The encierro begins before the first rocket ever fires. Most runners and spectators arrive on the morning of San Fermin thinking that the encierro starts at 8:00 am when the corral gate opens. But there is an entire series of events, movements, and preparations that unfold hours before that moment. The bulls that will run that morning have been moved overnight from the gasworks pens on the edge of Pamplona to the Corrales del Santo Domingo, a holding area directly below the street where they will run. The pastores who will guide the herd have been preparing since before dawn. The atmosphere changes from the late-night party atmosphere to the dawn preparations of a structured event. Understanding what happens before the rockets fire gives runners and spectators a deeper grasp of the logistics that make the encierro work and a deeper respect for the people who make it happen.
The Corrales del Gas and the Night Before
According to Mat Dowsett in “Encierro!” (2003), the bulls arrive in Pamplona days before they run, brought from breeders around Spain. They are initially held at the Corrales del Gas, the gasworks pens on the edge of town, which are spacious and allow the bulls to acclimate to their new surroundings. The public can view the bulls at designated times during the day, and this is an opportunity to see the actual animals in a calm, controlled setting before witnessing them in motion through the streets.
On the night before each run, typically around 10:30 pm or 11:00 pm, depending on the year, the bulls scheduled to run the next morning are moved in a process called the encierrillo. This is a smaller-scale movement of cattle from the Corrales del Gas toward the Corrales del Santo Domingo. The encierrillo is not a run; it is a managed herding of the bulls up the first part of Santo Domingo to the holding pen directly beneath the street. According to Dowsett, the bulls are brought across a nearby river, then guided up the lower section of Santo Domingo through the darkness.
Viewing the Bulls from the Bastion Wall
One of the best-kept secrets of Sanfermines is that runners can see the bulls the night before or the early morning before they run. Dennis explains how:
“You can walk up onto the bastion wall above the corralillo on Santo Domingo. And you can see the bulls under soft lights. It’s the easiest and quickest way to see the bulls before you see them in the street.”
Dennis Clancey, Founder of Encierro and member of La Única Peña
The corralillo is the holding pen beneath Santo Domingo, and above it is a stone bastion wall that runs the length of the street. From this vantage point, runners can observe the bulls in the pen below under light, without crowds, without time pressure. This is an invaluable opportunity to study the animals, to understand their size, their movement, and their behavior in a controlled setting. Many experienced runners make this visit part of their preparation. The bastion wall remains open and accessible throughout the night and early morning.
The Morning Atmosphere: From Party to Preparation
The atmosphere on the streets changes dramatically between 5:00 am and 7:30 am on the morning of the encierro. At 5:00 am, the streets are still filled with people who have been out all night, partying and celebrating. The energy is intoxicated and unfocused. By 7:00 am, a new set of people is arriving: serious runners and runners preparing to run. Dennis has specific advice on timing:
“I recommend anyone new get on the run route by 07:00. You don’t wanna be racing at the last minute to try to get on the run route.”
Dennis Clancey, Founder of Encierro and member of La Única Peña
This is not arbitrary timing. The official entry gates to the route close at approximately 7:30 am. After that time, runners can still enter the route by climbing through gaps in the barriers, but this is inefficient and risky. More importantly, the atmosphere on the route changes as it fills with people. Dennis describes what happens:
“Once that route starts to fill up, it can be quite tense. Because it can feel a bit claustrophobic.”
Dennis Clancey, Founder of Encierro and member of La Única Peña
A runner who enters the route by 7:00 am has time to find their position, to acclimate to the environment, to settle into a mental space where they can think about what they intend to do and how they will position themselves when the bulls arrive. A runner who is still fighting to enter the route at 7:25 am is arriving in an already high-pressure environment with no time to prepare.
The Pastores: The Most Revered People on the Route
The pastores (pronounced pahs-TOH-res, meaning shepherds) are the most critical people in the encierro. They are the runners who are trained to manage the herd, to guide stray bulls back into the main group, and to ensure that the bulls move as efficiently and safely as possible from the corrals to the bullring. According to Mat Dowsett in “Encierro!” (2003), each pastor covers a short section of the route, and they work in relay, with some pastores managing the herd at the start and others taking over as the herd moves further up the street.
Dennis describes the pastores and what they do:
“They carry a long wicked stick. They wear a green polo shirt. They wear navy pants. And good shoes. They are the most revered on the run route.”
Dennis Clancey, Founder of Encierro and member of La Única Peña
The green polo shirt is the uniform that identifies a pastor. The long stick, called a pica, is used to keep the herd moving and to guide the direction of the animals. The pastores are not runners in the traditional sense of trying to keep pace with the bulls. They are dedicated herders whose job is to manage the cattle through the route with skill and knowledge. They earn the respect of the community by doing this work year after year.
Managing Separated Bulls: The Pastor’s Core Responsibility
One of the key reasons the pastores are so revered is their responsibility in managing sueltos, bulls that become separated from the herd. According to Mat Dowsett in “Encierro!” (2003), when a bull separates from the group, the pastores are responsible for finding it and bringing it back into the main herd or safely into the bullring. This is demanding and sometimes dangerous work. Dennis makes the responsibility clear:
“When a bull gets separated, a suelto, lone bull, it’s really their ultimate responsibility.”
Dennis Clancey, Founder of Encierro and member of La Única Peña
A suelto changes the entire character of the run. Runners who expected to manage the movement of a herd suddenly must deal with an unpredictable individual animal. The pastores are trained to manage this situation. This is a core part of why they are valued and respected in Pamplona.
The Tradition of Greeting the Pastor at La Curva
There is a tradition at La Curva de Estafeta that reflects the respect the running community has for the pastores. Before the run starts, runners gather at La Curva to wish the pastor stationed there good luck. Dennis recommends this practice, especially for first-time runners:
“If you’re walking past La Curva before the run, the pastor there, you’ll see all the runners going up to shake his hand and wish him luck. And first time runners should do the same.”
Dennis Clancey, Founder of Encierro and member of La Única Peña
This greeting is not casual. It is an acknowledgment that the pastor is the keeper of this section of the route and will be responsible for managing the herd and any separated bulls through the turn. It is a moment of human connection that happens every morning of San Fermin, year after year, where runners recognize the people who make the encierro work. For a first-time runner, making this gesture is a way of entering into the actual community and tradition of Sanfermines, not as an outsider participating in a spectacle, but as someone who understands the structure and respect that the encierro is built on.
The Physical Preparations Before the Rockets Fire
According to Mat Dowsett in “Encierro!” (2003), between 6:00 am and 7:00 am, workers erect barriers on the sections of the route that require them. Damaged barriers are replaced. The streets are cleaned with high-pressure water hoses. By 7:15 am, the streets are fully blocked off and impressively clean. Police and local authorities begin marshalling and clearing the streets of overnight partiers.
Between 7:15 am and 7:45 am, a final inspection walks the entire length of the course to ensure that all is in order. This deputation from the town government can demand that sections of barriers be repaired or that shops be better secured. If they determine that the course is not safe for the run, they have the power to postpone or cancel the encierro.
At around 7:45 am to 7:55 am, depending on the morning, the runners are held in a designated area between the start and Mercaderes. A line of police at each end prevents anyone except authorized personnel from moving further up the course. This is when the pressure builds, when the anticipation becomes almost physically tangible, and when runners are standing on the exact street where the bulls will run, waiting for the clock to strike 8:00.
The Moment Before
In those final minutes before 8:00 am, according to Mat Dowsett in “Encierro!” (2003), the streets fall relatively silent despite the thousands of people. The waiting runners shift their weight, check their shoes, look toward the corral. Some are scanning the crowd for friends. Some are in their own mental space, preparing. The atmosphere is one of genuine anticipation. This is the moment when preparation becomes experience, when theory becomes reality, when every conversation, every warning, every piece of advice either makes sense or falls away into the chaos that is about to begin.
Vocabulario: Spanish Terms Related to the Start
Corrales del Gas (cor-RAH-les del GAHS): The gasworks pens on the edge of Pamplona where bulls are initially held after arrival.
Corrales del Santo Domingo (cor-RAH-les): The holding pen beneath Santo Domingo where bulls are moved the night before the run.
Corralillo (cor-rah-LEE-yoh): The actual holding pen beneath Santo Domingo, visible from the bastion wall above.
Encierrillo (en-see-ehr-REE-yoh): The night-before movement of bulls from the Corrales del Gas to the Corrales del Santo Domingo.
Pastor (pahs-TOR): A herder who runs behind and alongside the bulls, managing the herd through the route. Recognizable by their green polo shirt.
Suelto (SWEL-toh): A bull that has become separated from the herd. A lone bull is unpredictable and changes the dynamics of the run.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I see the bulls before they run?
Yes. The bulls can be viewed from the bastion wall above the Corrales del Santo Domingo (corralillo) at night and in the early morning before the run. This is a quiet, unhurried opportunity to observe the animals in a controlled setting. Many experienced runners use this time to study the bulls and to acclimate themselves mentally to the experience ahead.
What time should I arrive at the run route?
Arrive by 7:00 am. The official entry gates close at approximately 7:30 am, and by that time the route is becoming claustrophobic and tense. Arriving earlier gives you time to find your position, to settle into your mental space, and to prepare for what is coming.
Who are the pastores and why are they so important?
The pastores are trained herders who run behind and alongside the bulls, managing the herd and handling separated bulls. They wear green polo shirts and carry a long stick. They are the most revered people on the run route because they bear ultimate responsibility for the safe and efficient movement of the bulls through the course. Many runners make a point of greeting the pastor at La Curva before the run as a gesture of respect and tradition.
What happens if a bull gets separated from the herd?
A bull that separates from the herd becomes a suelto. The pastores are trained to find and manage separated bulls, either bringing them back into the main herd or safely into the bullring. This is one of their core responsibilities and one reason they are so valued in the community.
Understand the Encierro from the Moment It Begins
The encierro does not start at 8:00 am. It starts with the movement of bulls from the corrals, with the preparation of streets, with the gathering of runners who understand that being on the route at 7:00 am is an act of respect and intention. Our preparation sessions walk you through the entire timeline from the corrales to the street, explaining what is happening and why. Learn the full geography or book a tour and see the corrales and the route from the perspective of someone who has stood on that street before the rockets fired.