The Dolomites to Lake Garda
- Classic walks from high in the Brenta Dolomites to Lake Garda
- Historic and cosy mountain rifugi, surrounded by golden limestone peaks
- Remote trails around chiselled rock faces, forested valleys & alpine pastures
- Relaxing at your wellness hotel at Comano Terme, famed for thermal springs
- Lake Garda—Italy’s largest lake—with its beach, waterfront parks and cafés
Gallery
Itinerary
Day 1 Arrive TrentoCosmopolitan Trento is located in the wide glacial Adige River Valley and is framed by Südtirol’s mountains. Take time to explore Trento’s Medieval and Renaissance centre, with its pastel-hued buildings with wooden balconies, 12th-century cathedral, frescoed Piazza Duomo and Buonconsiglio Castle.
Trento is easily reached by train from across Italy; just 2h10 from Venice, 2h50 from Milan or 4 hrs from Rome.
Located within the historic centre of Trento, this friendly property offers clean and comfortable rooms which are simply furnished.
Ideally located in Palazzo Gallo, an ancient palace dating from the 16th century, stay in a stylish Trento B&B. Rooms have a hairdryer, flat screen TV and there is free WiFi.
Today’s walk starts with a transfer (approx. 35 mins) high into the mountains, to Fai della Pagnella at 1000m. Drink in the outstanding views over the wooded valley as you walk towards the aqua tones of Lake Molveno.
Molveno itself is a sleepy lakeside town, with a handful of hotels and restaurants. Why not try a Trentino speciality—tender white zambana asparagus or carne salada—cured beef sausage rolled in a mixture of coarse salt, laurel, black pepper, juniper, crushed garlic and rosemary. Delizioso!
Ascent/Descent: 830m/940m
The Mori family run this welcoming hotel, situated just infront of the cablecar. There is a sun terrace with wonderful views onto the lake. Rooms are bright and have wooden furniture.
This family-run hotel has a traditional Italian alpine style with touches of wood and a cosy atmosphere, rooms have flatscreen TVs, hairdryer, and minibar. The restaurant serves typical Sud-Tirolean fare and there is a wine cellar. The garden has whirlpool, sun terrace and sauna cabin.
All rooms at Hotel Miralago are en-suite with tub or shower, hairdryer, telephone, safe, television and free WI-FI connection.
Pack your daypack with your essentials as you’ll be staying the next 2 nights deep in the Brenta Dolomites, in remote huts. A cable car then chairlift whisks you high above the lake to Palon di Tovre at 1530m, where you’ll find Rifugio Montanara, the perfect spot to fuel up on honey strudel cake before your hike.
This trail offers a challenging but exhilarating experience, with a via ferrata section between Rifugio Selvata and Rifugio Malga Andalo. This section is fully equipped with safety lanyards to help you navigate the exposed terrain, and should be no problem for experienced hikers. Just remember to tread carefully and pay attention to where you place your feet. For those seeking a gentler alternative, a shorter route directly from Molveno to Malga Andalo is available.
Your destination for the day is the cozy and traditional Rifugio Malga Andalo, where you can relax in a comfortable dormitory room with shared facilities, ready to unwind after a day of adventure.
Dinner: Rifugio Malga Andalo
Located at 1350m this rifugio offers spectacular views of the Brenta Dolomites and the Paganella plateau. The restaurant offers delicious traditional foods including Trentino meats, cheeses, potatoes, polenta, mushrooms and mountain herbs. The rifugio offers 16 beds in a mixes of 3 and 5 bedrooms with bunk beds. You are required to bring a sheet sleeping bag liner and a travel towel.
Set off along mountain slopes towards Rifugio Cacciatore, following a well-marked trail that winds through the rugged beauty of the Brenta Dolomites. Today you’ll need a head for heights as you follow remote footpaths around the great rocky bulks of the Brenta Dolomiti. You’ll feel as if you’re on top of the world as you soak up the silence and drink in the vistas over craggy pinnacles and into the wooded valleys below. While the trail is awe-inspiring, it is also demanding, particularly in the higher sections. Steep snow patches, loose rock, and dramatic drop-offs—especially early in the season—require a steady head for heights and careful footing. However, the alpine scenery is nothing short of spectacular, making the effort worthwhile. If you prefer a less strenuous option, please consider our alternative route for the day.
On the alternative walk to Rifugio Cacciatore you descend from Rifugio Malga Andalo through the forest to Molveno or opt for a taxi ride (EUR 20). Take a bus to San Lorenzo-Chiesa (be mindful of the schedule). From there, you can either take a taxi up to Ristorante Dolomiti (EUR 35) or enjoy a scenic 45-minute walk from the bus station, following track 325 to Rifugio Cacciatore (7km, approx. 3 hrs). This lovely route winds through a peaceful valley with a gradual ascent, offering a relaxed yet equally stunning way to reach your destination.
Rifugio Cacciatore is nestled in a natural amphitheatre of meadows and mountains. The Rifugio offers rooms with simple wooden bunks for 2, 4, 6 or 8 people, and bathrooms are again shared. The dinner here is included and perfect for hungry hikers, with hearty stews, polenta and wild mushrooms, washed down with a well-deserved cold beer or two!
Dinner: Rifugio Cacciatore
This remote mountain rifugio offers mixed-sex dormitories of 2, 4, 6 and 8 beds, with shared facilities. The rifugio is surrounded by mountains and alpine pastures
After breakfast surrounded by peaks of 2500-3000m, you start your descent through the lush green pastures and shady forests of the Val d’Ampiez and back towards civilisation.
Reach San Lorenzo in Banale, from where a bus will take you to Comano Terme. The area of Comano Terme is known for its healing waters and after three days of rewarding mountain hikes, you’ll be ready to relax at your spa hotel with its sauna, Turkish baths, Jacuzzi, sensory showers and a large outdoor pool.
Ascent/Descent: 60m/1180m
A large spa hotel set across the river from the small town of Comano Terme. The hotel is spacious and light providing a peaceful place for relaxation after your long walking days in the mountains. There is a restaurant, an outdoor pool, and private park with rare plant species. Grand Hotel Terme & Spa are also working towards being as environmentally as friendly as possible to help preserve the beauty of the Brenta National Park.
Located in the side of the mountain Casariga is surrounded by nature. Almost invisible aside from the long glass wall which stands out against the meadows. The bulding is eco friendly building offering a truly unique experience.
Continue walking south through the leafy Val di Lomasone as you leave the highest summits behind to reach Ville del Monte. Here a taxi transfer is arranged in the late afternoon to take you to Riva del Garda (30 mins). Alternatively, if you’d prefer a lazy day then take the bus all the way from Comano Terme to the lake (1hr).
‘Riva’ is a bustling town on the northern shores of Lake Garda, with a mountainous backdrop. Protected by the town’s fortress you'll find the historic centre - tall buildings and narrow lanes, with the Torre Apponale clock tower, looming above. Opposite the waterfront, there is a string of cafés, a harbour, a park and a beach—perfect for people-watching with a gelato.
Ascent/Descent: 580m/400m
Hotel Vittoria has 11 rooms over 4 floors; it is an old Bavarian-style hotel-restaurant in the city centre of Riva, just a few steps from the lake. The restaurant specialises in typical Bavarian dishes, accompanied by German beers and Italian wines.
This hotel is located 8 minutes away from the beach, it is amongst the traditional restaurants and shops of Riva del Garda's historical centre and pedestrian area. Each room provides Wi-Fi, Sat. TV, phone, safe, mini fridge (Mini Bar), own regulated clima, en-suite bathroom with hair dryer.
Upgraded hotel (there will be a supplement)
A modern 4 star hotel just a 10 minute walk from the shores of Lake Garda. The staff are at hand 24 hours a day to assist with anything you may need. A delicious buffet of breakfast is provided every morning and the restaurant is open in the evenings if you decide to eat at the hotel. They have a selection of menus that cater to a variety of tastes and dietary requirements. The hotel has a pool and garden to relax in during the evenings, and can provide bike hire for guests.
Ferries depart regularly from Riva, whisking you away to the picture-postcard towns of Limone, Torbole, Malcesine and further south on the lake. Jump on board or opt to enjoy a walk close by.
Alternatively, take the ferry to Torbole, and walk the Busatte-Tempesta Trail, with outstanding vistas over the lake, flights of metal stairs and 400 steps. Return by bus then ferry. The Busatte-Tempesta trail is currently officially closed, so we have planned an alternative hike up Monte Brione for the day.
Hotel Vittoria has 11 rooms over 4 floors; it is an old Bavarian-style hotel-restaurant in the city centre of Riva, just a few steps from the lake. The restaurant specialises in typical Bavarian dishes, accompanied by German beers and Italian wines.
This hotel is located 8 minutes away from the beach, it is amongst the traditional restaurants and shops of Riva del Garda's historical centre and pedestrian area. Each room provides Wi-Fi, Sat. TV, phone, safe, mini fridge (Mini Bar), own regulated clima, en-suite bathroom with hair dryer.
Upgraded hotel (there will be a supplement)
A modern 4 star hotel just a 10 minute walk from the shores of Lake Garda. The staff are at hand 24 hours a day to assist with anything you may need. A delicious buffet of breakfast is provided every morning and the restaurant is open in the evenings if you decide to eat at the hotel. They have a selection of menus that cater to a variety of tastes and dietary requirements. The hotel has a pool and garden to relax in during the evenings, and can provide bike hire for guests.
Departing Riva you can take the bus west to the train station at Rovereto (40 mins) then catch the train to Venice (1h50). Alternatively take a (scenic!) bus ride all the way along the eastern side to the southern shore of Garda to Peschiera del Garda (1h50) where there’s a train station on the Milan-Verona-Venice line, making onward travel easy from here.
This trip has a carbon score of 15kg per person per night, meaning it’s one of our best trips! For comparison, a carbon count of 15kg is equivalent to 4.5 cheeseburgers. Here at Macs, we pride ourselves on being a responsible travel company and continue to adopt, develop and innovate ways to positively impact the environment. Find out more information on how we've carbon counted our trips.
Other Information
Is it for me?This tour blends the classic combination of mountains and lakes with a wonderful variety of authentic regional accommodation. Enjoy rustic charm in traditional mountain huts, hotels and the historic resort-town of Riva del Garda. Challenging walks in the Dolomites lead to easy lakeside strolls around Garda, the perfect spot to wind down.
Classic Routes | If you’re the active, outdoorsy type, who’s interested in taking on the great routes of the world or looking for a challenge, then our Classic Routes are for you. We’re talking the West Highland Way, Tour Du Mont Blanc and the Passau to Vienna Danube Cycle Path, to name but a few!
Inn to Inn Walking | Walk from place-to-place changing accommodations each night. Generally staying in B&Bs, inns, and guesthouses.
Alpine Walking
The minimum age for this tour is: 18 Years
This trip is graded ‘moderate’ overall, as the walks are 8-16km in length and there are ascents/descents of anywhere between 0 to 1200m. However on day 3 when you are walking to Rifugio Tosa Pedrotti, this day is ‘strenuous’ as you will be ascending 1480m—this is the most challenging day of the week esp. at the beginning of the season with snow fields. Only the routes on day 3 and 4 can be technically difficult. Some paths (particularly to/from/between the rifugi) are remote and high, and as such you must have a good head for heights, be sure-footed and not suffer from vertigo. Other paths on the walk include tarmac tracks, farm vehicle routes and some walking on minor roads (where unavoidable). Bears have been spotted in the area. Please follow local advice.
7 nights accommodation is included in your trip; you’ll stay 2 nights high in the mountains at 2 different Rifugi (mountain huts), where you’ll enjoy true Dolomiti hospitality, staying in mixed-sex dormitory-style accommodation with bunks and a shared bathroom. Hot showers are available (fee payable), blankets and pillows are provided, and you can either bring your own sleep sheet or hire them from the rifugio, we recommend you take your own. At Rifugio Cacciatore rooms are for 2, 4, 6 or 8 people and are subject to availability at the time of booking.
For the rest of your 5 nights you’ll stay in authentic hotels and B&Bs that are ideal for walkers (of a 3-star standard), family-run and smaller properties where possible. The accommodation we normally use is detailed here, however, it is subject to availability and therefore alternatives of an equal standard may be offered.
Single Rooms
This trip is not available to solo walkers due to the nature of the terrain in the Dolomites. Single rooms are on request at the hotels/B&Bs only (not possible in the rifugi) and a supplement is payable. Please remember that with smaller properties the number of dedicated single rooms will be limited.
Meals
Dinners are included on your nights in Rifugio Tosa Pedrotti and Rifugio Cacciatore. Dinner usually consists of polenta or potatoes, meat, preserved vegetables (such as delicious wild mushrooms), pasta and bread. Please let us know in advance if you have any dietary requirements as we will need to check with the hut managers if it is possible to accommodate you. When you are staying at hotels/B&Bs you are on a bed and breakfast basis. Most of your accommodations will be more than happy to provide a packed lunch on request and this can be booked on arrival. This is strongly recommended at the rifugi and is payable locally.
The route is not always waymarked (with the exception of some sections where you will be walking on official trails and to/from/between rifugi, where way-marking is good). Detailed routes note and GPS data will be provided for you via the Macs Adventure App. Further information will be provided upon receipt of your booking.
- 5 Nights in properties of a 3-star standard
- 2 Nights in mountain huts/rifugi in bunk-bed dormitory-style accommodation
- 7 Breakfasts
- 2 Dinners (at the Rifugi)
- Baggage transfers between hotel accommodation (days 2, 5, 6)
- Taxi transfer on day 2 as per itinerary
- Route notes, maps and detailed information pack
- 24/7 emergency telephone support from our office
- Travel insurance (required).
- Travel to Trento and from Riva del Garda
- Entrance fees
- Public transport costs (eg. cable car, buses and ferries)
- Lunches, drinks and snacks
- 5 Dinners
- Local City Tax (from EUR2 per person per night)
- Personal equipment
- Additional nights
- Additional taxi transfers (on request)
You can start this walking tour on any day between the end beginning of July and start of September. Lake Garda is very popular so it’s best to book as far in advance as you are able to. The summer months (mid-July through September) have warm temperatures and plenty of sun – perfect for hiking. While the average temperature of around 80 °F / 25°C on the valley floors, a gentle wind higher up usually makes for refreshing walking, and for every 1000m you climb, the temperature will drop by approx. 6.5°C. As some of the walking on this trip is above 2000m, there may be some snow patches lying early on or late in the season.
By Air: Trento is easily reached by train from city centre stations across Italy; just 2h10 from Venice, 2h50 from Milan or 4 hrs from Rome. Train timetables are available at Trenitalia.
Departing Riva you can take the bus to Rovereto train station (40 mins) then catch the train to Venice (1h50). Alternatively take the bus to Peschiera del Garda (1h50) where there’s a train station on the Milan-Verona-Venice line, making onward travel easy from here. Further information regarding travel advice will be in your comprehensive pre-departure information pack.
Your bags will be transferred only between hotels on days 2, 5 and 6 (as there is no transfer access into the rifugi). We ask you to limit your luggage to one bag of up to 20kg/44lbs per person. On Day 3 you will need to pack your daypack to take the essentials with you for the next 2 nights. You will be reunited with your bags again after your walk on Day 5 (at Comano Terme).
The distances and ascent/descents are approximations of the recommended routes. Please be prepared by packing all necessary items, for example, proper rain gear (jacket and pants), sun hat, sunscreen. Your information pack has a detailed equipment list which includes standard walking gear such as good walking boots or shoes, warm and waterproof clothes for the cooler months and lightweight clothing for summer, and a day pack. You will also need to bring a sheet sleeping bag liner and a travel towel which you'll have to carry on the nights you stay in the huts.
It is a requirement of booking this tour with Macs Adventure that you have suitable travel insurance which covers you for the activity and emergency evacuation and hospital care.
This trip is graded ‘moderate’ overall, as the walks are 8-16km in length and there are ascents/descents of around 800-1480m.
On day 3 when you are walking to Rifugio Tosa Pedrotti, this day is classified ‘strenuous’ as you will be ascending almost 1500m - this is the most challenging day of the week as it contains areas with loose rocks.
The routes are not technically difficult, but some paths (particularly to/from/between the rifugi) are remote and high, and as such you must have a good head for heights, be sure-footed and not suffer from vertigo.
We suggest you book as soon as your plans are finalised as Lake Garda in particular is extremely popular. The accommodations mentioned on our website are those that we normally use and are subject to availability at the time of booking, however we will always try and accommodate your plans.
You’ll stay 2 nights high in the mountains at 2 different Rifugi (mountain huts), where you’ll enjoy true Dolomiti hospitality, staying in mixed-sex dormitory-style accommodation with bunks and shared bathroom. We can request a smaller dorm, and Rifugio Cacciatore has dorms for 2, 4, 6 or 8 people, however this is subject to availability. Beds are often simply allocated on arrival. Hot showers are available (fee payable), blankets and pillows are provided, and you can either bring your own sleep sheet or hire them from the rifugio. You should bring a trekking towel with you.
You will need good walking boots (ideally waterproof), comfortable walking clothes, and dependent on when you are travelling; waterproof jacket and trousers, a daypack (which can fit in 2 nights of overnight clothing for when you stay in the rifugi) and hats/gloves etc. You should also bring a sleeping bag liner and a trekking towel for the rifugi (mountain huts). Walking poles are highly recommended due to the steep ascents/descents. Our info packs have a list of all equipement to bring on your walk.
The summer months (mid-July through September) have warm temperatures and plenty of sun – perfect for hiking. While the average max temperature may reach 80 °F / 25°C on the valley floors, a gentle wind higher up usually makes for refreshing walking, and for every 1000m you climb, the temperature will drop by approx. 6.5°C. As some of the walking on this trip is above 2000m, there may be some snow patches lying early on or late in the season. The Italian Lakes can get extra busy on the main Italian public holidays during the season: 1 May (Labour Day), 2 June (Republic Day) and 15 August (Ferragosto).
On the days where luggage is being transferred between your hotels/B&Bs for that nights accommodation (days 2 and 6) you can join the taxi which is transferring your luggage (with enough prior notice), and therefore avoid walking between hotels if you wish. Alternatively, you can use public transport or local taxis to move you to the next overnight stop when you are not staying at the rifugi. When you are walking to/from/between rifugi/mountain huts (days 3, 4, and 5) there is no alternative but to walk (unless you are injured, in which case you will require mountain rescue and a fee may be involved if your insurance does not cover this). Please ensure you train adequately for this walk and are well-prepared and have adequate travel insurance to cover any unforeseen circumstances.
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