The Dolomites to Lake Garda

You need to be a regular walker in good physical shape to get the most out of this tour, with a good head for heights and sure footing for some of the higher mountain paths. A couple of days in particular are more demanding, with longer ascents, so some training walks beforehand are a good idea.

The route takes in a real variety of terrain, from remote, high mountain paths between rifugi (mountain huts) to gentler tarmac tracks, farm vehicle routes and minor roads down towards the lake. Some of the higher sections are not technically difficult, but do require confidence on exposed ground. Wildlife including bears has been spotted in the area, so it's worth following local advice.

This route ranges from moderate to strenuous. Each tour variant has a grade, and within that tour individual days may vary in difficulty - some might be a bit tougher or easier than the overall rating suggests.

You'll spend part of your tour staying high in the mountains in rifugios (traditional mountain huts), in mixed-sex dormitory-style rooms with bunks and shared bathrooms - a memorable way to experience real Dolomiti hospitality. Hot showers are usually available for a small fee, and blankets and pillows are provided, though we'd recommend bringing your own sleep sheet rather than hiring one. Room sizes in the huts vary and depend on availability.

For the rest of your stay, you'll be in family-run hotels and B&Bs of a good standard, chosen for being welcoming to walkers. Your itinerary details the properties normally used, but we may offer alternatives of equal standard if these aren't available.

Unfortunately, this tour is not available to solo travelers due to the remote, high-mountain terrain. We can, however, offer single rooms if you are traveling with others. These are available for a supplement.

Single rooms are only possible at the hotels and B&Bs, not at the mountain huts, and with smaller properties the number of dedicated single rooms is limited.

You'll be on a bed-and-breakfast basis at the hotels and B&Bs, with dinner included on your nights at the mountain huts. Hut dinners usually feature hearty, simple fare like polenta or potatoes, meat, preserved vegetables such as wild mushrooms, pasta and bread - let us know about any dietary requirements in advance so we can check with the hut managers. Most accommodations are happy to provide a packed lunch on request, which is especially worth booking on the days you're staying at a hut, since it's paid for locally.

This tour runs through the summer months, from around the start of July to the start of September, with the warmest, sunniest conditions and the best walking weather falling in this window - average temperatures around 80°F/25°C on the valley floors, dropping roughly 6.5°C for every 1,000m you climb. Because some of the walking is above 2,000m, snow patches can linger early or late in the season. Lake Garda is popular, so it's worth booking well ahead, and the Italian Lakes get particularly busy around the main national holidays in May and August.

Your bags will be collected from your accommodation each day and moved onto your overnight accommodation. We ask you to limit your luggage to one bag of up to 20kg/44lbs per person.

Luggage can't be transferred into the mountain huts themselves, so on the nights you're staying at a rifugio you'll carry a smaller daypack with your essentials instead, and you'll be reunited with your main bag once you're back down among the hotels.

Way-marking isn't consistent throughout this tour - it's generally good on official trails and on the paths to and from the rifugi, but less reliable elsewhere.

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.

Getting to the start: Trento is easily reached by train from city-centre stations across Italy, with journeys of as little as 2 hours 10 minutes depending on your starting point - check Trenitalia for timetables.

Getting from the end: departing Riva, take the bus to Rovereto train station (40 minutes), then the train to Venice (1 hour 50 minutes). Alternatively, take the bus to Peschiera del Garda (1 hour 50 minutes), where there's a train station on the Milan-Verona-Venice line, making onward travel easy from there.

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.

You'll also need to bring a sheet sleeping bag liner and a travel towel for the nights you spend in mountain huts.

On certain days you can shorten the route or skip it entirely by using a taxi or public transport.

On the days your luggage is being transferred between hotels, you can also ride along in the same vehicle if you'd rather not walk that day. On the days spent walking to, from or between the mountain huts, though, there's no alternative transport option, so make sure you're well prepared and have good travel insurance in place for these sections.

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