managing body.

How the expansion relates to the high-mountain park

The site is Catalonia's only national park and has its administrative headquarters in Boí. Its landscape is defined by high-mountain valleys, streams, waterfalls, forests and more than 200 lakes or estanys, including the named Lake Sant Maurici. The national park is also known for the rocky peaks of Els Encantats and its characteristic meanders.

The proposed boundary change therefore concerns a wider protected system rather than a new visitor attraction inside one valley. Land around the Vall Fosca and Sort would move into the national park, while other areas would join the peripheral protection zone. That distinction matters because the proposal expands the areas covered by protection without announcing a new entrance, trail or visitor facility. The Spanish national parks profile describes the existing landscape as a high-mountain environment of lakes, wetlands, scree slopes and woodland.

Approval process follows the 13 October proposal

The Department of Territory is to send the agreement to Spain's Ministry for Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge for joint approval. The next stage is a public information process, so the boundaries reported on 13 October 2026 remain proposed rather than final. The expansion does not by itself change the current access arrangements for visitors arriving through Boí or Espot.

Visiting Aigüestortes and Estany de Sant Maurici National Park: what travellers from Western Europe should know

• The expansion proposal was approved on 13 October 2026; it concerns the national park and its peripheral protection zone, not a scheduled event.
• No new closure or entrance change was announced with the proposal. The plan remains subject to joint approval and public information.
• The main park offices are in Boí and Espot. The Sant Nicolau valley is accessed from Boí, while the Escrita valley is centred on Espot.
• The terrain is high mountain country with steep valleys, glacial landforms, streams and lakes. Visitors should plan for uneven ground and changing mountain conditions.
• The official language is Catalan and the national currency is the euro.

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Frequently asked questions about Aigüestortes and Estany de Sant Maurici National Park

What has changed at Aigüestortes and Estany de Sant Maurici National Park?

On 13 October 2026, the Generalitat approved an initial proposal to enlarge the national park and its peripheral protection zone. The change is not final yet.

Where is Aigüestortes and Estany de Sant Maurici National Park and how do you get there?

The park lies in the Spanish Pyrenees, with principal access areas around Boí and Espot. The Sant Nicolau valley is reached from Boí, while the Escrita valley is centred on Espot.

What is Aigüestortes and Estany de Sant Maurici National Park?

It is Catalonia's only national park, a high-mountain protected landscape with more than 200 lakes, rocky peaks, forests, streams and waterfalls.