Dolomites Hiking Safari: South Tyrolean Discovery

Arrive in Val Gardena / Gröden / Gherdëina (1,563m / 5,128') at your leisure and check into your hotel (private transfer available on request). Set among the mountains of Sassolungo, Puez, and the Sella, the Gardena Valley is best known for skiing and rock climbing, in addition to woodcarving which has flourished here since the 17th century. Home to three cultures – Italian, Austrian, and the native Ladin, most signage in Val Gardena is written in three languages – Italian, German, and Ladin!
 
Check into your luxury hotel in Ortisei (1,236m / 4,055'), the largest of the three villages in Val Gardena. Depending on when you arrive, you may have time for a hike or to explore the lively pedestrian zone at the center of the town.
 
In the evening, meet your Hiking Guide at the lounge of your hotel for a cocktail or glass of wine and an apertivo. He or she will provide a trip briefing and orientation. Enjoy dinner tonight at your hotel.
 

After breakfast, take a 20-minute private transfer to the small town of Laion / Lajen / Laiun, at the base of the Puez-Odle Group of mountains where you will hike today. The flank of the Odle Group has been subjected to long-term erosion, revealing the fascinating earth and rock strata underlining the principal pale dolomite rock. The array covers grey-white chalk dating back 240-250 million years, along wine-red porphyry from a relatively late volcanic phase.
Throughout your hike you’ll enjoy a wooded trail, fantastic vistas of the Val d'Iscarco, Val Gardena, Mount Sciliar and Alpe di Siusi, Sassolungo and Sassopiatto, and stop at a lovely rifugio where you can enjoy an apple strudel. You can even hike to the summit Rasciesa di Fuori (2,281m / 7,484') if you’re game!
(~4-5 hours hiking, 12km / 7,3 miles, 1,211m / 3,975' ascent, 236m / 775' descent. Option for a shorter hike.)
 
Afternoon discovery.
Enjoy dinner tonight at a gourmet restaurant.

Alpe di Siusi, Europe's largest high-altitude alpine plateau ranging from 1,700 to 2,000 meters (5,577 to 6,562 feet), provides an exceptional viewpoint of the majestic Dolomites, with the towering peaks of the Schlern and Rosengarten Massifs dominating the scenery.
This area truly embodies the spirit of gentle tourism, making Alpe di Siusi a favourite destination for active vacationers seeking cozy atmospheres, scenic beauty, and authentic surroundings.
Your adventure starts in the morning as you ride the cable car to Mount Sëuc (2,005m / 6,578'). From there, you'll embark on a loop hike through spectacular landscapes.

Combine hiking with culinary discovery today on a farm excursion! Throughout the day you will journey between the different parts of your culinary experience, from collecting ingredients, learning how to prepare them, and ultimately savoring them yourself!
 
You’ll begin at a working organic herbal farm, the oldest and largest in the region, where you will learn about their history, growing, and production techniques, and collect the herbs that we will cook with in our midday meal. Next you will hike to one of the oldest farms in the area. This certified organic farm is traditional yet open-minded, cultivating both herbs and berries, producing a variety of products including cordials, syrups, and condiments including jams, pestos, mustards, vinegars, and other fermented delights. They also produce wine from their vineyard in the heart of the South Tyrolean wine region. While there is a lovely restaurant here, we won’t be dining there – better yet, we will make tagliatelle together, dressed with butter and herbs, using the ingredients that we have collected today. Enjoy the delicious lunch that you have just helped prepare, along with wines and cordials that are produced here.
 
After lunch, take a private transfer to your hotel. In the afternoon, delight in being spoiled as you enjoy a Signature Massage! Enjoy a gourmet dinner tonight on the plateau.

Today you’ll hike the Adolf Munkel Trail, which runs below the imposing north faces of the Odle / Geisler Group (3,025m / 9,925'). Entirely within the Puez-Odle / Puez-Geisler Nature Park, this is one of the most spectacular trails in the Dolomites, in part due to the colorful array of plants along the trail.
 
In the morning, take a private transfer to Funes / Villnöss, one of many beautiful valleys in the South Tyrol. Above the valley lies the flank of the Odle / Geisler Mountain group, crowned with tall spikey peaks, fittingly named “needles” in Ladin. Long subjected to erosion, fascinating earth and rock strata is revealed underlying the principal pale Dolomite rock. The array covers grey-white chalks dating back 240-250 million years, along wine red porphyry from a relatively late volcanic phase.
 
Begin your hike today at Malga Zannes / Zanser Alm (1,680m / 5,510') where the Adolf Munkel Trail begins. Walk along the Ciacenon / Tschantschenon stream, across Alpine meadows, through shady black forest, and past an important headwater that will inspire you to consider the importance of forests and springs for the Earth as a whole.
(~3-4 hours hiking, 9km / 5,4 miles, 400m / 1,312' ascent and descent.)
 
Private transfer to your luxury hotel near Bressanone / Brixen, where your luggage will wait you. Once you have settled in, enjoy a wine tasting at your hotel, and discover the special grapes of the South Tyrol, followed by a gourmet meal at your hotel.

The Plose is a beautiful sloping massif (2,576m / 8,451') on the outskirts of Bressanone / Brixen. This hiking and skiing resort, part of the Dolomiti Superski system, offers fantastic summer and winter adventures within deep green forests and the Dolomite Mountains. The moderate hike to the cozy Malga dei Buoi / Ochsenalm (2,085m / 6,841') is not to be missed, and the stunning 360-degree views from this hut of the Stubai Alps, Dolomites, and Ortlers will stay with you forever.
 
Hike on the Dolomites Panorama Path, which gently wanders up and down through the Alpine meadows on the southern slope of the Plose. Picturesque fields with breathtaking views open onto several massifs across the valley to the southeast: the great Sass de Putia / Peitlerkofel (2,875m / 9,432'), Odle d’Eores / Aferer Geisler, and Odle di Funes / Vilnösser Geisler peaks. Take in Telegraph Peak (2,486m / 8,156'), the highest mountain on the Plose, and check out the abandoned barracks and the panorama table there, which offers compass pointers to identify the surrounding peaks.
 
On your descent to Malga dei Buoi / Ochsenalm, enjoy the stunning views of the Brixner and Lüsner Valley basins and the gorgeous mountains around you, before you arrive at this wonderfully situated sun-drenched Alpine hut. We’ll stop for lunch here, giving you the opportunity to try the hearty “Tiroler Marenden:” a bevy of cold cuts including speck, or South Tyrolian bacon; Kaminwurzen, a cold-smoked sausage made of beef, pork, and back fat; various cheeses; pickled vegetables; spreads; and black bread.  While to some this may be considered a “snack” (“Marende” is the dialect word for afternoon snack in German) it is also enjoyed as a main meal, as you will partake in today. As if the Marenden weren’t enough, the stunning 360-degree views of the Stubai Alps, Dolomites, and Ortlers will stay with you forever.
(~4-5 hours hiking 13,5km / 8,4 miles, 577m / 1,893' ascent and descent.)

Breakfast and departure with a private transfer to Bressanone / Brixen train station.