The Grand Tour of the Alta Badia
Price
£1095
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22 June 2024
–
14 September 2024
A hut-to-hut adventure in the heart of the Dolomites
Country
Italy
Grade
Moderate
Duration
7 Nights
Style
Self-Guided
Type
Hut-to-Hut
Price
£1095
Stay in spectacularly located huts and get high on the peaks and trailsof the Puez Odle and Fanes Natural Parks.
Over many years we’ve perfected this magnificent Alta Badia hiking route – one of the prettiest valleys in alpine Europe, and a UNESCO World Heritage site. Here, unspoilt alpine villages and wildflower meadows rest peacefully beneath the sheer drama of the Dolomite peaks. The Alta Badia is a true feast for the senses, particularly at sunrise and sunset, when the Enrosadira sets west-facing massifs ablaze in a riot of pink, red and violet.
With stops at the most spectacularly located huts (rifugios), over the week you’ll do a complete circuit of the valley that reveals the pristine grandeur of the Puez Odle and Fanes Natural Parks. This route also provides an opportunity to explore the vast open-air WWI museum here, which showcases newly restored Great War tunnels, preserved trenches and observation posts. With our comprehensive maps and trail notes, you’ll capture the very best of the Alta Badia and move seamlessly along the route, safe in the knowledge that every detail of your trip has already been arranged.
On this Collett’s hut-to-hut holiday, walking in South Tyrol, you do the walking – and we do the rest. Our comprehensive maps and route notes make for effortless navigation, and each evening you’ll be welcomed into the comfort of traditional accommodation, in stunning surroundings. You decide your dates, and we’ll ensure everything else is organised to perfection.
Gallery
At a glance
Dates
22 June to 14 September 2024
(You can start any day)
Price
£1095
Single supplement – £75
Grade
Moderate
Expect to walk for 4 – 5 hours per day, with between 769m to 1435m of ascent and 630m to 1390m of descent each day
What’s included
B&B Accommodation in Corvara on your first and last night
All Hut Bookings (breakfast and dinner included)
Return Airport Transfers from Venice Marco Polo on Saturdays & Wednesdays only
(Private transfers are also available any day for a supplement – contact us for more details)
Holiday Pack with comprehensive route notes, maps & more
Excess baggage storage in Corvara
Please note that packed lunches and use of refugio showers (which cost €3-6) are not included.
Travel
This holiday begins and ends in Corvara high in the Alta Badia. The best route is to fly in and out of Venice Marco Polo and join a Collett’s transfer (included, Saturdays and Wednesdays only) which departs at 3pm. Getting home, Collett’s transfers leave Corvara early in the morning and your return flight must depart after 11am.
Private transfers are also available on any day from Venice Marco Polo, Treviso or Innsbruck – contact us for more details. Alternatively catch the Cortina Express (bus) from Venice to Corvara, or the train to Brunico which is a short bus or taxi ride from the Alta Badia.
Fly/driving and self-driving are also popular. If you plan to hire a car, please click here for a competitive quote.
Itinerary
Day 1 - Arrive
Travel to the Dolomites.
Accommodation: B&B in Corvara or Badia
Day 2 - The Val Badia to Rifugio Gardenacia
Route Statistics: 10.8km, 1435m ascent, 731m descent
Day One features the iconic Sassongher peak, which towers over Corvara and provides sweeping views over the Alta Badia. A narrow switchback path leads up the steep flanks of the peak, with the final summit accessed with some easy scrambling. The descent features the same easy scrambling, followed by a superb terraced path. The first hut – the tranquil Rifugio Gardenacia – offers breathtaking views across the valley to the Fanes Massif.
Accommodation: Rifugio Gardenacia
Day 3 - The Puez-Odle to Rifugio Santa Croce
Route Statistics: 12.9km, 955m ascent, 950m descent
Crossing the valley from the Puez-Odle to the Fanes Massif, today’s route begins with an occasionally steep descent into the village of La Villa. Here you’ll find plenty of opportunities to stop for a mid-morning coffee, before setting off up the eastern side of the valley. From San Cassiano, following beautiful woodland paths to the Santa Croce Rifugio and Chapel, this walk showcases the valley’s most charming villages. The rifugio here is basic but beautifully positioned, affording stunning sunset views of the towering face of the Santa Croce peak.
If you prefer, there is also an option to make this day’s walk easier by using the lift from Badia to Santa Croce (lift ticket not included).
Accommodation: Rifugio Santa Croce
Day 4 - Ascending to the Fanes Massif
Route Statistics: 12km, 1188m ascent, 1150m descent
Leaving Rifugio Santa Croce, a meandering path leads through unspoilt meadows and tranquil forests before an ascent that opens out the whole of the Fanes Massif. From here, a steady descent leads down to the sheltered meadows of Munt de Pices Fanes and Rifugio Lavarella. The walk involves some quite steep and airy sections of path on loose, rocky terrain, but no scrambling is required.
Accommodation: Rifugio Lavarella
Day 5 - The Tofana Massif
Route Statistics: 15km, 1314m ascent, 630m descent
Today’s walking is split into two parts. First you’ll follow the well-known Alta Via 1, which crosses the Dolomites from north to south. A short initial climb yields to a gentle path with high peaks all around, and ultimately slopes back into the valley in preparation for a long afternoon climb. Two well-positioned rifugios punctuate the afternoon route, and make ideal places for a late morning coffee and then a good hearty lunch. The day’s final destination is Rifugio Lagazuoi, which boasts the best panoramic views of the Dolomites – a truly superb spot for an evening’s rest.
Accommodation: Rifugio Lagazuoi
Day 6 - Lagazuoi Tunnels - or a circuit of the Tofana de Rozes
Route Statistics: Rest day, or other walking options
Options abound for day five of your itinerary. Spend the day relaxing on the beautiful sun terrace of Rifugio Lagazuoi with a good book and traditional lunch, or borrow a torch and explore the Lagazuoi Tunnels – an intricate and extensive network of tunnels used by the Italian and Austro-Hungarian troops during WW1. If you’d prefer more walking, try the circular route to Rifugio Nuvolau, the oldest hut in the Dolomites (walking time 4½ hours, 470m ascent and descent). Or, complete a circuit of one of the Dolomites’ most impressive peaks: Tofana de Rozes (walking time 6 hours, 1270m ascent and descent). Your holiday pack (included in the trip price) gives detailed information on all the ways to create your perfect day.
Accommodation: Rifugio Lagazuoi
Day 7 - Lagazuoi to the Pralongia Plateau and Corvara
Route Statistics: 14.8km, 769m ascent, 1390m descent
Today you’ll descend from Rifugio Lagazuoi (on foot or by cable car) to Passo Falzarego, which takes you along the southern flank of the Setsas range. This route moves through intermittent woodland, small meadows and boulder fields before opening out to the sweeping, comprehensive views of the Pralongia plateau – the perfect place to reflect on the week’s walking. Before completing the wide-track descent into Corvara, consider stopping for lunch at one of the exceptional rifugios along the way – a wonderful way to finish your Grand Tour of the Alta Badia.
Accommodation: B&B in Corvara or Badia
Day 8 - Depart
If you depart on a Saturday or Wednesday, join a Collett’s transfer back to Venice Marco Polo (included). Otherwise independent onward travel.
Map - Route Overview
Accommodation
On this trip, your first and last night will be spent in the Alta Badia (Corvara or Badia), either in one of our chalet hotels or in a nearby village guest house. The rest of the itinerary is based on half-board, dormitory-style accommodation when in the huts (rifugios). Private rooms are available in most huts at a supplement of £20 per person (subject to availability – please request at the time of booking).
Need to Knows
Terrain : Walks on this route only use waymarked and signposted routes. Trails vary from well-trodden woodland paths to steeper paths on looser, rocky terrain. Certain sections of the route may be considered exposed, and in the high mountains a certain level of experience, sure-footedness, and fitness are essential. In early season on higher terrain, you might have to cross patches of snow.
Breakfast & Dinner: Breakfasts are generous and usually buffet-style; dinner is ordered from a set menu, usually with at least 2 choices for each course. The cuisine is hearty and favours local dishes – providing ideal fuel for days out on the mountain.
Lunch: packed lunches can be purchased at all accommodations along the trek, except in Corvara, where supplies are easy to source locally.
Booking Conditions – be sure to read our full terms and conditions here before booking.
At Your Own Risk – please read the important notes here.
Travel Advice – check your government’s travel advisory for up-to-date information and advice about your destination. For UK citizens, check the latest Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office advice here.
Passport & Visa – any questions should be directed to the relevant embassy of your destination country; find out more here. It is your responsibility to be in possession of a full passport, valid for your chosen destination.
Travel Insurance – having adequate and valid travel insurance is a condition of booking with us. Details of our insurance partner, Campbell Irvine, are here.
Health Information – You should carry either an European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) or a Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) Neither is an alternative to adequate travel insurance. For more information visit https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice and https://travelhealthpro.org.uk/
ABTA – Independent travel advice and help is always available from ABTA by calling 020 3117 0599 or visiting www.abta.com.
