Self-Guided: Rosengarten Dolomites

Self-Guided: Rosengarten Dolomites Itinerary

As with all of our self-guided trips, we look after the lodging bookings, meal plans, and ground transportation logistics. In addition, we will provide your group with detailed daily instructions, a recommended gear list, and GPS tracks that  can be followed on your smartphone. Your group of strong and experienced hikers will follow the itinerary on your own. If you’d prefer the company of one of our certified mountain/hiking guides we can do that too! Please inquire for pricing. Similarly, if you want a more adventurous trek perfect for getting your adrenaline rushing,  please consider our guided Cortina Dolomites Via Ferrata Hut Trek. or Rosengarten Via Ferrata Hut Tek. 

We design custom itineraries 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. The Rosengarten is a great option for young families, seniors, and beginners to the world of multi-day trekking who are looking for shorter hiking days compared to our AV1 and AV2 self-guided options. We can easily put together itineraries that use chairlifts to skip prolonged ascents/descents while limiting your hiking time to 3-4 hours a day. Some of the huts book up very early, so it is best to give us as much notice as possible. Fortunately, there are usually 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 in the Rosengarten 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/ cable-assisted trails that are not via ferrata graded) or longer itineraries that connect to nearby trails like the Alta Via 2 or Alta Via 9.  Beginners can ask for an easier trek with more options for ‘shortcuts’.

Know What to Expect

Most days will involve hiking 6-12 km (4 – 7.5 miles) distance and gaining/losing between 400 and 800 vertical metres (1,300-2,600 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 Val di Fassa/ Fassa Valley (Campitello, Canazei, Pera di Fassa, Pozza di Fassa), both for convenience and easier trails. For guests wishing to complete the trail from start to finish, we usually start them in Seiser Alm in the Alpe di Suisi and finish in Val di Fassa. For this option, luggage transfer from your start to end point 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 usually 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 and back
• Luggage storage and transfer from start to end of trek (if applicable)
• Emergency contact numbers
• Gear list (also available on this webpage by clicking the “gear list” tab above)
• Upon request, we will prepare and send you a marked topographic map for your route ($)

Customize It

Make this trip yours by adding or upgrading services. Check out our ‘Included Services” for a list of options.

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 Fassa Valley with a large breakfast before and after your trek
• Luggage storage (1 suitcase per person)
• 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 Fassa Valley
• Dinners for the nights in Hotels
• Lunches and snacks (these can be purchased at the huts or in the valley)
• Tourist Tax ( €2-€5 per night/person, payable in cash to the huts at check out)
• 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.

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 (Lagazuoi Hut, Averau Hut, Fanes Hut, Fodara Vedla Hut, etc)
• Hotel upgrades

Add-Ons(€): please ask for a quote

• Additional hotel nights at the start and/or end of your trip
• Topographical maps (available on request – cost of map + shipping additional )
• 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
• Rest Day

Transportation

Our Rosengarten Self-Guided Hiking Hut Trek begins in either Gardena Valley (Selva Val Gardena or Ortisei) or one of the towns in the Fassa Valley (Val di Fassa). These towns include Campitello, Canazei, Pozza di Fassa, and Pera di Fassa.

The closest airports are in sequence (distances provided are to Canazei):
Bozen / Bolzano: 51 km = 50 min (small airport, not many connections)
Innsbruck – Austria: 120 km = 1.45 hrs (small airport, not many connections)
Verona: 190 km = 2.10 hrs (small airport, not many connections)
Venice Marco Polo: 200km = 3.20 hrs (large airport,train connections via Verona)
Munich: 320 km = 3.5 hrs (large airport, fast highway and train connections via Innsbruck)
Milan: 360 km = 3.45 hrs (large airport, fast highway and train connections via Verona)

By Car:

The Fassa Valley is best reached from the Eisack / Isarco Valley to the west, which hosts the Brenner Pass highway and the main train line connecting Germany and Austria with Italy.

The Gardena Valley is best reached using the Brenner motorway (A22),  from the north via Innsbruck-Brennero-Chiusa, from the south via Verona-Bolzano-Chiusa.

Public Transport:

From the South (Bozen / Bolzano, Verona, Venice, Milan)

1. Train with via Trentitalia to Bozen / Bolzano

2. Bus Transport: line 180 from the train station in Bozen to the town Pera di Fassa. It takes approximately 1.15 hrs and departs 3 x hour from Bozen in summer. From there you can jump on the local bus going up and down the Fassa Valley departing every 15-30mins. It should be about 20 min bus ride from Pera to Canazei depending on traffic.

OR

Venice- Canazei Direct Bus: There is also a direct bus service from Venice to Canazei with Brusetti Bus that departs daily from Venice Piazzale Roma at 7:30am local time and Venice Mestre 15 mins later. The bus takes approximately 5 hours and has stops that include Vigo di Fassa, Pozza, Campitello, and Canazei. The return bus from Canazei to Venice departs daily at 2:30pm local time. Times mentioned are subject to change.

From the North (Munich / Innsbruck / Vienna)

1. Train to Brixen / Bressanone

If you arrive Munich, then train with Deutsche Bahn DB to Brixen / Bressanone

If you arrive Innsbruck, train with SBB services to Brixen / Bressanone

If you arrive Vienna, train with OEBB services to Brixen / Bressanone

2. Bus Transport: An hourly local bus departs from the Brixen/Bressanone train station. Click here for the local bus transport from Brixen/Bressanone to Selva di Val Gardena, from Selva, you will bus to Canazei.

Total travel time by train from Venice – Brixen for example is around 2.5 hrs, to Brixen from Munich about 3.5 hrs.

Please inquire for pricing should you be interested in a private shuttle transfer.

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 Rosengarten route vary. While the majority of the huts offer showers, only some offer private rooms. The others offer bunkbed-style sleeping with up to 10 people per room (if more beds than 10 this will be mentioned to you for approval). Upon request and with an early booking, we can organize your trek with as many private (double, triple, quad) room options as possible.

The food is always delicious and plentiful (as is the Italian wine, beer, and aperol spritz). 3-4 course dinners featuring local cuisine like Knödel (dumplings), spaeztle, goulash, stuffed ravioli, pasta, are common. Some huts are situated on or near farmed-land where you can expect farm-fresh butter, cheese, and meats.

Special diets like vegetarian, pescatarian, and gluten-free be accommodated. Gluten-free diets are treated as an allergy but cross-contamination in the small kitchens and dining rooms is possible. If you have severe or life threatening allergies please make us aware before booking. Other special diets, like a vegan diets or religious diets, can usually be accommodated but the choices are extremely limited and we ask you to bring food supplements to prevent calory deficits with you. Please also make us aware before booking.

All huts also offer ‘pic-nic’ lunches for purchase that are bagged and ready for you to pick up at check out the follow morning. Most huts also offered a restaurant-style seated lunches where you can order alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, meals, and snacks. Hours will vary with each hut.

Is drinking water available at huts or creeks in the Dolomites?

Generally all guarded huts in the Dolomites have running water. At some 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 the water could be 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 3-6 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.

Sporting Stores – Buy or Rent

There are a few sport stores within close walking distance or via bus from the hotels in Gardena and Fassa Valley. Your hotel front desk will direct you to the nearest stores. Keep in mind, that unless it’s an emergency (lost luggage), you should purchase your hiking boots in advance to break them in – no one wants a blister to form at the start of their trek!

Sport Gardena has 3 locations in the Gardena Valley with a retail shop and rental shop (hiking poles only).

In the Fassa Valley there are more sporting store options that you can view here. Renting equipment for soft goods like backpacks and boots is not common and might not be possible.

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

Medical evacuation insurance is mandatory for participation in all OnTop Mountaineering (OnTop ltd) Trips.

Common policies sold by travel agents or policies included in your credit card contract tend to exclude adventure travel, including trekking above 2000m, mountaineering, roped travel, ski & snowboard, ski mountaineering etc. if you read through the fine print. For adventure travel policy recommendations see our website: OnTop travel insurance recommendations. You may get the best coverage if you book travel insurance policies within 14 days of paying your trip deposit. You may also want to consider additional insurance coverage like CFAR or trip cancellation.

We recommend pandemic coverage with your insurance policy.

Climate, Weather, Temperatures

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).

Can I Do It?

The Rosengarten Dolomites 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. If your group is looking for a more challenging adventure please consider one of our guided via ferrata treks: Cortina Dolomites Via Ferrata Hut Trek. or Rosengarten Via Ferrata Hut Tek. 

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 (Feedback from our Dolomites Alta Via #1)

“”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