Overview
The Dolomites are an awesome spectacle, their rose-tinted pinnacles and towers soaring above lush meadows and storybook villages. With your choice of moderate or challenging hiking options each day, we head out on trails renowned for their views of the regal Marmolada (10,968'), the highest peak in the Dolomites, and the colossal 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 over the peaks.
Amazing trip, well planned, flexible staff and itinerary. Staff had great relationships with hotel and lodging hosts, chefs, making it even more special! What could be better than to have a world class mountain guide steering you around a beautiful setting like the Dolomites?
— Dana W., Spokane, WA
Itinerary at a Glance
Days 1-3
Venice / Passo Giau / Civetta Massif
Our first hike starts right from our hotel and brings us through beautiful meadows to Ambrizolla Pass, with grand views of the Tofane massif and the Cortina Valley below. Another hike reveals the majestic Pelmo, called “the Doge’s Cap” by patriotic Venetians, and the Civetta, shaped like an enormous trident.
Day 4
Rifugio Lagazuoi
A challenging hike (with moderate options) rewards us with panoramas stretching from Tofane to Marmolada as we head up to Rifugio Lagazuoi by trail or by cable car. This lodge has a stunning location and we’re on top of the world here, surrounded by breathtaking peaks and the silence of the mountains. We explore the haunting World War I tunnels carved into the mountains by Italian soldiers in 1916 and 1917. Tonight we’ll savor a cold beer or a glass of wine before dinner and enjoy our mountaintop setting and the pinnacles’ ever-changing hues.
Days 5-8
Cortina d’Ampezzo / Tre Cime di Lavaredo
Cortina’s most famous mountain massif includes the Tofane di Roses, Tofane di Mezzo, and Tofane di Dentro, three sheer peaks all over 10,500 feet and renowned by alpinists worldwide. We circle the Tofane massif via a remote valley dotted with wildflowers and crystal-clear springs, with chamoix grazing in high alpine meadows. Our moderate option leads along a trail 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 famed Tre Cime di Lavaredo, the steep, yellow-pink spires that offer quintessential Dolomites scenery. Depart on Day 8 via Venice, or extend your stay in this ancient city.
Hiking in the Cortina Dolomites
Highlights
Highlights
Details
6 hiking days, choice of moderate to steep trails, 3-7 hours a day, altitudes from 5,000-9,100 feet, van support (for luggage or if you wish to skip a day's hike). This is a strenuous hiking trip, read “What the Trip is Like” for more details.
