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Experienced thru-hikers may want to combine some of the stages of Alta Via I and II. Over 8 days, hike across Cinque Torri, across the Pelmo and Civetta areas covering the second portion of Alta Via I, then move onto Alta Via II. Admire a variety of different landscapes and geological features as you walk from the foot of the highest mountain in the Dolomites, the majestic Marmolada, to Val di Contrin and Val di Fassa.
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Arrive in Cortina d’Ampezzo (1,224m / 4,016′) on your own and check into your hotel (private transfer available on request). Cortina d’Ampezzo is a charming alpine resort town surrounded by stunning peaks. Host to the 1956 Winter Olympics, Cortina enjoys a reputation for great skiing in winter, and in the summer attracts hikers and climbers who challenge the rocky faces of the nearby mountains.
In the afternoon you will meet with a Dolomite Mountains representative who will provide a trip briefing and orientation, as well as maps and everything necessary for your self-guided adventure.
Accommodation: Hotel in Cortina d’Ampezzo (D)
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Today you will explore the Lagazuoi-Cinque Torri area – of great interest for both the spectacular mountains around and the abundance of reminders of the terrible years of WWI, due to the adjacency of the former border between the long-dismantled Hapsburg Empire and Italy.
There are also options for several other beautiful hikes in the area, including the WWI open-air museum at Cinque Torri.
Hiking: 3.7 km / 2.3 miles
Elevation: 478m / 1,568′ ascent, 156m / 512’ descent
Accommodation: Mountain hut (B, D) -
After breakfast, from your rifugio, pass a chapel, and begin to hike uphill to the rear of grassy Col Piombin, which takes its name from past mining activity. The trail leads over the Forcella Giau (2,360m / 7,742’) with plenty of ups and downs; here the views of the Tofana and Monte Cavallo are inspiring, not to mention the mountains on display to the south: Monte Fromin, Cernera, Pelmo and the upswept flank of Monte Mondeval. Along the hike, you’ll have great views of the majestic Sorapiss, the unmistakable pyramid of Antelao and far off the Cadore Dolomites. All of a sudden the Pelmo (3,168m / 10,394′) will be incredibly close, and at this range, it’s easy to understand why it was dubbed ‘Throne of the Gods’.
The last part of the day leads below Pelmo’s north face, (which is 1,006m / 3,300′ straight up to the top) to your comfortable mountain Rifugio at Passo Staulanza (1,783m / 5,850′), your home for tonight.
Hiking: 12.8 km / 8.0 miles
Elevation: 380m / 1,250’ ascent, 830m / 2,720’ descent
Accommodation: Mountain hut (B, D) -
Departing your rifugio, you’ll hike by several farms and join a popular trail that climbs to the shoulder of Monte Coldai, anchoring one end of the famous Monte Civetta. After stopping for lunch at Lago Coldai, continue to the Col Negro di Coldai that looks over at the towering west face of Monte Civetta. This “wall of walls” extends for over 4 miles (6km)! About midway, past this wall, you climb to your rifugio, perched on a mountaintop with views to the Val Civetta, down the Alleghe Valley, and west to the Marmolada Glacier. This overnight stop is unforgettable.
Hiking: 10.8 km / 6,7 miles
Elevation: 1,130m / 3,707’ ascent, 644m /2,113’ descent
Accommodation: Mountain hut (B, D) -
From the rifugio, descend to the Val Civetta over the Col Rean, through beautiful, open, green meadows to the narrow valley of Val Corpassa. The route takes you right below the sheer rock faces of the Torre Venezia (2,337m / 7,667′) and the Torre Trieste (2,458m / 8,064′), both rising some 600 meters (2,000′) vertically from the valley floor. You may even get to see some climbers ascending these impressive towers! Pass by the Rifugio Vazzoler (1,723m / 5,656′) and ascend steeply through a dense forest to Forcella de l’Orso and alongside Monte Moiazza’s southern flank to Rifugio Bruto Cartestiato. Continue to Rifugio San Sebastiano, following a clear white gravel lane across pasture clearings and light wood (a 40-minute hike). From Rifugio San Sebastiano you’ll have your private transfer to Malga Ciapela. Though a strenuous day over rugged terrain, this may be one of the prettiest and most varied hikes of your trip.
Hiking: 16.9 km / 10.5 miles
Elevation: 650 m / 2,130’ ascent, 1,270 m / 4,170‘ descent
Accommodation: Hotel in Malga Ciapela (B, D) -
In the morning, from Malga Ciapela hike west along the river Torrente Pettorina. The trail climbs steadily through thick forest to reach pasture clearings. After you pass and the farm Malga Ciapela Agriturismo, the uphill section begins in earnest.
The small, uninhabited village of Franzedàz is worth a visit, which will give you a good understanding of how, in past times, life was strictly connected with pastoralism: families would move up here with their animals during summer. Leave the high pastures and hike on the gravelly terrain that leads to Forca Rossa (2,490,/8,127′): the colored geological formations here reveal Triassic sedimentations. From here begins your descent in the direction of Passo San Pellegrino, and reach your rifugio for the night.
Hiking: 12.8 km / 8.0 miles
Elevation: 1,050 m / 3,450’ ascent, 700 m / 2,300‘ descent
Accommodation: Mountain hut (B, D) -
After breakfast depart from your rifugio past a string of photogenic hay barns and chalets into a lightly wooded area, reaching Albergo Miralago (1,920m / 6,299′). Hike to the road and Passo San Pellegrino and continue toward Passo Valles, which strikes out southeast across marshy terrain, chopped up by cows and horses that belong to the nearby farm. You quickly enter some pretty woods and climb steadily, crossing a cascading stream along the way. Continue to climb to Corda degli Zingari (2,297m / 7,536′), a broad crest on the edge of the Altopiano degli Zingari. Hike down the dirt track beneath Monte Predazzo admiring the vast slabs of the metamorphic Lagorai chain extending east to north, to Passo Valles (2,031m / 6,663′) and have a private transfer to your hotel, where you can enjoy a well-deserved dinner and night’s rest.
Your luggage will be waiting for you at your hotel.
Hiking: 8.4 km / 5.2 miles
Elevation: 630m / 2,066′ ascent, 560m / 1,837′ descent
Accommodation: Hotel in Moena, Val di Fassa (B, D) -
After a relaxing last breakfast, prepare for departure as you reminisce about your last five days spent hiking through one of the most special places in the world and meeting incredible people!
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- Trip briefing
- Logistics and maps of the area
- 1 night in a 3-star hotel in Cortina d’Ampezzo
- 4 nights in mountain huts
- 1 night in a 3-star hotel at Malga Ciapela
- 1 night in a 3-star hotel in Moena
- All breakfasts
- Dinners as per itinerary
- Local English-speaking professional hiking guide (guided trips)
- Transfers in the area as per itinerary
- Duffel bag transfer to your rifugio on Days 3 and 5 – please bring the duffel bag from home
- Luggage transfers from Alta Badia to Moena
- Local tourist tax
- Italian VAT tax
Airport transfers available on request
Luggage transfers available on request
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Included:
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- Local English-speaking hiking guide
- 6-day Alta Via I hiking adventure
- Most meals, as listed in the itinerary
- 5 breakfasts
- 3 dinners
- Accommodation for 5 nights
- 2 nights at a 3-star hotel in Cortina d’Ampezzo (double occupancy)
- 3 nights at mountain huts (shared dormitories)
- Airport transfers (from/to Venice Marco Polo Airport), a circa 2-hour ride
- Arrival day: from Venice Marco Polo Airport to Cortina d’Ampezzo at 2pm
- Departure day: from Cortina d’Ampezzo to Venice airport at 9am
- Transfers on Day 2 and 5 to/from trailhead
- Local tourist tax
- Italian VAT tax
- An €18 donation to Wow Nature’s reforestation projects makes your trip carbon-neutral
- All logistics and a map of the area
Add-ons (pricing shown at checkout):
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- Single occupancy room, only for the 2 hotel nights
Not included:
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- Flights to Italy
- Lunches, personal drinks, coffee and snacks
- Luggage transfers — clients must hike with a pack weighing roughly 15lbs (has to include a sleeping bag liner/sheet, but other than that, keep your pack light)
- Anything not indicated in the itinerary or under “Included”
- Guide gratuities — optional
- Insurance — available to add at checkout
Meals: Huts available en route serve delicious hearty meals at reasonable prices. A vegetarian option is always available but options for Celiacs and vegans are very limited. We suggest that you carry your own snacks and supplements, and let us know if you have any particular requests or allergies.
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The Alta Via I hiking adventure can be completed by any normal fit hiker with previous experience with multi-day hikes, who are prepared to walk for between 4 and 8 hours per day for 4 days in a row. It will greatly help your enjoyment of the trek to arrive fit at the start, used to walks of similar distance and height gain to those that you are about to face. There are no via ferrata sections on this tour!
Keep in mind you’ll be carrying your own pack from hut to hut, usually around 15 lbs—remarkably light compared to many similar treks, since the huts provide hot meals, drinks, and bedding (just bring a sleeping bag liner). All you’ll need are clothes, toiletries, and a few personal items.
Want to see what else is there in the area? Discover more Dolomites hiking tours here!
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Good fit if:
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- You have multi-day hiking experience already and moderate-to-good fitness—this isn’t a first-ever-hike trip, even though the terrain itself doesn’t require technical climbing skill
- You’re comfortable with rifugio life: shared dorm-style rooms, communal meals, carrying your own daypack between huts for three nights
- You want the classic, most iconic Dolomites route (Alta Via 1) rather than a higher-altitude, more technical alternative like Alta Via 2
- You’re drawn to the WWI history along the route — the Lagazuoi and Cinque Torri sections run through open-air museums and preserved trench systems from the 1915-1918 Dolomites front
This is a trip for hikers who want the real rifugio-to-rifugio experience that defines Dolomites hiking — not a resort-based trip with day hikes attached, and not a technical mountaineering trip either. It sits squarely in the middle: real trail days, real huts, real elevation, with the logistics (transfers, most meals, route-finding) handled for you.
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Here’s a list of the equipment you need to bring:
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- Backpack with a load-bearing waist harness (30- 50L bag)
- Waterproof backpack cover
- Water bottle or hydration bladder (2L capacity)
- Light pillow-case and silk or nylon sheets*
- Small towel for the shower
- Toiletries (hand sanitizer, bug spray, toilet paper, etc.)
- Trekking poles — optional
- Sunglasses and SPF sunscreen
- Camera — optional (but recommended)
*Sleeping sheets are often provided by the huts, but it’s always best to bring your own just in case.
Here’s a list of clothes you need to bring:
The summer months have warm temperatures and plenty of sun. While temperatures may reach 25°C (80°F) on the valley floors during the day, evenings can be as cool as 10°C (50°F). As you gain elevation, it will get colder. For every 1,000m you climb, the temperature will drop for 6.5°C (3.6°F for every 1,000 feet). What may be a 27°C (80°F) day in Alta Badia could be 15°C (60°F) on one of the summits during the day, and 0°C (30s°F) in the evening.
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- Long hiking pants
- Thermal layers (long-sleeved top and long pants for the cold nights)
- Light shorts for warmer days or for lounging in the rifugio
- Lightweight down jacket
- Lightweight Gore-Tex, or equivalent, rain/wind parka and pant
- Lightweight T-shirts
- Lightweight hiking socks, liner socks, and athletic socks
- Sleepwear
- Baseball cap or sun hat with wide brim
- 3/4-finger leather glove for dexterity for Via Ferratas
- Sturdy hiking boots, and make sure they’re broken in before your trip
- Hiking boot or shoe that accepts crampons for AVII trips
- Lightweight shoes, slippers or flip flops (hiking boots are not allowed in most rifugios)
Synthetic fabrics are the most effective barrier against the cold. They provide the best insulation, they are light in weight, wick away perspiration, and dry quickly if wet.
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Departures run June through September specifically because that’s when the rifugios are staffed and the high passes are typically clear—but within that window, mountain weather at 1,224–2,573 m can still turn fast, and a sunny morning doesn’t guarantee a sunny afternoon. Your guide makes the real-time call.
Worth packing for regardless of forecast: a proper waterproof layer is already on the packing list, and that’s not incidental—Alpine weather above 2,000 m changes quickly enough that “it looked clear at breakfast” isn’t a reliable guide for the whole day.
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Group sizes:
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- The usual client-to-guide ratio for this hiking tour along Alta Via 1 is 6:1.
- It takes a minimum of 4-6 people for this tour to operate. The maximum group size is set at 12 participants.
- Solo travelers are welcome!
If you’re traveling with a larger party, contact us prior to booking to make arrangements.
Min. age requirements:
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- Everybody over the age of 18 is welcome to book this hiking adventure.
- Minors may be permitted to join private tours on a case-by-case basis.
If you plan to hike with anyone under the age of 18, please contact us prior to booking to make arrangements.
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Single occupancy is available on Day 1 and 5 of the trip. The other 3 nights are spent in shared dormitories in huts.
Solo travelers are welcome—they can either share a room with another same-gender solo traveler at no extra cost, or guarantee a private room by paying a single occupancy fee.
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To get to the Dolomites, most people fly into Venice International Airport Marco Polo (VCE). Another options include Klagenfurt (2.5 hours), Trieste (2.5 hours), Verona (3 hours), and Innsbruck (3 hours) and a small regional Bolzano Airport in the province of South Tyrol in northern Italy.
If you’re flying into Venice Marco Polo Airport, a group shuttle from there to Cortina d’Ampezzo is included in the price of the tour (and back as well). The group shuttle departs at 2pm on arrival day and at 9am on departure day.
Apart from the organized shuttle that’s included in the price of the tour, you can take a shuttle service on your own or rent a car to reach Cortina d’Ampezzo.
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We highly recommend that you cover all your bases with insurance. To make your booking and traveling experience as carefree as possible, you’ll be offered to simply insure your trip with Redpoint at checkout.
Redpoint—the official 57hours insurance partner—tailors protection packages for adventure travel, offering a comprehensive travel program, even in remote locations! Trip cancellation, natural disasters, pandemic coverage, medical evacuation, primary medical expenses—regardless of the travel interruption that may happen, Redpoint will have you covered.
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