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Short Alta Via 1

Duration: 4 days
Trails: T3 trails
Distance: 10 - 15 km / 6 - 9 mi per day
Ascent per day: 500 - 1000 m / 1640 - 3281 ft ascent per day

> Walk the Northern section of the Atla Via 1
> Spend the night in cozy Italian Rifugios
> Start and end the adventure at Cortina d'Ampezzo

The Alta Via 1, also known as the Dolomite High Route 1, is one of Italy's most famous trekking trails and is the easiest and most popular of the high routes that go through the Dolomites. The Dolomites are located in north-eastern Italy and stretch throughout the provinces of Belluno, South Tyrol, and Trentino.

During this 4-day adventure, you'll hike through the northern part of the Alta Via 1. This means you'll walk from Lago di Braies, the trail to Cinque Torri and then back to Cortina d'Ampezzo. Along the way, you'll spend the whole day exploring the breathtaking Dolomites. You spend the nights in cozy mountain huts, also called Rifugios. Here you can enjoy delicious Italian dishes and you will also meet many other hikers. Bookatrekking.com makes sure your huts are booked including dinner and breakfast, the only thing left for you to do is to enjoy the beautiful trails on the Alta Via 1.

Itinerary

Day
1

Lago di Braies - Rifugio Pederü

Duration: 06:00 h
Distance: 14.3 km / 8.9 mi
Ascent: 920 m / 3018 ft
Descent: 830 m / 2723 ft
The first stage starts at the beautiful Alpine lake Lago di Braies, surrounded by towering mountain peaks and pine forests. It starts with a steady climb to the first pass Forcella Sora Forno. On this part of the route you encounter several steep rock faces which you cross via short but exciting zigzag routes using cables. At the pass you enter the Dolomiti National Park. The Panorama of the wide, expansive pass is vast and breathtaking, including views of the peaks of the northern Dolomites, as well as the peaks of Marmolada and Tofane. You then begin a steep descent into the rocky valley with fascinating orange rock walls, the last part of the stage consists of a final long downhill section.

Rifugio Pederü

Info
Rifugio Pederü
Rifugio Pederü
Day
2

Rifugio Pederü - Rifugio Lagazuoi

Duration: 07:45 h
Distance: 17.5 km / 10.9 mi
Ascent: 1540 m / 5052 ft
Descent: 420 m / 1378 ft
On this stage, the real highlights of the trip begin when you reach the Cortina d'Ampezzo Valley, cross one of the most exciting passes of the entire trip, and reach the pinnacle of the trip: the summit of Lagazuoi. The stage begins through idyllic meadows, streams, and rolling stone pastures and becomes rockier and more exciting. As the day progresses, the trail heads toward the Forcella Del Lago pass. From the top of the pass, you are faced with a steep descent. Eventually, you will be rewarded with a beautiful view of the picturesque Lago di Lagazuoi. You round off the stage with the steep climb to the top of Mount Lagazuoi. At the top, you reach the busy Rifugio Lagazuoi with one of the most beautiful panoramas of the entire Dolomites.

Rifugio Lagazuoi

Info
Rifugio Lagazuoi
Rifugio Lagazuoi
Day
3

Rifugio Lagazuoi - Rifugio Scoiattoli

Duration: 03:45 h
Distance: 8.9 km / 5.5 mi
Ascent: 370 m / 1214 ft
Descent: 780 m / 2559 ft
This stage takes you to the heart of the Cortina Valley: Cinque Torri, perhaps the most beautiful and spectacular spot of the entire trip. Today the Alta Via 1 briefly descends into the valley before making the climb to Nuvolau. Along the way you'll pass the fascinating and famous Cinque Torri area, the center for rock climbing, and well worth a detour to explore the “five-rock towers. You'll spend the night at Rifugio Scoiattoli but you'll want to experience sunset at the adjacent Rifugio Nuvolau, the recently renovated rifugio built on a spire and offering a 360-degree panorama.

Rifugio Scoiattoli

Info
Rifugio Scoiattoli
Rifugio Scoiattoli
Day
4

Rifugio Scoiattoli - Cortina d'Ampezzo

Duration: 06:00 h
Distance: 15.3 km / 9.5 mi
Ascent: 540 m / 1772 ft
Descent: 1560 m / 5118 ft
Today you will wake up to beautiful views of Cinque Torri, and enjoy your breakfast. You will notice how the difference in time of day can give this particular mountain formation a different glow. The next stop is Rifugio Dibona. From this hut, you can continue hiking to Rifugio Pomedes, where you can, for example, take the cable car down to Rifugio Duca d’Aosta and Piè Tofana. There are several options here to take a cable elevator, but the downhill hike is also fine. Cortina d'Ampezzo is fast approaching and before you know it, your multi-day hike will be over.

Included

  • Booking the huts

    We will take care of arranging accommodation on the Alta Via 1 for you. We will also provide you with a detailed itinerary for every stage and instructions on how to get to the trailhead.

  • Full travel guide

    You’ll receive access to our trekking app, which serves as your complete digital travel guide for the Alta Via 1. Inside, you’ll find everything you need for your trek: route descriptions, hiking maps, navigation support, payment information, and all the key details specific to your journey.

  • Accommodation

    During your Alta Via 1, you will spend your nights in mountain huts. In the mountain huts we normally only book dormitories, but we can look into private rooms on request. If the private rooms are fully booked or not available in the hut, we automatically book a bed in dormitories for you. Please note that private rooms are more expensive and there will be an additional charge for this.

  • Half board (where possible)

    Accommodation in the huts includes dinner and breakfast, unless otherwise indicated in the exclusive list. This allows you to travel lighter and not have to worry about an extra meal. Please note, however, that lunch is not included, but can be purchased at the huts.

  • Navigation support

    Our trekking app also includes built-in navigation support. With GPS-based maps and offline access, you can follow the trail confidently and stay on route even without mobile signal.

Excluded

  • Traveling to and from

    You have to make your own way to the starting point. The total amount does not include personal transport.

  • Transfers

    Should you need any form of (public) transport on location, this is not part of the trekking package. This includes the use of taxi, bus, cable cars, gondolas, ferries, etc.

  • 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.

  • Travel Insurance

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

  • Personal expenses

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

  • Dinner Rifugio Pederü

    Where possible we book accommodations on a half-board basis but at Rifugio Pederü only breakfast is included. In the evening you can dine at the hut without any problems and pay for it in cash on the spot. So make sure you take enough cash with you on trek.

FAQ

  • Difficulty of the Alta Via 1: Is This Trek Right for Me?

  • When Is the Best Season to Hike the Alta Via 1 in the Dolomites?

  • How to Get To the Starting Point of the Alta via 1

  • Endpoint in Cortina D’Ampezzo

  • What if the dates I want are not available?

  • If I book now, can I immediately arrange the rest of my trip?

  • How do I know if this trek is right for me?

How to Book

  • Booking

  • Availability

  • Cancellation policy

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