Experience Overview
In the heart of the northern Italian Dolomites, close to the border with Austria and dominated by the famous Tre Cime (Three Peaks), is the beautiful Tyrolean village of Dobbiaco. A week's walking from here allows you to discover the beauty and sheer magnificence of the majestic Alta Pusteria Valley. With over 1000kms of trails, the Italian Dolomites are a mecca for high-level walkers and we provide a selection of meticulously researched route notes for walks at various levels. highlights include a high ridge path along the Austrian border with 360degree views over the Italian Dolomites and Austrian Alps, and a circular hike around the world-famous Tre Cime, three immense obelisks of sheer rock that have now become the symbol of the region. Amazingly, all of this is accessible on well-defined paths either directly from the hotel, or via a short bus or cable car ride.
Profile
— 7 nights 4-star hotel with spa, all rooms en suite — 6 days centre-based walking — Travel on local buses and trains — Altitude max. 2663m, average 2000m — Self-guided holiday. Min age 12 yrs
At a Glance
— 7 nights 4-star hotel with spa, all rooms en suite — 6 days centre-based walking — Travel on local buses and trains — Altitude max. 2663m, average 2000m — Self-guided holiday. Min age 12 yrs
Trip For You
This is a centre-based independent walking holiday. Walks can easily be extended/shortened by using the complimentary 7- day Mobil Card which gives unlimited access to local buses and selected cable cars and chairlifts. The walking is along varied and well signed footpaths, both at high altitude and in the lower valleys. There are moderate ascents on most days, and longish descents on days when a cable car is used to gain altitude. Walkers should have a good fitness level and be confident on uneven terrain. This trip is unsuitable for severe vertigo sufferers, but will appeal to people wanting challenging high level mountain walking by day, and luxury 4-star hotel accommodation at night. As this is a self-guided holiday there is no group and no leader. There may be others on the same departure date as you, but you will not be organised together. You are provided with route notes for each day, which begin with an overview of the walk and advice on lunch, followed by detailed instructions. The route notes contain a 24 hour emergency assistance telephone number should you need it and in emergencies, the hotelier is normally able to dispatch a taxi or pick you up themselves. They may wish to charge for this service. You may find our Fitness Training Guide a useful reference: http://www.exodus.co.uk/assets/pdf/Exodus_WT_Fitness_Training_Guide.pdf
Group Description
As this is a self-guided holiday there is no group and no leader. This tour based at the same hotel for the week and is managed locally by the hotelier who will be on hand to assist you and highlight particular places of interest.
Eating Drinking
All breakfasts and 7 dinners are included. Evening meals are served in the atmospheric candlelit dining room where high quality cuisine includes a weekly 5-course banquet and themed Tyrolean buffet evening.
Transportation
Transfers to the starting points of walks can sometimes be on local transport. All guests receive a 7-day Mobil Card allowing you unlimited travel on the excellent network of local buses and trains, as well as maps and a fully researched set of independent walking routes. Some of the walks require cable cars/chairlifts to get to higher altitudes; these are at a cost and payable locally.
Joining Instructions
The tour itself normally begins at our start hotel in Dobbiaco in the evening of Day 1 of the itinerary. Arrival and departure transfers are included (for flight inclusive travellers) between Venice Marco Polo Airport and the hotel in Dobbiaco (approx. 2hrs 30mins) at set times which coordinate with the standard flights. Please ask your Sales Consultant for times. We can also arrange non-standard/private arrival and departure transfers at alternative times from either Venice Marco Polo Airport or from Innsbruck Airport for you (at additional cost - please enquire at the time of booking for prices). Flights:We can also book flights for you if you wish. The standard flights we usually use are with British Airways from London Heathrow to Venice Marco Polo, but occasionally we may use flights from Gatwick instead. Please enquire for up-to-date flight details as availability and schedules may change throughout the season.
Transfer Details
For flight inclusive bookings transfers are included from Venice Marco Polo airport at 12:05, and back to Venice Marco Polo airport at 08:15.
Weather Information
The Dolomite Mountains offer some of the best weather in all of the Alps – perfect for year-round active adventures. As a mountain range, the Dolomites receive less precipitation on an annual basis than do the majority of the Alps. During the summer temperatures vary between 20°C - 22°C, while temperature starts dropping a bit in September. Equally, at all times you need to be ready for the occasional stormy day.
Spending Money
— Lunch is not included in the itinerary so please allow some spending money for this. We recommend approximately €5-15 per lunch.You should allow approx €35 per person for cable car and chairlift usage not included in the Mobil card. LOCAL TAXES: many Italian cities have recently introduced a tourist tax for non-residents. The local administration is in charge of the tax, which will be collected by the accommodation provider at check-in or check-out. This fee varies depending on the hotel category, the season and number of days of stay. It is usually between €2 and €5 per person per night. For this trip, please allow €2.40 per person per night.
Highlights
- — Breathtaking natural landscapes — Excellent bird-spotting; stunning flowers; unrivalled Alpine views — Beautiful 4-star family-run hotel with spa, pool, sauna and steam room. — Visit the world-famous Tre Cime (UNESCO World Heritage Site)
Trip Details
Product Code: 4203
Tour Type: Small Group
Accommodation: Moderate
Transport: locally.
Guide Language: English
Supplier Code: W07DL
Starts: Dobbiaco, Dolomites
Finishes: Dobbiaco, Dolomites
Duration: 8 days
Departures: Guaranteed
Physical rating: Average
Includes
- — All breakfasts and 7 dinners — All accommodation (see accommodation section) — Route notes and maps — Arrival & departure transfers (on flight inclusive bookings.)
Accommodation
Hotel BellevueYou will spend 7 nights in the beautiful 4-star Park Hotel Bellevue. It combines old-world charm with good old-fashioned hospitality. Facilities include a luxurious spa with sauna, steam room, swimming pool, massage/beauty treatments; there’s also a cosy lounge to curl up in with a book, or take an aperitivo in the relaxing bar. Room Upgrades:Room upgrades may be available on request for a supplement; prices start from an additional £8 per person per night (based on 2 people sharing) – please enquire at the time of booking for further details and prices. All prices are based on 2 persons sharing, so if there is an odd number of people travelling in your party or you are travelling alone, there will be a compulsory single room supplement payable in advance.
Price
Price per person: (Double Occupancy) CAD 2595 (CAD 324 /day)
Itinerary
Arrive at your hotel in Dobbiaco. You stay at the Park Hotel Bellevue for 7 nights (breakfast and evening meal)
From the hotel, you ascend gently along peaceful country lanes, through picture-perfect Tyrolean villages and hamlets dotted across the hillside - each boasting a lovely chapel or church offering stunning views and decorated with frescoes. At Stadlern, take time over a picnic to soak up the mountain panorama before returning to Dobbiaco alongside the bubbling Rienza River.
There's a short bus ride before a spectacular gondola ride this morning to the high Rotwand pastures (1,914m), just below the mighty Croda Rossa limestone peaks. From here it's a gentle descent along pretty pine-scented forest trails to the ancient Kreuzbergpass, south Tyrol's most easterly mountain pass. You then head up to the refuge of Malga Nemes, a fabulous panoramic spot for lunch, with marmots foraging in the open sunny pastures, before descending along a wide woodland track to the Tyrolean village of Moos where you pick up the bus back to Dobbiaco. A longer walking option is also available.
Enjoy truly spectacular scenery on one of our favourite trails in the Dolomites. It's a fantastic full-day hike with ascents and descents of around 800m for unrivalled views. First an easy stroll along the shores of the turquoise Lago di Braies and then ascend via the Alte Kaser pastures to the idyllic mountain bowl of Hochalm for lunch. Your descent is through a deeply carved valley below colossal peaks and impressively striated cliffs A shorter walking option is also available.
Today you'll head into the heart of the Ampezzo National Park in the italian-speaking Veneto region. Setting off from Cimabanche along a disused railway line, you'll head up through the Gotres Valley on an old military road to reach the high mountain pasture of Forcella Lerosa. You descend to the idyllic meadows of Rifugio Ra Stua and follow a narrow forest footpath towards Cortina d'Ampezzo.
This fabulous walk takes you along the impressive crest of the Carniche Alps. You start the day with a bus then cable car ascent (payable locally) up towards Mount Elmo (2,041m). From there, an old military supply route takes you to the refuge Sillianer Hutte (in Austria). This ridge forms a border between Italy and Austria and gives you spectacular views across the Austrian Alps. Your descent is on a less well defined rocky path that crosses the pretty mountain pastures of the Klammbachalm to arrive at the picturesque Klammbachhutte, before the forest track back down to the village of Moos.
A tremendous finale to your week awaits as you head by bus (payable locally) to the high-altitude Rifugio Auronzo at the foot of the world-famous Tre Cime di Lavaredo (2,999m at the top). These enormous freestanding limestone towers have been so popular with walkers that they've naturally become the symbol of the Dolomites. You follow a wide mountain trail constructed by soldiers during the First World War, which provides the finest perspective of these three immense columns. A longer walking option is also available.
Tour Operator
Exodus Travel
It’s all about adventure That is what Exodus was founded upon 50 years ago, and what the company is still all about. Discovering countries, cultures, environments, cities, mountain ranges, deserts, coasts and jungles; exploring this amazing planet we all live on. At Exodus, we know what makes you tick when it comes to holidays. It’s a desire shared by so many others. A yearning to visit new places and come home with a real sense of what they’re all about. This means delving into local traditions, cultures, cuisine, lifestyles – anything that contributes to its unique identity. At the same time, we always remember that we are only guests. So we travel courteously and respectfully, in smaller groups to minimise our impact, to ensure that every Exodus holiday is a beneficial experience for everyone involved. This is a philosophy we take with us around the world, helping you reach some incredible destinations on 500 itineraries across over 90 separate countries. We also strive to provide as much flexibility and choice as we possibly can, making it simple for you to experience a very different holiday. Exodus started life on 4 February 1974 when two friends got together to provide an overland truck to travel to the Minaret of Jam, deep in the heart of the Hindu Kush, the most inaccessible of the world’s great monuments. See our history page for more details about how we began and how we have grown over the past 50 years. Never travelled with Exodus before? Visit our New to Exodus page for some useful, first-timer information.
In Business Since 1974
Reviews
Rosemary Finch - Traveled, September 2022
Hiking in the area around Dobbiaco This is a beautiful area for hiking, and the variety of self-guided hikes we were given was great. There was everything from short easy rambles to long challenging climbs. The Bellevue Hotel was wonderful, with awesome service and delicious food. Definitely an experience I would be happy to repeat. The only negative factor was that, although we never got lost, some of the route notes could do with updating. It seemed that total hike distances were often understated. Also, we did the last tour of the season, and found that some of the refugios mentioned as lunch stops were closed. I would recommend that anyone going late in the season check before setting out, or be sure to carry your own food. Most Inspirational Moment Finally making it to the top of Mt. Elmo in a snowstorm! Suggestions I will forward some details of route note issues to Headwater.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 10/14/2022
Adventure Coordinators - Traveled, September 2019
Fantastic holiday Loved this trip – it was my first self-guided trip and my first trip with Headwater. They have a great selection of hikes to choose from, right from easy rambles to tough hikes. I did pretty much all moderate and more difficult hikes and the directions and provided maps are excellent. I stayed at Park Hotel Bellevue in Toblach (Dobbiaco) which is one of the best hotels I have ever stayed at. Included transportation passes and time tables easily let you get around to all the trail heads and even to other towns in South Tyrol if you do not feel like hiking or if the weather is inclement. Most Inspirational Moment There were so many - I would say what will always stay with me are the momentous views. I have hiked in many different mountain ranges but the Dolomites are simply spectacular. Thoughts on Group Leader This was a self-guided hike so there wasn't one Advice for Potential Travellers If you travel solo, ask for an upgraded room. The standard singles are a tad small.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 10/20/2019
David Bruce - Traveled, August 2017
The Italian Dolomites: Self Guided Walking Dobbiaco was a tremendous centre and the Park Hotel Bellevue was everything that we would have wanted. The guidance notes for the walks were excellent and each of the itineraries gave us a different view of the Dolomites from rolling pastures to jagged peaks. I would unreservedly recommend the holiday. Most Inspirational Moment Walking in the Tre Cime was beautiful and quiet with glimpses of marmots and alpine, wild flowers hanging on to the rugged terrain. Other walks were almost as spectacular and each had a different character and high point. Thoughts on Group Leader N/A Advice for Potential Travellers If you are up to it, always choose the longer walks. They are quieter and allow you to work off some calories in preparation for the excellent food at the Park Hotel Bellevue. Suggestions Thankyou for a great holiday.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 09/05/2017
Benjamin Stadelmann - Traveled, April 2015
Lovely Hiking Around Dobbiaco Overall, a wonderful experience. We were somewhat uneasy about a centre-based trip, because if you find that the food isn’t to your liking the first couple of days it could make for a disagreeable week. We needn’t have worried, the chef at the Bellevue is top notch, making terrific use of fresh local vegetables, fruit and cheese and kept us guessing on what the menu would have to offer next. Service was consistently professional and friendly. What I liked best about the walks was the sheer variety – really no two alike, pastures, meadows, forests, boulder strewn scree fields, babbling brooks, fields brimming with wild flowers, cute hamlets, the suggested hikes had it all. The “moderate” rating is fair, though there are a few parts where a walking stick comes in handy. Most Inspirational Moment After a rigorous climb up to the alpine hut at the Three Peaks I was ready for lunch and was treated to an absolutely superb goulash with a variety of fresh baked breads. To get that quality of food out in the middle of nowhere was remarkable, all the more so as the price was reasonable! It puts all the overpriced lousy food in tourist traps to shame. Thoughts on Group Leader The self guided notes were thorough and trails well marked, barely used the maps which seemed like a bit of a waste. The walks are very straight forward, did not miss having a guide. Advice for Potential Travellers Don’t pay too much attention to the suggested itinerary. Weather is a more important factor and how ambitious you feel on a given day. Make good use of the spa, it really helps to rejuvenate those tired legs! Not sure if it is s misprint, but the stated summer temperature of 20-22 is misleading. Yes, it is chilly at night and at peak altitude, but during the day in July it is HOT!! More like 32 in Dobbiaco during the afternoons, but it does cool off very pleasantly in the evening. Suggestions The 7-day Mobile card for public transit is an asset. Works on all buses and trains, makes it dead simple to go to and fro at ease.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 06/26/2015
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