Rb5 Vibration, Our Review in the Defender
Rb5 Vibration, Our Review in the Defender
Our review of the RB5 West from Vibraction in the Defender, done in November.
A captivating adventure through stunning landscapes. Moments of deep emotion throughout.
We did the RB5 from Vibraction in reverse. No difficulty doing it that way.
You’ll find our full review at the end of the article.
Just make sure to mark all visit sites on the GPS track. That way, you won’t miss any.
Attention, if you’re traveling with your dog, make sure the rabies vaccination is valid upon your return to France, and that you have the European pet passport, both are essential in case of checks.
If you’re looking for other destinations or inspiration, we’ve created magazines and road books to guide you in your next adventures.
RB5 Vibraction: Ready to go?
Alright, let’s go !
Join us on our article dedicated to our review of the RB5 from Vibraction, all, of course, with plenty of photos!
The Steps of the RB5 Vibraction
Everything started in the Basque Country, in the middle of the Pottoks. After leaving Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, we immediately entered the heart of the Pyrenean wilderness. It was a joy for us to finally camp out in the middle of the mountains with a magnificent sunset.
We then headed towards the Bardenas Desert. To take things further off-road, we modified the RB5 route and explored the area more deeply, it felt like it was almost all ours. Kicking up dust and admiring the rock formations from above was a real highlight.
For two days, we traversed La Negra, La Blanca, and El Plano, three very different terrains that instantly plunge you into the wild atmosphere of the Bardenas. Between wind-sculpted cliffs and endless plains, every turn brought its share of surprises.
A true adventure that fully immerses you in this unique desert!
Wild Adventure
MALLOS DE RIGLOS
We hit the road again heading towards the Mallos de Riglos to camp in a remote, secluded spot right at the foot of these giants of stone. There, under the vast sky, we watched vultures circling above us, absolute masters of the skies. Between glances at Pixie, our tiny little adventurer who needed protection, we felt the raw power of nature all around us.
A wild night, full of strong sensations and wonder.
PENAS DE RIGLOS
After a good stretch of off-road, tight turns, and small obstacles, the Peñas de Riglos suddenly rise up before you, and that’s when you understand why this stage is worth the detour. These giant cliffs, with their reddish-orange hues, towering over 300 meters high, emerge in the middle of Aragon like a natural wall carved to impress.
You cut the engine, total silence, just the wind and a few vultures circling above the peaks. It’s one of those moments when you realize your 4×4 has taken you where few go. You can venture on foot for an even more amazing view or simply savor the moment, sitting there facing these stone giants.
A true wild road trip setting, and one of our biggest highlights on the RB5.
Our RB5 Vibraction Trail Experience: Challenges and Discoveries
The RB5 trail offers a mostly enjoyable experience, although sometimes dotted with very challenging sections. Despite these obstacles, we successfully rose to the challenge.
Initially, our plan was to spend a full 10 days exploring the entire RB5. However, our itinerary took a different turn, leading us to spend more than 10 days covering the RB5 West. This decision allowed us to discover exceptional territories by taking a bit more time. Still, the end-of-vacation deadline pushed us to drive at a pace a bit too fast for our liking.
We realized that our love for landscapes demanded more time on the road. We like to drive a maximum of 3 hours, but we were closer to 5 hours per day.
Looking back, if we were to do this adventure again, we would choose a more relaxed itinerary and take more days off. This would allow us to fully explore the RB5 West in all its splendor, go hiking, visit local spots, and enjoy some typical tapas at restaurants.
Strengths and Areas for Improvement of the Rb5 Vibraction
In my opinion, it would be more useful if roadbooks indicated an average driving time rather than a number of days. This way, everyone could plan their vacation days according to their own driving pace.
Based on our experience, we estimate this roadbook, including the extensions we added in the Bardenas, to represent about 60 hours of driving.
What stood out the most was the diversity of landscapes and the many stunning views.
Furthermore, the quality of the roadbook, both the GPS track and the paper format, is excellent. In particular, the paper version is truly a treasure trove of information.
Thanks to this, you can easily plan your visits all along the route. It really helps to immerse yourself in the journey even before setting off.
Although we relied less on the route instructions, since we traveled west to east, we never got lost. Moreover, the alternative routes are very well explained. In any case, huge congratulations to the Vibraction team!!!
What we liked less was the lack of life shown on the roadbook when crossing villages. No small open shops, no restaurants or bars for a tapas break during this November period.
We had to head to a large shopping area 60 km from the trail because we couldn’t find bakeries, vegetables, or meat.
If I were to do it again, I would fully redo the track on OsmAnd. I’d add the locations of open shops, restaurants, and bars in advance, even if it makes my roadbook longer.
