Self-Guided: Dolomites High Route Alta Via #9

Self-Guided: Dolomites High Route Alta Via #9 Itinerary

The mountain huts along the Alta Via 9 vary widely, each with its own character and level of comfort. All serve hearty regional cuisine and typically offer half board (dinner and breakfast) or breakfast-only meal plans, with drinks, snacks, and lunches available à la carte. Accommodation ranges from private rooms—some with en-suite bathrooms—to small shared rooms and traditional dormitories, with duvets and pillows provided for all guests. These fully catered huts allow you to keep your pack light for the trek, a major advantage since daily luggage transfers are not possible. Most huts feature running water and many offer warm showers.

Your trek will usually begin in one of the villages of Val Gardena or in the nearby Val di Fassa. We can tailor your itinerary to include longer or shorter days, upgrade lodging to premium mountain huts or hotels, add mid-trip luggage transfers, and decide on a one-way traverse between towns or a loop returning to the same starting point. Get in touch with us today to start planning your exciting Dolomites adventure.

Know What to Expect

Most days will involve hiking 6 – 20 km (4- 13 miles) distance and gaining/losing between 700 and 1,300 vertical metres (2,300-4,300 ft), averaging 3 – 7 hours per day. We include options to extend each hiking day with side trips to points of interest (including peak ascents) as well shortcut options to reduce your hiking in case of bad weather or fatigue.

Where and When? 

You will begin your trek from the beautiful Val Gardena, a valley comprising multiple towns including Ortisei, Selva, and Santa Cristina. All of which are easily accessible by car and public transport (train / bus). Your trip will include lodging at a hotel in one of these towns before you meet your taxi driver the following morning for a transfer to the trailhead. You will store bring your suitcase with you and we will have it delivered to your hotel in Cortina, the hotel at the end of your trek. For some participants that book a shorter trip, your trip may conclude in another town.

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 now 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, under the guidance of our director 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 Val Gardena to Cortina
• Emergency contact numbers
• Gear list (also available on this webpage by clicking the “gear list” tab above)
• faq and more

Family and Group Discounts

For groups and families of 5 or more, we can offer the following discounts on our advertised prices

2-4 participants: Our advertised per person price
5-6 participants: 5% discount from our advertised per person price
7+ participants: 10% discount from our advertised per person price

Inclusions

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 upload to your smartphone or GPS, along with printable PDF maps
• 24-hour Hotline contacts while you are en route
• 3 -star Hotel lodging in Val Gardena and Cortina with a large breakfast
• Taxi transfer from your Val Gardena hotel to the trailhead
• Luggage transfer from your start to your end point
• Luggage storage
• Support with your travel logistics and all trip organization as well as sightseeing suggestions

Not included

• Airfare
• Transport to Val Gardena and from Cortina
• Transport from the trailhead to Cortina at the end of your trek
• Dinners for the nights in hotels
• All beverages (water, alcoholic, & non-alcoholic drinks available for purchase at huts)
• All lunches & snacks (available for purchase at the huts)
• Tourist Tax ( €2-€5 per night/person, payable in cash to the huts at check out)
• Gondolas /chairlifts
• 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.

Customize It

Make this trip yours by adding or upgrading services (€): 

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.

Upgrades (€): please ask for a quote

• Private rooms at premium huts with higher-than-average room rates (Frederola Hut, Pralongia Hut, Lagazuoi Hut, Averau Hut, etc)
• Single hotel room supplement ( averages €70 – €90 per night)
• Hotel upgrades

Add-Ons (€): please ask for a quote

• Additional hotel nights at the start and/or end of your trip
• Lodging for rest days
• Topographical maps (available on request least 8 weeks before trip departure)
• Guided via ferrata or rock climbing – minimum of 2 days commitment
• Taxi surcharges for hotel lodging outside of our normal booking radius
• Taxi transport from nearby airports
• Mid-trip luggage transfers

Transportation

Closest Airports and Transport Options

Your first night will be in one of the historic mountain towns of the Val Gardena (Selva Va Gardena, Ortisei, S. Cristina) and your final night in Cortina d’Ampezzo, both north of the Venice International Airport and south of Innsbruck, Austria and Munich, Germany.

Airport Options + Distance by Car:

The Innsbruck International Airport in Austria is about 1.5 hours by car to Val Gardena and 3 hours from Cortina.

The Venice Marco Polo International Airport is about 3.5 hours by car to Val Gardena and 2 hours from Cortina.

The Munich Flughaven International Airport is about 4 hours by by car to Val Gardena and 4.5 hours from Cortina.

Usually, the most direct airport is Venice Marco Polo. 

Arriving in Val Garden

Train Travel to Val Gardena: Travel times, costs and ticket information can be found online. The closest train stations are Ponte Gardena, Chiusa, Bressanone and Bolzano. From there, you can travel by bus or taxi.

Search for a connection + book online:

• Italy: Trenitalia
• Germany: Deutsche Bahn
• Austria: ÖBB
• Switzerland: SBB
• Trainline

Bus Travel to Val Gardena:  Find bus schedules + timetables from onte Gardena, Chiusa, Bressanone and Bolzano train stations to Val Gardena (Ortisei, Selva Val Gardena, S. Cristina) here.

Private Shuttle: We may be able to arrange a private shuttle from one of the airports or train stations to Val Gardena – ask us for a quote.

Departing from Cortina

Express Bus Travel from Cortina: 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.
Drop-off Locations are either from Venice Mestre Train station or 15 minutes later from Venice Marco Polo Airport and takes around 2.5 hrs from Cortina.

Click Here for the booking page of the Cortina Express Bus. To book your ticket with an airport drop off, enter “Cortina D’Ampezzo” to “Venezia Aeroporto” (Venice airport tourist bus pick up).  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, drop off locations are available to 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, drop off locations are are available to  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 search for “line 29”.

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: We may be able to arrange a private shuttle from Cortina to one of the airports or nearby train stations – ask us for a quote.

FAQ

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 majority of the huts along the way are between 2,000 and 2,500 m (6,500-8,200 ft.) in elevation.

Most of the huts 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.

Medical/Rescue and Trip Cancellation Insurance

We strongly recommend the purchase of a travel insurance package that covers 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.

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

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

The huts along the route vary. While all of the huts offer private rooms and shared shower facilities, the private rooms tend to book out quickly. If the private rooms are sold out, small shared rooms (usually between 4 – 6 beds) and dorm, bunkbed-style sleeping (up to 12 beds) are the altervatives. On some occasions we may be able to upgrade you to a premium hut or hotel that requires a short deviation from the trail (surcharges apply).  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.

How do I get to the meeting place from the airport?

Please see the “Transportation” tab for details.

Can I Do It?

The Dolomites High Route #9  involves moderate to 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 3-8 hours (maximum of 20 km / 13 miles, 1,200 m / 4,000 ft vertical) of hiking with steady elevation gains and losses. Yaktrax-type traction devices 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 you 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.