The Best of the Dolomites: Hiking and Gourmet

Arrive in Cortina d’Ampezzo (1,224m / 4,016') on your own (private transfer on request), and check into your hotel. Cortina d’Ampezzo is a charming alpine resort town surrounded by stunning peaks. Host to the 1956 Winter Olympics, Cortina enjoys a reputation for great skiing in winter, and in the summer attracts hikers and climbers who challenge the rocky faces of the nearby mountains. 

In the evening you will meet with a Dolomite Mountains representative who will provide you a trip briefing, a map and everything necessary for your self-guided adventure.
Dinner included at the restaurant of your hotel.

After breakfast, meet with your local English-speaking Hiking guide (guided trips) who will provide a trip briefing and orientation.

This walk to the Alpe di Sennes uplands entails a wonderful range of scenery and habitats, two natural parks – Dolomiti d’Ampezzo and Fanes-Sennes-Braies – and the spectacular Croda Rossa mountain group.
In the morning take a private transfer to the Rifugio Malga Ra Stua (1,688m / 5,538'), a cozy hut-cum-dairy farm set in a valley lying between the Croda Rossa (northeast) and Lavinores (west) Dolomite groups. From here, you hike uphill on a wide gravel trail to Rifugio Sennes (2,126m / 6,975'), and on to Rifugio Fodara Vedla (1,980m / 6,496') where you stop for lunch and enjoy a lovely view east to the Croda Rossa. After lunch, you’ll hike on a stony track, a former wartime mule route, traversing a series of grassy basins dotted with bushes and dwarf mountain pine, the ideal home of marmots and chamois. The final part of today’s hike winds steadily down through Arolla pine and larch, back to the Rifugio Malga Ra Stua. Private transfer back to your hotel.
(~5-6 hours hiking, 12.2 km / 7.6 miles, 470 m / 1’545' ascent, 470 m / 1,545' descent; possibility to do a shorter hike, to be discussed with your guide.)

After breakfast, meet with your local English speaking Hiking guide (guided trips) who will provide a trip briefing and orientation.

This morning begins with a private transfer to Passo Tre Croci,  right above the north-east border of Cortina.
Today's hike will allow you to admire the view of the Cristallo mountain group to the North, the Tofane to the West behind the Cortina basin, and the Ciadin del Loudo to the South.
Hike a section of the panoramic “Dolomieu Trail”, providing stunning views of the classic Dolomite's rock layers as you hike through woods of larches and spruce pines just above Rio Gere. Take a transfer back to your hotel in Cortina.
(~5,5 hours hiking, 11.4 km / 7.1 miles, 510 m / 1,670' ascent, 600 m / 1,970' descent.)

Tonight's dinner is included at a typical restaurant with local dishes.

Today’s hike is of great interest, not only for the incredible scenery but also for the abundance of reminders of the terrible years of WWI, due to the vicinity of the former border between the long-dismantled Hapsburg Empire and Italy.

Today you’ll hike to the Santa Croce Sanctuary at the base of the Sasso della Croce (Sass dla Crusc for the Ladin-speaking population). Begin walking uphill on a paved road, passing through a number of closely-knit hamlets formed of clusters of ancient shingle-roofed timber farmhouses and barns, known as viles, or small communities, characteristic of Val Badia.
After a 45-minute walk on a road, pass through the last vile, continue hiking on a gravel trail that leads to the Santa Croce Sanctuary. Walk gradually uphill through the pine forest with great views of Santa Croce, the Conturines, and Sella mountain groups, as well as the towns of La Villa, San Cassiano, Corvara, Pedraces, and San Leonardo – all part of the Val Badia valley. Along the way there are a couple of steep ascents.
It takes about two hours from San Cassiano to reach the church and sanctuary of Ospizio S. Croce (2,045m / 6,710').  There is a charming rifugio here, where you can enjoy a traditional Dolomites lunch. Don’t miss the famous Kaiserschmarren, a crepe-like pancake with powdered sugar and jam! Descend to San Cassiano, on the same path. After lunch, return to your hotel on the same path.
(~4-5 hours hiking 11km / 7 miles, 590m / 1,935' ascent and descent.)

Tonight you’ll enjoy dinner in a gourmet restaurant.

In the morning reach the Pralongia High Plateau by cable-car from San Cassiano (ticket not included).
This area is surrounded by mountains including the Marmolada (3,343m /10,964'), the Queen of the Dolomites, the highest peak in the Dolomites and home to its largest remaining glacier. Once on the Plateau, there are plenty of rifugios (mountain inns) where you can enjoy the panorama and have lunch and a good glass of wine.

To return to San Cassiano, you can either return to the cablecar station along the same way, or alternatively, you could hike down to San Cassiano on path 22.
(Descend by cablecar 2-3hrs, 8,7km/ 5,22 miles, 188m/616’ ascent and descent; Descend on foot to San Cassiano 3-4 hour hiking, 11km / 6,6 miles, 188m / 616’ ascent, 651m / 2,135’ descent).

Farewell dinner at the hotel

Breakfast and departure on your own (private transfer on request).