Dolomites “Family” Hiking Tour

Meet your guides and fellow hikers at breakfast. We then take a bus and a chair-lift up to the Prati di Croda Rossa (2,000 m/6,000 ft.) for our first hike. We stop for lunch at a mountain rifugio and then walk back down and catch a bus back to our hotel. San Candido/Innichen is located in the beautiful Upper Pusteria Valley, surrounded by thick fir-woods and crowned by the jagged peaks of the Baranci chain. You’ll have time to explore the town before meeting up again for dinner together. The Hike: 12.5kms/7.8 mi, elevation gain 658 m/2,158 ft. Duration: About 4.5 hrs.   Overnight San Candido. Overnight San Candido. Hotel, breakfast and dinner included.

Today we take a leisurely bike ride along the bike path from San Candido to Lienz, Austria. The 44 km (26 mile) bike ride is quite easy and is recommended for families with small children. This unique bike trail cuts through a valley surrounded by breathtaking mountains on either side. The one-way ride takes about 2 ½ – 3 hours, but if you are tired, there are six train stations along the route where you can load yourself and the bike and return back to San Candido. So, there is no pressure to complete the ride! Once in Lienz, we’ll park our bikes at the train station and visit the quaint Austrian village of Lienz. Lunch and free time to explore the town and its fascinating castle. If time permits, kids might opt to take an exciting ride on San Candido’s “Funbob,” a summertime version of the bobsled. Overnight in San Candido/Innichen. Hotel, breakfast and dinner included.

We start the day with a short van transfer up to the rifugio at Auronzo. Our hike takes us around the spectacular massif of the “Tre Cime di Lavaredo.”  The “Three Peaks” are some of the most dramatic mountains in the Dolomites due to their extraordinary spike shape, alignment and subtle color changes that occur throughout the day. The Cima Grande (Big Peak) is the highest (3,000 m / 9,836 ft), followed by Cima Ovest (Western Peak) and Cima Piccola (Small Peak). We stop for lunch at a rifugio that offers magnificent views of the surrounding landscape, then continue down through alpine meadows to the valley below. Or, go adventurous and try the famous Via Ferrata. Translated as the “Iron Way”, the Via Ferrata runs throughout the Dolomites, incorporating a system of iron ladders to assist hikers on steep mountainous terrain (optional hike, supplemental fee required). The Hike:15.5 kms/9.6 mi Elev. gain: 896m/ 2,940 ft  and loss:570m/1,870 ft Duration: about 5 hours. Overnight San Candido. Hotel, breakfast and dinner included.

We leave the Sud Tyrol region this morning and hike towards the Veneto and its alpine gem, Cortina d’Ampezzo.  As we draw closer to the wide valley where the town lies, the surrounding peaks of Monte Cristallo, Monte Pelmo, Croda da Lago, and the Tofanes fill our view. You will see why Cortina is considered to be the most perfectly situated town in the Italian Alps. Today we hike from Cimabanche to Ra Stua, where we stop for another delicious lunch. Afterwards you can choose to go directly to Cortina by van transfer, or do an optional afternoon walk from Ra Stua. The Hike:11.5 kms/7 mi Elev. gain :520m/1,706 ft  and loss:332m/1,089 ft Duration: about 3.5 hours. Overnight Cortina in a centrally located four star hotel. Hotel, breakfast and dinner included.

We begin our day with a short transfer to Passo Tre Croci where we pick up the trail to Lake Sorapis. The walk starts off nice, easy and flat, through a forested area with great views of the impressive Monte Cristallo. As we begin to climb, you will start to see the Tre Cime in the distance. We traverse the mountain, taking in the breathtaking views all around and descend to the lovely turquoise Lake Sorapis.  We’ll have the opportunity to try a delicious lunch of “canederli” (bread dumplings) before heading back down through the alpine forest to our hotel. Trip members may also choose instead to spend a less vigorous day today exploring lovely Cortina and its environs. There’s plenty of opportunity for shopping, strolling and perhaps just relaxing in an open-air café and enjoying the spectacular setting of this wonderful resort. For children and parents interested in the afternoon activity, your guides will accompany you on a short walk to the Cortina Parco Avventura / Adventure Park (Adrenalin Center) where guests can choose from three different rope courses and test their skills at zip-lines, tree climbing, bridge and net crossings. Other fun options at the park include a possible taxi-bob ride (bobsled run with a certified pilot). This evening you are free to dine wherever you like in Cortina. Hotel and breakfast included. Dinner not included.

Depending on the weather, we will either take you up to the Rifugio Nuvolau, which in the local dialect means the ‘rifugio in the clouds.’ If it is a clear day this route offers wonderful hiking and stupendous views. Otherwise, we will hike amongst the “Cinque Torri” (five towers) whose towering spires dwarf all around. Return to Cortina where you will have free time to explore Cortina village (or return to the Parco Avventura!). A special farewell dinner will cap the week’s family adventures. The Hike: 3,4 km/2.1 mls  230 m/750 ft elevation gain/loss. 1h30’. Hotel, breakfast and dinner included.

We leave at 9:00 by van for a 2-hour transfer to the Venice airport. From there you can take a bus or water taxi into town or to the train station for onward travel. If you're flying out of Venice, don't book anything leaving before 1 or 2 p.m. to be sure. Earlier transfers can be arranged, at your expense. Breakfast and transfer included.

Please note: Some details of the itinerary may change according to the departure date of your tour. Whenever we run a tour we make new discoveries. Sometimes they are good discoveries, like a wonderful new trattoria, and sometimes they are bad, like a trail has been washed away. The result is that we sometimes change our itinerary to improve it by adding new wonderful elements to the tour or by removing something that does not work anymore. Rest assured, our goal is to always provide you with the best possible experience. We will advise you of any changes to the original itinerary prior to departure.