How to get to Salto del Nervión from Bilbao, Vitoria-Gasteiz, and other nearby areas
The Salto del Nervión is located in the province of Araba, near the Monte Santiago Natural Monument (Castile and León). It is a protected natural area, so access is restricted. You cannot reach it directly by car; the final stretch must always be covered on foot from the designated parking lots. Remember that all our excursions include transportation. A great option for groups wishing to visit the Salto del Nervión. During peak season, excursions sell out quickly, so we recommend that you contact us as soon as possible.
How to get there by car
The most common way to get there is by car. There are several access points, though the most popular one is Monte Santiago. Here’s a brief overview of the options for reaching each of them, in case you’d like to take a look. On weekends and during peak season, there can be quite a crowd, so we recommend getting there early.
- Monte Santiago: The drive from Bilbao takes about an hour and 20 minutes. From Vitoria-Gasteiz, it takes about an hour. In both cases, the final stretch of the route goes through Orduña, heading up the mountain pass via Highway A2625 to reach the designated parking areas. Once you’ve climbed the pass, the entrance to the parking area is 2 km away; you’ll need to take a right turn. Don’t worry, it’s clearly marked. Once at Monte Santiago, there are 3 parking lots; the last one is very close to the waterfall. We recommend reading our section on routes at the Salto del Nervión.
- Untzaga: In this case, the drive from Bilbao takes about 40 minutes. From Vitoria-Gasteiz, it’s shorter—about 30 minutes. If you’re starting from Bilbao, head toward Vitoria-Gasteiz until you reach Altube. Here, after passing the toll booth, take the first right toward Orduña on the A2521 (Exit 22). After driving about 7 km, take the left turn to reach Untzaga. Remember that you’ll need to drive through the entire town to reach the parking lot. If you’re coming from Vitoria-Gasteiz, head toward Altube and take exit 22 toward Orduña; the rest of the route is the same as from Bilbao.
- Delika: To get there, head toward Orduña and then toward Delika; the parking lot is at the entrance to the town—you can’t miss it.
Final stretch on foot
Once you’ve parked your car, you’ll need to take a short walk to reach the main overlook. It’s an easy trail, accessible to most people and well-marked. Depending on where you start, the trail may vary in length and duration, but in general, it doesn’t present any technical difficulties. We recommend wearing comfortable shoes suitable for walking on nature trails. We suggest you check out the “Trails” section.
Public transportation
Access by public transportation is very limited—if not nonexistent. There are no direct connections to the area around the Salto del Nervión, making this option impractical for most visitors. For this reason, many people choose to arrange their visit by car or book an organized tour from Bilbao. The latter option is perfect if you don’t want to worry about transportation, access, or route planning. If this idea appeals to you, we encourage you to request a quote.