Sailing trip on Atyla ship
Around the Bay of Biscay
Embarkation: 19th of April at 13:00 — Bilbao, Spain
Disembarkation: 23th of April at 16:00 — Bilbao, Spain
An exploration of the Biscay Bay where you sail the ship. Adjust the sails and follow the wind to the most beautiful spots of the Basque coast. Connect with yourself and with other adventurers on a sailing adventure unlike any other.
This trip starts and finishes in the same location (Bilbao), which allows us to sail freely, following the wind, and even anchoring in a bunch of precious spots along the coast. The plan for the trip will be made by the captain after seeing the weather forecast and can be adapted according to the preferences of the people on board.
On this trip:
- We will set sail right after embarkation (you embark at 13:00, we have lunch at 14:00 and the ship departs at 18:00 after the introductory activities).
- We'll anchor in one or two different places and spend the night there (depending on the weather conditions, possible candidates are San Sebastian, Pasaia, St. Jean de Luz, Urdaibai and Plentzia).
- On the last night on board, after coming back to Bilbao, we'll go out for dinner at a nice restaurant.
If you want to get in touch with the sea and explore the Basque coast this is the trip for you.
If you need to work during Easter and want to give yourself a nice present afterwards, in the form of a unique experience, this is your trip.
All included:
- Accommodation with full board and a private bunk bed.
- Safety equipment on board.
- Insurance for your time on board (see terms and conditions).
- Certificated participation on our Personal development program
- Official Atyla T-shirt (fair trade & organic cotton).
Other info:
- Official language on board: Easy spanish.
- Duration of the trip: 5 days.
- Length of the trip (estimated): 230 NM (~425 km).
- Not included: Transfers to and from the ship, expenses ashore, drinks from the ship's bar, bedding.
- Check the locations for embarkation and disembarkation.
- Check the timeline planned for the trip.
Frequently Asked Questions (common to all trips):
Can I book now and cancel if my holidays, flights, etc, don't fit?
That way, you can book now and secure your spot on board, and then have time to organise the logistics of your trip with the certainty of getting your money back in case something doesn't work.
Check our cancellation policy for full details.
What's the difference between participant and premium participant?
People that want to have more free time when we arrive at port, or that are not so physically fit, or that just want to contribute more to our charity book their trip as premium participants. Then it's still up to them if they want to be as engaged as the normal participants.
What is a "private bunk bed"?
Atyla is not a cruise, so we don't have small 2-person cabins. We have group cabins with bunk beds that host from 5 to 9 people.
To keep some sense of privacy, every bunk bed has a thick curtain that can be closed individually.
What happens after I book?
You will receive an automated email with your booking confirmation (if you don't see it please look on your spam folder or your "updates" folder). If you don't receive (and you're sure that your booking went through) get in touch and we'll help you out.
That email contains an "embarkation form" that has to filled out by every person joining the trip. If you booked for somebody else you'll have to send them the link to the form.
When you fill out your embarkation form you will receive a "Welcome pack" with all the information you need to be ready for your advanture.
If there is any relevant change on your trip after you've booked, we'll inform you accordingly via email. And if it's a big change we'll let you change or cancel your booking for free.
Am I great?
Yes you are.
Which measures are taken against Covid-19?
Most probably, we'll be doing Antigen tests to everyone on board upon embarkation. With that we'll be able to create a bubble on board and avoid using masks during the trips.
The exact measurements will depend on the evolution of the pandemic and the regulations in place when your trip starts.
You can see here our current Covid-19 protocol in more detail.
If any trip needs to be cancelled, it will be indicated on this page, and everyone with a booking will be informed per email and compensated according to our cancellation policy.
Can I book more than one trip?
Of course! Each of our voyages is unique and there is no maximum stay on board. We actually recommend people to join us for at least 2 weeks to fully experience our programme and the different challenges on board.
To book several trips in the same booking add them one by one to the shopping cart and then proceed to the checkout.
Which measures are taken against Covid-19?
Most probably, we'll be doing Antigen tests to everyone on board upon embarkation. With that we'll be able to create a bubble on board and avoid using masks during the trips.
The exact measurements will depend on the evolution of the pandemic and the regulations in place when your trip starts.
You can see here our current Covid-19 protocol in more detail.
All participants will receive an email 3 weeks before the trip, with the exact measures that will be implemented on their voyage.
If any trip needs to be cancelled, it will be indicated on this page, and everyone with a booking will be informed per email and compensated according to our cancellation policy.
Can I book for someone else?
Yes, that’s not a problem. You can also book several spots on the same trip for a group of people. The name in the booking is just for the invoice.
The booking confirmation includes a link to the form that has to be filled out by the people actually doing the trip. Just send it to them after booking.
Do I need to pay 100% upfront?
Normally yes, because most of the costs of your trip come from having the ship ready when you embark (maintenance costs and organising costs), we need the contribution upfront.
But we understand that this can be difficult or even scary for some people, that's why we created the option to book with a 25% deposit. This option has a cost of 50€.
How is the booking process? Is it safe? How do I pay?
To book a trip you just need to click on it and select “Add to cart”. This will get you to the checkout page where you can introduce your data and do the contribution towards the costs of the trip.
"Contribution" means that you're not doing a payment for a service or purchasing a travel ticket. This has mostly only legal implications for us, it doesn't make much of a difference for you.
The payment system that we use for credit and debit cards is called Redsys. This is the system chosen by our bank, it allows for secure encrypted payments and complies with all standards of data protection.
The other automated payment option that we offer is PayPal (also a secure and well-renowned provider). Bitcoin is also an alternative to pay for your trip, send us an email to learn how.
If you experience problems during the payment process send us an email we’ll allow you do a bank transfer.
I can’t afford to pay, can I still join?
As a social not-for-profit organisation, we don’t want to exclude anyone from participating on our trips because they lack the funds.
There are different things you can do to get funding:
- Apply for our volunteering opportunities in Bilbao (Spain)
- Apply for the Youth Funding from STAG
- Apply for the Oman Bursary of STI
- Apply to our Financial Aid Fund or see other ideas on this same page.
What if the trip I want is sold out?
We recommend you to find a different trip since normally our trips get sold out with confirmed reservations. If that doesn’t fit, you can also send us an email and we’ll let you know if there are any cancellations.
How does the "flexible disembarkation" work?
On trips that have "Flexible disembarkation", you can choose when you disembark. You just have to inform the crew about your preference once you are on board.
Flexible disembarkation is normally on trips that include some time in port. We give the option in case someone needs to disembark earlier (for example is they have to go back to work).
If you're not on a rush, we recommend you to stay until the end, the days in port are normally loads of fun.
Can someone help me arrive to the ship and/or come back afterwards?
Yes, there are agencies that can organise that for you. We can recommend Amaia Travel. They know our trips and are specialists in delivery trips to ships. They can find a nice connection for you and probably also a good price (and they, of course, speak English). Ask them!
These trips are cheaper than what I expected... Why?
Yes, the participant experience is partially funded by our charity, because we want to make our trips affordable for more people. The real value of the experience is what the premium participants contribute.
If you can afford it, we recommend you to book as a premium participant (even if you want to participate fully). You’ll feel good about contributing a fair amount.
What do I need to bring with me?
Nothing special, the same as any other outdoor adventure. On your booking confirmation email you’ll receive a welcome pack with a detailed list of what to bring.
What will my shipmates be like? Will they be much older/younger than me?
Diversity is one of the elements that make the experience on Atyla so special. Our trips welcome people from different countries, with different professions and different social backgrounds. These many different perspectives make the conversations on board very interesting and enriching.
The ages of the people on board normally span from 16 to 55 years of age, and it is very rare that there won’t be more people of your same age range in your trip.
In any case, we also use the generational diversity as a valuable tool, not only to make everyone feel integrated but also because is great to learn, work and make friends with people of ages different to yours.
Why are the map's lines of different colours?
A red line is for trips in English.
A blue line is for trips in Spanish or in other languages than English.
Regattas, races and maritime festivals normally have their own map provided by the organiser.
What happens if I need to cancel?
Please see here our Cancellation Policy.