Dolomites Panoramas

This trip is for anyone with a sense of adventure, a spiritual connection and love of nature, and the enthusiasm for digital videography and photography. This voyage will involve all of your senses as you travel to Northern Italy’s most majestic mountain ranges and unique cities. If you are interested in digital photography and videography, then this is an experience of a lifetime. This spiritual journey is specifically designed to bring the traveler closer to these towering giants.

Our instructor, Carlo Zanella, combines his knowledge of digital videography and his passion for nature, with the expert knowledge of the Dolomite Mountain guides, for a perfect combination of nature and breathtaking imagery. You will immerse yourself and learn the finer points of digital videography. You will learn techniques that you can use in digital videography and you will have hands on access to video cameras, DSLRs, lenses, tripods, and Carlo Zanella’s knowledge. You will also learn time-lapse photography, slow motion, and other techniques in the realm of "motion."

You will return with an experience and footage that very few people will ever get to know. Carlo Zanella will transform your experience into a spiritual journey of discovery. We will also teach you some basic editing skills to polish your footage. For non-videographers, you are encouraged to join us. You will enjoy this adventure as well.

Our Group Objectives:

• Unveil your creative inner being! Find out how to transform your favorite video footage from simply good, to a higher level of artistic excellence.
• Learn the basics of time-lapse videography, video techniques for your DSLR,lighting and framing techniques, and basic editing.
• Our instructor will show you techniques as we film: landscapes, time-lapses, cooking segments, hiking/biking excursions.  You will get "hands-on" filming experience.
• Learn how to work with editing software, how to add music, edit audio, add titles, color correction, add effects, render files for web, and how to upload to the internet so that you can showcase your work.
• Hike and travel with like-minded videographers. Unlike other tours, you will have plenty of time to compose and create your own marvelous videos.
• Awaken your spiritual artists and free your creative soul! Journal your voyage through photography and videography.

About your Instructors and Guides

Carlo Zanella
“Beautiful photography transformed into motion through my camera. Just let your eyes wander through my imagery.” – Carlo Zanella

Carlo Zanella started his creative career very young. At the age of seven he began to study classical piano, and soon after joined the Conservatory of Music C. Pollini, in Italy. After graduating with a diploma in piano in 1985, he started his own b usiness, opening a recording studio where he worked as producer and sound engineer until 1994. He moved to the United States later that year, where he continued his music production career, composing music for major record labels.

Carlo’s strong passion for classical music, together with his growing interest for scoring music for film and TV, lead him to expand his business to the multimedia field where it all comes together – music, video, web, and animation. His multimedia business has been creating Documentaries, Travel Shows, Web Shows, Fashion Videos, Music Videos, and Commercials, for over 17 years. His passion and expertise in all facets of production –  from videography, editing, to music productions – makes his workshops enjoyable and essential. 

Carlo Zanella now resides in New Mexico and is inspired by the landscapes and one of the most artistic cities in the Southwest – Santa Fe. His Italian heritage, the enchanting landscapes of New Mexico, and Santa Fe's unique atmosphere, all influence his vibrant imagery. To find out more, please visit www.DHPMultimedia.com.

Carlo Zanella

VIDEOS TO GET YOU INSPIRED!
Check out the videos below – this is what you will learn how to do on this fantastic video safari!  Carlo Zanella will show you how to film these majestic landscapes and capture your travel experience.

www.SantaFeTVShow.com, E8, Mountain Guide Luca Gasparini from DHP Multimedia on Vimeo.

www.SantaFeTVShow.com, E8, "Dolomite Mountains" from DHP Multimedia on Vimeo.

Check the high definition videos in our SUMMER VIDEO GALLERY!

TRIP DETAILS: 

Length: 10 days / 9 nights

Dates: on request with minimum 10 members

Start / Finish: Marco Polo International Airport (VCE), Venice, Italy

Activity Level: For anyone interested in film that is in good and active physical health. As a participant you must be prepared to hike on moderately difficult trails while carrying your own camera gear with limited personal gear.

Cost:  on request

Includes: expert instruction, private transfers to/from Marco Polo International Airport (Venice – Cortina; Berghofer – Venice), accommodations in hotels in classic double rooms, meals as per itinerary (B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner), local English speaking hiking guide and biking guide, local ground transportation, lifts and cable cars in the area, luggage transfer from Cortina – Passo Giau – San Cassiano – Hotel Berghofer, map of the area, bikes on biking day, private guided tour in Venice, local medical and evacuation insurance.

INFORMATION REQUEST
Ready to take the next step? Just complete and return our Trip Questionnaire, or contact us directly to plan your Dolomites adventure today!

Dolomites Panoramas

Dolomite Mountains

ITINERARY
Trip itinerary may vary based on weather conditions, fitness levels and abilities of participants, and/or the recommendations of your guide.

Day 1 ~ Welcome!
Meet at the Venice International Airport, transfer to Cortina d’Ampezzo, and check into your hotel. You will have a few hours to explore Cortina d’Ampezzo on your own, before meeting with your instructors and guides for a trip briefing in the late afternoon. Welcome dinner with your group at a charming local restaurant, with your first taste of the incredible regional cuisine and wine!
D…  Hotel in Cortina d'Ampezzo (4-Star)

Day 2 ~ Tre Cime di Lavaredo Hike or Cristallo Loop Road Biking
Today, on our first full day in the Dolomites, you have your choice of a hiking or biking excursion.

Tre Cime di Lavaredo is encompassed by the Sesto Group of mountains, which are practically bisected by the administrative border between Italy’s German-speaking Südtirol (South Tyrol) and the predominantly Italian Veneto region, which was the frontier between Hapsburg Austria and Italy until 1918. The entire range was involved in the First World War, and wherever you turn are trench systems gouged by hand out of the rough dolomite surface, defensive barricades of stones heaped up by platoons of soldiers, and the ubiquitous barbed wire.

Hiking Option: Tre Cime di Lavaredo
We begin with a scenic drive up to Rifugio Auronzo (2,332m / 7,650'), then hike around the Tre Cime di Lavaredo and Monte Paterno, one of the most scenic mountain landscapes in the Dolomites. Along the way we’ll admire the spectacular Cadini mountain group on the south, with its rock spires and strangely formed needles.
(6 hours hiking.)

Road Biking Option: Cristallo Loop
Another incredible way to appreciate the Tre Cime (Three Peaks) formation in summer is by biking a loop around these mountains. As we move about the formation, the shapes of these peaks mutate from sharp points to soft corners, the three sections apparently merging into one. They are separated by profound gashes caused by erosion along ancient fault lines dating back to the era when the rock was underground. Good paths lead all the way around on open terrain, with views in all directions, making a spectacular day cycling.
(60km / 37 miles cycling.)

The remainder of the afternoon is free to explore Cortina d’Ampezzo’s busy streets lined with restaurants and cafes, antique shops, art galleries, and boutiques
B,D… Hotel in Cortina d'Ampezzo (4-Star)

Day 3 ~ Cinque Torri – WWI
Today’s hike to Cinque Torri (Five Towers) promises great alpine hiking and fascinating World War I history. We shuttle to the Cinque Torri chairlift for a ride to Rifugio Scoiattoli. On our way up, you’ll take in views of the remarkable Cinque Torri – five jagged dolomite towers rising more than 2,700 meters (9,000') above sea level. Accompanied by our local guide, we’ll walk along an exposed mountainside to an impressive open-air museum that reveals trenches, bunkers, and tunnels from World War I, when the border between Austria and Italy ran through the middle of the Dolomites. Enjoy lunch at Rifugio Averau, known for its fantastic ravioli and polenta. After lunch we will hike to a rifugio (mountain inn), your home for the next two nights.
(4-6 hours hiking.)
B,L,D… Rifugio

Day 4 ~ Forcella Giau and Lastoni di Formin
Awaken to a breathtaking sunrise from the rifugio, and watch as the daylight slowly makes its way across the mountains. After a hearty breakfast, we’ll take a great hike to Forcella Giau and in the area around Lastoni di Formin and Croda da Lago, part of the Dolomites UNESCO World Heritage Site.  This hike is one of Dolomites classics. It shows all beauties of Cortina Dolomites, and the whole diversity of landscape: great panoramas over Cortina basin and towards Monte Pelmo and Civetta, dreamy beautiful Lago Federa landscape, and the wild rocky towers of the Croda da Lago crest. The plateau of Lastoni di Formin is itself worth of some exploring. A huge carst plateau of limestone plates with beautiful islands of green grassy meadows and between them!

We can circumnavigate Croda da Lago in either direction, choosing whether we’d like our ascent or descent to be the more gradual or steeper part of our journey.
(4-6 hours hiking.)
B,L,D… Rifugio

Day 5 ~ Pralongia High Plateau
Hike through the Ladin vllages of Livinallongo, Corte, and Contrin to reach the marvelous Pralongia High Plateau. From here you have impressive views of the surrounding mountains including the Marmolada with the only glacier in all the Dolomites, the Sella Massif, Santa Croce, and the Sassongher which dominates the Badia valley. We might encounter snow drifts left over from winter season, as well as fresh blooming wildflowers of spring.

Lunch at the little mountain hut of the Hotel Rosa Alpina (a two-story chalet with rustic amenities at 2,000m / 6,562') where the staff of this five-star hotel will prepare a special lunch.
After lunch, hike down or take the gondola which will bring to the village San Cassiano in Alta Badia where you will spend the remaining nights of your trip.
(5 hours hiking)
B,L,D… Luxury Hotel in San Cassiano, Alta Badia (5-Star)

Day 6 ~ Ladin Cultural Experience
Today you’ll have plentiful opportunities to photograph the cooking, landscape, and animals of a traditional Ladino working farm, Maso Runch. This dairy farm situated at the foot of the Fanes-Senes-Braies Natural Park is surrounded by meadows and woods above the village of San Leonardo in Alta Badia. We will explore the farm and its facilities, including the farmstead, the mill, the stable, and the hayloft, with the opportunity to learn first hand about the daily life at the farmstead and capture images of this way of living. Tonight we will delight in a typical Ladino dinner at famous Maso Alfarei, a typical Ladin residence dating back to 1200.
B,L,D… Luxury Hotel in San Cassiano, Alta Badia (5-Star)

Day 7 ~ Corvara, Pordoi Pass, & Redagno
Morning transfer and take a gondola for a ride up Pordoi Pass to where we’ll enjoy 360 degree panoramas and have coffee/tea before continuing our journey through the Val di Fassa to Redagno, one of the most idyllic places of South Tyrol – spared by mass tourism and blessed with 300 days of sun during the year. At 1,500 meters (4,921'), you'll have a breathtaking view of the vineyards and the surrounding mountain peaks. Silence, freedom, nature: the location is simply unique.

We will do a short hike for lunch at an exclusive mountain cottage situated at 1,800 meters (almost 6,000'). Here you will taste the best polenta made in a special copper boiler, mixed berry cake, and the special Strauben – a fried sugary dessert.
(Approximately 3-5 hours hiking.)
B,L,D… Luxury Hotel in Redagno (4-Star)

Day 8 ~ Canyon of Bletterbach
Close to the village of Redagno, nature has unfolded a breathtaking and even mystical place: Bletterbach Canyon, the “Grand Canyon” of South Tyrol. This canyon, 8 kilometers (5 miles) long and is as deep as 400 meters (1,312') in places, exposes the geological development of the area. Here you can find fossilized imprints of plants, shells, amphibians, and many other traces of prehistoric times and of when the Dolomite Mountains were under water. Sunrise hike where you will enjoy an amazing 360-degree panoramic view.

Explore the Geoparc Bletterbach, which is included in the Dolomites recognition as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. You will see imprints of raindrops, lizards, and saurians, and understand other prehistoric species such as squids or cephalopodae that left their marks in the sandstone of Gröden.

Tonight enjoy dinner in a 500-year old gothic stube (traditionally wooden room in a building where the stove is located and meals are prepared).
(5-6 hours hiking.)
B,L,D… Luxury Hotel in Redagno (4-Star)

Day 9 ~ Private Walking & Boat Tour of Hidden Venice
Early morning departure to Venice, where we’ll take a boat ride over the lagoon to a private island for a great breakfast/brunch of Prosecco, cheese, fruits, bread and more.  The views of San Marco Square and Venice are beautiful.
After this exclusive stop, we’ll transfer by boat to the main islands of Venice and check in to our luxury hotel for this night.

This afternoon, enjoy Venice at its best – a private 2-hour walking tour combined with a private boat tour!  This is a walk of wonder and discovery of the real Venice, through its past and also its present. Leave the hordes of tourists behind and discover the Venice of your dreams as you navigate a fascinating labyrinth of narrow alleyways punctuated by delicate bridges and enchanting canals.
(2 hours walking and 1 hour boat tour.)
B,D… Luxury Hotel in Venice (5-Star)

Day 10 ~ Depart

Breakfast and transfer to the Venice International Airport for departure.
B…