Exploring the Great Dolomites
One of our WT adventurers recently returned from Italy’s spectacular Dolomites, and he took some stunning photos of the mountain scenery and hikes. Take a look at the beauty of the Dolomites!
After a decade of intense travel and seeing many of the natural wonders of our blue planet, I decided for a change of pace and joined Wilderness Travel’s Ultimate Dolomites trip.
I was looking for a beautiful destination that was not crowded by the hikers typically seen on European trails and that could provide me with some good photographic opportunities. This trip delivered much more than I expected, and as one of the past travelers commented about the adventure, “this trip is truly underrated.”
Daily hikes brought us along the impressive rock formations adorned with carpets of flowers.
We encountered beautiful poppies blooming in this arid environment.
I was lucky enough to watch the intense orange and red hues at sunset…
…and witness the force of nature during a hefty storm at one of the rifugios.
And there are the small joys of achievement, like using the lift to get to next town—it was so much fun gliding through the air on a warm summer day!
My biggest surprise during the journey was that the Dolomites has an interesting mix between Germanic and Italian cultures. German, Italian, and Ladin are spoken by most of the population. Once one descends from the Dolomites to Venice, one feels the change of pace from serene mountains to bustling metropolis.
After every hike, there is also a special treat for the taste buds: a stop to eat the best strudel or knödel in the area, and trying out some local specialties, like a deer steak. But I need to warn you, the leaders are always after the desserts! Overall, it was a really fantastic journey and I’m looking forward to more in the future.
—Text and photos by 2-time WT adventurer Uwe Haller, Ultimate Dolomites.
