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.
 
Enjoy dinner tonight at your hotel.

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 embodies 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. Afternoon Discovery. Enjoy dinner  tonight at the hotel.

Combine gentle walks with culinary discoveries 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’ll learn about the cultivation of regional herbs and their culinary uses. Today, you will attend a cooking class and learn how to prepare traditional dishes. Enjoy the delicious lunch that you have just helped prepare. After lunch, take a private transfer to your hotel. Enjoy an exclusive wine tasting & delicious 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 Dolomites' most spectacular trails, partly 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.

The Plose is a beautiful sloping massif (2,576m / 8,451') on the outskirts of Bressanone / Brixen. This hiking offers fantastic summer 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, 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 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.
(~4-5 hours hiking 13,5km / 8,4 miles, 577m / 1,893' ascent and descent.)

Breakfast and departure.