How to Book the Alta Via 1 Rifugios for 2027

The Alta Via 1 is the best-known hut-to-hut hiking trail in the Dolomites, famous for its breathtaking scenery, dramatically situated mountain huts, and reputation as the easiest of the Dolomite high routes.

We hiked the Alta Via 1 in 2019, booking all our rifugios a few months in advance without any trouble. However, the trail’s popularity has grown steadily since then, and many of our readers now report that securing rifugio reservations on their own has become increasingly challenging. In 2026, I solo hiked the south stages of the AV1, and booked my self-guided trip with Adventure Base.

In this guide, I’ll walk you through how to book the Alta Via 1 independently.

If you don’t have time, or you’re struggling to secure overnight stays, booking a self-guided tour is an excellent alternative. You’ll still hike on your own terms, but a professional team will handle all the logistics, including itinerary creation, rifugio reservations and deposits, and optional transfers to trailhead, ensuring a hassle-free experience. 

I recommend booking self-guided and guided Alta Via 1 treks with Adventure Base because of their excellent customer support and easy-to-use navigation app. Our readers get a special upgrade if they fill out this inquiry form or use the code MOONANDHONEY at checkout.

If you want to book a 2027 Alta Via 1 trip, book now!! Some huts are already almost fully booked for next summer.

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Book the Alta Via 1 Huts Independently (DIY)

The Alta Via 1 is a hut-to-hut hiking trail, whereby hikers overnight in staffed mountain huts (Hütten in German, Rifugi in Italian, Rifugios in English-Italian) along the way. Although mountain huts in the Dolomites vary in comfort and amenities, they are generally quite cozy, offering warm dormitory-style (and occasionally private) rooms, hearty meals, hot showers, drying rooms, and shared bathroom facilities.

Unlike the Tour du Mont Blanc, the Alta Via 1 doesn’t pass through alpine villages with a variety of accommodations such as hotels, guesthouses, apartments, and hostels. Because there are significantly less accommodation options for each stage along the AV1, compared to the Tour du Mont Blanc, it’s critical to book as early as possible (9 months in advance).

To make matters more complicated, mountain huts open their bookings for the next summer season at different times throughout the year, so you may need to set calendar reminders to keep track of when reservations become available. Some huts open up their bookings for the following year as early as October.

How to Book Rifugios | Each hut must be booked separately. There’s no centralized platform to check availability or make reservations for all huts at once. You’ll need to contact each one individually using the request form, or reservation system on each hut’s website. In most cases, a deposit is required to confirm your booking. You will pay the difference during your stay. 

Alpine Club Hut Discounts | Many huts along the Alta Via 1 are privately owned, so you will not receive an alpine club discount in these huts. 

Payment | Many huts are still cash only. When making your booking, inquire about payment. Make sure to carry sufficient cash for all your overnight stays. Even huts that accept credit cards can’t always process card payments due to connection issues. 

North or South Stages | The Alta Via 1 is typically hiked north to south, starting in the province of South Tyrol and ending in Belluno. Hikers who have limited time often book the first half or the second half. If you’re trying to decide which section of the Alta Via 1 to trek, read my guide to Alta Via 1: North versus South.

Dogs | Most huts have a no pet policy.

Alta Via 2 | Many hikers who can’t find accommodation along the Alta Via 1 begin to consider the Alta Via 2 instead. However, it’s important to note that the Alta Via 2 is significantly more demanding. It’s a challenging, technical route suited only to experienced alpine hikers who are comfortable with exposure and enjoy sections of secured, via ferrata-style trails. If you want to hike the AV2, but you’re nervous about some of the technical passages, I recommend booking this Alta Via 2 Hiker’s Route, which bypasses the most challenging sections, designed by Alpenventures UNGUIDED.

Cancellation Policies | Each mountain hut has a different cancellation policy. Make sure to note these policies as you make your reservations. Many deposits are non-refundable.

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Alta Via 1 Rifugio Options for Each Stage

• Stage 1: Rifugio Biella, Rifugio Sennes (top choice), or Rifugio Fodara Vedla.
• Stage 2: Rifugio Fanes (top choice), Rifugio Lavarella, or Rifugio Scotoni
• Stage 3: Rifugio Lagazuoi (top choice), or Rifugio Col Gallina. If you stayed in Rifugio Scotoni, consider staying in Rifugio Dibona. 
• Stage 4: Rifugio Averau (top choice), Rifugio Nuvolau or Rifugio Scoiattoli
• Stage 5: Rifugio Città di Fiume, or Rifugio Passo Staulanza. I stayed at Rifugio Città di Fiume, but if there’s a private room at the roadside Rifugio Staulanze, I would take it.
• Stage 6: Rifugio Coldai, or Rifugio Attilio Tissi 
• Stage 7: Rifugio Vazzoler. If you stayed in Tissi, you could push on to Carestiato (many do), but that will be a tough day, because the trail between Vazzoler and Carestiato is far more rugged than previous stages.
• Stage 8: Rifugio Carestiato, or Passo Duran (Rifugio Passo Duran Cesare Tomè, or Rifugio San Sebastiano).
• Stage 9: Rifugio Pramperet or Rifugio Pian de Fontana (only if you stayed at Passo Duran)
• Stage 10: Hike down to the La Pissa Bus Stop near Belluno

There are a few ways to end the Alta Via 1:

From Rifugio Vazzoler, it’s feasible to hike to Passo Duran. Those that stay in Passo Duran, often push on to Rifugio Pian de Fontana (a long, tough 17.5 km day involving 1531 meters of elevation gain and 1499 meters of elevation loss). The next day, they end the AV1 (12.2 km, 347 meters up and 1520 meters down).

From Carestiato, I hiked to Rifugio Pramperet (an easy 13.2 km, 591 meters up and 564 meters down). The next day, I started at 7:30 am and completed the AV1, which was 18.3 km, 893 meters uphill and 2296 meters downhill. I had the option to stay at Rifugio Bianchet, 2 hours away from the La Pissa bus stop, but I didn’t have the capacity for another sleepless night in a dorm.

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Alta Via 1 Rifugios: How to Book, Showers, Private Rooms

Stage	Mountain Hut	How to Book	Showers	Private Rooms	CAI Alpine Club
1	Rifugio Biella aka Seekofel Hütte	Online Reservation – November	No	No	Yes
1	Rifugio Sennes	Request form on website	Yes	Yes	No
1	Rifugio Fodara Vedla	Online Reservation	Yes	Yes	No
2	Rifugio Fanes	Request form on website – October	Yes	Yes	No
2	Rifugio Lavarella	Online Reservation	Yes	Yes	No
2	Rifugio Scotoni	Online Reservation	Yes	Yes	No
3	Rifugio Lagazuoi	Online Reservation – September	Yes	Yes	No
3	Rifugio Col Gallina	Online Reservation	Yes	Yes	No
3	Rifugio Dibona	Phone or email	Yes	No	No
4	Rifugio Averau	Online Reservation	Yes	Yes	No
4	Rifugio Nuvolau	Online Reservation – February	No	No	Yes
4	Rifugio Scoiattoli	Online Reservation	Yes	Yes	No
5	Rifugio Città di Fiume	Online Reservation – January	Yes	No	Yes
5	Rifugio Passo Staulanza	Online Reservation	Yes	Yes	No
6	Rifugio Coldai	Online Reservation	Yes	Yes	Yes
6	Rifugio Attilio Tissi	Online Reservation	Yes	No	Yes
7	Rifugio Vazzoler	Online Reservation	Yes	Yes	Yes
8	Rifugio Carestiato	Online Reservation	Yes	No	Yes
8	Rifugio C. Tomé at Passo Duran	Online Reservation	Yes	Yes	No
8	Rifugio San Sebastiano at Passo Duran	Phone or email	Yes	No	No
9	Rifugio Pramperet	Phone or email	Yes	No	Yes
9	Rifugio Pian de Fontana	phone or email	Yes	No	Yes
10	Stay in Belluno

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Book a Self-Guided Alta Via 1 Trek

If the task of booking all the rifugios proves daunting, or frustrating, consider turning the planning over to a self-guided hiking company. They’ll reserve all the rifugios for you along the route and customize your trekking itinerary as needed. 

Additionally self-guided hiking operators usually provide: on-trip support, navigation apps, and digital guidebooks.

Adventure Base

Alps-based Adventure Base offers several self-guided Alta Via 1 hiking tours including 5-day, 7-day, 9-day, and 11-day routes. In addition to the general planning and hut reservations, hikers can also book add-on services like pre-trek and post-trek accommodation, luggage delivery from pre-trek hotel to post-trek hotel and a private transfer from the Venice Marco Polo Airport. 

Hikers choose Adventure Base for their 24/7 support communication line, intuitive navigation app with offline GPX tracks, WhatsApp support for Solo Hikers, which I’ve explained in Solo hiking the Alta Via 1, and price point. 

We’re thrilled to promote Adventure Base because they genuinely care about their customers and are committed to making them happy. While many self-guided companies take a more hands-off approach, Adventure Base is there to support you whenever you need it, so you’ll never feel alone on your Dolomites adventure. 

Before booking a self-guided or guided Alta Via 1 adventure with Adventure Base, you can book a call with their advisors. On the call, they’ll answer all your questions about the route (e.g. pacing, sections, exit routes) and your upgrade options (private rooms, transfers, etc..), so you can book with confidence.

Adventure Base is offering a special upgrade just for our readers. Book any self-guided or guided trek and claim your reward by filling out this inquiry form or using the code MOONANDHONEY at checkout.

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Alpenventures UNGUIDED

Alpenventures UNGUIDED specializes in booking hut-to-hut tours in the Dolomites. They offer numerous Alta Via 1 itineraries based on length and comfort.

Their flexible booking approach means they can often find availability even when other providers are fully booked. For example, some of their itineraries feature alternative starting and ending points and off-trail accommodation.

I’d book with this company if you’re looking for a private-room itinerary or if you’re booking relatively late. The only downside is that their e-book guidebook and navigation system are a bit clunky and not especially user-friendly.

• 13-Day Alta Via 1
• 10-Day Alta Via 1
• 9-Day Alta Via 1 
• 8-Day Alta Via 1
• 7-Day Alta Via 1 
• Alta Via 1 with via ferratas

Alta Via 1 Section Itineraries:

• 4-Day Alta Via 1 North
• 4-Day Alta Via 1 Central
• 5-Day Alta Via 1 South
• Alta Via 1 with via ferratas

In addition to the Alta Via 1, Alpenventures UNGUIDED has created a really interesting west-east route from the Geisler Peaks to the Sexten Dolomites: Best of the Dolomites Trek. This is a great alternative to the Alta Via 1. If you’re short on time, check out the 5-day west route and the 4-day east route. 

They also offer a self-guided Alta Via 2 Hiker’s and Alta Via 8, both worth taking a look at.

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Book a Guided Alta Via 1 Tour

This is the best way to trek the AV1 if you’re a solo hiker who has never tackled a multi-day trail, enjoy the camaraderie of a group, and/or have limited experience hiking in rugged limestone terrain.

If you want to trek the Alta Via 1 with a certified guide, I recommend booking your trek with Adventure Base, a mountaineering and trekking tour operator based in Chamonix. Adventure Base guides are praised for their professionalism, dedication to safety, and flexibility in re-routing when the weather turns. 

If you want to learn more about joining a guided Alta Via 1 tour with Adventure Base, complete this inquiry form for an exclusive reader perk. If you’re ready to book, apply the coupon code MOONANDHONEY at checkout for a free upgrade.

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More Europe Hiking Guides

Dolomites Hut Hiking:

• Hut to Hut Hiking in the Dolomites
• 3-Day Tre Cime di Lavaredo Trek
• 3-Day Rosengarten Dolomites Traverse

Alpine Hikes in Europe:

• How to Book the Tour du Mont Blanc and Tour du Mont Blanc Hiking Guide
• Best Treks in Austria
• Alpstein High Trail in Switzerland
• Liechtenstein Panorama Trail in Liechtenstein

Hut-to-Hut Hiking:

• Hut to Hut Hiking
• Hut to Hut Hiking with Kids
• Hut to Hut Hiking in Austria
• Hut to Hut Hiking in Slovenia

Coastal Trails in Europe:

• Best Coastal Trails in Europe
• Lighthouse Way aka Camino dos Faros in Northern Spain
• South West Coast Path in England
• Fisherman’s Trail in Portugal

Europe Trail Inspiration:

• Best Multi-Day Treks in Europe
• Day Hikes in Europe
• 2-Day Hikes in Europe

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