Hiking in the Dolomites
Experience Overview
Discover the dramatic scenery of the Dolomites, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, on this week-long walking holiday. Enjoy treks through alpine meadows and pine forests, straddle the border of Italy and Austria, and explore relics left behind from World War One, as you traverse Italy's famous peaks. At the end of the day, unwind in our comfortable family-run hotel in the small town of Dobbiaco, gateway to the mountains.
Tre Cime - Trek with breathtaking views of these three iconic limestone peaks.
Local food and drink - Enjoy the traditional Austrian-influenced cuisine typical of the region.
Cortina, Leinz and Bolzano - Free day to explore further afield in the South Tyrol.
Highlights
Fabulous week of walking in Italy's stunning Dolomites, a UNESCO world heritage site|Trek past vast limestone cliffs, meadows, lakes and Tre Cime|Stay in a comfortable family-run hotel with swimming pool
Trip Details
Product Code: 20208
Tour Type: Small Group
Accommodation: Moderate
Transport: BusPublic BusTrain
Guide Language: English
Tour Operator:
Explore Worldwide
Supplier Code: DW
Starts: Italy
Finishes: Italy
Duration: 8 days
Departures: Guaranteed
Physical Rating:
Easy
Includes
- Explore Tour Leader
- Driver(s)
Accommodation
Hotel TschurtschenthalerPrice
Price per person: (Double Occupancy) CAD $3,820 ($478 /day)
Itinerary
Our tour begins today at Venice Marco Polo Airport (VCE), where we'll transfer as a group to Dobbiaco.
Our tour leader will meet you by the red-fronted 'RELAY' shop in the airport's Arrivals Hall at 3.45pm. If you'd like to join the group transfer, the latest your flight can arrive is 3.15pm. Please note, that it can be extremely busy by the main exit from the luggage area, please do not leave the building.
After we've gathered our group, we'll travel to our hotel in Dobbiaco, around a three-hour drive away. Located in the far north of Italy, Dobbiaco is close to the border with Austria - you might be surprised to find the food this week is Austrian-influenced, rather than typically Italian!
We'll stay at the Hotel Tschurtschenthaler, a family-run, traditional Alpine-style, 3-star hotel, located in the centre of the Old Town, surrounded by pretty shops and cafes and with far-reaching views of the stunning Dolomites mountains. On arrival, our tour leader will give us a short briefing on the week ahead.
Accommodation:
- Type - Hotel
- Accommodation Name - Hotel Tschurtschenthaler
- Grade - Comfortable
- All Inclusive - No
- Any Meal Provided - Yes
- Breakfast Provided - No
- Dinner Provided - Yes
- Lunch Provided - No
- Meal Name - Meals Provided: Dinner
Taking the public bus, this morning we'll travel to Ferrara to begin our walk to Lake Braies (1,494 metres). We'll make our way through the fields and forest paths to arrive at the grandeur of the hotel at the head of Lake Braies - a justifiably popular lake spot with high-sided cliffs and deep green emerald waters. We'll have lunch and explore further around the lake before taking the public bus back to our hotel.
Today's 14-kilometre/8.7-mile walk is expected to take around five hours with a total ascent and descent of 450 metres/1,476 feet.
Accommodation:
- Type - Hotel
- Accommodation Name - Hotel Tschurtschenthaler
- Grade - Comfortable
- All Inclusive - No
- Any Meal Provided - Yes
- Breakfast Provided - Yes
- Dinner Provided - Yes
- Lunch Provided - Yes
- Meal Name - Meals Provided: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
We'll take a local bus to the old spa town of Altprags this morning, from where we'll climb up through beautiful flower meadows and on through forests to reach the lovely Putzalm hut for a well-earned coffee break. We'll then continue climbing to reach the tree line and shortly after, the pass of Suisridl, a little over 2,000 metres and a beautiful picnic spot. We'll descend on paths and tracks through the forests and the cross-country ski area to return to our hotel.
Today's 12.5 kilometres/7.8-mile walk is expected to take around six hours with a total ascent and descent of 750 metres/2,461 feet.
Accommodation:
- Type - Hotel
- Accommodation Name - Hotel Tschurtschenthaler
- Grade - Comfortable
- All Inclusive - No
- Any Meal Provided - Yes
- Breakfast Provided - Yes
- Dinner Provided - No
- Lunch Provided - Yes
- Meal Name - Meals Provided: Breakfast & Lunch
We'll take a bus to Sesto and then a cable car to the top station (approximately 2,000 metres) and then ascend Mt Elmo (2,434 metres). Our walk takes us along a ridge that marks the border between Austria and Italy and has several bunkers and look-out posts from WWI. There is also a great and unusual photo opportunity - a foot in both countries! After walking the ridge and possibly bagging another summit, we'll descend into quiet valleys echoing with the shrill whistle of the elusive marmot, the eagle-eyed may well spot one sat sentry on a rock. We'll return to a different cable car for a descent to the valley floor and a public bus back to Dobbiaco.
Today's 11-kilometre/6.8-mile walk is expected to take around six hours with a total ascent of 680 metres/2,231 feet and a descent of 700 metres/2,297 feet.
Accommodation:
- Type - Hotel
- Accommodation Name - Hotel Tschurtschenthaler
- Grade - Comfortable
- All Inclusive - No
- Any Meal Provided - Yes
- Breakfast Provided - Yes
- Dinner Provided - Yes
- Lunch Provided - Yes
- Meal Name - Meals Provided: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Today is an opportunity to either rest your legs and explore the cultural side of the region or keep up the activity levels and try some biking. A popular cycling day is the 50-kilometre/31.1-mile cycle ride to the Austrian town of Lienz. This gentle descent follows a well-made cycle track which is traffic-free and pretty much all downhill. Taking between two-and-a-half to three-and-a-half hours, most people will arrive in time for lunch. The train will take the strain for the return trip and the local rental company will collect the rental bikes from Lienz. A pair of cycling shorts and cycling gloves are recommended for this trip.
The town of Brunico hosts one of Reinhold Messner's mountain museums and is a short 30-minute train journey away. The pedestrianised main street leads to the castle atop the hill overlooking the town, the old castle's rooms contain interesting exhibitions celebrating the mountain peoples of the world as well as displaying some of the expedition equipment used on his epic oxygen-free ascents of the world's 148,000-metre peaks. A longer journey to Bolzano allows you to visit the museum of the 'Iceman' discovered in the Schnalstal Glacier in the Otztal Alps in 1991. At over 5,000 years old, he is Europe's oldest natural human mummy and the discovery of his body, along with the remnants of his weapons and clothing has helped to throw some light on the life and times of the region's Chalcolithic (Copper Age) Europeans.
For those interested in the battlefields of the 'White War,' as the conflict of 1915-17 in these mountains was known, a visit to Monte Piano via a bus journey and 4x4 shuttle can be arranged. This open-air museum commemorates the 14,000 soldiers who lost their lives to enemy action and the environment with well-preserved battlefield trenches, look-out posts and troop shelters. The nearby town of San Candido, barely five minutes by train, is another popular destination for a spot of shopping on a slightly larger scale than Dobbiaco. Pedestrianised streets, street cafés and restaurants invite you to linger for a lazy lunch as the world passes by. Perfect for a relaxing day off.
Less than an hour by public bus, Cortina is a world-renowned glamourous spot. The streets ooze high-class shopping experiences, and the cafes invite you to stay and people-watch. With the 2026 Winter Olympics being part-hosted here, there's a buzz and flurry of activity that is infectious and exciting. Alternatively, you can take further walks or stay at the hotel and make use of the indoor pool and spa.
Accommodation:
- Type - Hotel
- Accommodation Name - Hotel Tschurtschenthaler
- Grade - Comfortable
- All Inclusive - No
- Any Meal Provided - Yes
- Breakfast Provided - Yes
- Dinner Provided - No
- Lunch Provided - No
- Meal Name - Meals Provided: Breakfast
We'll take the bus to the Auronzo hut at 2,320 metres, just below the famed UNESCO site of the Tre Cime de Lavaredo. From here, we'll take a quieter path to the most impressive north faces of the Tre Cime and pass the Langalm hut before following another less well-known path to reach the Locatelli hut and a picnic spot near the lake. After lunch, we'll take a small path, looping around Torre di Toblin and have some time to explore various Austrian WWI defences. We'll return to the Auronzo hut via the south faces of the Tre Cime and a complete loop of the most iconic mountains in the Dolomites. From here, we'll return to Dobbiaco via the shuttle bus service.
Today's 13-kilometre/8.1-mile walk is expected to take around seven hours with a total ascent and descent of 500 metres/1,641 feet.
Accommodation:
- Type - Hotel
- Accommodation Name - Hotel Tschurtschenthaler
- Grade - Comfortable
- All Inclusive - No
- Any Meal Provided - Yes
- Breakfast Provided - Yes
- Dinner Provided - Yes
- Lunch Provided - Yes
- Meal Name - Meals Provided: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
We'll take the public bus to Pratopiazza (1,991 metres) - approximately 50 minutes - and walk a high-level track to the Durrenstein hut (2,040 metres). From here, we'll make a climb to the summit of Strudelkopf - a fabulous summit at 2,307 metres. The panoramic views are superb and we'll see the Tre Cime in the near distance. We'll descend via a military road and a choice of either a return on the same outward bus or an additional 4-kilometre/2.5-mile descent through the forests and along the riverside to Brukele and a bus back to Dobbiaco.
Today's 11-kilometre/6.8-mile walk is expected to take around six hours with a total ascent of 480 metres/1,575 feet and a descent of 1,000 metres/3,281 feet.
Accommodation:
- Type - Hotel
- Accommodation Name - Hotel Tschurtschenthaler
- Grade - Comfortable
- All Inclusive - No
- Any Meal Provided - Yes
- Breakfast Provided - Yes
- Dinner Provided - Yes
- Lunch Provided - Yes
- Meal Name - Meals Provided: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Our trip ends today. Departing Dobbiaco this morning, we'll drive to Venice Marco Polo Airport (VCE) where we'll arrive at around 1.30pm. The earliest your flight can depart today is 3.30pm.
Accommodation:
- Type -
- Accommodation Name -
- Grade -
- All Inclusive - No
- Any Meal Provided - Yes
- Breakfast Provided - Yes
- Dinner Provided - No
- Lunch Provided - No
- Meal Name - Meals Provided: Breakfast
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Tour Operator
Explore Worldwide
A prominent adventure travel company with over four decades of experience, this business that offers a comprehensive array of unique and thrilling experiences worldwide. Catering to various interests, they provide small group journeys, walking and cycling trips, solo holidays, and family adventures.
In Business Since 1981
Reviews
Cary - Traveled, September 2024
It’s very nice to have the transportation arranged between Venice and Dobbiaco. Since the weather is unpredictable, the guide, Andy, made the daily schedule flexible to fit the weather. It’s great. Explore!
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 09/19/2024
Louise - Traveled, August 2024
We have been on approximately 8 group treks in past 12 years. The Dolomites trip ranks well up there. The accommodations were fine. We had a nice room and good breakfasts. Dinners were ok. Lunches were adequate. Missing condiments! Our group was extremely cohesive which really makes a good trip. Eduardo was clever about options for our group and picked the best hikes for the weather and skill levels. Only one scary hike when the thunder and lightning chased us off the strudel summit. Felt that was a bit delayed in descending. I think 15 is too many for one guide. We had a medical issue and Eduardo seemed not to take it seriously enough and rushed on ahead. He corrected himself and unloaded the hiker of his gear and slowed to his pace. We almost missed the gondola but in the end, it was ok. Other groups we have been with had a person (not necessarily guide) be a “caboose” for safety sake. Overall Eduardo did a fabulous job and certainly knows his Dolomiti! We will definitely choose another trip with Explore.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 09/06/2024
penelope - Traveled, July 2024
A very well organised tour which included a wide range of scenery and activities.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 07/29/2024
Reyna - Traveled, July 2024
My husband and I thought the tour was not what we expected. The hotel was a star 1-2 standard. The rooms were very antiquated. Beds very small you felt the bed almost on the floor. Bathrooms tiny not to mentioned the shower. Explore!
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 07/21/2024
Romeu - Traveled, June 2024
It was a great experience, I definitely recommend it!
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 07/07/2027
Carol - Traveled, June 2024
The Dolomites hiking trip was a 10 out of 10. Our guide, Andy, was excellent and so knowledgeable about the area and hikes we were doing. Hikes were phenomenal and sufficiently challenging. Lodging and food were both excellent. I’m already planning my next hiking adventure with Explore.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 06/28/2024
katie - Traveled, September 2023
My goal for this trip was to hike Tre Cime for my 65th birthday. I am not an experienced hiker and a flatlander so I was very appreciative of the support and encouragement from the hiking group and our hiking leader, Andy Phillips. This is a trip I will remember as an adventure of a lifetime.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 10/10/2023
Maria - Traveled, September 2023
The hikes were all very good; each one different; the background information be it geographical, topographical or historical that was provided by our guide added additional depth to the hikes.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 10/06/2023
Monique D. - Traveled, August 2023
This was an excellent tour in all ways. The scenery was breathtakingly spectacular and the hikes doable with adequate rests at the huts with planned coffee and snack stops. From our home base in Alberta, Canada we were use to doing average hikes of 10 to 14 kms with a maximin elevation gain of approximately 600. meters. I think this is why we Canadians found the chosen hikes quite reasonable. It was also superb that the order of the hikes were changed somewhat depending on the weather and our ability to better view the various mountain ranges. The accommodation provided everything we needed in a charming, clean and comfortable setting. The pool area and sauna's were modern and appealing. The hotel staff were super friendly and accommodated requests. The food choice was excellent, I especially liked a salad at the start of every meal and a unique desserts at the end of each meal. Thank you Explore!
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 09/20/2023
Corinne - Traveled, September 2023
Andy Hodges was an excellent and knowledgeable guide and made our trip a fantastic one! The hikes were all beautiful and a bit different, the hiking group was friendly, and the hotel staff were friendly and efficient. It was an incredible trip that I will always cherish!
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 09/19/2023
Bonnie D - Traveled, September 2023
We were so lucky to have Andy for a Tourguide. He was not only super knowledgeable when it came to the trails but also provided us with a lot of information about the history of the area and the role the Dolomites played in the First World War. Andy was also great at planning which hikes we did each day so that the weather was good for the hike we did each day. He was helpful when adapting the hikes for the ability of the hikers. There was nothing he could have done to prevent the illness that some of the hikers had but tried his best to help them when they were u able to be with the group. I thoroughly enjoyed the experience and would definitely recommend an Explore hike to others.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 09/18/2023
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