Dolomites High Route #1                 (Alta Via Uno): Self-Guided

Itinerary

We design a custom itinerary for all our guests, prioritizing your unique requests and interests. Yours will depend upon how many days you have to trek, when you plan to trek, how ambitious you are, and how early or late you send a request to us. Some of the huts book up very early, so it is best to give us as much notice as possible. Fortunately, there are always alternative accommodations along the way, but to get the most spectacular hut locations, advance requests are necessary – especially if you have four or more people. Huts on the AV1 vary significantly. Some are on the more luxurious end with private rooms and ensuites. Others can be found high up on mountain plateaus and peaks, granting stunning panoramic views from their terraces. Some huts may have shared, dorm-style lodging and or no showers, with their unique location making it worth the stay. Some huts have been owned by the same family for generations and offer incredible history and importance to the region. Your trip coordinator will offer suggestions for your itinerary based on your requests and the availability of the huts to design the best itinerary possible. This trek is great for a wide range of ages and experience: from families with children ready to embark on their first multi-day trek, honeymooners, couples celebrating 40-year anniversaries, 70th birthday celebrations, friends, and much more. Seasoned hikers can request more challenging itineraries (longer days/more vert) and beginners can ask for an easier trek with more options for ‘shortcuts’.

Know What to Expect

Most days will involve hiking 10-15 km (6-10 miles) distance and gaining/losing between 500 and 1,200 vertical metres (1,600-4,000 ft).

Where and When? 

We have 2 primary start/end points for this trek. Most popular with our guests is to start/end their trek in the famous resort town of Cortina D’Ampezzo, both for convenience and easier trails. For guests wishing to complete the trail from start to finish, we usually start them in Cortina or Toblach (a town near the trailhead at Pragser Wildsee) and finish in Belluno, the largest town in the Belluno Province. For this option, luggage transfer from Cortina/Toblach to Belluno is included in your trip package.

Book Early

Some of the huts book up very early, so it is best to give us as much notice as possible. Fortunately, there are always alternative accommodations along the way, but to get the most spectacular hut locations and private rooms, advance requests are necessary – especially if you have four or more people. Many groups are booking up to a year in advance.

Booking your Trip with OnTop

You will work with your trip coordinator from the get-go who will take note of your preferences and design, with the guidance of our direct and head guide, an itinerary for your trek. 4 -6 weeks prior to your trip departure, we will send you a detailed trip letter containing all of the important information about your trek:

• Daily itinerary, including
  • Trail numbers that you will follow
  • Daily horizontal distances and vertical gains/ losses
  • GPS track of the itinerary that can be downloaded to your smartphone to make sure you know where you are at any given time
  • “Plan B and C” options in case of bad weather or adverse mountain conditions or a need for longer or shorter days
  • Recommendations for side trips to summits, World War I commemorative sites, and other points of interest
• Lodging sequence and meal plan
• Taxi to trailhead
• Luggage storage and transfer from Cortina/Toblach to Belluno (if applicable)
• Emergency contact numbers
• Gear list (also available on this webpage by clicking the “gear list” tab above
• faq and more
• Upon request, we will prepare and send you a marked topographic map for your route

Customize It

Make this trip yours by customizing the services to your unique needs and requests:

• Pre- and post- accommodation
• Upgrade your hotel lodging
• Luggage transfer during trek – available at some huts, costs are high compared to other Classic treks
• Add on a day of guided via ferrata or rock climbing
• Add a rest day
• Strapped for time? We book trips as short as 3 days

What’s Included

Services included in the total price

• Fully Customized and detailed day-to-day itinerary, designed by our director and head guide, Jorg Wilz
  • you will find directions, including hiking times/distances/elevation gain and loss, trail numbers, and “Plan B options” in case of fatigue or adverse weather or extension options should you desire a longer day
• Lodging in huts/mountain lodges in private rooms (when available) with 3 or 4-course dinners and buffet breakfasts
• GPS tracks that you can use on your smartphone or upload to your GPS along with printable PDF maps
  • Topographical maps (marked by a mountain guide are also available by request only)
• 24-hour Hotline contacts while you are en route
• 3 -star Hotel lodging in Cortina with a large breakfast before and after your trek
• Private taxi transfer from your hotel to the trailhead and back
• Support with your travel logistics and all trip organization as well as sightseeing suggestions

Not included

• Airfares
• Transport to and from Cortina
• Dinners in Cortina
• Lunches and snacks (these can be purchased at the huts or in Cortina)
• Topographical maps (available on request)
• Drinks (beer is usually about 5€ per pint, wine 10-30€ per bottle, lunch 10€, bottled water 4€ per litre)
• Insurance
• Any additional costs in case of itinerary changes regardless if those changes were made due to adverse weather or mountain conditions, or due to personal or group preferences.

Additional trip services are available

• Additional hotel nights in Cortina: Double room Bed & Breakfast: From 60€ /person
• Cortina hotel upgrades ($)
• Taxi Transport from Venice or Munich airports, please ask for a quote

Can I Do It?

The Dolomites High Route #1  involves strenuous hiking on everything from good, dry trails to rocky terrain to snow-covered passes (depending on the time of year). The trails are well marked and maintained, but even so, there are stretches with rough, steep, and exposed sections. Although non-technical, each day requires 5-8 hours (maximum of 15 km / 10 miles, 1,200 m / 4,000 ft vertical) of hiking with steady elevation gains and losses. Yaktrax-type traction cleats may be required in certain places, especially early and late in the season.

Some days, you will reach your hut or lodge by early afternoon and will have the option between summiting a nearby (non-technical) summit or relaxing with a good book and an Italian coffee.

Our backpacks will be relatively light (5 – 8 kg = 11 – 18 lbs) as we will only carry snacks/lunch for the day, water, and extra clothing.

Your group should be physically fit, experienced at mountain hiking, and able to deal with adverse weather conditions. You should be able to navigate in fog and bad visibility with a map and a compass (or GPS). Rain, snow, or icing can make the trails treacherous or cover up trail markers, which can turn your hike into a challenging mountaineering adventure any day. If in doubt whether your group has the skills and experience required, please discuss it with us – or you may want to consider joining one of our guided hut-to-hut treks, such as the Cortina Dolomites Hut-to-Hut Trek or the Cortina Dolomites Hut-to-Hut Via Ferrata Trek.

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 favorable weather. However, as with anywhere in the mountains, there is always a chance to get rain or snow. This is rare in July and August but it can happen in June and September. Daytime temperatures can range from -5°C (23°F) to 25°C (77°F), but it is usually somewhere in between. Average temperatures and precipitation for each month are described on this helpful weather graph for the Dolomites, which covers the past 30 years.

The maximum elevation of the huts along the way is 2,700 m / 8,850 ft.

Most of the huts in this area of the Dolomites are open from mid-June to late September, with some huts being open from early June to early October. The busiest times are from mid-July to the end of August, with the period around August 5 – 25 being Italy’s busy summer vacation time.

Closest Airports and Transport Options

Your first night will be in the lovely mountain resort town of Cortina d’Ampezzo, north of the Venice International 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.

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

Trip-related Questions:

What are the huts like? Double rooms? Showers? Food Choices?

The huts along the route vary. While all of the huts offer showers, only some offer private rooms. The others offer bunkbed-style sleeping with up to 10 people per room. Upon request and with an early booking, we can organize your trek with as many private (double) room options as possible.

The food is always delicious and plentiful (as is the Italian wine). Special diets can usually be accommodated.

Is drinking water available at huts or creeks in the Dolomites?
Generally all guarded huts in the Dolomites have running water. In a very few huts, it is labelled as “not potable” which is not because the water is contaminated but rather because it is not guaranteed that it is potable. For example at the Fonda Savio Hut the water is collected from surface water from a small glacier and the location of water collection changes over the summer and has to be adjusted at times. Most people drink the water at the huts with no problems. If you are uncomfortable with this, take tablets, water filters, water sterilizers, or purchase bottled water directly at the huts. A liter of mineral water costs around 3-4 euros.

Creek water in the Dolomites is usually potable and so far nobody that we know of ever had any problems. That being said, it is nice to drink from creeks that have a good flow and are originating in high regions that have no source of contamination (i.e. no grazing cows etc). We don’t recommend to drink from lakes in the Dolomites.

How do I get to the meeting place from the Venice Airport?

Please see the “Getting there” tab for details.

Feedback

We will gladly put potential clients in touch with previous participants of each trip in order for interested guests to get more personalized references and their questions answered from a more objective point of view than what our office could provide.

References of prior guests

“”We had an awesome trip!! But how could anyone not in the Dolomites??! Haha.  1) The trip organization was great. You provided more than enough details and made us feel very comfortable going into the trip. The communication from you guys was 👌. I’d say you went above and beyond and we so very much appreciate it. Leading up to the trip and especially during it. I know Jörg was in Croatia yet he still gladly worked on short notice to help us change around plans to fit our desires and we ended up having the most amazing trip! You all were so nice to work with. 2) the itinerary was very thorough. We loved just having the knowledge of all the different paths we could take, shortcuts or longcuts and being able to refer to it at any time. 3) The lodging was awesome. I went into it knowing we wanted to experience the rifugio hut to hut trekking but not ever having even camped before was unsure of exactly what to expect. I looooved the Büellelejoch hut, maybe the best sunrise from the peak behind the hut we’ve ever experienced! Our favorite hut was definitely Averau though (we upgraded to the private room w a balcony). The food quantity at the huts was impressive. No one is going to go hungry that’s for sure. I’m a vegetarian so i really just ate a lot of pasta and Clif bars lol (which was good) but the guys found the meats to be very good. 4) we’d 11/10 recommend OnTop to our friends and we’d use you guys again for sure! And now we know what we like in terms of huts.” Alissa S. and Chris C., NV, USA

“We had a great time on our hike. Thank you. The weather was fantastic (aside for a little rain on day 3). Thank you for all the arrangements. It made our trip hasslefree, which is what we were looking for. We are happy to leave a positive review somewhere if that would be helpful. ” Jonas H., Atlanta, USA

“- Itinerary was great, amazing scenery and generally well balanced. The first day was a little short for our liking.
– Maps were clear and easy to follow, however written instructions were less clear but with a map alongside them they made sense.
– 9/10.
– We’d definitely be interested in booking another trip next year. ” Jack G., UK

“Communication and organisation was great. One thing I would say is I used the app Komoot and found it very helpful. As much as I like looking over maps etc, having the route plugged into the app each day made it really easy to see how we were travelling, how far to the next stop etc etc. You could potentially recommend that app (or a similar one as I’m sure there’s a few out there) and also potentially just send the routes direct to the guests via the app? Great Itinerary. And great options too. we did the short walk on the first day but otherwise stuck with the main itinerary. We went to Pragser Wildsee on the way to Cortina as we didn’t want to miss it. It may be worth recommending that to guests that don’t plan on doing the long 1st day. Fodara Vedla was the highlight. We loved it there. Great place for our first night. The family there were particularly delightful. Col Gallina probably lacked the atmosphere of some of the others and the food there definitely wasn’t as good but we had a comfy bed and an amazingly good shower.  10/10. ” Craig B., Australia

“Our Dolomites adventure was fantastic! Everything worked out perfectly (including, luckily, the tight flight and bus transfers to Cortina). Organization and logistics were accurate and detailed. We felt very informed about the itinerary, lodging and food were great, and we have already recommended OnTop to a friend. Thanks for everything!” Joshua K., MA, USA

“We just want to send a quick update on our trip. We had a wonderful time trekking in the mountains. The huts and ruins were big highlights! And the weather was even perfect….it rained only once we were checked into our huts and cleared by morning to give us postcard views. Thank you for all the details and descriptions of the route(s)…they were right-on. If you want me to write a review for your use I’ll be happy to do that once we are back home next month.” Susan S., CO, USA

“Yes, we had a lovely trip to the Dolomites! The hikes were really nice and we enjoyed staying in the huts, especially Fodara Vedla and Averau, which were our favorites. The itinerary of the second day was a bit short, but we went to a mountain top close to Fodara Vedla before going to the next hut. The mountain is called Sasso Della Para and we recommend going there! The hike up there was nice and not too hard (the path to the east, ca 3 hours) and the view was beautiful!  10/10! We will definitely recommend On Top to our friends!” Astri M., Oslo, Norway

“Trip was very well organized. Appreciated all the extra information about the Rifugios, owners, history, etc. Itinerary was fantastic. It fit perfect for our group. My only suggestion would be to have a condensed version by day of just the high traverse, Alta Via 1. Leave the “bail out” versions for bad weather separate. When you are hiking on a trail and trying to make quick decisions, you just want to know the main route and the Trail Number you are supposed to be on. All the extra information and alternate routes are superfluous for route finding until such time you can relax and read them.
The lodging and food was excellent. I ate way better on the trip for breakfast and dinner than I normally do. I liked the fact that they had a reserved table for us and we could use that to play cards and drink before dinner. The only piece of information that I was unaware was the fact that some Rifugios do not have potable water and you have to buy water at 3.5e /1.5L. Lagazuoi and Palmieri (Croda de Lago) did not have tap water to drink. The hike to Lagazuoi was a bit challenging and everyone needed to hydrate fully. It made it tight in planning for a budget. We tried to then count on drinking water at the Averau hut, but as it turns out you have to buy water there as well.
I rate this trip a 10! It was the best trip ever! ” Ed F. & Family, OR, USA

“We did have a great Europe trip! Our favorite part, for both of us, was the OnTop self-guided hikes in the Dolomites. It was absolutely spectacular! It was laid out in just the right sequence, starting off fairly easily, and then getting a bit more challenging as we went along…
then providing a little respite in Cortina before doing another amazing circuit of the Tre Cime de Lavarado. Jorg’s directions were very good providing bailout options for really bad weather or fatigue etc… and extra side trips for a bit of extra adventure if that suited our fancy. We did most of the recommended route, but passed on a couple of side trips, and took the short route on the last day. I will provide much more detail in a revised version of Jorg’s hiking instructions, with photos, and map snippets, and some info regarding our impressions of the various trails.” Steve Ford, WA, USA

Self-Guided AV1 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)
• Maps and Trip Information Letter provided by OnTop Mountaineering
• 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*

Self-Guided Dolomites Alta Via 1 Trekking Custom Trips/ Private Group and Family Pricing

For groups and families, we can offer the following discounts on our advertised prices

Self-Guided Trips:

2-3 participants: Our advertised per person price
4 participants: 5% discount from our advertised per person price
5 participants: 10% discount from our advertised per person price
6 participants: 15% discount from our advertised per person price
7 participants: 18% discount from our advertised per person price
8+ participants: 20% discount from our advertised per person price

Customize your trip

Our Self-Guided Dolomite Treks can be customized to any duration of your preference. We can also put together a custom itinerary for you in the Dolomites that only includes private room lodging in huts and lodges and we will gladly put together other self-guided itineraries in other parts of the Dolomites.

Try a via ferrata

See what the buzz is all about – add on 1 or 2 days of via ferrata, under the supervision of a mountain guide. Via ferrata routes include the use of cables, ladders, rungs, and the occasional bridge to facilitate safe passage across exposed mountain faces and ridges with beautiful hiking in between. The first via ferrata routes were built and used by soldiers in World War I. Many of these routes are still in use, but development is ongoing as via ferrata climbing has become a very popular sport in itself.