02 8319 2266 from Australia
416-628-3473 from Canada
04 889 4515 from New Zealand
646-757-1102 from the USA
Dolomites Highlights
Your trip begins on arrival in Bolzano, a small city on the main train line between Venice and Munich. Surrounded by mountains on 3 sides, Bolzano is the capital of Italy's Südtirol region and the gateway to the Dolomites. Spend the night in the enchanting old town and enjoy your first taste of regional dishes like speck and knödel, paired with local wines.
Hotel in Bolzano (breakfast)
Red 4 (grade) 19.7km, 1010m ascent, 630m descent
Begin at Compatsch in the famous Alpe di Siusi (the largest high Alpine pasture in Europe). Enjoy iconic views over the Sassolungo group as we walk gradually uphill on tracks and paths through the meadows. We aim for the Forcella Denti di Terrarossa, and as we near the top the going gets rockier. Views of the Rosengarten group open up as the col is reached. A short descend leads to Rifugio Alpe di Tires, and from here we follow a long traverse to Sella Pass, initially along the edge of Alpe di Siusi, and then traversing below the Sassolungo cliffs. Reach your welcoming hotel by the road.
Hotel at Passo Sella (dinner and breakfast)
Red 2 (grade) 15km, 480m ascent, 1110m descent
Today we traverse around the Sella group to reach the welcoming village of Corvara. The morning begins by descending through wildflower meadows on rolling footpaths and then ascending to the road pass at Passo Gardena. From here the going gets rockier as we follow sections of the Alta Via 2 and venture into the Sella Group. Our route traverses the bottom of the cliffs on narrow paths, and then descends steeply, before a final track is followed into the village.
Hotel in Corvara (breakfast)
Red 2 (grade) 12km, 630m ascent, 440m descent
Take the Col Alt cable car out of the village and onto the Pralongia Platau. Enjoy outstanding views in all directions as we follow a panoramic trail across the 'Amphitheatre of the Dolomites'. To the East, see the Marmolada and to the West, get your first glimpse of Lagazuoi and the Fanes-Sennes-Braies Natural Park. The going gets rockier at the far end of the plateau and we descend through outcrops and World War 1 trenches to reach the road at Passo Valparola. Take the bus down the valley to your hotel in San Cassiano.
Hotel in San Cassiano (breakfast)
Red 3 (grade) 15.5km, 660m ascent, 580m descent
Travel by buses or a taxi to reach Rifugio Pederu in the heart of the Fanes-Sennes-Braies Nature Park. Here we follow the Alta Via 1 route, which climbs steadily to reach the Fanes Plateau, with welcoming huts for a lunchtime stop and spectacular views of Monte Castello, Punta Lavarella and Conturines. A flatter sections leads through the spectacular Val Fanes, flanked by rocky cliffs, before we drop more steeply to reach Capanna Alpina and, just beyond, Sciaré, where a short bus ride takes you back to San Cassiano.
Hotel in San Cassiano (breakfast)
Red 2 (grade) 11.7km, 350m ascent, 1380m descent
Take the bus to Passo Falzarego and then the cable car up to Rifugio Lagazuoi, the highest point of our route, and a commanding viewpoint. Follow mountain paths down the valley, then ascend the other side to reach Rifugio Scioatolli. An optional detour to Rifugio Nuvolau is possible here and this gives us another excellent view point. Our route then descends through the famous Cinque Torri (5 Towers). Spend time exploring these rock formations before descending to the road at Cian Zope and taking a bus to Cortina.
Hotel in Cortina (breakfast)
Red 4 (grade) 20.9km, 530m ascent, 1540m descent
Take a taxi from Cortina to Rifugio Auronzo, where it's possible to take a detour to the Cadini Di Misurina, a popular view point. Our onward route follows well made paths around the epic Tre Cime with ever-changing views over the three towers. From Rifugio Locatelli we leave the most popular route and stride out on more mountainous paths to reach Rif Pian di Cengia. From here it’s all downhill, though steep in places. Pass Rifugio Comici on the way and exit the Dolomites through Val Fiscalina. From Sesto take a bus to Dobbiaco for your final hotel night.
Hotel in Dobbiaco (breakfast)
After a last breakfast we depart from the Dolomites. Trains make it easy to reach Austria and Munich. In the other direction, take buses to Venice airport, changing in Cortina. We love to advise on onward travel - please ask us for suggestions on places to visit after your Dolomites trip.
Our standards route includes 6 stages and 7 nights accommodation. One stage begins and ends in San Cassiano meaning it can be easily switched to a rest day if desired. You can decide on the day whether you would prefer to hike or relax in this pretty town.
As our Dolomites Highlights trip uses only hotels it's hard to make the walking stages longer or shorter, without including any hut stays.
Make the trip Longer
If time allows, we recommend adding a rest day - or two! Corvara is a charming small town in the heart of the Dolomites. Relax in the town at your welcoming hotel, or take a cable car up to explore more of the surrounding peaks, such as the Boe cable car up to the Sella Massif, or take the Col Pradat lift to see some of the Puez-Odle Nature Park. For a second rest day, we suggest Cortina - known as the "Queen of the Dolomites". Browse the shops along the high street, and enjoy the lively evening atmosphere.
Make the trip Shorter
For a shorter trip we'd suggest ommiting the stage between Rifugo Pederu and Sciaré and having only one night in San Cassiano. This would give a 5-stage trip with 6 nights accommodation. For shorter trips in the Dolomites we'd reccommend our Alta Via 1: North or Alta Via 9: East trips. Please note these trips include staying in huts.
Hike with a guide
Hike with confidence in the company of our fully qualified International Mountain Leaders (IMLs), with the navigation, accommodation and all arrangements taken care of. If your group would like a guide for your trip, please get in touch for more details.
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Dolomites Highlights 15 July to 17 Sept 2026 |
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| Classic | Comfy | ||
| Self-guided | |||
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5 stages (6 nights) |
GBP 1,310 Singles 400 |
GBP 1,560 Singles 680 |
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6 stages (7 nights) |
GBP 1,420 Singles 440 Main Trip |
GBP 1,680 Singles 780 |
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7 stages 1 rest day (8 nights) |
GBP 1,550 Singles 500 |
GBP 1,850 Singles 900 |
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| Options | |||
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Baggage transfer |
Please ask us |
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Where we stay
The accommodation on our Dolomites Highlights is of a high standard, with hotel stays every night. This is our comfiest offering in the Dolomites. Stay in ensuite rooms every night and enjoy delicious buffet breakfasts every morning.
Comfy
On our 'comfy' trip we make the most of hotels with spa facilities. We upgrade your accommodation in Bolzano, Corvara, San Cassiano and Dobbiaco.
Single Room Supplement
If you would like to stay in single occupancy rooms in the hotels we add our single room supplement. This covers the additional cost of booking rooms for 1 person (rather than sharing twin, double or triple rooms). Single rooms are possible every night if desired. (Please note for bigger groups it isn't possible for everyone to have single rooms as some of the hotels have a limited number of rooms they'll let out for single occupancy.)
We do not take bookings for solo walkers on self-guided trips. If you are still interested in this trip, we do have availability on our guided trips.
Our Dolomites Highlights route follows some of our the best trails in the Dolomites, connecting our favourite hotels with some of the most iconic sights in the Dolomites. It’s a route we’ve put together ourselves, based on our knowledge of the Alta Via 1, 2 and 9, and designed to let you see the highlights of the area in a week, whilst avoiding basic dormitory accommodation in mountain huts.
The Terrain
Underfoot you’ll follow wide valley tracks, grassy paths through meadows, and narrow rocky paths. Whilst this route avoids some of the hardest stages in the Dolomites, it still includes steep ascents and descents and in some places the paths are loose and rocky. There are no sections of Via Ferrata.
Is it for me?
This trip is ideal for people looking to hike for around 6 hours every day over a wide range of terrain, and enjoy hotel stays every single night.
Difficulty
The terrain on the Dolomites Highlights is easier than our other trips in the Dolomites (we grade it Red, rather than Purple or Black) but the spacing of hotels means some of the stages are longer than on our other routes in the Dolomites. This is particularly the case on Stage 1 and Stage 6.
Regarding terrain, the hardest section is on Stage 2, where our route traverses below the North side of the Sella Massif on rocky paths. This section is prone to landslide and the ground can be loose underfoot. For those up for a challenge, there are options to add harder variants onto the route - for example exploring the WW1 tunnels around Rifugio Lagazuoi.
Expect steep ascents and descents as you walk - typical of terrain in the Dolomites. On Stage 1 the ascent to Forcella Denti di Terrarossa is a steep and rocky ascent. On Stage 6 the final long descent out the Dolomites is one of the steepest descents of the trip.
We book your last night in Dobbiaco, pretty resort towns on the train line between Fortezza (Italy) and Lienz in Osttirol (Austria). Flights from Munich or Innsbruck work well. Or travel by bus with a change in Cortina to Venice or Treviso.
- Bespoke accommodation itinerary - tailored to suit your particular requirements
- Breakfast every morning
- Dinner at Passo Sella
- Detailed Routecards DHI1-7 of the Exploratory system, printed on waterproof paper
- The topographical maps needed
- Downloadable GPX Tracks covering the route
- Expert advice and local information
- A comprehensive 'Season Update' following our pre-season recce
- Full support during your trip from the Alpine Exploratory team (9am until 9pm in the Alps)
- Travel to and from your trip
- Local transport or taxis to reach off route accommodation (unless otherwise specified)
- Travel insurance
- Lunches, snacks, drinks and evening meals in the towns (this would be 6 nights on our usual itinerary)
- Baggage transfers (available as an extra)
Baggage transfer
We offer baggage transfers as an extra. Bags can be delivered to all stops on our Dolomites Highlights trip. We also offer direct transfers from Bolzano to Dobbiaco, ideal if your hike is part of a bigger trip. Please ask us for more details.
 
Enquiry Form
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If you prefer, please feel welcome to email or call us. Thanks!
| Contact Alpine Exploratory | |
| [email protected] | |
| Phone | +44 (0)131 214 1144 |
| Our times |
9am to 5pm UK time, Monday to Friday |
| Our national-rate numbers. Please use for a cheaper call to our Edinburgh office |
From the USA: 646-757-1102 From Canada: 416-628-3473 From Australia: 02 8319 2266 From New Zealand: 04 889 4515 |
Open to the world
Since Alpine Exploratory started in 2005 we have loved getting to know our clients from around the world. Our best-represented countries are the USA, the UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.
Walking around the Cinque Torri on stage 5
Alpine Exploratory
