Alta Via 1 (Dolomites)

The Alta Via 1 is suitable for experienced walkers with alpine experience and good fitness. Stages are long, the altitude is considerable, and the terrain requires surefootedness and a head for heights. You’ll carry your own luggage, so strong fitness is essential. The stages to Rifugio Coldai and Rifugio Pian de Fontana are particularly long and demand very good fitness. We recommend hiking poles to reduce strain on your joints and improve stability.

Before your tour, we recommend walking regularly and training on hilly terrain. Check the daily distances and elevation changes in your itinerary so you know what to expect.

The scenery is spectacular. The route begins at the idyllic mountain lake Lago di Braies and leads through a dramatic high-mountain landscape of towering rock peaks, scree slopes and far-reaching views. Paths range from switchback footpaths and country lanes to narrow and wide tracks and rough mountain trails, reaching altitudes of up to 2,700 metres. On several days you’ll cross steep, exposed sections secured with ropes. The terrain is uneven but well maintained, with no technical challenges.

Via ferrata: Our route does not include any via ferrata (“iron ways”), the protected climbing routes built in the World Wars to move troops and supplies through rough terrain, with iron ladders, clamps and steel cables fixed to the rock. Our tracks bypass these sections, and we strongly advise against attempting them without proper climbing equipment.

If you still wish to take the via ferrata route towards Belluno (La Schiara region) on the last day, please get the additional map “Tabacco No. 024 – Prealpi e Dolomiti Bellunesi” in advance.

On the first and last nights, you’ll stay in comfortable hotels in Cortina and Belluno, depending on the itinerary you choose. On all other nights, you’ll stay in rifugios: Alpine-style mountain huts with shared dormitories (mixed-sex) and shared bathroom facilities. Some are more basic than others, but all are friendly and welcoming, and you’ll meet fellow hikers from all over the world. They are a mix of Italian Alpine Club (CAI) huts and privately run huts.

The walking season is short, and rifugios are extremely popular, so availability is very limited. For this reason, and to keep the booking process smooth, we book dormitory beds only. Rifugios allow very few private rooms and rarely release them to tour operators.

Unfortunately, this is not available to solo travelers. We can, however, offer single rooms if you are traveling with others. These are available for a supplement.

Please note that because many nights are spent in shared mountain-hut dormitories, single rooms can only be arranged for the nights you spend in hotels, not for the nights in rifugios.

Breakfast is included every morning. While staying in the rifugios, dinner is also included (drinks excluded), and meals in the mountain huts are simple, hearty fare. Dinner isn't included in the towns at either end of the route, such as Cortina or Belluno, but there are plenty of restaurants to choose from there.

This route is bookable from July to mid-September, a short season because of the risk of snow on higher ground - patches can still linger into July and sometimes return by mid-September. July and August are the hottest months and carry the greatest risk of thunderstorms, which can be torrential and usually build in the afternoon, so it's important to be well prepared and equipped. Around August 15th is a bank holiday in Italy and the trail gets particularly busy, so it's worth avoiding that period if you can.

Because the rifugios have limited capacity and open at different times of year, demand is high and it's essential to book early. Confirmation can take longer than usual as a result, sometimes not arriving until later in the year.

Since the rifugios you will be staying in are mostly remote, luggage transfer to each hut is not possible on this tour. We recommend packing extremely lightly for the days you will be staying in the huts, since you will have to carry your own bag. (We recommend that your backpack is no heavier than 20-25% of your body weight). One main bag per person will be transferred from your hotel in Cortina to your final location, depending on the itinerary.

As this is a self-guided walk, you're responsible for navigation, decision-making and safety along the way. The Alta Via 1 is very well signposted, marked with red-and-white colors and blue triangles showing the number 1, plus yellow signposts. You'll regularly find these markings on trees, rocks and fences.

Navigation is straightforward using our app which has maps, tracks and daily route info. Simply download the information and tracks for offline use and follow the route on your phone. Once on the trail you do not need signal for the app to work and follow your progress.

Venice Marco Polo Airport is the most convenient airport, served by various international airlines, with Ryanair also flying into Venice from Bristol, East Midlands, Leeds Bradford and London Stansted. We're able to arrange taxi transfers for you in Italy from Venice's airports (bookable in advance at a supplement), please get in touch to find out more. From Venice Marco Polo Airport (or Venice Mestre bus station) you can take the Cortina Express bus directly to Cortina (around 2h20), with 4 to 5 departures daily, usually every 3 to 4 hours between 7am and 8pm, we recommend booking this in advance and checking the operator's website for timetables. Alternatively, take a short bus (around 12 minutes) to Treviso, then an ATVO bus from Treviso Sud to Cortina (once daily, around 2 hours), or a bus from Treviso town to Venice Mestre or Marco Polo Airport for onward Cortina Express connections.

If you choose the Classic or South tour, your tour ends in Belluno. From Belluno, you can take a train (changing at Conegliano) to Venice Santa Lucia station (around 2h30), then a bus from Venice Mestre onward. If you need to return to Cortina from Belluno to collect any additional luggage left at your first hotel (subject to prior agreement), Dolomiti Bus lines 9 and 30 run between the two towns, taking just over an hour. One main bag per person is transferred from your hotel in Cortina to your hotel in Belluno, as the rifugios you'll stay in along the way are mostly remote, luggage transfer to each hut isn't possible, so you'll need to carry your own backpack (we'd advise packing lightly, keeping it to no more than 20-25% of your own body weight).

If you choose the North tour, this is a loop that starts and ends in Cortina, so for your return journey to Venice you can use the same travel methods as getting to the start. As the rifugios along the way are mostly remote, luggage transfer to each hut isn't possible, instead your luggage is transferred from Cortina to St Vigil, from St Vigil to Alleghe, and travels with you on the transfer from Alleghe back to Cortina. You'll need to carry your own backpack between the huts (we'd advise packing lightly, keeping it to no more than 20-25% of your own body weight, up to a limit of 20kg/44lbs).

You'll need good hiking shoes or boots, comfortable hiking clothes, waterproofs, a daypack, and we recommend hiking poles. A portable charger for your cell phone is essential. On booking, our Tour Info will give you a complete packing list.

Because you'll carry your own overnight things between the rifugios on this route, you'll also need a comfortable backpack with a waist strap, sized to carry more than just a daypack, and we recommend a sleep sheet and a travel towel for your stays in the mountain huts.

Because the rifugios are remote, it isn't usually possible to use transport to skip or shorten a stage between huts. The hut staff will be able to advise you on your best options if you're unable to complete a day's walk.

We highly recommend that you have travel insurance when you book with Macs Adventure. Your policy should cover medical treatment (including repatriation and emergency evacuation by air ambulance or helicopter), injury, death, third-party liability, and trip cancellation

Because the rifugios open at different times each year and availability is tight, confirming your hut booking can take months rather than weeks - if you book the previous summer, for example, you might not hear that your accommodation is confirmed until the autumn or later, depending on which huts we're booking for you. We'll keep you updated throughout. Also, once you've booked (with your start date and traveller names), it's very difficult to make changes, so please make sure your plans are settled before you book.

If we can't confirm a place for you on this route, we can usually suggest other Dolomites walks, such as Highlights of the Alta Via 1 in Comfort, Walking in the Heart of the Dolomites or The Dolomites to Lake Garda.