Dolomites Alta Via 1 South
- Walk amongst classic peaks of the Civetta, Monte Pelmo & Cinque Torri
- Enjoy a warm Italian welcome and hearty food in the mountain huts
- Stay in the chic ski resort of Cortina and the beautiful old town of Belluno
- Discover quiet paths through the wild Parco Nazionale delle Dolomiti Bellunesi
- Admire the sunset from the terrace of Rifugio Averau
Gallery
Itinerary
Day 1 Arrive in Cortina and overnightYou’ll find pretty Cortina nestled in the heart of the Dolomites. It’s a great place to spend your first night amongst the mountains and to buy any last-minute provisions. Known as the ski and mountaineering centre of the High Dolomites, Cortina offers plenty of restaurants and shops.

Hotel Ciasa Lorenzi, operated by the Lorenzi family, is a unique gem in Cortina d'Ampezzo, offering unparalleled views of the Dolomites and warm Italian hospitality. Nestled in the heart of the city, it is perfectly positioned to bask in the morning sunshine and witness the breathtaking sunset. The rooms are designed for peace and comfort, and guests can indulge in a sumptuous breakfast buffet featuring a variety of sweet and savoury dishes.

A friendly and traditional Alpine style hotel which is very popular with walkers. Enjoy the cosy and comfortable rooms, locally sourced produce from the breakfast buffet as well as wifi in the rooms. There is an on-site restaurant serving typical regional dishes, or venture into the centre of Cortina (5-10 min walk) and choose from one of the many restaurants here.

Located in the heart of Cortina D’Ampezzo, the 3-star Hotel Meublè Villa Neve is a family-run hotel. Free Wi-Fi is available.
From Cortina you can escape directly into the impressive mountain scenery. The path ascends through rhododendron forests as the peaks of the Cinque Torri come into view. Shortly after you reach Rifugio Averau (2,413m).
You can walk from Cortina, or to shorten the walk, you can take a bus/taxi to Passo Falzarego. From Passo Falzarego, you can take the cable car up to Lagazoui and then walk back down to Falzarego or go directly up to Averau from Falzarego. The choice is yours today. If you are staying at Rifugio Scoiattoli the walk is slightly shorter today and tomorrow
Walk starting from Cortina to Rifugio Lagazuoi to Rifugio Averau: 12km/8miles, Ascent/Descent: 1338m/35m
Walk starting from Rifugio Lagazuoi (top of the cable-car) to Rifugio Averau: 8km/5miles, Ascent/Descent: 503m/685m
Walk starting from Passo Falzarego: 4.5km/3miles, Ascent/Descent: 567m/105m

The Rifugio Averau welcomes you at an altitude of 2,413 metres. Surrounded by the towering peaks of the 5 Torri and Monte Averau, it provides a perfect blend of rustic charm and modern comfort. The family-run Rifugio, led by the Siorpaes family, is renowned for its exceptional cuisine, including traditional Ladin dishes.

The Lorenzi family welcome you to Rifugio Scoiattoli next to the 5 Torri chairlif. The modern panoramic terrace, completely protected from the wind by glass elements, offers a breathtaking view of the mountains of Cortina d'Ampezzo.
Behind the Averau hut, pass the impressive rock formation Cinque Torri and the Passo Giau (2,236m). Hike across colourful flower meadows, and lush green alpine meadows await you. It is not uncommon to see eagles soaring high above. The trail continues over stone paths and lush meadows to your accommodation, Passo Staulanza (1,783m), where you can find the best hot chocolate in the Dolomites. If you are walking from Rifugio Scoiattoli you can join up with the track as described in the app.
Walk from Rifugio Averau to Rifugio Passo Staulanza: 19km/12miles, Ascent/Descent: 622m/1267m
Walk from Rifugio Averau to Rifugio Citta Di Fiume: 16km/9miles, Ascent/Descent: 630m/1126m

This traditional mountain hut is run and maintained by the Sala family. Nestled between the towering peaks of Monte Pelmo and Monte Civetta, it offers a peaceful alpine retreat. The refuge combines traditional Dolomitic charm with modern comforts. In the excellent restaurant you can enjoy the traditional Ladin cuisine.

Founded in 1964, the rifugio’s “Malga” is the typical housing of the valley; the basement is constructed of local stone while the upper part (roof included) is made of wood. The ground floor, with its three arched spaces (rooms), is well-preserved example of a traditional cowshed. A dwelling is thought to have been built here as early as 1600 and appears on maps dating from 1833. The present building dates back to 1924 and Rifugio Città di Fiume has been thoughtfully renovated to blend rustic charm with modern comforts.
A rewarding day awaits as you cross lush pastures with views to Monte Pelmo (3,168m), a more accessible option follows a pleasant and peaceful track which then ascends to Rifugio Coldai (2,132m).
Stroll around Lago Coldai and up to a small pass before you drop down into the valley with views of Lago di Alleghe. Ahead you’ll reach the mountain pass, Forcella di Col Rean. The path to Rifugio Vazzoler (1,714m) brings you over several passes as you skirt by the Civetta massif.
Walk starting from Rifugio Passo Staulanza to Rifugio Vazzoler: 15km/9miles, Ascent/Descent: 861m/914m
Walk starting from Rifugio Citta di Fiume to Rifugio Vazzoler: 18km/11miles, Ascent/Descent: 955m/1150m
Walk starting Rifugio Passo Staulanzer to Rifugio Tissi: 10.5km/6.5 miles, Ascent/Descent: 931m/443m
Walk starting Rifugio Citta di Fiume to Rifugio Tissi: 14km/8 miles, Ascent/Descent: 1030m/691m

Photogenic Rifugio Vazzoler, with its red roof and shutters, also has an impressive alpine botanical garden. The charming mountain hut is nestled at 1,714 meters on the southern slopes of Monte Civetta, in the Agordino region of the Dolomites. Surrounded by towering rock formations like Torre Venezia and Torre Trieste, it offers a serene and picturesque setting.

The hut is located on the summit of Col Reàn, 2250 meters above sea level, on the northwest face of Civetta, thus offering breathtaking views of the surrounding mountains.
Today you’ll walk an undulating path as you first climb steeply to the next pass; Forcella del Camp (1,933m), followed by some straightforward trekking high in the Dolomites. Finally, a mountain road takes you down to Passo Duran. Both the Rifugio Passo Duna C Tome and Rifugio San Sebastiano are located here (1,605m).
Walk from Rifugio Vazzoler to Rifugio Passo Duran "C. Tome"/Rifugio San Sebastiano: 11km/7miles, Ascent/Descent: 953m/1082m
Walk from Rifugio Tissi to Rifugio Rifugio Passo Duran "C. Tome"/Rifugio San Sebastiano: 17km/10miles, Ascent/Descent: 654m/1314m

Nestled in the tranquil Duran Pass Rifugio Passo Duran ‘C Tome’ offers a rustic alpine retreat at 1,605 meters. With its warm hospitality, hearty local cuisine, and panoramic views of the surrounding peaks, it's an ideal spot to unwind and immerse yourself in the Dolomites' natural beauty.

Rifugio San Sebastiano has been recently constructed in a traditional chalet-style. There is a wonderful fireplace where you can relax at the end of the day’s walking. Please note that there are two rifugios at Passo Duran; San Sebastiano is the more ‘traditional looking property’ and you will walk pass Passo Duran ‘C Tome’ to get to San Sebastiano.
After breakfast, set out on trails that feel more remote than before, with ever-impressive alpine vistas. Today you’ll be walking via the Forcella del Moschesin (1,950m) and up the rocky western slopes of the Cima de Zita.
You are now entering the Parco Nazionale delle Dolomiti Bellunesi, the wildest of the national parks on the trail and with a good chance of spotting deer and marmots. A vibrant orange lily flowers amongst the grass, rocks and shrubs.
Make your way down through forest and to the lovely hamlet of La Valle Agordina. Here you can stop in a cafe for a refreshing beverage if you wish before hopping on a bus which will take you to the enchanting town of Belluno.
Ascent/Descent: 361m/1145m.

The Cappello e Cadore Hotel is a popular 3* star hotel with 32 rooms which occupies a fantastic location in the heart of the historic centre of Belluno. You’ll find it nestled between the central Martiri and Piloni piazzas. Rooms have aircon, TV, electronic safe, minibar, hairdryer, and there is free WiFi in the lobby.

Located in the centre of Belluno, with Piazza dei Martiri, the Municipal Theater and the Court on your doorstep. Albergo delle Alpi is located in a historic building, built in 1880 and an ideal place to stay for your adventure.
After breakfast, you can take a train from Belluno (via Conegliano) to Venice—just a 1h50mins journey, or continue your travels in Italy!
This trip has a carbon score of 6kg per person per night, meaning it’s one of our best trips! For comparison, a carbon count of 6kg is equivalent to 4.5 ham and cheese sandwiches from the store. 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?The southern half of the Alta Via 1 has a wilder and more remote feel compared to the busier northern section. With slightly longer days, this the ideal choice for fit and experienced hikers looking for a rewarding few days of walking on varied trails high in the Italian Alps. You should be sure-footed and have a head for heights to really get the most from this trip. It is not suitable for people suffering from vertigo.
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!
Hut to Hut Walking | Walk from hut to hut, changing accommodation each night
Long-Distance Trails, Alpine Walking
The minimum age for this tour is: 18 Years
This walk is graded moderate to strenuous and includes daily walks of between 11 and 20km with ascents of up to 1338m, descents of up to 1314m. You’ll be following switchback footpaths, country lanes, both narrow and wide tracks and rough mountain paths. You should be prepared for rocky and loose ground and unavoidable narrow paths across scree slopes. We have deliberately avoided routes involving via ferratas. Some of the ascents and descents are considerably steep and some can be exposed so require a good head for heights and sure-footedness in places. You should have a good level of walking fitness to get the most from this trip, and be an experienced mountain walker.
The Alta Via 1 South is suitable for experienced hikers with mountain/alpine experience and good physical fitness and endurance due to the length of the stages and the altitude and nature of the trail. The route profile demands surefootedness and a head for heights. You will also carry your luggage on this trip making a good level of fitness even more important. Walking sticks are recommended as they reduce the strain on the joints and provide stability. Before your trip, we recommend walking regularly and incorporating some hilly terrain into your routine. Be sure check the daily distances and elevation changes outlined in your itinerary.
For the first and last night of the tour you will stay in comfortable hotels in Cortina and Belluno and on the other nights you will stay in a rifugio. These are Alpine-style huts with communal and mixed-sex sleeping areas. Some of the rifugios are more basic than others, but they are all friendly and you will meet other hikers from all over the world! They are a mix of Italian Alpine Club (CAI) and privately-run huts. Since the rifugios are extremely popular, and the walking season is so short, they are in high demand and therefore availability is extremely limited.
For a smoother booking process, we no longer book private rooms in the rifugios as they put a very strict limit on these and more often than not do not even allow tour operators to book them.
Single Rooms & Solo Walkers
If you want a single room and are traveling with other people a supplement will be applied. Single rooms are only available on the first and last nights when you are staying in hotels. This tour is not available to solo travellers because of the remote terrain.
Meals
Breakfast is included each morning. Dinner is not included in Cortina or Belluno as there are plenty of restaurants to choose from. Whilst staying in the rifugios dinner is included (excluding drinks). Meals in the mountain huts are always simple, hearty fare.
As this is a self guided walk you will be responsible for navigation, decision making and safety during your trip. The Alta Via 1 is very well signposted with red-white colours and blue triangles with the nr 1 in the centre and yellow signposts. You will regularly find the markings on trees, rocks, fences etc. You will have access to detailed trip info and mapped tracks, via the Macs App.
- Accommodation for 4 nights in mountain huts and for 2 nights in a comfortable 3* hotels
- 7 Breakfasts
- 4 Dinners (in the mountain huts)
- Baggage transfer from Cortina to Belluno
- Access to maps, GPX tracks, and daily route information with the Macs Adventure App
- 24-hour assistance by phone
- Getting to Cortina and from Belluno
- Travel Insurance
- Lunches, dinners in Cortina and Belluno, drinks & snacks.
- Public transportation, including buses, trains and cable cars.
- Personal expenses such as drinks, phone calls, extra transfers, tips, etc.
- Any items not specifically mentioned in the program.
- Day to Day Baggage Transfers (except from Cortina to Belluno)
- Additional nights during the trip
- Transfer to and from Venice Airport
This tour is available to book any day of the week between July and mid-September. It is a short booking season because of the possibility of early or late snow. It is not unheard of for snow to fall on higher ground during the summer, and patches of snow may still be present into July and indeed possible in the middle of September. July and August are the hottest months and carry the greatest risk of thunderstorms, which can be torrential and usually occur in the afternoon - being well-prepared and equipped for all these eventualities is essential. Around August 15th is particularly busy as it is a bank holiday in Italy, so avoid booking around this time if you can.
The Alta Via has gained more and more popularity over recent years, since it is a stunning part of the world. However, the rifugios (mountain huts) have not increased in capacity and are in great demand and fill up extremely quickly. This is why it is imperative that you BOOK EARLY.
We work with various rifugios that open at different times of the year. Therefore, your confirmation will take longer than usual. (So, it can take months, rather than weeks or days) For example, if you book in the previous summer, you will not receive your confirmation until later in the year (i.e. October, November or December) depending on which huts we are booking for you. Some huts even open in January, so it could be as late as this. However, we will endeavour to keep you well-informed of the situation while you are waiting for confirmation, and please be rest assured that we are doing the best we can.
If we cannot confirm you on an Alta Via tour there are plenty of other walks that we can recommend Walking in the Heart of the Dolomites and The Dolomites to Lake Garda.
By Air: Venice Marco Polo Airport is the most convenient airport, with various interational airlines operating here. The smaller Venice Treviso Airport is serviced by low-cost carrier Ryanair (London Stansted, Bristol, East Midlands, Leeds Bradford).
From Venice Marco Polo airport (or Venice Mestre bus station): it is possible to take the Cortina Express to Cortina (approx. 2h20); departures are twice-daily, usually in the afternoon, so please ensure you check their website for timetables. We recommend booking this bus well in advance.
From Venice Treviso Airport: From the airport take a bus (approx.12 mins) to Treviso, then from Treviso Sud there is an ATVO bus once a day to Cortina (approx. 2 hrs). Or you can take a bus from Treviso town to Venice Mestre or Marco Polo Airport for onward connections with the Cortina Express (see above). Check the timetable on the ATVO website.
This tour ends in Belluno. From Belluno you can take a train (changing at Conegliano) to Venice Santa Lucia station (approx. 2h30); see www.trenitalia.com for timetables. From here, take a bus from Venice Mestre to Venice Marco Polo Airport (35 mins). See timetable.
To return to Cortina from Belluno: Dolomiti Bus Lines 9 and 30 run between Belluno and Cortina, if you need to return there to collect any additional luggage (we can request if luggage be left at your first hotel in Cortina—subject to prior agreement). Journey time takes just over 1 hr. For more information, please go to: Linee Extraurbane 2024-2025 | Dolomiti Bus
Since the rifugios you will be staying in are mostly remote, luggage transfer to each hut is not possible on this tour. It is advised, since you will have to carry your own bag, that you pack extremely lightly for the days when you will be staying in the huts. (It is recommended that your back-pack is not heavier than 20-25% of your own body weight). One main bag per person will be transferred from your hotel in Cortina, to your hotel in Belluno. This bag is limited to 20kg of weight. We do not have control over the limits that our luggage transfer providers set. Therefore, it is very important that you adhere to this limit, as there is a great possibility that they will not take any additional or heavier bags. This limitation can be a challenge, especially as airlines generally have limits that are higher. However, our luggage providers have reasons for these limits we must respect.
It is a condition of booking with us that you have suitable travel insurance that covers you for cancellation, curtailment, illness or injury.
The Alta Via 1 route is extremely popular and availbility in the mountain huts (rifugios) very limited. We therefore recommend that you BOOK EARLY. If you book too late you may miss out on this wonderful walking experience.
There is no baggage transfer on this trip; you will need to carry all your overnight things, including a sleep sheet and towel.
Due to the remoteness of the huts it is not usually possible to take any form of transport between them. The staff at the rifugios will be able to advise you of your best options.
This trip is graded strenuous and requires good physical condition.You must be used to mountain walking, crossing scree or snowy patches, and challenging ascents and descents to get the most from this trip.
The best time to walk is July to mid-September, with August the most popular month (with the locals too!) and so busier in the huts. It is not unheard-of for snow to fall on higher ground during the summer, and patches of snow may still be present into July. For this reason, we offer the walk starting from beginning of July. July and August are the hottest months and carry the greatest risk of thunderstorms, which can be torrential and usually occur in the afternoon—being well-prepared and equipped for all these eventualities is essential.
Our pre-departure information pack has detailed advice and a kit list on what to take. This includes standard walking gear such as waterproofs, good walking shoes/boots, sun protection, water bottle and a comfortable backpack with waist strap.
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