Palaronda Trek with Hotel Before and After

Route

The best place to park is at the Colverde-Rosetta cable car valley station. From there, you first take the forest road towards Val di Roda until you reach a crossroads, from where trail no. 725 Sentiero del Cacciatore leads hikers up to Colverde. Continue along trail no. 701 towards Rifugio Rosetta on the high plateau of the Pala Group. A short time later you reach Rifugio Rosetta. Those who are early and still feeling energetic can also climb Rosetta peak. This takes about 20 minutes - the views will obviously be worth it.

 

Distance: 6.2 kilometers
Walking time: 4 hours

Ascent: 1100 meters

Descend: 0 meters

Day 3, Stage 2: Rifugio Rosetta "Giovanni Pedrotti" - Rifugio Pradidali

At Rifugio Rosetta the actual Palaronda Trek begins. From the hut, trail no. 709 leads to the foot of the Fradusta glacier. On the left flank of the glacier, the trail climbs for 1.5 hours and ends on the Cima Fradusta at 2.939 meters with its great views. You are now in the heart of Pale di San Martino, the Pala Group. Return along the same path to the Pradidali Basso pass. From there, descend into the upper Val Pradidali and continue hiking to Rifugio Pradidali. Beer time.

 

Distance: 10 kilometers
Walking time: 4.5 hours

Ascent: 310 meters

Descend: 620 meters

Day 4, Stage 3: Rifugio Pradidali - Rifugio Treviso Canali

 

On the third day, trail no. 709 leads from Rifugio Pradidali into Val Pradidali. There, the route is accompanied by cliffs that rise vertically into the sky as far as Val Canali. Turn left and follow the trail past the ruins of the Alpe Malga Pradidali to Malga Canali. A stop here is rewarding. Those who want to and have energy left turn right about 500 meters before Malga Canali and will reach the lake of Villa Welsperg after about three kilometers. This shimmering emerald-green lake will be worth your extra time. Back again and finally on trail no. 707 to the stage destination, a Dolomite classic, Rifugio Treviso.

Distance: 8.7 kilometers

Walking time: 4 hours

Ascent: 340 meters

Descend: 960 meters

Day 5, Stage 4: Rifugio Treviso Canali - Rifugio Rosetta - San Martino di Castrozza

 

Follow trail no. 707 again, today into the wide Vallone del Coro valley. After three hours of climbing, you reach the Canali Pass on the easterly edge of the plateau. After another three hours on trail no. 707, the circuit comes to a close again at Rifugio Rosetta. For most hikers, the final descent to San Martino di Castrozza is done by the Colverde-Rosetta cable car. Your call!

Distance: 10 kilometers

Walking time: 5.5 hours

Ascent: 1080 meters

Descend: 160 meters

Day 6, Departure

After breakfast, your Palaronda Trek adventure is over. From San Martino di Castrozza, there are several options to return to Venice or to another destination in Italy.

What's Included

Included:

√ Booking the huts
We will take care of arranging accommodation for you. We will also provide you with a detailed itinerary for every stage and instructions on how to get to the trailhead. 

√ Accommodation
We will arrange your accommodation on the Palaronda Trek in mountain huts, also known as Rifugios. There are several options to choose from along the trail. We have selected the mountain huts on our trek based on the length of each stage and recommendations from trekkers who have done the Palaronda Trek before us.

√ Accommodation in San Martino di Castrozza
We will also arrange the accommodation before and after the trek for you. Both before and after the trek, you will spend the night at a hotel in San Martino di Castrozza. 

√ Half-board
All of the huts along the Palaronda Trek include dinner and breakfast. We will arrange this for you as well. This allows you to travel lighter and have one less thing to worry about. Bear in mind that lunch is not included, but it can be purchased at the Rifugios. At the hotel in San Martino di Castrozza is, if possible, breakfast included for you.

Excluded:

× Airfare and Visa
You have to make your way to San Martino di Castrozza. The total amount is exclusive of flights to Italy. 

× Transfers
Once in Italy, you will have to make your way to the trailhead at San Martina di Castrozza. We will provide the instructions and assist you with how to get there. The bus tickets are not included. 

× Travel Insurance
Your international travel insurance is your own responsibility. Discuss your itinerary with the insurance company before your trek.

× Lunch
Half-board is included in the price of this trek. Lunch, however, is not. You can get something to eat at the mountain huts along the way.

× Personal expenses
Personal expenses such as souvenirs, drinks, and other similar expenses are for your own account.

Accommodation

Packing list

FAQ

Pale di San Martino, the Pala Group, is majestic, elegant, literally hardcore, an Italian favourite, and, is home to one of the most fun and kind of sexy treks in the Italian Dolomites. Sexy, you say? Well, if you have a look at the photos and see the landscape you are hiking through, you can definitely get a few sexy profile photos or Instagram stories on this trek. This is the Palaronda Trek: short, accessible, not too technical, and a great way to spice up your time in Italy. The Pale di San Martino is the largest massif of the Dolomites and it is located between eastern Trentino and Ventore. Its highest point is 3,192 metres: Cima de Vezzana.

On the Palaronda Trek, you are not climbing Vezzana but you will have the possibility to climb Fradusta at 2,939 metres. This sounds high and it is high, but the good thing about the Palaronda Trek is that you will be staying in mountain huts of which one is already at an altitude of over 2,500 metres. The start point of the Palaronda Trek is at San Martino di Castrozza. This village is situated at the Passo Rolle, cycling enthusiasts would know this mountain pass from the notorious Giro d'Italia. San Martino di Castrozza is about 2 hours from Bolzano and Trento, and about 2.5 hours from Venice.

What is the best season for the Palaronda Trek?

The season for the Palaronda Trek runs from the end of June until mid-September, completely in line with other treks in the Dolomites and the Alps. The rifugios as introduced in the next paragraph won't be open before and after that time, and thus you won't be able to spend the night outside the season. A typical summer day in the Dolomites is characterized by bright sunshine and clear skies. However, there may be occasional rain showers or afternoon storms. There is no snow on the trails, which is the main limiting factor for off-season accessibility.

 

In the summer, there may be some light snowfall, but the snow does not accumulate and is usually gone by the next morning. Be sure to bring waterproof and warm clothing, not just shorts. More about that in the packing list a few paragraphs below. July and August are the busiest months for trekking in the Dolomites. Hut-to-hut tours are also a favourite pastime for Italians, so if you want to go trekking in or around the school holidays, it's best to not wait too long with making arrangements.

The Palaronda Trek and Via Ferratas

On the above version of the Palaronda Trek, you won't have to do any Via Ferratas. However, it is possible. That wouldn't be a Palaronda Soft Trek, by far the most popular option, however. A Via Ferrata, in English iron path, or in German Klettersteig, is a protected climbing path with cables, ladders, and iron supports attached to rock walls. The purpose of the Via Ferrata is to help trekkers on their way up. However, the Via Ferratas on the Palaronda Trek had a different purpose when they were built. During World War I, the Dolomites were the scene of battles between the Italian and Austro-Hungarian forces. The Via Ferratas were installed during those years to allow troops faster access to the front lines.

Unlike on the Alta Via 2, we don't advise you to bring Via Ferrata gear to the Palaronda Trek. That is if you stick to the itinerary as described and offered above. This doesn't mean you don't have the option to go try it. Should you be interested, then note that that especially Rifugio Pradidali is a great base for various Via Ferrata routes.

Safety

2. Plan carefully ahead

Good planning is half the battle! Hiking maps, reading material, the Internet, and expert advice are invaluable when planning tours and enable you to determine the length, height difference, difficulty, and conditions of your tour. When planning group hikes, always plan the trip for the weakest member of the group! The weather in the mountains can change incredibly quickly and rain, wind, and cold all increase the risk factor. Therefore, always check the weather forecast in advance.

3. Respect nature

 

Do not leave rubbish behind, avoid noise, stay on the marked paths, leave animals alone and respect the protected areas.

4. Stay on marked trails

The Dolomites have an endless number of marked trails - these are well-supervised and maintained. It can be tempting, but it is not a good idea to take short cuts or alternative routes through unmarked terrain. If you do, you have a good chance of getting lost. Steep slopes of packed old snow are also often underestimated and can be dangerous. In doubt? Then don't do it.

Arriving and departing

COVID-19

Covid-19

The Corona pandemic has had its grip on us, and mountain huts in the Alpine region have had to take several preventive measures over the past two years. In the meantime, the first relaxations in the Alps are noticeable, yet it is definitely still a factor to take into account. Some Covid restrictions that are worth mentioning:

- Don't go to the huts if you have symptoms!

- Not all mountain huts are allowed to operate at full capacity yet, so make sure you book your stay in advance.

- To be on the safe side, always take a mouth mask with you.

- In some mountain huts it is still compulsory to bring your own sleeping bag, in others a sheet bag and pillowcase are sufficient. Your personal travel guide will tell you which rules apply to your route.

- Bring your own towel

How to Book

How to Book?

On Bookatrekking.com you can find and compare the adventures of your dreams. Is this trekking your match? In that case, you can proceed with your booking. At Bookatrekking.com you make a deposit of 30% of the total amount. In the case of this trek, we will check the availability at the respective accommodations for you. There are two possible outcomes:

√ There is availability 
We go ahead and make all necessary arrangements for your trip. Once confirmed, we will send you a confirmation and your personal hiking guide. The remaining 70% must be paid at least two (2) weeks before the start of the trekking.

X There is no availability 
If there is no availability, we will look for other starting dates or another trekking in agreement with you. Are there no other options for you? Then your deposit of 30% will be refunded.

Cancellation Policy
If all the accommodations of this trekking are booked and confirmed, you will lose your deposit of 30% at all times. If you cancel within 14 days of your start date, you will lose your full booking amount.

Is it not quite clear yet or do you have questions? Please contact us via support@bookatrekking.com. We are happy to help you.