Hike the classic landscape of Italy's Dolomites with Boundless Journeys

In the morning, we meet our driver in Innsbruck, Austria, who transfers us to Ortisei, Italy in Val Gardena. Here, we meet our hiking guides for our first excursion into the famed Dolomites. Our drive through the mountains is a great introduction to the incredible scenery of South Tyrol. Home to three cultures - Italian, Austrian, and the native Ladin, most signage in Val Gardena is written in the three languages - Italian, German, and Ladin!

Ortisei is dominated by the Rasciesa Peak in Val Gardena. This valley is locally known for skiing and rock climbing as well as its woodcarving tradition, which has flourished here since the 17th century. The flank of the Odle mountain group, aptly named "needles" in Ladin, has been subject to long term erosion, revealing the fascinating earth and rock strata underlining the principal pale dolomite rock. We see an array of geological material including gray chalks dating back 240-250 million years, wine red porphyry from a relatively late volcanic phase, and a blood-red variety of sandstone.

From Ortisei, we take the cable car to Rifugio Malga Saltner (6,926') to the start of our hike. The trail is predominantly gentle with little elevation change, perfect for getting our hiking legs warmed up for the next few days. We stop for lunch at a rifugio and admire the jagged north faces of the dramatic Odle Group.

We continue downhill on a forested trail to the middle cable car station, Mount Seceda (5,545'), from where we have the option to ride the gondola into town or hike down. Enjoy some time to explore Ortesei's lively cobblestoned streets of town before heading to neighboring Selva, our home for the next two nights.
Located at an altitude of 5,128', Selva is located at the end of the Val Gardena valley, at the foot of the impressive Sella Massif and Puez-Odle Natural Park. Selva boasts a vibrant town center with plenty of shops and cafes just a short walk from our hotel. We'll enjoy a 'Welcome' aperitivo and dinner at Hotel Krone to kick off our adventure together.

Accommodations

Hotel Krone
Selva, Italy

For more than 100 years the Hotel Krone (Coronia) has been welcoming guests. Discover the warm, intimate atmosphere, with the flavor of old style charm in the center of the town of Selva. Enjoy the cosy and stylish rooms, and spa with panonoramic views of the surrounding mountains. End your days in the hotel’s fine restaurant savouring the renowned local specialities and sipping excellent regional wines.

Today is a rewarding full-day hike! Although this hike is longer in mileage, overall, the terrain is comparitively smooth for relatively easier hiking. Occupying the head of Val di Fassa and Val Gardena is the magnificent twin formation Sassolungo-Sassopiatto; meaning "long stone" and "flat stone". Seen from the air it resembles a horseshoe open at the northwest end, and accommodates two tiny glaciers. Intriguing explanations for the origin of the mountain are furnished by legendary sources. One says the cruel king Laiadro, responsible for the death of his mother, has been buried in the mountain and his outstretched empty hand is clearly visible from Passo Sella as the Cinque Dita (five fingers) rock points.

This hike offers high altitude panoramic walking with superb scenery; wildflowers grow in abundance on the grassy slopes populated by cows and marmots.
We transfer to the Sella Pass (7,152'), then hike under Sassolungo and Sassopiatto on the famous Friedrich-August-Weg route. Following ancient shepherd routes, spectacular views take you to Rifugio Sassopiatto (7,546'), and on past hay chalets and hillsides coated in wildflowers. Circling around the mountains, we are surrounded by clumps of yellow Rhaetian poppies. We may opt to visit a camouflaged stone Rifugio Vicenza (7,391'), surrounded by towering rock peaks and a view north over Val Gardena. A level stretch of trail leads through a rocky pass, and on to Rifugio Comici (7,063') to stretch our legs. This loop hike now turns south through an unearthly landscape of tumbled boulders - Città dei Sassi ("city of stones") - arriving back at Rifugio Passo Sella from where we'll transfer back to Selva.

Accommodations

Hotel Krone
Selva, Italy

For more than 100 years the Hotel Krone (Coronia) has been welcoming guests. Discover the warm, intimate atmosphere, with the flavor of old style charm in the center of the town of Selva. Enjoy the cosy and stylish rooms, and spa with panonoramic views of the surrounding mountains. End your days in the hotel’s fine restaurant savouring the renowned local specialities and sipping excellent regional wines.

From the town of Selva di Val Gardena, we'll venture to the Dantercepies cable car whic will take us to Passo Gardena (6,955') for our hike amidst the Dolomites' signature rocky terrain to the Passo Cir (8,100') in the heart of the surrounding peaks. Eventually, the trail widens and follows undulating terrain leading us to the Forcella Ciampai Pass (7,760'), where we may pause to take in the stunning 360-degree views. From here, we may choose a longer option from the Passo Cir to the Sass Ciampac (8,770') with even more extensive views.

We descend an incredible switchback trail towards the Alta Badia, stopping at Rifugio Col Pradat for an exquisite lunch with a jaw-dropping view of the valley. Afteward, a short trail leads to a cable car where we have the option to hop on for a descent to the village of Colfosco or hike down a fairly steep, rocky trail (adding 1,000' descent). Our next two nights are spent in the town of Corvara located in the Alta Badia, or South Tyrol, in the heart of the Dolomites. It is a classic example of a South Tyrolean village and the jumping off point for many visitors to the region.

Before the First World War, this region was part of Austria, and the fusion of Austrian and Italian culture is evidenced in the food, architecture, and language. The local people (called "Ladini") speak Ladino, which is rooted in the Romansh language, one of the four official languages spoken in Switzerland and in northern Italy. The signs in this area are written first in Ladino, then in German, and lastly in Italian — perhaps a testament to the order in which people identify themselves.

Tonight, we're in for a taste of Ladino culture and gastronomic feast as we visit a local agriturismo, Maso Runch, a family-run farm dating to the 18th century. Buon appetito!

Accommodations

Hotel Table
Corvara in Badia, Italy

The Hotel Tablé offers a refined environment and features bright and spacious rooms, each with a balcony. The on-site restaurant prepares both international cuisine and local Ladin dishes. A bar/pastry shop, reading room with fireplace, and spa are available for guests.

After a hearty breakfast, we transfer to the church of San Cassiano to begin our hike to the Santa Croce Sanctuary at the base of the Sasso della Croce. We pass through a number of closely-knit hamlets with ancient timber farmhouses and barns, known as viles. These small communities are characteristic of Val Badia; in medieval times, they were grouped together for protection, forming self-sufficient units with their own collective oven and water well. The properties have been safeguarded from obsolescence thanks to the deeply-rooted and legal process of the maso chiuso — closed farm — introduced in the 6th century, whereby the eldest son is expected to carry on farm activities while other siblings must seek fortune elsewhere.

As our walk wends uphill through pine forest, we have great views of Santa Croce, the mountain groups of Conturines and Sella, and the Val Badian towns of La Villa, San Cassiano, Corvara, Pedraces, and San Leonardo. The sober white church was consecrated in 1484 and the original chapel was built in the 11th century, when a wealthy count of the Val Pusteria withdrew here to meditate in repentance for his harsh treatment of his subjects. He then donated his earthly possessions to the nearby abbey, the badia, hence the name, "Val Badia."

A charming rifugio here welcomes us for a short break on the panoramic terrace before we continue to the scenic Armentara meadows trail to a typical Ladino shepherd's house for lunch. Here, we taste local specialties such as turtres (Ladino vegetable pastries), grilled veggies, and homemade cakes. We descend on foot to the town of Valgiarei to meet our private transfer to take us to our hotel.

Accommodations

Hotel Table
Corvara in Badia, Italy

The Hotel Tablé offers a refined environment and features bright and spacious rooms, each with a balcony. The on-site restaurant prepares both international cuisine and local Ladin dishes. A bar/pastry shop, reading room with fireplace, and spa are available for guests.

This morning, we start our day at Passo Falzarego (6,906'), where we take the cable car to Rifugio Lagazuoi, one of the highest rifugi in the Dolomites — sitting on the patio feels as though you're at the edge of the world, with views that stretch for miles on a clear day. We may see Marmolada (10,964') and Antelao (10,709'), the two highest peaks of the Dolomites.

The tragically famous rock fortress, il Castelletto, stands below us, the setting of incredible battles and harbor of caves and tunnels where the soldiers of WWI dwelled for months on end. If time allows, we also explore the restored galleries, trenches, and emplacements near the rifugio. So much fighting occurred here that it literally changed the face of the mountain by the end of the war.

After taking in this incredible scenery and sobering history, we take the return trip via cable car to start our hike, heading south into a beautiful valley. We pass Lago Limedes, and depending on the light, this beautiful little lake has a rich green color and offers beautiful reflections of Monte Averau. Heading up through a rocky canyon toward Forcella Averau, we work up an appetite as we approach Rifugio Averau. This offers the perfect spot for a delicious lunch of perhaps homemade gnocchi and ravioli as the rifugio is well-known for having one of the best restaurants in the Dolomites.

Well nourished, we descend to the Cinque Torri mountains (Five Towers). The famous profile isn't comprised of just five towers — there is also a mass of secondary boulders, fractured towers and peaks sprinkled liberally across the entire area. We enjoy a loop around the towers and the opportunity to learn more about the World War I history with visits to many sites along the route as we hike through restored trenches and explore the rugged dwellings of the soldiers who fought in The Great War.

We'll then transfer to Cortina d'Ampezzo, a charming resort town surrounded by stunning peaks and uniquely sheltered from the cold winds of the north, giving it a relatively mild climate year-round. Having hosted the 1956 Winter Olympics, Cortina enjoys a reputation for great skiing but also attracts hikers and climbers in the summer as a base for adventuring in the surrounding stunning mountains. This inviting town is our home for the next three nights.

This evening's dinner will be savoured in Hotel Cortina's renowned restaurant.

Accommodations

Hotel Cortina
Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy

The Hotel Cortina is one of the oldest hotels in Cortina d’Ampezzo, dating back to 1870. The renovated building has retained all of its traditional Ampezzan charm and attention to detail, while adding modern services and amenities. Set in front of Cortina’s 19th-century bell tower, the hotel offers a fitness center, restaurant, and a terrace bar overlooking the Corso Italia.

This walk to the Alpe di Sennes uplands offers much diversity of scenery and habitats, home to veritable hordes of ibex, chamois, roe deer and marmots. As with Day 2, although this is a longer hike, overall, the terrain is comparitively smooth for relatively easier hiking. Grandiose Dolomite groups headed by the Croda Rossa are foremost features, their lower flanks cloaked by flourishing woods of evergreen conifer and deciduous species.

The hike begins at the Rifugio Malga Ra Stua (5,538'), a cozy hut-come-dairy farm set in a valley lying between the Croda Rossa and Lavinores Dolomite groups. The name "stua" comes from "dam" (the nearby stream used to be harnessed for energy to operate machinery for the medieval quarry of red stone next to the hut).

Our first stretch takes us to scenic views from Campo Croce (5,814') where we'll head to Rifugio Biella on a rocky trail through dwarf pines, into a lovely flowered basin, and past mountain lakes along the foot of the impressive Piccola Croda Rossa. We'll ascend to Rifugio Biella (7,634'), with its stunning panoramic views of the Tofane and Pelmo Massifs. We may savor a classic rifugio lunch here, or at Rifugio Sennes further down the trail. After lunch, we join a gentler jeep track, through undulating terrain with masses of gentian, edelweiss, and marmots and hike south downhill to Rifugio Sennes.

The route takes us along a panoramic ridge with views of the Croda del Becco, Croda Rossa, and Cristallo before a long descent back to Rifugio Malga Ra Stua.

Enjoy dinner on your own at one of the town's many authentic and highly reputed restaurants.

Accommodations

Hotel Cortina
Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy

The Hotel Cortina is one of the oldest hotels in Cortina d’Ampezzo, dating back to 1870. The renovated building has retained all of its traditional Ampezzan charm and attention to detail, while adding modern services and amenities. Set in front of Cortina’s 19th-century bell tower, the hotel offers a fitness center, restaurant, and a terrace bar overlooking the Corso Italia.

Today, we transfer to Passo Giau, the start of a beautiful hike around the Croda da Lago Massif (7,335'). We set out on the grassy Col Piombin, (a name stemming from past lead mining) and hike over the Forcella Giau (7,742') with inspiring views of the Tofana and Lastoi de Formin. Sharp ears may hear the peeps of playful marmots.

The path drops to cross a few streams and then gains up to the earthy saddle of Forcella Ambrizzola (7,470'). We enter the spectacular ragged valley amid the Croda da Lago and Lastoi de Formin range and admire the vistas of these impressive Dolomitic formations. We continue to Rifugio Croda da Lago Palmieri (6,699') for our last delicious Alpine lunch, overlooking the prominent Tre Cime di Lavaredo and its neighbors towering above the Cortina valley.

We enjoy a more forested descent along babbling brooks before returning to Cortina, culminating our full week of hiking the Dolomites' most iconic routes.

Our adventures are celebrated together over a delectable dinner at one of Cortina's finest restaurants.

Accommodations

Hotel Cortina
Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy

The Hotel Cortina is one of the oldest hotels in Cortina d’Ampezzo, dating back to 1870. The renovated building has retained all of its traditional Ampezzan charm and attention to detail, while adding modern services and amenities. Set in front of Cortina’s 19th-century bell tower, the hotel offers a fitness center, restaurant, and a terrace bar overlooking the Corso Italia.

After breakfast and we bid Cortina "Arrivederci", and take a 2-hour transfer where we can admire the landscape one last time before our farewell at the Venice airport.