For an unforgettable summer retreat, look no further than Val Gardena in the Italian Dolomites. This area is overflowing with stunning hiking trails, with the jaggy peaks and verdant valleys constantly surrounding you. You’ll stay at a four-star hotel in the lovely village of Santa Cristina, go out for day hikes, and once you return, you’ll be able to indulge in the hotel’s onsite spa facilities and pools. All breakfasts and dinners are included, as well as excellent local guides who will be by your side, guiding you to the area’s best-ofs.
Make your way to Santa Cristina, a charming village in Val Gardena. Check into your hotel and settle in. You will meet your guide and your group at 6:30 pm for a welcome drink and a trip briefing. Enjoy your first dinner together at the hotel.
Accommodation: 4-star hotel in Santa Cristina
Meals: Dinner
The first hiking tour will be the Rasciesa Plateau, located in the heart of the Puez-Odle Nature Park, stretching between Val Gardena in the south and the enchanting Val di Funes in the north. From Ortisei, ride the funicular up to the Alps, which you’ll cross on a loop hike. Passing through forests and beautiful meadows that dot the ridges of the plateau, you’ll reach Rasciesa di Fuori peak at 2,284 m (7,493 ft).
Have lunch at the mountain hut and enjoy a typical local dish while you’re surrounded by breathtaking panoramas of some of the most famous Dolomite peaks, including Marmolada, Sassolungo, and Catinaccio.
Accommodation: 4-star hotel in Santa Cristina
Meals: Breakfast and dinner
Hiking: 13 km / 8 miles
Elevation gain: 500 m / 1,640 ft
Today’s tour will allow you to closely explore the Sassolungo mountain group, which includes Sasso Levante and the Sassopiatto massif. Hike along the Federico Augusto ridge trail, an ancient communication route used mainly for military purposes between the Fassa Valley and the Alpe di Siusi, along which a sweet surprise will be a delight to your taste buds.
Next you’ll reach the Sassopiatto mountain hut, where you’ll stop for lunch and a well deserved rest before resuming the path back to your hotel. Today is all about the classic Alpine panoramas and views overlooking the most remarkable mountains of the Dolomites.
Accommodation: 4-star hotel in Santa Cristina
Meals: Breakfast and dinner
Hiking: 15 km / 9.3 miles
Elevation gain: 550 m / 1,805 ft
An easier hike is on the schedule today, allowing you to regain some strength, and you’ll also use the Col Raiser funicular. You will hike to Mount Pic, a mountain above the village of Santa Cristina that offers an extraordinary view of Val Gardena.
To enjoy the scenery as much as possible, you will reach the summit of Monte Pic (2,363 m / 7,753 ft) by crossing Alpe Seurasas, and from, there heavenly views of the entire valley open up: the Odle, the Sella group, Sassolungo and Sassopiatto, Alpe di Siusi, the peaks of Terrarossa and Sciliar. Have lunch at the mountain hut and soak in the 360-degree spectacle of nature.
Accommodation: 4-star hotel in Santa Cristina
Meals: Breakfast and dinner
Hiking: 9 km / 5.6 miles
Elevation gain: 330 m / 1,082 ft
This will be the most challenging hike of the entire trip, but also the most scenic one. Taking the Col Raiser funicular up to the Puez plateau, located in the Puez-Odle National Park, you will reach a unique spot with a 360-degree view of all the nearby Dolomite groups: the Odle, Sella group, Marmolada, Piz Boè, and Sassolungo mountain group.
Continue trekking to the Puez Hut at an elevation of 2,475 m (8,120 ft) for lunch, and then return to Selva, hiking through Vallunga, a lush valley of Val Gardena.
Accommodation: 4-star hotel in Santa Cristina
Meals: Breakfast and dinner
Hiking: 16 km / 10 miles
Elevation gain: 800 m / 2,625 ft
The last hike of the week will be through Europe’s largest plateau, where you’ll enjoy panoramic views of L’Alpe di Siusi. At an altitude between 1,700-2,400 m (5,578-7,874 ft), you’ll savor quintessential Alpine landscapes and views of Dolomite peaks.
So there’s no better way to end this trip than by witnessing awe-inspiring peaks of Sassolungo, Sassopiatto, and Sciliar, as well as taking in the crisp air and fragrance of meadows. This will be a day of relaxation in nature and tasting delicious specialties with Alpine flavors.
Accommodation: 4-star hotel in Santa Cristina
Meals: Breakfast and dinner
Hiking: 15 km / 9.3 miles
Elevation gain: 550 m / 1,805 ft
After breakfast, enjoy a day of relaxation, taking full advantage of the hotel’s beautiful swimming pool. If you’d like to stay longer and need some recommendations on what to do in the area, just ask your guides!
Meals: Breakfast
Included:
Special dietary requirements can be accommodated for this trekking tour of Val Gardena, just let us know upon booking.
Not included:
For this Val Gardena trekking tour, you have to be in very good physical condition and have previous hiking experience. While you don’t need to have experience of multi-day hiking, you still need to be able to hike in mountainous terrain for five days in a row. Exact distances and altitude changes can be found in the day-by-day itinerary.
Keep in mind that weather can be unpredictable in the Dolomites. Even though warm and dry weather is very coming in the summer (more so than in the rest of the Alps), there’s still a possibility for cool and wet days. You’ll have experienced and expert guides by your side the whole way through, so you’ll make breaks whenever necessary and adjust the route if the hiking gets too strenuous for the group.
Looking for other adventures in the Dolomites? Check out this Alta Via hiking tour, a Dolomites hiking tour, or a hiking tour of the Venetian Alps at the foot of Dolomites.
Here’s a list of the equipment you need to bring:
Dress comfortably and for the weather in clothes you can move in. We suggest bringing clothing appropriate for the season. Layers are best and don’t wear jeans.
Group sizes and pricing
Val Gardena trekking tours can be arranged for larger groups. Contact us to make arrangements.
Min. age requirements
If your group has hikers under the age of 18, contact us prior to booking to make arrangements.
To get to your trekking tour of Val Gardena, you have to get to Santa Cristina in Val Gardena. Most people fly into Innsbruck Airport (INN) or Verona Airport (VRN). Once at the airport, you can either rent a car to Santa Cristina or check our trains and buses—Italy is very well linked by rail. It will take you anywhere between 2 to 3.5 hours to reach Santa Cristina from these airports.
You’ll meet your guides and your team on Day 1 of the tour, when you will check into your hotel and have a welcome drink at 6:30 pm. Make sure to arrange your flights accordingly.
We highly recommend that you cover all your bases with both emergency medical and travel insurance.
With medical insurance, if you have an accident or medical emergency on or off the mountain, you’ll avoid paying out of pocket for costly expenses. This covers everything from hospital treatments to emergency air transportation and more. Travel insurance covers canceled flights, natural disasters and other scenarios that may interrupt your travel plans.
We also expect you to respect local regulations and take measures to protect yourselves, your guides, and the communities you’re traveling to. If you need assistance selecting the right insurance for your group, let us know and we will be happy to help!