Supplementary Information

Please read the following informaton - if your questions aren't answered here, please call us on 01763 289660 or email using our enquiry form here.

Organised Walks & Via Ferratas ~ at your own risk

We organise walks, Via Ferratas and painting five days a week (not Wed. or Sat.) on a day-to-day and goodwill basis so that your holiday might be enhanced. High level walks may involve some scrambling, but generally they are technically unchallenging and as long as you are reasonably fit, you will enjoy them immensely. Moderate/Easier walks are more leisurely but still take up most of the day; they include regular pauses so the breathtaking scenery can be appreciated. Our organisers have great enthusiasm for the area and are experienced hill walkers and climbers. They are not qualified mountain guides and you accompany them at your own risk. Similarly, whilst we always endeavour to give appropriate advice to those walking or doing Via Ferratas independently, we cannot take any responsibility for it and you accept it at your own risk. Finally, you also use our 'Ideas & Information Files' and 'Route Laminates' at your own risk. On your arrival you will be asked to sign a disclaimer to this effect, a copy of which we will happily make available to you prior to you booking.

Day Off

Our day off in the Dolomites is Wednesday. Guests arriving on a Wednesday are welcomed and settled in, but there are no organised walks etc., no 'Office Hour' and the resort offices are closed. Breakfast is more continental than usual, packed lunches are available but there is no dinner in Barbara, Brigitta, Karin, Verena, Haus Valentin and the Auberge. We will be happy to recommend a restaurant/pizzeria. Guests in the Sport Hotel are unaffected.

alpine flowers in summer 2008

More information on the Wildflower Walks can be found on the Alpine Flower Walks page. There is a more detailed version of 'Flowers in Summer 2008' - our flower report by Cliff Booker - here. Five days a week (not Wednesday or Saturday) during June and July only, we offer a flower walk in each of our resorts. This is an outstanding area for wildflowers and it is one of life's great pleasures to walk among them.

Guided Summit and Glacier Treks

Guided Treks on the Glacier should be booked and paid for in advance of your holiday. Please contact us and we will send you a 'Guided Glacier Treks Booking Form', which contains essential information about the day. Prices as follows:

Marmolada Glacier Trek (Every Tuesday)
£60 per person (Party Size - 6)

Marmolada Summit via West Ridge Via Ferrata - Grade 4C
(Every Friday)
This Via Ferrata is listed in the Cicerone Guidebook:
Via Ferratas of the Italian Dolomites: North, Central and East v. 1
(Cicerone Mountain Walking) Page 162.
£75 per person (Party Size - 4)

* All necessary equipment is provided - NOT clothing or boots.
* Prices include a packed lunch, but not the lift pass.
* If bad weather causes cancellation, your money is refunded.
* Our guide is also offering an opportunity for small parties of two (no more, no less) to join him on big mountain days scaling one of the great 3000m peaks. These are long days with very early starts and there is more information on our Glacier Treks Page.

Ideas and Information File

These are available in all our hosted chalets. If you are self-catering or staying in the Sport Hotel, you can obtain a copy any time during your stay from our resort office. Unfortunately, we have to ask you for a deposit of €50, which is refunded when you return the file.

In addition, a Route Laminate corresponds to each of the proposals documented in the Ideas & Information Files. This is a small laminated A5 version of your chosen walk, Via Ferrata etc., which you can borrow from us. It is easy to carry and less bulky than the 'I&I' File. It contains the relevant section of map as well as the route description and other useful details. Route Laminates can be borrowed from us either at Office Hour or from our resort offices.

Local Transport and Cars

It is possible to have a great holiday in the Dolomites without a car, but we highly recommend having one, as it will guarantee complete flexibility during your stay and on your days of travel. It also gives access to all that is featured in our brochure - See here.

Public transport can be used to good effect and is cheap and reliable, but it is limited until mid/high season and even then nearby locations can be hard to reach or itineraries may be compromised by bus times.

If you are coming to walk independently and will not have a car, there are walking options from the doorstep of all three of our villages, which can be enhanced further by the use of cable cars or chairlifts.

Many of our Organised Walks are stunning circular routes in neighbouring valleys just a few miles away and therefore they rely largely on people having their own transport. We do have systems in place to make it possible for those without their own transport to join our Organised Walks, but these cannot always be relied on, as on the odd occasion it is just not possible, especially when our own vehicles are committed elsewhere, for example, Airport Transfers.

Rifugios in the Italian Dolomites

If you fancy a night or two in a mountain hut, please contact us and we will be happy to help. Generally, it is best to finalise such plans during your stay in the Dolomites so you can get familiar with the area and the long-term weather forecast. We will be happy to help you create an itinerary and make the relevant booking(s). Only in August is it advisable to book early and we can do this for you; otherwise bookings can generally be made a day or two in advance.

Seasons and Services

You can visit the Dolomites all year round and it is easy to enjoy the area. But please note that before and after mid/high season, the area is quieter and certain services do not operate. Some rifugios, cable cars, chairlifts, restaurants, shops etc. do not open until well into June and, in some cases, July. Bus services are not intensified until mid/late June. Our Organised Walks & Via Ferratas are not affected by seasonal variations.

special dietary requirements and severe allergies

We are happy to cater for ‘special’ dietary requirements and minor intolerances (vegetarian, gluten free etc..) Our chalet kitchens are of a domestic standard and we endeavour to maintain good food hygiene practices.
However, due to the limited size and specifications of these kitchens we would advise anyone with a ‘severe food allergy’ which, represents a health threat, serious or otherwise, that we cannot guarantee that traces of some commonly used ingredients (such as nuts, mushrooms etc.), will not make their way into meals, which are not meant to contain such ingredients. Our booking conditions require all guests to inform us at the booking stage of any matters concerning diet or allergies. However, if your intolerance or allergy represents a health threat of any sort, we would strongly recommend that you are carrying the necessary medication during your stay with us.

Venice & Treviso

If you would like to combine your holiday with a day or two in Venice or Treviso, call us for a list of small and friendly hotels within easy walking distance of St. Mark's Square and at the centre of Treviso. For a booking fee of £10 we book and confirm your accommodation, sending you a copy of the booking confirmation and directions to the hotel. We will also send you an Information Sheet to help ensure you have an enjoyable visit. See Venice.

Other Information and points of contact

Our Our office is open Mon to Fri - 9am to 6pm. (Sat 10am to 4pm) At the time of printing the Italian Embassy requires that passports be valid for a minimum period of three months and that stays do not exceed ninety days. All other passport holders should contact the Italian Embassy on 020 7312 2200 or visit www.embitaly.org.uk For general, visa, passport and health information, refer to the Department of Health's 'Travel Advice' For further pre-travel information concerning Italy, refer to www.fco.gov.uk/knowbeforeyougo or contact the ABTA information line on 0901 201 050 (Calls are at 50p per minute). All Passport information can be found at www.ukpa.gov.uk.

Organised Activities in the Italian Dolomites

• Wildflower Walking Holidays
  Low Level Valley and 'static' alpine flower walks beneath the famous towers of Dolomitic Limestone.
  Five days a week
• First World War walks with Collett's
  Join a fascinating and spectacular war walk with Isabelle Johnson, a local war historian.
  Five days a week
• Low and Medium Level Walking Holidays
  Low Level Valley and trail walking beneath the famous towers of Dolomitic Limestone.
  Five days a week - Arabba, Corvara & Pedraces.
• High Level Walking Holidays
  Spectacular all day itineraries in the valleys and on the peaks in the world's most unique mountain range.
  Five days a week - Arabba, Corvara & Pedraces.
• Via Ferrata
  Consist of a range of protected scrambling routes.
  Comprised of skilfully installed fixed cables, ladders and gorge-spanning bridges
  Five days a week - Arabba, Corvara & Pedraces.