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Guided Classic Dolomites Traverse

Our guided hut-to-hut hike across the Dolomites is an unforgettable collection of quaint villages, comfortable huts, and rugged landscapes.

Guided Classic Dolomites Traverse

Our guided hut-to-hut hike across the Dolomites is an unforgettable collection of quaint villages, comfortable huts, and rugged landscapes.

    Support
  • Guided Group,
    Style
  • Inn-To-Inn,
    Activity Level
  • Moderate to Challenging,

The Dolomites are the Alps’ great secret… a hiker’s paradise. A land where tidy Tyrolean hospitality meets passionate Italian charm.

You’ll hike through flower-filled meadows tucked against breathtaking pink and yellow cliffs and to sunny villages with trails radiating in every direction. Challenge yourself with rugged hikes into rocky towers and stumble upon a serendipitous hut serving the best coffee you’ve ever had. A hearty hike to a welcoming inn, followed by a 5 course feast with local wine. It’s perfect, really.

The Dolomites are notable for having so many great routes, with trails everywhere, and no real central massif. It feels like you can explore forever and never run out of mountains, huts and charming villages. We’ve developed one of the best routes in the Dolomites, hiking from verdant Val Gardena through beautiful Alta Badia to rugged and rocky Cortina d’Ampezzo. We have a great mix of village hotels and scenic huts, with beautiful culture, striking mountains, off-the-beaten-path surprises, and memorable cuisine.

Our guided tours are all guaranteed… if you sign up, the trip is going. Our guides will help you find the right pace on the trail and order the right wine once you stop. They can teach you about the culture and history of the region, which is fascinating, identify the flowers, and generally make your life easy. If you want to hike, relax and not worry about anything, this guided group Dolomites Traverse is the good life. We promise.

 

See our Self-guided version

    Length
  • 11 days, 10 nights
    Departures
  • Jun 10 – Jun 20, 2024Sold Out!
  • Sep 2 – Sep 12, 2024
    Cost
  • $4895 Per Person
  • $1050 Single Room

Itinerary At a Glance

Days 1-2

Ortisei

Ortisei is a sunny, walkable village in the fabulous Val Gardena. What a start! Hiking trails, gondolas and inviting cafes everywhere. We’ll start with a favorite day hike to a remote mountain restaurant above town.

Days 3-4

Schlernhaus to Plattkofel

Next, a 3 day hike across the Seiser Alm, the largest mountain meadow in the Alps. We stop at the historic mountaintop Schlernhaus hut, then traverse across the mountains to Plattkofel, a beautiful, newly renovated lodge at the base of an impressive mountain.

Days 5-6

Selva to Corvara

After exploring the Langkofel group, we descend to Selva.  Another great day hike from here completes our time in the Gardena valley before we head east to Alta Badia, a beautiful region with a strong Ladin culture and endless views.

Days 7-11

Alta Badia to Cortina

The Alta Badia region is gorgeous.  We’ll explore the mountains around Corvara, followed by a night at the unforgettable Lagazuoi hut, perched atop a high, rocky peak. Explore WW1 tunnels, take in the endless panorama.  We finish in stylish Cortina d’Ampezzo.

Included

Your tour will be led by an experienced Alpinehikers guide, with guided hikes daily. All transfers to and from trailheads are included. You’ll stay 7 nights in 3-star village hotels and 3 nights in remote inns and huts, with private rooms on 9 of the 10 nights (singles not guaranteed at the huts). All breakfasts, picnic lunches and dinners are included. Luggage transfers to all village hotels are also part of your tour, as well as group arrival taxi from Bolzano to Ortisei and departure taxi from Cortina to Venice.

Full Itinerary

Day 1

Arrive Ortisei

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 comfortable and cozy 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.

Hotel Surghes or similar
  • Dinner

Day 2

Ortisei, hike to Brogles hut

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.

HIKE: 5-6 hours, 8 miles; Elevation: 1180 ft up, 2360 ft down

Hotel Cosmea or similar
  • Breakfast
  • Lunch
  • Dinner

Day 3

Schlernhaus hut

Hiking hut-to-hut, we’ll traverse the famous Alpe di Siusi, 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, bathrooms down the hall. They have a great lodge-like atmosphere and their beautiful dining room is a cozy place to relax in the evening enjoying a night high in the Dolomites.

HIKE: 5-7 hours, 9 miles; Elevation: 2670 ft up, 1220 ft down

Schlernhaus Hut
  • Breakfast
  • Lunch
  • Dinner

Day 4

Plattkofel hut

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 and hot showers, Plattkofel is more like a comfortable mountain inn than a hut, with beautiful rooms, great food, and welcoming feel that allows us to relax and enjoy a beautiful evening high in the mountains.  There are typically no single rooms at Plattkofel.

HIKE: 5-7 hours, 8 miles; Elevation: 1640 ft up, 2140 ft down

Plattkofel Hut
  • Breakfast
  • Lunch
  • Dinner

Day 5

hike to Selva

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, with peaceful trails in every direction.

HIKE: 5-7 hours, 7 miles; Elevation: 2030 ft up, 2230 ft down

Hotel Krone
  • Breakfast
  • Lunch
  • Dinner

Day 6

Selva, hike Puez-Odle park

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.

The scenery is stunning.  Afterwards, spend some time wandering the quiet pathways through town or relax in our hotel’s hot tub.

HIKE: 6-8 hours, 9 miles; Elevation: 3600 ft up, 3600 ft down

Hotel Krone
  • Breakfast
  • Lunch
  • Dinner

Day 7

hike to Corvara

We’ll start out with a mellow hike through the glacially-carved U-shaped Vallunga Valley, climbing to the Puez hut high above the valley. A rocky traverse from here leads to the next valley and down to the village of Corvara, in the Alta Badia region.

An easier option starts with a bus or gondola ride to the Gardena Pass, where the massive Sella Mountain dominates your view. An easy descending trail through meadows winds down to Corvara from here.

HIKE: 7-9 hours, 10 miles; Elevation: 3160 ft up, 3360 ft down

Hotel Villa Eden
  • Breakfast
  • Lunch
  • Dinner

Day 8

Corvara, hike to Santa Croce

We have a lot of great options today.  One great hike starts from the nearby town of Badia and leads up to the chapel and restaurant at Santa Croce (la Crusc), with gorgeous views all around. Hike through scenic meadows below a monumental mountain wall to Santa Croce.

After lunch at the hut, we’ll head down wooded trails to the lovely small village of San Cassiano, framed by a gorgeous backdrop of mountains before returning to Corvara.

HIKE: 6-8 hours, 9.5 miles; Elevation: 2580 ft up, 1930 ft down

Hotel Villa Eden
  • Breakfast
  • Lunch
  • Dinner

Day 9

Lagazuoi hut

Today’s dramatic walk starts from nearby  San Cassiano and takes us up through a quiet valley to the rifugio Lagazuoi, a popular hut perched at the summit of a mountain with incredible views and rich history.

This was the scene of fierce fighting in WWI, and many tunnels and artifacts remain to this day. Despite it’s mountaintop position, Lagazuoi has comfortable rooms and hot showers, and takes care to serve abundant and delicious meals.  We will be sharing small dorm rooms here.

HIKE: 5-7 hours, 6 miles; Elevation: 3470 ft up

rifugio Lagazuoi
  • Breakfast
  • Lunch
  • Dinner

Day 10

Cortina d’Ampezzo

Finally, we’ll cap our trip with a scenic traverse below the Tofane di Rozes Mountain. Optionally, we may cross the valley to explore the Cinque Torre Region, where more WWI artifacts remain.

We’ll finish in Cortina d’Ampezzo, the pearl of the Alps, and the lively town at the heart of the eastern Dolomites, for a final, celebratory evening.

HIKE: 6-8 hours, 9 miles; Elevation: 1850 ft up, 3720 ft down

Hotel Cortina or de la Poste
  • Breakfast
  • Lunch
  • Dinner

Day 11

depart

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

Departure: Venice. A 9:00 group taxi to Venice is included in your tour, arriving at Venice airport at 11:00, or you can be dropped off Piazzale Roma if you are staying in Venice.   We can arrange a private taxi for you, at extra cost, if you need a different departure time or destination.

  • Breakfast

Tour Options

Guided Classic Dolomites Traverse

Inn-To-Inn

  • All departures guaranteed. No minimum group size.
  • A moderate inn-to-inn with 7 stops in 10 nights
  • Private rooms 9 nights and luggage 7 of the 10 nights
  • A memorable mix of Tyrolean, Italian and local Ladin cultures
  • Historic mountaintop stops at Schlernhaus and Lagazuoi huts
  • Fabulous hotels and great food – high on comfort
  • Fascinating WWI history
  • $4895Per Person
  • $1050Single Room

Guided Best of the Dolomites

Inn-To-Inn

  • Great inn-to-inn choice for shorter hikes
  • An easy to moderate inn-to-inn with 4 stops in 6 nights
  • Private rooms all nights and luggage 4 nights
  • A beautiful mix of Tyrolean, Italian and local Ladin cultures
  • Historic mountaintop hut at Schlernhaus
  • All departures guaranteed. No minimum group size.
  • Friendly hotels and memorable cuisine
  • $3695Per Person
  • $650Single Room

Guided Deluxe Dolomites Traverse

Inn-To-Inn

  • All departures guaranteed. No minimum group size.
  • A moderate inn-to-inn with 5 stops in 10 nights
  • Luxurious stays in 4 and 5-star hotels every night
  • Beautiful spas and gourmet meals
  • A memorable mix of Tyrolean, Italian and local Ladin cultures
  • Fascinating WWI history
  • Great flexibility for easier or harder hikes
  • $6995Per Person
  • $1450Single Room

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