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Cortina D ampezzo
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A Walking amongst the spectacular Italian Dolomites |
Ref: EX-DIL
8 days
from £0 (minimum 8 passengers)
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Destination:
Italy
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Walking amongst the spectacular Italian Dolomites
The Dolomites of northern Italy offer some of the finest walking in Europe. The scenery is breathtakingly dramatic: jagged cliffs of limestone tower above lush green valleys and all around are lofty spires, buttresses and sharp rocky pinnacles. These mountains are immensely popular among walkers, who are served by an extensive network of well-maintained paths that link the valleys, passes and higher slopes. With a little help from local buses or cable cars we can penetrate deep into the mountains without too much effort and reach some of the high mountain refuges. Many of the walking paths were built at surprisingly high altitudes to supply the front line fortifications during the First World War. We will keep mainly to the easier footpaths. Our base for the week is Cortina d'Ampezzo, an attractive little town situated at an altitude of 1100 metres. Surrounded by a ring of high peaks and ridges, it is best known as a bustling and rather chic ski resort, but it makes an equally fine centre in summer or autumn as there are plenty of shops, cafes and bars, three museums and usually lots going on.
Extend your stay:
extra nights accommodation can be booked at the Hotel Trieste in Cortina; prices depend on the season, please ask for a quote. Alternatively add a night or two in Mestre within easy reach of Venice; £66 per single room and £96 per person in a double/twin, B&B. There is a £5 booking fee in each case.
Further Information
Special equipment required: good walking boots are essential, waterproof jacket and trousers, warm hat and gloves, jumper or fleece, 30 litres rucksack and a torch.
Extra Expenses:
you should allow about €20 for the evening meal not included. Drinks are not included with dinner in the hotel. For a lunch in mountain refuges allow €6-10, packed lunches will be less. You also need some Euros for snacks, drinks, souvenirs and optional excursions. The cost of free day activities ranges from €10 for a cable car ride, €30 for a day's mountain bike hire, to €80 or €100 for canyoning, rafting, or similar.
Meals Included:
7 breakfasts and 6 evening meals.
Transport:
airport transfers will be by minibus. During the walking programme we will make use of public buses, private taxis or perhaps a cable car to make ascents to the trail heads.
Joining locally:
the land-only joining and end point is the Hotel Trieste. To reach the start point you should take a train from Venice-Mestre station to Calalzo; (direct or via Ponte-Nelle-Alpi). From Calalzo it is one hour by bus to Cortina.
Group & Staff:
Min 8, max. 16, plus leader.
Accommodation:
The Hotel Trieste is a very comfortable 3-star family-run hotel. The twin and single rooms are all en suite and are light and airy. Most rooms have balconies and good views of the mountains. All rooms have telephone and television. There is a bar, restaurant and sauna, and outside is a nice garden. The hotel prides itself on its welcoming family atmosphere and it has proved popular with groups in previous years. The hotel is 5 minutes walk from the centre of Cortina.
Food:
Breakfasts are taken in the hotel and are 'all you can eat' from a very generous buffet. You are free to arrange your own lunches, either buying a picnic from local shops or having a meal or snack in one of the mountain huts. We take the 6 included evening meals in the hotel restaurant. There is normally a choice of 4 starters and 4 main dishes, with a wide choice of desserts to follow. Many of the dishes are pasta-based. Vegetarians can be catered for. The evening meal not included is on your free day to let you try a local restaurant
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Day 1 | Fly from London to Venice. Travel to Cortina, a journey of about 2 hours. For those booking land-only arrangements, the joining point is the Hotel Trieste. | Day 2 | A typical week includes a circuit from Passo Falzarego, taking in three mountain huts with stunning views, and a visit to some well preserved WW1 trenches and an open air war museum. We will probably visit one of the most photographed areas of the Dolomites: the Tre Cime or three peaks. The title does not do them justice - they are three massive, dramatic limestone towers. From Rifugio Locatelli there is the option of exploring a network of tunnels dug out by WW1 soldiers. One day may involve exploration of the Fanes-Sennes National park: the scenery here is alpine pastures and wooded valleys, a sharp contrast to the stark rugged landscape of the high Dolomites. Taxis transport us up to Passo Giau, from where the trail takes us through the Valley of the Marmot and on to two beautiful lakes, Lago Federer and Lago Aial. Possibly the most dramatic walk of all is to Rifugio Vandelli and Lago Sorapis, in a unique alpine setting. This walk combines all the best elements of walking in the Dolomites. Each week there are 5 guided day walks and one free day. Walking times on most days are between 4 and 5 hours, and on some days there is an extra optional excursion of about an hour, normally from the refuge where you are having lunch. The total ascent in any day does not normally exceed 500m. on paths that are generally well-used and in good condition. Some paths, however, have rocky sections, making the going quite hard and rugged underfoot. This trip is best suited to regular walkers or people with a good level of general fitness as there are a few quite steep ascents and descents. On one walk there may be some short sections where there are cables fixed to the rock as extra hand-holds (not good for vertigo sufferers). The pace is not hurried and of course you can opt out of any walk. During the free day it is easy to spend a day in Cortina itself, otherwise there are several cable car trips one can make from the town. The more energetic can try a Via Ferrata walk, rock climbing, hydrospeed, white water rafting, canyoning or mountain biking; all best done with a local guide. | Day 3 | As above | Day 4 | As above | Day 5 | As above | Day 6 | As above | Day 7 | As above | Day 8 | Return to Venice airport for the flight back to London. Those who have land-only arrangements leave at the Hotel Trieste. |
Departures Between | Price from | Prices TBA | *£0 | | *Prices subject to confirmation |
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FLIGHT INCLUSIVE PRICE
Local payment €130 (approx. £95)
Single supplement £125
Insurance £25
This holiday is operated by Exodus Travels Ltd. ATOL 2582.
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Cortina D ampezzo
A Walking amongst the spectacular Italian Dolomites
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