Arrive in Italy and and make your way to Bolzano, where you’ll have a private taxi to Ortisei. If you like, we can help with nights in Bolzano or a taxi from Venice or other regional airport. Ortisei is a lovely little village surrounded by the stunning scenery of the Gardena valley.

You’ll meet your guide, talk about the trip to come. Afterwards, enjoy a wonderful welcome dinner and settle in to our comfortable and friendly 3-star hotel for the night.

Arrival: Bolzano. We’ll arrange a private taxi to pick you up in Bolzano for the 50 minute trip to Ortisei.  We normally plan this trip for a 5 pm pickup in Bolzano, but this can be adjusted to suit your schedule.

Today, we might start with a cable car ride to a ridge high above town, and take a dayhike through high scenic meadows to the Brogles hut, where you can scan practically the entire Gardena valley and gaze upon the jagged needles of the Puez-Odle peaks.

Afterwards, spend a little time in town. Ortisei is a beautiful village with shops and cafes lining their cobblestoned, pedestrian-only main road. The village pool and spa is also included in your stay and is a great place to relax for a couple hours.

We’ll enjoy a slow morning today and then begin our hike by ascending a gondola to the rolling green hills of the Alpe di Siusi, the largest mountain meadow in the Alps. After a mellow crossing of the meadows and an unforgettable stop at the lively Gostner Schwaige for lunch, we’ll continue our steep ascent to the peak.

Finish the day at Schlernhaus, an historic mountain inn atop the mighty Schlern peak, with breathtaking views in every direction. Trails radiate from the hut for optional walks to even higher views. Schlernhaus is fairly rustic, with private rooms and bathrooms down the hall. Their beautiful dining room is a cozy place to relax in the evening enjoying a night high in the Dolomites.

Hiking hut-to-hut, we’ll traverse east toward the towering Sassolungo mountain group, to the Plattkofel hut, tucked at the base of jagged, imposing rock spires. The trail provides stunning views of the famed Catinaccio/Rosengarten group enroute. Stop at Tierser hut for a hearty lunch before continuing to your inn for the night.

For those with extra energy and time, an optional hike up to the peak of Sassolungo will reward you with spectacular views of the whole region. Plattkofel is more a comfortable mountain inn than a hut, with private rooms (but no singles) and hot showers. They have a quiet ambiance that allows us to relax and enjoy a beautiful evening high in the mountains.

Today we traverse around the northwest corner of the Sassolungo Group, towering in stark relief over the Alpe di Siusi. We’ll spend the day winding our way through boulder fields, grassy meadows, and spruce-larch forests before catching a cable car down to Selva.

Selva is surrounded by pleasant hiking trails and is blessed with beautiful views from every corner. Take an evening stroll and enjoy the mountain views from the highest village in the Gardena valley.

There are plenty of great day hike options from Selva. Today we’ll work our way up and explore the high meadows of the dramatic Puez-Odle mountain group, and perhaps stopping in at places like the Regensberger or Stevia Huts along the way.

In the evening, you can unwind and enjoy the gourmet cuisine at your tasteful village hotel.

A dramatic hike through the U-shaped Vallunga valley leads us to the Puez hut. Puez hut has a large outdoor terrace and is a great place to stop for lunch or even just a cold drink. From here, a high, rocky traverse to the the Gardena pass, where the massive Sella mountain dominates.

After reaching the Gardena pass, a scenic descent along a wooded trail or a short bus transfer brings us to Corvara in the traditional Alta Badia region. Stay comfortable and friendly hotel in this pleasant village.

This is a fairly mellow day over the meadows of Pralongia, the ridge that separates Corvara and San Cassiano, with mellow trails, great views, and lots of restaurants to stop at along the way.  There are many options for longer or shorter days.

If you’d like a harder hike, you can make the steep out-and-back excursion to the peak of Setsas from Pralongia, which should add about 3 hours to the hike, and leads to unforgettable panoramic views from the peak.

We’ll finish with 2 nights in a fabulous 4-star hotel in San Cassiano.

Finally, you’ll finish your Dolomites Traverse with a dramatic hike high above the valley to the rifugio Lagazuoi, a popular hut perched at the summit of a mountain with incredible views and rich history. The direct trail is an uphill route through a quiet valley, with optional detours for a longer day.

Lagazuoi was the scene of fierce fighting in WWI, and many tunnels and artifacts remain to this day.

Return to San Cassiano by bus for a final, celebratory evening

Today we say arrivederci, and depart for our post-tour destinations.

Departure: Venice.  A private taxi to Venice, a 3 hr trip, is included in your tour, either to the airport or downtown.  We can book additional taxis or custom travel to other destinations, at extra cost, if needed.