SELF-GUIDED HUT TO HUT CORTINA AND THE NORTHERN DOLOMITES – 7 NIGHT TOUR

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CORTINA AND THE NORTHERN DOLOMITES 7 Night Tour - The Facts Wild, adventurous and spectacular, this tour takes in Cinque Torre, the Tofana group, a night in Cortina, the Fanes-Sennes-Braies Natural Park and part of the renowned Alta Via. The itinerary uses a mix of remote rifugios in dramatic locations; larger, more modern huts with better access, and a night in a hotel in Cortina which should give you the opportunity to explore the village for the evening if you wish.

Terrain This route uses only waymarked routes which are mostly straightforward to navigate using signposts and waymarks. However, some small sections of the route can be tricky to follow, particularly in bad visibility, so competence with map reading is required. Terrain varies from wide gravel tracks, narrow paths through open meadows, and looser rocky paths particularly once you get amongst the higher peaks. Parts of the route are subject to erosion and the exact line of the routes may change slightly each year.

Naturally, in the high mountains a certain level of hiking experience, surefootedness, a good head for heights and a good level of fitness are essential.

Please note that routes in the high massifs, such as this one, may require you to cross patches of snow early in the season.

Grade : Hard, with some long days Walking Time : 4½ to 6½ hours (based on 3 km/h) Ascent : 336m to 1519m per day Descent : 726m to 1838m per day

Please note that walking time does not include time taken for rests or lunch breaks and is an indication of how long the walking itself will take.

Dates & Prices Late June to mid September, with August being particularly busy in the rifugios.

£750 per person

Arrive on the day of your choice, except Wednesday which is our day off. Please note that all bookings are subject to availability in the rifugios and hotels - please do not make any travel arrangements until we have confirmed your accommodation dates. Prices are based on Half Board accommodation in dormitory style rooms in mountain rifugios and Half Board accommodation at the hotel in Cortina. Rifugio Lavarella has the option to upgrade to private rooms - this is subject to a supplement of £15 per person per night (or £30 for single travelers). All dorms are mixed sex and vary in size from rifugio to rifugio. No single supplements apply for dormitory accommodation but are applied to upgrades to private rooms. You must supply your own sleeping bag liners for all dormitory accommodation. Towels are not provided in any rifugio accommodation - please bring your own.

Included in the price • Return airport transfers from Venice Marco Polo or Venice Treviso.

(Flights arriving in Venice must land before 5.00pm, and depart from Venice no earlier than 11.00am - please see www.colletts.co.uk/dolomites/airport-transfers-to-the-italian-dolomites for more details).

• Half board accommodation in the Alta Badia for the first night and B&B accommodation for the last night of your trip - normally in a 2* or 3* garni or hotel, or one of our hosted chalets.

• Breakfast and dinner each day. • A meet and greet with a member of our staff in the Dolomites on your arrival. • All rifugio bookings. • Detailed route laminates. • All relevant maps. • Detailed pre-departure information including packing suggestions. • Short taxi transfer for days 3 and 4 of the itinerary.

Not included in the price • Flights. • Insurance. • Packed lunches (these are available at every rifugio). • Drinks/snacks and any other purchases in the rifugios - some rifugios do not have drinkable tap water. • Lifts/cable cars and buses.

Route Information

Day 1 - Passo Falzarego and Croda da Lago

15km, 1049m ascent, 1133m descent - Take a bus to Passo Falzarego. The walk begins with a steady ascent through the small but dramatic peaks of Averau, Nuvolau and the Cinque Torre, giving views on both sides of some of the Dolomites most impressive 3000m peaks. Descending from the rocky terrain you cross the Passo Giau and the latter half of the day feels wild and more remote and gives superb walking in varied terrain giving close up views of Monte Pelmo. Some small sections of easy scrambling are required early on in the day, and the route crosses a small boulderfield mid way through the day where attention is required to find the route across the boulders, which can be slippery during or after rainfall. Overnight accommodation - Rifugio Croda da Lago

Day 2 - Croda da Lago, Cinque Torre and the Col dei Bos

15.2km, 1235m ascent, 1230m descent - From the rifugio a descent leads down through beautiful woodland giving glimpses of the imposing Tofana de Rozes, before a steady, and sometimes steep ascent leads back up through woodland to the Cinque Torre, just below where you walked the previous day. From here, cross the valley towards Col dei Bos before traversing the slopes beneath the impressive rock walls of the Tofana de Rozes which loom above you. Some sections of the path are narrow and cross steep slopes, a good head for heights is required for these sections. Overnight accommodation - Rifugio Dibona

Day 3 - The Val Travenanzes

19.2km, 963m ascent, 1654m descent - A descent of the superb Val Travenanzes, which is surely one of the quietest valleys in the Dolomites nestled between the peaks of the Tofana group to the east, and Zimes de Fanes to the west. The walking feels wild and remote and sections of the path here are subject to erosion during the winter and spring, making an ability to navigate and to ‘follow your nose’ essential at times, that said, there is only ever one way to go - down. To reach the valley, a steep ascent is required immediately upon leaving the hut to gain the Forcella Col dei Bos, from where the descent of Val Travenanzes begins. Upon reaching the Visitor Centre at the bottom of the valley you will need to catch a taxi pick-up to Cortina (included in the price - all required details are provided). Overnight accommodation – Hotel Menardi / Casa Mailan

Day 4 - The Fanes-Sennes-Braies Natural Park 11.5km, 1838m ascent, 745m descent - Today sees you enter the Fanes-Sennes-Braies Natural Park with its dramatic landscapes set on the top of a high plateau, which is surrounded by impressive peaks on all sides. A marked change from the typical Dolomitic landscape of the last three days and a good opportunity for a shorter day if required. The rifugio nestles just below a small saddle formed by the peaks of Seekofel and the Croda Rosa. This evening is spent in the most basic rifugio on the itinerary (there are no showers!) but is comfortable and has everything you need for a night in very remote mountain location. Overnight accommodation - Rifugio Biella alla Croda del Becco

Day 5 - Rifugio Biella to Rifugio Lavarella and th e Fanes Massif 13.9km, 929m ascent, 1234m descent - Descend across the huge plateau from Rifugio Biella amongst dwarf pines and high alpine meadows dotted with rifugios and giving views of the northern peaks of the Dolomites. The last section of descent is very steep and continues for around 2km. Having descended in to the Val dai Tamersc, the Rifugio Pederu makes a welcome break for the legs and is ideally situated for an early lunch before the walk uphill to Rifugio Lavarella in the afternoon. From here, it is possible to request a taxi shuttle to Rifugio Lavarella (not included in the price) or take the meandering walkers path which weaves it’s way upwards into the impressive natural bowl which houses your destination for the evening. The rifugio is comfortable, quite modern and in a beautiful location. Overnight accommodation - Rifugio Lavarella

Day 6 - Back into the Alta Badia The final day gives you a number of options - for those people looking for an easier day, follow the picturesque route of the Alta Via 1 which crosses the Fanes Massif and descends to the Rifugio Capanna Alpina, from where a short walk takes you to the bus stop and a quick ride back to the Alta Badia. For those feeling more adventurous choose to walk up and over the edge of the Fanes Massif via one of two routes, descending back into the Alta Badia by chairlift if time allows (not included in the price) or on foot. Wherever you end up descending to from your walk, a short bus ride or a walk along a river path will be required to reach your accommodation. Overnight accommodation - Hotel or Chalet in the Alta Badia

At Your Own Risk Your self-guided hut to hut itineraries will be spent entirely at your own risk and it is important that you understand that whilst these routes are accurate at the time of writing, the situation on the ground may change and the itineraries rely on your sound judgement and decision making throughout.

Our self-guided hut to hut itineraries are put together on a basis of goodwill so that you might enjoy a route you may not otherwise have discovered having organised the itinerary yourself. It represents nothing more than the opportunity to go out on a beautiful walk in a part of this wonderful walking area, with the support of knowing that many of the logistics have been arranged for you.

It is a fact that mountains, mountainous areas and activities undertaken in them are associated with personal injury and death. By coming to such areas, you are exposing yourself and your party to the possibility of personal injury or even death. In such an event, Collett's Mountain Holidays will not be held responsible for your interest in mountainous areas and your involvement in mountain pursuits, which can occasionally have tragic consequences.

It is important that you understand that these routes are put together using our extensive knowledge of the area, to provide a route which we believe will be enjoyable and realistic for people who decide that they have the appropriate level of fitness and ability in order to complete the itinerary safely. The information provided uses only marked paths which are in use at the time of writing, however, it is your responsibility to continually assess the suitability and safety of the route throughout the walk and to undertake any action necessary to avoid any terrain which each or any member of the group is not comfortable with. The route choice also assumes an ability to read maps and navigate competently.

It is the responsibility of each individual in the group to make an assessment of the information provided, and to make an informed decision about whether the itinerary is suitable for them.

Finally, during your holiday with Collett's Mountain Holidays you act at your own risk on any ideas, information and opinions you might acquire from our walk organisers or from material prepared by us to help you get the most from the area.