Arrive in Italy and and meet our shuttle in Bolzano. If you are arriving early, we can help with extra nights in Bolzano or with arrangements on getting to Ortisei independently. 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. Ortisei is a pleasant walkable village and is blessed with beautiful views from every corner. We’ll stay in a cozy and welcoming 3-star hotel.

Arrival: Venice or Münich. Plan to arrive in Bolzano by 4 pm for the group meeting the day your tour starts.   Venice is about 4 hrs from Bolzano by train, and Münich is about 5½ hrs away.  It’s a good idea to arrive a day in Europe a day early so you have plenty of time for this journey.

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 a great place to relax for a couple hours before dinner.

Hiking hut-to-hut, we’ll traverse the famous Alpe di Siusi, or Seiser Alm, the largest meadow in the Alps. We’ll first make an unforgettable gourmet stop at Gostner Schwaige for lunch, and then after a mellow crossing of the meadows, we’ll tackle the steep ascent to the mountaintop Schlernhaus.

Schlernhaus is fairly rustic, with private rooms (no singles), and bathrooms down the hall. They have a wonderful lodge-like atmosphere and their beautiful dining room is a cozy place to relax in the evening enjoying a night high in the Dolomites.

Today we’ll continue along the ridgeline high above the rolling green hills of the Alpe di Siusi, with breathtaking views in every direction. We’ll stop for lunch at the beautiful Tires hut, and finish the day at Plattkofel hut.

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

Today we descend from Plattkofel and make our way to Selva, circling around the towering, jagged Sassolungo group. After a stop at a dramatic mountain hut tucked inside a cirque of mountains, we’ll cross a series of meadows to a cable car that whisks us down to town.

Selva is a lovely little village surrounded by the stunning scenery of the Gardena Valley.

For our final hike 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 enjoy a final farewell dinner at our tasteful village hotel.

Today, you say goodbye to the Dolomites, and transfer to Bolzano for your post-trip destinations.

Departure: Venice or Münich. A 9:00 group taxi to Bolzano is included in your tour, arriving in Bolzano at 10:00, where you can catch a train.  We can arrange a private taxi for you, at extra cost, if you need a different departure time or destination.