Overview
The Dolomites are an awesome spectacle, their rose-tinted pinnacles and towers soaring above gloriously green meadows and storybook villages. We explore this famous landscape with a choice of moderate or challenging hiking options each day, heading across trails renowned for their views of regal Marmolada (10,968'), highest peak in the Dolomites, and the colossal and ghostly pillars of the Tre Cime di Lavaredo. By day, we savor some of Europe’s most eye-catching mountain scenery, and by night, we sleep in comfortable hotels. Mouth-watering Italian-Tyrolean cuisine fuels our hikes, and we’ll spend one night at a spectacular mountaintop lodge to watch alpenglow on the peaks.
Dolomites is now my most favorite hiking trip. The combination of great scenery, open vistas, relatively uncrowded trails, great (well, maybe too much great food) food, and excellent guides all made trip a fantastic experience.
— Yvonne L., Bloomington, IN
Itinerary at a Glance
Days 1-3
Venice / Rifugio Palmieri / Civetta Massif
Our first hike takes us up to Rifugio Palmieri and brings us through lush meadows to Ambrizolla Pass, with grand views of the Tofane massif and the Cortina Valley below. Another hike reveals the majestic Pelmo, called “the Throne of the Doge,” and the Civetta, shaped like an enormous trident. Sunsets at our hotel paint the mountains in shades of pink and purple.
Day 4
Rifugio Lagazuoi
A challenging hike (with moderate options) brings us panoramas stretching from Tofane to Marmolada before we head up to Rifugio Lagazuoi by way of a spectacular cable car ride. This lodge has a stunning “top of the world” location surrounded by breathtaking peaks and the silence of the mountains. We van savor a cold beer or a glass of wine on the terrace here to enjoy our mountaintop setting and the colors on the pinnacles.
Days 5-8
Cortina d’Ampezzo / Tre Cime di Lavaredo
Cortina’s most famous massif includes the Tofane di Roses, Tofane di Mezzo, and Tofane di Dentro, three sheer peaks all over 10,500 feet. We circle the Tofane massif via a remote valley dotted with wildflowers and crystal-clear springs. Our moderate option leads below the great spires of the Tofane di Roses and continues along the Alta Via 1, a long-distance footpath traversing the Dolomites from north to south. We also hike into the magnificent realm of the Tre Cime di Lavaredo, the yellow-pink spires that offer quintessential Dolomites scenery. Depart on Day 8 via Venice, or extend your stay in this marvelous city.
Hiking in the Cortina Dolomites
Highlights
Highlights
Details
6 hiking days, moderate to steep trails, 3-7 hours a day, altitudes from 5,000-9,100 feet, team of up to 3 Trip Leaders, van support (for luggage or if you wish to skip a day's hike). This is a strenuous hiking trip. Please read the “What the Trip is Like” section.
