Cortina Dolomites Hut-To-Hut Trek

Dolomites Hut Trek Itinerary:

Arrival/Travel Day:

Arrive in Cortina for lodging in our Hotel. Please use this day to stock up on any lunch and snack supplies you may need.

Part 1: Traverse of the Fanes / Tofana / Cinque Torri Ranges to Cortina

Day 1: Cortina to Lavarella Hut 

Meeting with the guide at 8.00AM for breakfast, trip briefing, and distribution of rental equipment. Start of our three-day traverse of the Fanes and Tofana Range – after a 20min drive we start hiking from a trailhead south of Cortina and climb through the nature reserve of the Val Travenanzes and Val Fanes through beautiful forests until we reach the Lavarella high plateau. Lodging in the Lavarella Hut.

Day 2: Lavarella Hut to Lagazuoi Hut 

Starting out strolling through beautiful high pastures in the morning, the afternoon takes us through a steep, rocky pass and up to the top of the Lagazoui, where we will lodge in the Rifugio on the summit. Enjoy the stunning 360-degree views of the Dolomites through the big, panoramic windows during sunrise and sunset. In the afternoon there will also be plenty of time to explore the many remnants of the old WWI positions around the summit.

Day 3: Lagazuoi Hut to Cortina 

Descent through a tunnel system dating back to WWI (now set up as an open air museum) to the Falzarego Pass. From there we walk past the 5 Towers (Cinque Torri) to the spectacular Nuvolau Hut (Lunch) with great views of the high peaks of the Dolomites, such as the Pelmo, Civetta and Marmolada. Descent to Passo Giau and either by bus or optional, by foot, all the way through beautiful forests back to Cortina. Lodging in our B&B or Hotel.

Part 2: Cadini / Sexten Dolomites Traverse

Day 4: Cortina to Fonda Savio Hut

Start of our 3-day hut trip in the Sexten and Cadini Ranges: After a short drive to Misurina, we can choose to either do the long and more challenging Sentiero Bonacossa Trail or a more direct approach trail to the spectacularly located Fonda Savio Hut. Excellent home-cooked food and if we’re lucky, hutkeeper Lina will get the musical instruments out in the evening!

Day 5: Fonda Savio Hut to Buellelejoch Hut (Rifugio Pian di Cengia)

High-level traverse to the stunning 2000 ft vertical walls of the Tree Cime di Lavaredo. On the high plateau, we will traverse along an old war road to the Buelleljoch Hut, the smallest and for some, the nicest hut of the Sexten Dolomites! Optional trip to the summit of Oberbachernkogel in the afternoon along some trenches of WWI. Hut keepers Hubert and Greti will spoil you with excellent Tirolian cuisine!

Day 6: Buellelejoch Hut (Rifugio Pian di Cengia) to Cortina

 
Early departure via the Tre Cime Hut (Rif. Locatelli) where we finish our circumnavigation of the Tre Cime di Lavaredo with postcard views of their stunning north faces. We can either end the trip at the Auronzo Hut and take a return bus to Cortina or we descend via a malga (high pasture farm) for lunch back to the old resort village of Misurina. Return to Cortina either by taxi, bus, or the guide’s vehicle for your last night of lodging.

Departure/Travel Day:

Your trip officially concludes after breakfast.

4 Nights/ 3 Days Guided Trekking 

Participate in either Part 1 OR Part 2 of our standard itinerary.

Dates for these half trips coincide with the dates for our full trips. For example, if our 7 night/6 day trip runs from June 11 – June 18. Part 1 is from June 11 – June 15 and Part 2 is from June 14 -18.

2024 Price: US $1150 per person
*High Season surcharge $110 for trips departing between July 1 and September 10

Inclusions

• 3 days of guiding & guide expenses by a multi-lingual certified mountain or hiking guide
• 2 nights lodging at a hotel in Cortina
• 2 nights multi-bed or dormitory lodging in mountain lodges or huts
• Luggage storage
• 2 dinners for the nights in mountain huts
• 4 breakfasts
• 2 taxi or bus transfers from Cortina to the trailheads and back
• All trip organization, reservations as well as assistance with all pre- and post- trip preparations.

Not Included

• Single hotel room supplement ($50 USD per night x 2)
• Airfare
• Airport shuttles (Venice airport transfer from 25 euros one way)
• Insurance
• 2 dinners in Cortina
• All beverages (water, alcoholic, and non-alcoholic)
• All lunches and snacks
• Gondolas/chairlifts (if applicable)
• Any additional cost due to changes in the itinerary, may they be caused by weather, mountain conditions or personal preference

Cortina Dolomites Trekking – Gear List.PDF

Please download a PDF copy to use as a checklist when preparing for your trip.

Considerations

Packing for a trekking trip is a balancing act. You want your pack to be as light as possible so you can truly enjoy the trek. But you also need to have enough gear to be warm (or cool), comfortable, and well-fed and watered. When buying, renting, or borrowing gear for the trip, please keep weight, performance, and function in mind. Cortina has many outdoor stores intermingled with its lovely cafes, gelaterias, and pizza restaurants. If you need clothing, footwear, or gear for the trip, come a day early and purchase or rent what you need. If you plan to rent gear in Cortina, it is best to contact the local shops in advance to ensure they rent the gear you need.

Hiking Gear

• Light trekking boot or sturdy approach shoe with a fairly stiff sole for walking over rocky terrain
• Daypack (30-40 liters) with rain cover specific to the pack
• Good quality, thin, well-fitting leather gloves, preferably fingerless. Bike and belay gloves work well. (for WW1 tunnels at Lagazuoi)
• Yaktrax-type traction devices that fit your boots or shoes (for early + late season trips)
• Short summer gaiters (for early and late season trips)
• Lightweight, collapsible hiking poles **
• Lightweight umbrella*

Clothing

We recommend the ‘layering system’: bring light, technical clothing that doesn’t consume much space in your backpack and dries quickly when sweaty or wet. Layers must be put on and taken off quickly as weather conditions change during the day. There may be days when you can wear cotton, but your main clothing choices should be synthetic or wool. Merino wool is a nice material for base layers and t-shirts because it is comfortable, warm, and it does not retain odours, even after many days of use.

• Wind and waterproof shell jacket with hood (Gore-Tex or similar)
• Lightweight wind and water-resistant over pants (Gore-Tex or similar)
• Lightweight synthetic trekking pants or zip-offs
• Medium weight Primaloft jacket with hood
• Medium weight fleece sweater
• Synthetic or wool base layers – top and bottom
• Synthetic shorts and t-shirt
• Quick-drying sports bra
• 2-3 pairs of good quality trekking socks
• Warm hat that covers your ears
• Lightweight synthetic or wool gloves
• Sun hat, preferably with a wide rim
• Spare socks and underwear
• Bandana or Buff*

Lodging

• Sleeping bag liner for the huts – silk is lightest (MANDATORY for HUT LODGING)
• Toiletries and small towel (quick-drying/ microfiber)
• Cash – euros for lunches, drinks, snacks, showers, etc)
• Ear plugs**
• Light hut slippers or crocs*
• Alpine Club card*

Other items

• Sunglasses with high UV protection
• Sunscreen and lip protection with high SPF
• One or two, one-liter water bottles
• Headlamp with new battery
• Your favourite hiking snacks – candy bars, dried fruit, nuts, etc. Lunches and snacks can be purchased at the huts or in the villages.
• Personal first aid kit and other needs (eg. blister kit, prescription medicine, anti-inflammatory, contact lenses, prescription glasses, etc.)
• Passport, health and travel insurance documents
• Toilet paper – small amount for daytime emergencies
• Light stuff sacs/ Ziploc bags to keep your daypack organized and important items dry**
• Smartphone with charging cable**
• Portable power bank*
• Pocket knife*
• Water purification tablets or small personal water filtration system*
• Hand sanitizer or sanitary hand wipes*
• Small container bug spray or cream*
• Camera and charger*
• Compass, maps, GPS, altimeter watch*
• Feminine hygiene supplies*
• Adaptor for European charging system*

Detail and Logistics

Arrival Day 

The day before the trek begins, you will arrive in Cortina D’Ampezzo to check into our preferred Hotel. We suggest arriving in the afternoon to leave yourself time to pack a lunch for the following day and have a leisurely dinner before getting a good night’s rest. There are no group obligations on this day.

Meeting Point

Meet your guide on the first hiking day at 8:00 AM at our Hotel in Cortina (lodging and breakfast included in trip price) for a trip briefing followed by a taxi ride to the first trailhead.

Climate, Weather, Temperatures and the Best Time to visit the Dolomites

The Dolomites, being on the “sunny side of the Alps” are usually blessed with favourable weather. However, as anywhere in the mountains, there is also a chance to see some snow, if a storm hits. This is rare in July and August but can happen in June and September. Daytime temperatures can range from -5C (23F) to 25C (77F). Likelihood of temperatures and precipitation for each month are described on this helpful weather graph for the Dolomites, which averages the past 30 years 

The huts in the Cortina area of the Dolomites tend to be open from June 15 – September 25 with some huts being open from June 1 – around October 10. The busiest times are from Mid-July through the end of August with the period around August 5 – 25 being Italy’s busy vacation time.

Lodging at the huts

• The huts are heated and provide sheets and comforters or wool blankets – however, in some of the huts the sheets/blankets are not changed between each client stay, so it is mandatory to bring a sleeping bag liner. The lightest models available are made of silk and weigh around 100 grams (1/2 pound).
• The Huts included along our route vary in size from very large to small and rustic depending on their location – all are built in magnificent settings. Some of the huts only offer coed, multi-bed bunk rooms for 10 to 14 trekkers (when fully occupied).
• When lodging in dorm rooms/ non-private rooms, you will be sleeping with your fellow trekkers and most likely other trekkers as well. If you are a sensitive sleeper, we highly recommend ear plugs, an eye mask, and perhaps a sleep aid.

Breakfasts and Dinners at the Huts

• Breakfasts typically consist of tea/coffee, bread, jams, cold cuts or ham, cheese, muesli, cereal with milk or yoghurt. More remote huts may have smaller breakfast offerings. If you have your preferred cereal for breakfast, granola bar or power snack, you should probably bring it along from home, as it might not be available in the small food stores in Italian mountain villages or at the huts.
• Dinners are usually between 3- 4 courses (“mezza pensione”) which consist mostly of pasta or soup, a meat entree and dessert and/or cheese.

Lunches 

Lunches are not included in our trip packages. We recommend packing a lunch for the first day of trekking. Packed lunches are available at each hut and must be ordered the night before. If you have a guide, please discuss as a group what the next day’s lunch plans are as some group may opt to dine-in at a hut along the way.

Luggage Storage and Transfers

You can use the hotel luggage storage facilities at your own risk. Neither OnTop nor the hotel accepts any responsibility for loss of or damage to the luggage or the contents (including any valuables, even if we have been advised) during storage, the disposal process or any luggage transfers that may be part of your trip package. That being said, we have never had any issues with lost luggage during storage or transfer.

Medical/Rescue and Trip Cancellation Insurance

We strongly recommend the purchase of a travel insurance package that does cover adventure travel. Common policies sold by travel agents or policies included in your credit card contract tend to exclude “mountaineering”  if you read through the fine print. We recommend an adventure travel policy on our website at http://ontopmountaineering.com/travel-insurance/  which our clients had good experiences with in the past. *NEW: we now recommend including covid-19/pandemic coverage with your insurance policy.

Transport Options/Closest Airport:

Our Cortina Dolomites trips begin in Cortina D’Ampezzo and can be most easily reached from the Venice Airport.

Public Transport: Most popular is the Cortina Express Bus which leaves at a variety of times daily in high season from Mid-June until Mid-September and then fewer services in the shoulder season starting mid-September.
Departures are either from Venice Mestre Train station or 15 minutes later from Venice Marco Polo Airport and takes around 2.15 hrs to Cortina.

We suggest arriving at Venice Marco Polo Airport before 2 pm to catch one of the 3 afternoon departures.

Click Here for the booking page of the Cortina Express Bus. To book your ticket with an airport pick up, enter “Venezia” (Venice airport tourist bus pick up) to “Cortina D’Ampezzo”. If you spend the night in Venice before heading to Cortina, you can take a boat to get to Piazzale Roma. From there you need to hop on a bus for about 20 min to get to the main train station in Mestre, which is where the Cortina Express Bus starts. If you are having issues with making your reservation, please email us and we can provide you with a step-by-step guide to booking this transfer.

Click Here to view the timetable for Cortina Express Bus and select the “Cortina – Treviso – Venice” link. 

Another bus company option: ATVO bus

Schedules tend to run from January 1 to September 30 each year. For the Cortina Bus route, departures are available from Venice Piazzale Roma, Venice Mestre Train Station and Venice Marco Polo Airport.

Click Here for the booking page of the ATVO Bus. For the Cortina Bus route, departures are available from Venice Piazzale Roma, Venice Mestre Train Station and Venice Marco Polo Airport.  To book your ticket, enter FROM: “Aeroporto Marco Polo” OR “Mestre – Stazione FF SS.” OR “Venezia – Piazzale Roma: to “Cortina D’Ampezzo”.  If you are having issues with making your reservation, please email us and we can provide you with a step-by-step guide to booking this transfer.

Click Here to view the timetable for the ATVO Bus and select the “Venice – Mestre railway station – Venice Marco Polo Airport – Treviso – Cortina ” link.

If you arrive from different locations (Munich, Bozen / Bolzano) or if the Cortina Bus schedules do not work for you, we gladly assist you with arranging your public transport by other means.

Train Travel to Cortina: This option is a bit cumbersome because you have to make your way to the main train station in Venice, take the train to Calalzo (switch trains) and then get on a bus in Calalzo, which takes you to Cortina.

If you plan to travel by train to another European destination before or after your Cortina trip, then we suggest you travel by train to/from Venice Mestre train station by Italian Rail Services, and the Cortina Express Bus for transport to/from Cortina.

Private Shuttle: Alternatively we can arrange for a private shuttle from Venice Marco Polo Airport or  Piazzale Roma with our preferred taxi that takes about 1.5 hrs at 280-380 Euros depending on group size (1-8 passengers). We can gladly assist you in any transport arrangements or post-trip lodging reservations.

Travel to Cortina from the north (Munich to Cortina = about 6 hrs)
You can take a city train (S-Bahn) from Munich Airport to Munich Main Station (HBF = Hauptbahnhof) or East Station (Ostbahnhof) where you find almost hourly connections to Italy. Via Innsbruck / Austria and the Brenner Pass to Franzensfeste / Fortezza. Switch trains to Toblach / Dobbiaco, where a connecting Bus to Cortina is usually already waiting in front of the train station. The train ride from Munich usually takes 5 – 6 hrs, the bus ride to Cortina is about 40 min. This all sounds pretty complicated but it works pretty well! For detailed itineraries, we find the website of the Deutsche Bahn / German Rail works the best for cross-border connections.

Can I Do It?

This is a non-technical trail hike, which requires up to 6 hrs (up to 6 miles, maximum of 2500 ft vertical) of hiking on some of the days (up to 8 hrs a day including optional peak ascents and side trips). On some days we reach our hut or lodge by early afternoon and guests have the option between a peak ascent or relaxing with a good book in the afternoon or if in Cortina, stroll along the main street shops.

Day 3 of the itinerary includes exploring the WW1 Tunnels at Lagazuoi. These tunnels are narrow in places and may not be suitable for participants with claustrophobia.

FAQ

Do I need to sign a Release of Liability & Assumption of Risk Agreement (a.ka. liability waiver)?

Yes, you do. Mountaineering, skiing, climbing, hiking, via ferrata and all other wilderness and adventure travel activities are inherently risky with potential for injuries or even death.
It is very important to us that you are aware of those risks before you start the booking process, which includes filling out a booking form and paying a deposit.
With signing the liability waiver, you confirm that you understand the potential risks and hazards, and are willing to accept the risks, which includes giving up legal rights you may have.
This would also be the time to ask questions or address concerns before you book.
For your reference here is a link to our Liability Waiver. Our booking terms & cancellation policy with more details can be found here

How do I get to Cortina by public transport?
Cortina is most easily reached from Venice in about 2.5 hrs. There is a daily express bus operating from Venice Mestre via Venice Airport (Marco Polo) to Cortina for 25 Euros per person. The Cortina Express Bus operates daily with 2- 4 departures depending on the weekday and the time of year. Please see our Trip Info Link on the left for current time tables , however, for the high season summer schedule (from mid June – mid September) be aware it won’t be posted until shortly before the switch from the off-season schedule. Some of our clients have been unsuccessful at making an advanced reservation online, however so far we have never seen anybody missing their preferred transfer.

How do I get to Cortina by public transport from the north (Munich to Cortina = about 6 hrs)
You can take a city train (S-Bahn) from Munich Airport to Munich Main Station (HBF = Hauptbahnhof) or East Station (Ostbahnhof) where you find almost hourly connections to Italy. Via Innsbruck / Austria and the Brenner Pass to Franzensfeste / Fortezza. Switch trains to Toblach / Dobbiaco, where a connecting Bus to Cortina is usually already waiting in front of the train station. The train ride from Munich usually takes 5 – 6 hrs, the bus ride to Cortina in the end about 40 min. This all sounds pretty complicated but it works pretty well! For detailed itineraries we find the web site of the Deutsche Bahn (see link for German Rail on the left) works the best for cross border connections.

How much is a private taxi or shuttle from Venice airport to Cortina?
We can gladly arrange a private shuttle from Venice or elsewhere with our driver Sandro from Cortina. Driving time from Venice is about 2.15 hrs at 200-350 Euros depending on group size (1-8 passengers).

What are the Huts like? Double Rooms? Showers? Food Choices?
The standard of the huts in the Dolomites differ hugely. While some of the huts that we are using for this trek are rather like mountain lodges that offer double or 4 bed rooms and showers in the hall (Lavarella, Lagazuoi, Drei Zinnen) others have only cold running water and bunk bed sleeping in rooms with up to 10 fellow sleepers (Fonda Savio, Buellelejoch). The food is always delicious and plentiful with lots of choices. Special diets can usually be accommodated.

Can I buy boots / backpacks and other equipment in Cortina?
There are a few sport stores within close walking distance from the Hotel, namely the K2 Sport store and the Cooperativa. The latter is the large department store on the right side shortly after you enter the pedestrian mall. Their sporting department is upstairs and the often have the best deals!

Is there a luggage transport between huts? How much do we have to carry?
All huts and mountain lodges used for this trek are remotely located high in the mountains and away from paved roads. While a luggage transfer can be organized on a custom basis, it is costly and not customary. Instead most people travel lightly and only carry spare underwear & socks, light hut slippers and a few personal hygiene items beyond of what one would usually carry on a day trip. A 25 – 35 liter backpack should be sufficient weighing about 5 kg plus your daily supply of fluids. Don’t forget that the trip is divided into two legs of three days each – hence there is a chance to replenish with fresh clothing mid-trip.

Knowing that we are going hut to hut and carrying a lighter load, what is your recommendations on boots or trekking shoes?
If the weather is nice, we often wear approach shoes (low ankle hiking shoes with a vibram sole with good tread). You are sacrificing a bit of ankle support that a regular high ankle hiking boot would give you, especially in the gravelly sections, which there are a few. It’s also not so great in snow and if the trails are muddy – but either will be unlikely in August. What we wouldn’t bring are trail running shoes (too flimsy, not enough tread, not enough water resistant) and stiff hiking boots (too cumbersome for walking and on the ferratas). But like any place in the mountains it can snow any day and any time of the year and if so, you may be happy for ankle high hiking boots?…sorry that we can’t give you the “it depends” answer.

Should I take hiking poles?
We recommend using only one collapsible pole if any. On the via ferrata trails you can’t use them anyways and they can get in the way if they stick out too high from the backpack. Hiking poles can be rented or bought at the various sport shops in town.

Cortina Trek Custom Trips / Private Group Pricing

Why not find some friends and put together your own group?

For private groups, we can offer the following premiums or discounts on our advertised prices

2 participants: 60% premium in addition to our advertised per person price
3 participants: 40% premium in addition to our advertised per person price
4 participants: 8% premium in addition to our advertised per person price
5 participants: Our advertised per person price
6 participants: 8% discount from our advertised per person price
7 participants: 12% discount from our advertised per person price
8 participants: 15% discount from our advertised per person price

For groups larger than 8, please reach out to us for a custom quote.

Custom Trips

Custom trips are available any time from June – October, any duration >3 days

Private room upgrades($) in huts are possible, dependent on availability.

Customizations include more hut options and daily via ferrata itineraries tailored to your personal preferences.