The small village of Villabassa, just north of Cortina d'Ampezzo, is the perfect base for this Dolomites walking holiday nestled close to the Austrian border and sandwiched between the spectacular, jagged limestone peaks. From here we enjoy an excellent choice of routes with the opportunity to relax in comfort at the end of a day's walking. During the week, we venture into the Fanes-Sennes and Dolomiti di Sesto National Parks for great views of the Tre Cime di Lavaredo. Historically the front line between Italy and Austria-Hungary during the First World War, the trails take us through incredible open-air museums.
Start at the Hotel Adler in Villabassa.The leader will give a short briefing to give an overview of the week ahead and give you any useful information.
The ideal start to visiting this vast area is a walk straight from the hotel through the very pretty, flower-filled Braies Valley. We walk through small villages and farmland until we reach the magnificent Lago di Braies, one of the 297 glacial lakes in the area. It is certainly one of the most beautiful thanks to being surrounded by jagged peaks that are reflected in the extraordinary mirror-like surface of the lake. We follow the route of 'SS hostages', the leaders of 19 countries who were freed after the First World War by the inhabitants of Villabassa.
Approx. distance 14km, 650m ascent, 255m descent.
Today we explore high pastures and ridges along the Austrian border. We walk steadily exploring the meadows under the ridge of Knieberg. We have great views towards the Rotwand and Monte Popera. Later afternoon we visit Alpe Nemes hut where we could enjoy a drink and a home made apple strudel.
Approx distance 14-16km. 6-700m ascent, 6-700m descent.
We start the walk at 2000m altitude walking amongst beautiful wildflowers and ascends to the summit of Strudlekopf (2307m). We stop at the Durrenstein hut in the early afternoon to check the local Kaiserschmarren speciality. On a clear day, from the summit, we can enjoy views of the Tre Cime, Monte Piana and Monte Cristallo.Approx. distance 15km. 500m ascent, 1000m descent.
A free day to relax in the hotel's wellness centre or take a self-guided cycle ride around this wonderful area. Alternatively, you can make your way to Bolzano to visit a museum dedicated to Oetzi, the 5000 year-old 'iceman' whose remarkably well-preserved body was found in 1991 high on a glacier on the Austro-Italian frontier. Or you could journey to the attractive provincial capital of Lienz in Austria; or closer to the cosy town of Brunico.
We enjoy a memorable walk under the famous 'Three Chimneys', or Tre Cime di Lavaredo (or Drei Zinnen in German). Set amid one of the classic mountain groups of this area, our walk around these impressive peaks is certainly a highlight of the week.
Approx distance 18km, 550m ascent, 1100 descent.
To complete the week, we take the amazing estern approach route up Monte Piana. After 600m ascent we find ourselves upon the flat-topped mountain surrounded by some of the most impressive scenery in the Dolomites. It is the site of an open-air museum dedicated to the First World War where trenches, dugouts and shell craters can be seen amongst the many alpine flowers. On our return, we have time to spot the brilliant blue gentians, alpine white edelweiss and bright saffron that create a beautiful scene around Lake Misurina, thanks to the beautiful pink of the limestone rock.
Approx distance 15km, 700m ascent, 800m descent.
End Villabassa.
This single-centre holiday is based at the following hotel. If you'd like to extend your stay here, or upgrade your room, just let us know at the time of booking.
To find out more call our sales team on 1-800-267-3347, use our live webchat or email usa@exodustravels.com
Our aim is to provide holidays that are unbeatable for choice and flexibility. We've listed our most popular travel options below, however you aren't limited to these - we can tailor-make virtually any holiday to suit.
To find out more about the travel options available call our sales team on 1-800-267-3347, use our live webchat or email usa@exodustravels.com
Here at Headwater we thrive on feedback from our customers. It's the only way we can continue to develop, and where necessary improve, our services and ensure our holidays continue to be the best they can be. As this is a relatively new holiday, we don't yet have any customer reviews available from our customers, but here are the comments that have been received from previous Exodus travellers.
This trip was inspirational. The scenery, the challenge and the group combined to make this one of the top trips provided by Exodus. Our leader was excellent. His knowledge, storytelling and ability to read the group was outstanding. It was an extremely diverse group but the leader pulled it all together admirably. I would highly recommend this trip.
We altogether delighted in the entire Dolomites experience. The staff were well disposed and productive. Food was in every case crisp and tempting. We were additionally satisfied with the way that we could make up and back our very own snacks from the morning meal buffet.
Having wanted to hike in the Dolomites for some years, I finally made a point of doing so, and it didn’t fail to impress. If you have an appreciation for spectacular mountain scenery and beautiful lakes, you won’t be disappointed. And when you couple this with exploring fascinating tunnels and trenches dating back to the First World War, explained by the knowledgable tour leader, together with stops to indulge in local delicacies such as apple strudel and kaiserschmarrn and the great hotel accommodation, it all adds up to a fantastic week.
A wonderful trip which exceeded our expectations. Although very day was different, each days walk was better than the day before. The TreCime walk was probably the best day hike of my life! Our guide Karl was a mine of information about the interesting history of the area this greatly added to our experience. I have no hesitation in thoroughly recommending this trip.
If you're looking for an expertly organized trip guaranteeing you laughter, new friendships and adventure, you simply MUST choose this trip to the Dolomites. Unbelievably, each day is better than the last. Your week will be filled with super fun hikes, spectacular scenery and lots of cultural experiences.
A blissful week of exhilarating trekking and comfortable lodging. The trees were of very reasonable length and level of difficulty. Every trek offered a different type of trek, terrain and views of the Dolomites. From finding am azure blue lake, to rolling hills of wild flowers, to wooded paths to raw limestone. Every day better than the previous. The hotel was stunning and very comfortable offering a plethora of food for all tastes and appetites. The quiet town allowed for a true escape and the opportunity to cycle on your free day.
This was my first time to do a group travel 'adventure' and this Exodus trip exceeded my expectations. It was superb in every detail-the daily hikes were truly phenomenal; our leader had a wealth of outdoor and guiding experience, and shared many interesting hiking and history tidbits; our hotel was exceptional-staff, meals, extras -all such a treat! I can't wait to plan my next Exodus adventure!
Exodus provided a very well planned and executed trip. Communication with Exodus prior to the trip was easy, and they were very good about answering questions. The guide, Alex, was excellent. He was very well informed about the geological and historical history of Northern Italy, and he was eager to share this history with us. Alex would be an excellent professor! He always let us know what the next day's hike would be like, and he would describe the hikes by his estimated degree of 'spiciness' (one pepper, two peppers, etc.). The Hotel Adler was the perfect place to stay for the week. The Adler is family owned and staffed, as it has been for over 50 years. They were very friendly, warm and welcoming, and couldn't have been more helpful. The food was delicious and plentiful, and the menu varied every night. The small dining room staff of 3 or 4, were there for every meal, and were very friendly, helpful, and efficient. Of the 16 people on this trip, all but 3 or 4 of us had traveled with Exodus before multiple times. Not only was this trip very well planned, organized, and executed, it was also an extremely good value at half of the price of other companies we looked at for a similar itinerary. I will definitely travel with Exodus again.
We thoroughly enjoyed the whole Dolomites experience. We selected the challenging week and found that it was just the right level for us. The treks took us to different mountain peaks and we were always rewarded with the most fantastic breathtaking views. Alex our guide was friendly and knowledgeable. Hotel Adler was centrally located with shops, bars and cafes nearby. The staff were friendly and efficient. Food was always fresh and appetising. We were also very pleased with the fact that we could make up and back our own lunches from the breakfast buffet. We would recommend this trip for views and excellent value for money.
This was my first time travelling with Exodus, and will definitely travel with them again. It was really nice to stay in one hotel for the week. I loved not having to pack and unpack, and I don't think we missed anything by not moving to various locations throughout the trip. (If we did, we wouldn't know it- the trip was everything I expected.) The Dolomites were amazing!! The hikes were challenging, and it was nice to come back to the hotel for a shower and great dinner. Our guide was wonderful. I've been on hiking trips for years, and this was the first time I've had a guide give short lessons on how to hike over certain terrain.
You can be confident that our pricing includes all the standard requirements of your holiday and many additional extras. Always ensure that you are comparing like for like when booking your holiday.
Find out about The Headwater Price Promise to ensure you're getting the very best value for money.
This 7 night guided walking holiday includes:
All breakfasts, 5 lunches, 5 dinners
All accommodation (see accommodation section)
All transport and listed activities
Tour leader throughout
Flights from London (if booking incl. flights)
How to book:
For further details, or to check availability, speak to our sales team on 1-800-267-3347 or complete our holiday enquiry form (we'll contact you at a time that's most convenient for you).
To enquire about this holiday, or for further information, call our sales team on 1-800-267-3347 or complete our holiday enquiry form.
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23rd May 2020 | US$1649 | Tour only: US$1649 | Check availability |
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30th May 2020 | US$1749 | Tour only: US$1749 | Check availability |
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6th Jun 2020 | US$1879 | Tour only: US$1879 | Check availability |
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13th Jun 2020 | US$1879 | Tour only: US$1879 | Check availability |
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20th Jun 2020 | US$1949 | Tour only: US$1949 | Check availability |
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27th Jun 2020 | US$2099 | Tour only: US$2099 | Check availability |
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4th Jul 2020 | US$2099 | Tour only: US$2099 | Check availability |
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11th Jul 2020 | US$2179 | Tour only: US$2179 | Check availability |
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18th Jul 2020 | US$2179 | Tour only: US$2179 | Check availability |
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25th Jul 2020 | US$2179 | Tour only: US$2179 | Check availability |
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22nd Aug 2020 | US$2179 | Tour only: US$2179 | Check availability |
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29th Aug 2020 | US$2179 | Tour only: US$2179 | Check availability |
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5th Sep 2020 | US$2099 | Tour only: US$2099 | Check availability |
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12th Sep 2020 | US$2099 | Tour only: US$2099 | Check availability |
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19th Sep 2020 | US$1949 | Tour only: US$1949 | Check availability |
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26th Sep 2020 | US$1799 | Tour only: US$1799 | Check availability |
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3rd Oct 2020 | US$1649 | Tour only: US$1649 | Check availability |
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10th Oct 2020 | US$1649 | Tour only: US$1649 | Check availability |
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The prices quoted for each individual departure supercede those published in our current brochures. Air prices are subject to change and we advise early booking to obtain the best prices. Please see our Planning your holiday and What's included in the price? pages for additional information.
This holiday is operated by our sister company, Exodus
7 nights 4-star Hotel Adler, all rooms en suite
5 days centre-based walking; one free day.
Altitude maximum 2539m (level 3) / 2839m (level 5), average 2300m
Not recommended for vertigo sufferers
Due to the tailor-made nature of our holidays, we need a little more information in order for us to check availability for Classic Dolomites - Premium. Simply complete the form below (fields marked * are mandatory) and a member of our sales team will contact you (when it's most convenient for you) to provide availability information, travel options and an accurate price. Of course there's no obligation, but if you do wish to proceed with a booking they will be on-hand to assist you throughout the process.
Alternatively, you can call our sales team on 1-800-267-3347 to discuss your requirements in more detail.