Hiking in the Dolomites is a must-do experience. Are you looking for an outdoor adventure? Have you always dreamed of sleeping in a mountain hut in the heart of the Dolomites and setting off in the morning with fresh mountain air? Then get your hiking boots out of the basement! Our globetrotter Alessia loves hiking and has already discovered some stunning landscapes in her hiking boots. Today, Alessia wants to take us through the Dolomites in South Tyrol and share her best hiking tips and experiences with us. Look forward to all the important information you need for your hiking weekend in the UNESCO World Heritage Site.
- About the Dolomites
- Getting to the Dolomites
- Accommodation in the Dolomites
- Best time to visit the Dolomites
- Hiking in the Dolomites
- Costs of a hut hike
- My packing list for the Dolomites
- Conclusion: Hiking in the Dolomites
About the Dolomites
The entire Dolomites region is an absolute hiking paradise and awaits you with more than 3,800 hiking tours. Everyone should be able to find something suitable for themselves here. There are currently 3,392 hikes, 274 long-distance trails, 30 pilgrimage routes, and 117 other paths that lead through the famous Dolomites region. It’s not without reason that the Dolomites are considered the “most beautiful structure on earth,” or so the architect Le Corbusier once said. In addition to hiking, you can also enjoy mountain biking, cycling, climbing, swimming, horseback riding, ballooning, and much more in the region. But a hike through the Dolomites is and remains particularly beautiful.
Getting to the Dolomites
The Dolomites, with their magical views, await you in Italy, in the beautiful province of South Tyrol. The easiest way to get there is by car. As soon as you leave Germany, follow the signs to Bolzano and the Brenner Pass. You must use this to reach the region around Bolzano and the Seiser Alm. It’s best to book If you get a transit permit from the ADAC before your departure, you’ll save yourself the long wait at the Brenner Pass and can simply drive through with your registered license plate.
If you don’t have a car, you can also travel by train via Munich to Bolzano. From there, take bus 170 to Fiè allo Sciliar. This small town is a good starting point and base camp for your hiking and climbing tours in the Dolomites. You can book train tickets online; prices start at around €29.90 for the trip from Munich to Bolzano. Depending on where you live, the journey will take longer or shorter. Bolle and Marco would need around 12 hours by train from the Baltic Sea.
Accommodations in the Dolomites
After a rather long journey, I recommend spending your first night in one of the guesthouses or hotels in Fiè allo Sciliar. Here you can find a room starting from just €40 per person and can fortify yourself with a hearty breakfast before your first day of hiking. For the next few nights, however, I recommend staying in one of the rustic mountain huts around the Seiser Alm and the Rosengarten group. You can, of course, also start in one of the many other places, but I personally really like this area.
Since some of the huts are located at 2800 meters and the snow from the previous winter often lingers here even in May and June, I recommend starting your tour from the 1st week of July. Here you can also be sure that all the huts will have woken up from their winter break and will have made their camps and rooms available to mountain adventurers. You should plan your last tour of the season by September at the latest, because that’s when the first huts begin preparing for winter. From mid-October, the last one closes, and snow reigns over the peaks of the surrounding mountains.
I’ve listed my personal favorite huts, which you definitely shouldn’t miss, in the table. No matter which of these wonderful huts in the heart of the Dolomites you choose, you should reserve a bed in advance, because especially in the high season of July and August, beds in the small private huts are quickly booked out.
Best time to travel to the Dolomites
The best time to travel for an adventurous hut hike is definitely between July and August, and sometimes also in September, depending on the season. If you plan your tour in September If you’re planning a hike, you can call the tourist information office beforehand and find out about the current weather conditions and snow forecast. I myself was caught in a severe snowstorm on the Seiser Alm in mid-September.
The bad weather also makes a hut hike very dangerous, as the trail markers get covered in snow, you can easily get lost, and the ground gets wet. Generally speaking, before every mountain trip: Check the weather! The best way to do this is with the regional weather services or the tourist information office. You should also ask the hut warden about the current weather conditions every morning at breakfast at the hut to avoid being caught in a thunderstorm.
If this is your very first multi-day hike and you have no experience staying in huts, we recommend a 3-day tour with 2 overnight stays. The regions around the Seiser Alm and the Rosengarten in the Dolomites also offer the option of 4- to 6-day tours, including via ferratas and climbing routes.
Hiking in the Dolomites
Hiking in the Dolomites? Absolutely! I’ve been to this region several times myself and can’t get enough of the magical views and stunning mountain peaks. Around every corner lies a unique photo opportunity and views that will truly amaze you. From day hikes to multi-day hut or climbing tours The Rosengarten and the Seiser Alm offer you just about every kind of outdoor activity.
My absolute favorite tour so far was a 5-day hut-hopping and climbing tour through the Tschamintal valley to the Kesselkogel, past Lake Antermoia, and over the Maximilian via ferrata. The return trip then took us over the Seiser Alm and back down to the valley by train. Many vacationers and hiking enthusiasts also take the nearly 10-kilometer-long “Drei Zinnen-Runde” (Three Peaks Circuit) from Sexten, offering views of the breathtaking Three Peaks.
The circular hike around the Three Peaks and the mountain tour in the Sesto Dolomites are also popular. The nearly 9-kilometer hike takes around 3 hours. The famous Dolomites High Route No. 1 also offers stunning views. The hike around the Tofana di Rozes with its imposing south face is also recommended.
Costs for a Hut Hike
Generally, you can expect to pay around €50 to €60 per day for a hut hike in the Dolomites. The mountain huts are all very close in price, with an overnight stay with half board usually costing between €45 and €50. At lunchtime, you can either relax at a viewpoint with snacks like nuts, dried fruit, and granola bars, or stop off at one of the rustic huts for a delicious snack and enjoy the sun on the terrace.
My packing list for the Dolomites
Here you’ll find the most important items and accessories that would be beneficial for your hike in the Dolomites. Of course, this is very subjective; everyone has different requirements for their equipment. Good hiking boots, functional clothing, plenty of water, sunscreen, a wind and rain jacket, a comfortable hiking backpack, sunglasses, and other essentials should not be missing on any hike.
Conclusion: Hiking in the Dolomites
The Dolomites, and especially the Rosengarten Group with the adjacent Seiser Alm, are an absolute highlight for all mountain sports enthusiasts and offer stunning views no matter where you turn. A tour is best between July and early September to bring home the most beautiful experiences. But even with good weather forecasts, you should always double-check and check the current weather before lacing up your hiking boots in the morning. Look forward to a very special mountain adventure.