Tour description

Day 1 Arrive Niederdorf Day 2 12 km To Platzwieze Day 3 9 km Circular route Day 4 25 km To Cortina

Day 5 11 km Circular Route 15 km

Day 6 9-11 km To Niederdorf Day 7 16 km Dramatic Circular route Experience nature at its finest – idyllic Mountain lakes, lush Mountain pastures, green Day 8 forests. Explore the legendary Dolomites through three National Parks during your hike. Tour ends Not without reason, were the Dolomites declared a Natural World heritage site. As a preamble to the hike, you are start by lake , in whose crystal-clear wa- ters the white washed walls of the , are mirrored. All those who believe that Tour Details nothing more can top this experience, be well advised that high above Cortina d`Ampezzo you can view some of the most striking summits. The Cristallo Group of Daily departures mountain peaks; the Pinnacle on Mount Tofane and the summits around the Fanes not Tue or Thu Mountains, all wrestle for the attention of the observer. from Jun 13 to Sep 20 Naturally, an excursion to the Drei Zinnen (Three Peaks) cannot be missed. Finally, you will view the splendours of Sesto, Made famous by both mountain climbers and guides. Cost: CD $1250 per person

High season Jul/Aug CD$1375 Fast Facts Single Supplement: $290  One week in the Dolomites staying in 3  Discover one of the most stunning Length: 8 days / 7 nights & 4* hotels and hotels + breakfasts region of Grade: Moderate/Intermediate  Tickets for transfers outlined in pro-  Amazing hiking, delicious food, and Starts/Ends Niederdorf gramme & cable cars Faloria & Helm fine Italian wines…  24/7 emergency hotline  Turquoise lakes, rugged alpine peaks, Dinner option (5X) available, not  Detailed route notes and maps olive orchards, fig trees and more! including Cortina CD$200 per person  Luggage transfers included Active Journeys Contact: 11----800800800----597597597----55945594 or 416416----236236236----50115011 Email: [email protected]

DAY 1: Arrive on your own (Niederdorf/Villabassa or Toblach/Dobbiaco)

DAY 2: To Pragser Tal/Valle di Braies – Plätzwiese 12 km  800 m, 800 m / 5 - 6 hours or shorter option 4 hr Your hiking holiday starts with a short transfer to the idyllic lake Pragser Wildsee, with its crystal clear turquoise waters. Here you get a first impression of the Pragser Tal; with its dark-needled conif- erous forests and the whitewashed walls of the mountain rocks.The way leads you to the alpine pasture Rossalm and down to Brückele. By public transport you travel to the high plateau of Plätzwiese, over which the mountains Dürrenstein. Beside calm and nature you en- counter here also a panoramic view: In the vastness you can see the mountains Cristallo, Tofana and the world-famous Drei Zinnen (Three Peaks). Leisurely walkers have the possibility to choosan al- ternative for the first stage, at which they are taken to the guest- house Tuscherhof and start their walk from there. Following the river Stolla they pass the guesthouse Brückele, the homonymous hut Stolla and rock paintings (cases of erosion, which are produced by the constant influence of water and the different composition of the rock) to get to the Plätzwiese.

DAY 3: Plätzwiese – Strudelkopf or Dürrenstein; 9 km Strudelkopf: 350 m, 350 m / approx. 3 - 4 hours or Dürrenstein: 800 m, 800 m / approx. 4 – 5 hours Starting point of today’s stage is the alpine pasture Plätzwiese, which together with the mountains Hohe Gaisl and reuzkofelgruppe counts as the most treasured and revered hiking areas in the coun- try; the charismatic magnetism of the unusual flora and natural lakes, have an enthralling charm on the discerning visitor. The bi- zarre and fascinating fables according to legends of the ancient tribes of Fanes Empire are relevant here. In the Nature Park Fanes- Sennes-, the largest nature park in the Dolomites, you can make your choice between two options. Starting at the Plätzwiese depending on the variant you reach either the Strudelkopf (short variant) or the Dürrenstein (longer variant). Both options offer you a spectacular view on the Hohe Gaisl, the Drei Zinnen (Three Peaks), the Tofana and the Monte Cristallo.

DAY 4: Plätzwiese -Gemärk/Cimabanche – Cortina d‘Ampezzo 25 km  0 m, 475 m /2 hours or 650 m, 1.425 m / 8 hours You hike through the high plateau of the Plätzwiese and descend through the Knappenfußtal to Cimabanche – the frontier between South Tyrol and Belluno. Here are two possibilities to continue: ei- ther the direct way using the public transport to Cortina d’Ampezzo or the longer variant to the hut Ra Stua and under the Col Rosa to Cortina d’Ampezzo. Your today’s destination, the former Olympic city, impresses with its unique location in the middle of famous Dolo- mite peaks.

Itinerary Continued

DAY 5: Circular track or cable car Faloria 11-15 km Long option:  300 m, 1.175 m / approx. 5 hours Short option: 75 m, 975 m / approx. 3 - 4 hours The panorama of the starting point of this stage is quite simple and stunning. The giant rocks of the Ampezzo Dolomites reach into heaven; the Monte Cristallo and the Cristallogruppe, the Tofana and the Fanesgruppe are the leading actors of this spectacle. There are two options for the day: the longer one leads you towards Forcella Faloria and the shorter one is following the new Dolomieu Panoram- ic Trail. Both of them are heading towards Passo Tre Croci. The de- scent to Cortina is equal for both routes. Let yourself be enchanted by the natural beauty of the fascinating environment of the impres- sive Dolomite peaks.

DAY 6: Cortina d’Ampezzo – Drei Zinnen (Three Peaks) – 9-11 km Long Option: 1.000 m, 100 m / approx. 4 - 5 hours or Short Option: 350 m, 350 m / approx. 3 – 4 hours A transfer will take you from Cortina d’Ampezzo to the Drei Zinnen Viewpoint. From here you will hike through the Rienztal to the world famous Drei Zinnen (Three Peaks). The mountains are probably the most known rock formations in the Dolomites. They were an im- portant war scenery during World War I between Italy and Austria- Hungary. An easy hike takes you further on to Rifugio Auronzo hut and by bus you go back to your hotel in Dobbiaco/Villabassa (Ticket not included). For who prefers to take it easy that day, there is the possibility to take a direct bus to Rifugio Auronzo hut (ticket approx. € 6.40- ticket not included). From there you can make the round tour of the Drei Zinnen (Three Peaks) and take the bus back to your hotel in Dobbiaco/Villabassa.

Day 7: Circular walk 16 km 580 m, 980 m / 6 hours Today you walk through one of the most beautiful side valleys of the Pustertal valley to Sexten. By transfer you reach Vierschach, where the cable car brings you up on mountain Helm. From there you can enjoy a wonderful view onto the peaks of the Sextner Dolomites. Hahnspiel hut, Silianer hut and Alpe Nemes are further stops during your last walk to Sexten, before you will reach Kreuzbergpass. From there back by bus/train to Niederdorf/Toblach.

DAY 8: Departure Individual departure or possibility to extend your stay.

What to Expect Getting There What will the weather be like? You can fly either to Innsbruck Tre- The daytime temperature will be warm and sunny. In summer, you can expect viso ir Venice. By train: take the train high 70’s (high 20’s C), and cooler evenings. Sunscreen is a must during the day, from Innsbruck or Venice to Fran- zensfeste/Fortezza. Change trains as is a sweater for the cooler nights. Traditionally it does not rain, but it is recom- for the Pustertal/Valle Pusteria - Li- mended to bring some rain gear in case. In June, you can expect to occasionally enz and get off either at Niederdorf/ walk over snow at the tops of some peaks. Villabassa or Toblach/Dobbiaco de- How many hours of walking a day? pending on the location of your ho- Be prepared to walk between 4 to 8 hours daily, rarely on flat terrain. The Dolo- tel. mites are all hills. You are either going up or down almost all the time; however Train schedules: these are shorter rolling ascents and descents. www.deutschebahn.de How fit do I need to be? www.oebb.at, The fitter the better, and some experience in mountain hiking is recommended www.trenitalia.com but not required. On several days there are one or several options to choose from Transfer service also available. on top of the standard route.

What are the accommodations like? We use wonderful lodges and 3 and 4* hotels with twin-bedded rooms, all with private facilities. These family run hotels have a friendly atmosphere and a wel- coming bar/lounge for you to enjoy.

How to book your holiday

 Contact our office to make sure there is space available. One of our travel planners will walk you through the en- tire booking process.

 Download the reservation form from our website and send in completed form by fax or email. Once this is done, your space is confirmed and a pre-departure packet will be sent immediately.

 Deposit is required immediately, and final payment is due 60 days prior to departure. Terms & conditions are out- lined on the back of our Reservation Form.

 Plan your air travel as soon as possible.

 We encourage you to purchase travel insurance, either through us or directly a travel insurance provider.

 Ensure that you are in proper health for the trip chosen. Contact us for more information on vaccinations, inocula- tions, and fitness requirements.