Nothing prepares you for the otherworldly beauty of the Dolomites, whose sheer pink and yellow limestone pinnacles tower like monuments over quaint villages, flowery meadows, wooded valleys, and sun-soaked trails. Italian, Austrian, and ancient Ladin cultures intermingle peacefully in the small, scattered villages in this mountainous corner of Italy. The Dolomites also boast a surprising variety of beautiful wildflowers in the grassy meadows below the mountains. This inn-to-inn tour starts with a circuit the Val Gardena, our favorite corner of the Dolomites, before venturing east through the Badia valley to the soaring rock towers that surround Cortina d'Ampezzo.

Our tour begins in Bolzano, a beautiful small city filled with plazas and museums, including the South Tyrol Museum of Archeology, where you can see Ötzi, the 5300 year old ice man found in a nearby glacier. We'll meet in Bolzano and then take a 1 hour drive to Canazei. Canazei is a small, attractive village in the heart of the Fassa valley, with miles of hiking trails radiating in every direction. We'll start our tour with a loop of the nearby Gardena valley, before heading east past the mighty Sella mountain and finally to Cortina d'Ampezzo. We'll have 4 nights in high huts and mountain inns (2 of which feature private rooms), and 6 nights in comfortable and casual 3-star hotels with great food. You won't want to leave!

Our typical day starts with a delicious buffet breakfast at our hotel - a feast of freshly baked bread and pastries, local meats and cheeses, cereal, fruit, eggs, coffee and freshly squeezed juice - which gives us the energy needed for the task ahead. Soon we'll be out on the trail, where you'll get to choose between an easier or more strenuous hike for the day. Each morning, you'll be handed a lunch to carry, and at a mid-point along the way we'll choose a beautiful spot to stop and enjoy our picnic. We get a lot of compliments on our imaginative lunches - making them something to look forward to as well!

For our hikes, there are many route options, and a lot of flexibility most days, and we should finish each day around 4 pm, giving you time to wash up, relax, perhaps settle into the pool, or just gaze upon the outside panorama from your room balcony. After that, we'll enjoy dinner together at our hotel's fabulous restaurants. These are multi-course feasts, often featuring delicious local Austrian and Italian specialties.

The Dolomites is truly a special region. With beautiful inns and hikes, this Dolomites tour will make an unforgettable vacation.

Day 1 Arrive in Italy and transfer by train to Bolzano, your gateway to the Dolomites. Bolzano is a pleasant city with large squares, outdoor markets, and a captivating natural history museum (home of the famous Ötzi iceman). From here, you'll take a bus to Canazei, a charming village with narrow cobblestoned streets lined with elegant shops. We'll enjoy a wonderful welcome dinner and settle in to our comfortable and friendly 3-star hotel for the night.
Days 2-3 Hiking hut-to-hut, we'll head up to the towering Sassolungo mountain group, to rifugio Vicenza, a remote hut circled by jagged, imposing rock spires. After a night here, we'll continue on a high-level traverse above the Alpe di Siusi, the largest mountain meadow in the Alps, to Schlern hut, an historic mountain inn atop the mighty Schlern peak, with breathtaking views in every direction. We'll have private rooms but no showers at Schlern hut. (rifugios Vicenza and Schlern)
Days 4-5 We have our choice of either a rugged descent through a narrow gorge or an easier descent across the vast meadows of the Alpe di Siuse, where we'll catch a bus or cable car down to Ortisei. On our 2nd day, we might take a dayhike through high scenic meadows, where we can look back on almost our entire route so far. Or for a more adventurous outing, meet up with a local guide for a via ferrata climb on one of the local routes In the evening, you can unwind and enjoy the excellent cuisine at our tasteful 3-star hotel. (Hotel Stetteneck)
Day 6 Hike across the beautiful Seceda meadows to the quiet village of Selva. Selva is surrounded by pleasant hiking trails and is blessed with beautiful views from every corner, where we stay in a comfortable 3-star hotel. (Hotel Sporting)
Day 7 A dramatic hike through the U-shaped Langenthal valley brings us high above the valley to the Gardena pass, where the massive Sella mountain dominates. Stay at the pass in a simple and friendly inn (Frara)
Day 8 An easy day today with a gentle, scenic descent into the high Badia valley, a very traditional area where the comfortable village of Corvara awaits.
Day 9 Today's dramatic walk takes us high above the valley to the rifugio Lagazuoi, a hut perched at the summit of a mountain with incredible views and rich history. This was the scene of fierce fighting in WWI, and many tunnels and artifacts remain to this day. This is also our simplest night, with dormitory only at the hut (rifugio Lagazuoi)
Day 10 Finally we'll descend to Cortina d'Ampezzo, the lively town at the heart of the eastern Dolomites for a final, festive evening.
Day 11 Today we say arrivederci, and depart for our post-tour destinations.

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