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Dolomites Val Gardena & Ampezzo

(2 customer reviews)

The Dolomites mountains of northern Italy are so spectacular they’ve been designated a UNESCO World Heritage site. It’s a vast area with nine sub-regions, so we have a number of itineraries  that offer fantastic hiking with a delicious meal and comfortable hotel at the end of the day. See below for one of our favorites.

Duration: 7 nights / 8 days
Dates: 2025: private departures available, contact us for details!
Trip starts/ends: Bressanone 6 p.m. Day 1 / Venice airport or train station around 11 a.m. Day 8
Activity level: 3+/4 – HIKE: Classical hiking with rough and rocky terrain, sustained hills, and more mileage. We can also develop easier 3+ departures. [more info]
Group size: min 4 - max 14

Highlights

  • Hike past fields of wildflowers, deep pine forests, charming mountain huts and the picturesque villages of this amazing Unesco World Heritage Site
  • Admire the dramatic jagged peaks formed by fossilized coral reefs
  • Enjoy hearty and delicious Tyrolean-Italian fusion cuisine
  • Explore the picturesque villages of the Val Gardena and Val d’Ampezzo
  • Tour the remains of WW I bunkers and tunnels and learn about the area’s fascinating history
  • Experience authentic South Tyrolean cuisine, from dumplings and strudel to hearty pastas
  • Learn about the traditional Ladin culture, who even have their own language

Trip price includes

  • 7 nights in 3 and 4-star hotels
  • 7 breakfasts and 5 dinners
  • all visits and transfers as per itinerary
  • gondolas and chairlifts as per itinerary
  • at least 1 bilingual guide to accompany you throughout the week

Not included

  • all lunches
  • drinks other than water at meals
  • anything not mentioned in the inclusions

ITINERARY

Day 1: Independent arrival in Bressanone

Make your way to the delightful city of Bressanone (or Brixen in its German form), which is accessible by train from Milan (4 hrs), Venice (3.5 hrs) or Innsbruck (Austria, 1.5 hrs). The city’s history goes back thousands of years as it lies at the confluence of two rivers and is on an important route through the Alps, so take some time this afternoon to wander the colorful streets and admire the Medieval-Baroque architecture. Overnight Bressanone. Hotel included.

 

Days 2-4: Arrival and hiking around Ortisei

A short transfer takes you to the start of your first hike to breathe in the fresh mountain air and then enjoy two days of fabulous hiking with some of the best views in Europe. We take chairlifts and buses to start our hikes and enjoy the fresh air at altitudes upwards of 2,500 m (8,200 ft). Hike past spiky limestone massifs with towering pinnacles that jut up into the sky. We stop for lunch every day at welcoming mountain huts that surprisingly put out some of the best pastas and soups we’ve ever had! Top it off with a piece of pie and an espresso and you’re good to go for another few hours! Relax post-hike at the hotel pool or with a soak in the spa. We dine together again every evening. 3 nights Ortisei.

 

Days 5-7: Transfer and hike around the Val d’Ampezzo

You’ll see the scenery shift as we head east into the Veneto region but the scenery is no less dramatic. Hike around the Cinque Torri (the “Five Towers,” a group of vertical rocks that draw rock-climbers from around the world) and the nearby Nuvolau peak. You can also explore the open-air WWI museum which bears witness to the harrowing battles that were fought here in trenches and tunnels. Our other hikes take you through vast meadows and pine forests in an unspoiled natural protected area. Relax back at the hotel sauna before dinner. 3 nights Cortina.

 

Day 8: Tour Ends

Your tour ends this morning with a 2-hr transfer to the international airport in Venice. Let us know if you’d like us to schedule a few days here for you!

 

2 reviews for Dolomites Val Gardena & Ampezzo

  1. Kim W. and Alan S.

    What an amazing tour! Full of challenging hikes, incredible postcard views, unusual upland flowers, pretty alpine towns, delicious Tyrolean-Italian foods, and fascinating geological and human history, all to a soundtrack of cow bells, marmot chirping, and waterfalls. Manu is a kind and patient guide, whose love of the Dolomites is evident. Her enthusiasm for the place was definitely instilled in us, and we’d love to go back.

  2. Jim & Carol

    We do a lot of hiking and travel. My girlfriend and I wanted a challenging and beautiful hike through the Dolomites with charming Tyrolean accommodations. Our itinerary with Manu provided all that and more. She made the trip even more enjoyable with her easygoing attitude and deep knowledge of the region. Every day was more beautiful than the last. The Dolomites are some of the most beautiful mountains in the world. We will go back next summer and definitely use Wild Sage. Highly recommend!


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