Alta Via 1 Dolomites Hiking Guide

Read How to Get to the Dolomites to learn how to reach the Dolomites from the closest airports, train stations, and bus terminals.

If You Arrive at the Venice Marco Polo Airport

One of the closest airports to the Dolomites is Venice Marco Polo Airport.

Most overseas AV1 hikers fly to Venice and then take a direct bus to Cortina d’Ampezzo. The direct Cortina Express takes 2 hours.

Either stay in Cortina d’Ampezzo, or continue your journey to Dobbiaco/Toblach in Alta Pusteria (Hochpustertal in German, Upper Puster Valley).

Take SAD Bus 445 (40 minutes). Bus line 445 departs Cortina six times a day. Here’s the 2023 Bus 445 timetable. Or, use the more intuitive suedtirolmobil.info journey planner to find the best connection.

From the Dobbiaco/Toblach bus station (Toblach Busbahnhof), take SAD Bus 442 to Lago di Braies (Pragser Wildsee in German). The bus ride takes 30 minutes. Here’s the 2023 Bus 442 timetable.

Update: If you’re planning on taking a bus to Lago di Braies between July 10 – September 10, advance online booking and prepayment are required. You can book your bus ticket here: prags.bz/en/. 

Where to Stay in Cortina d’Ampezzo

If you’re arriving in Italy after a long international flight, you may want to recover from your jet lag in Cortina d’Ampezzo.

Budget | Hotel Meuble Oasi is a delightful alpine hotel, located close to the Cortina d’Ampezzo Bus Station, walking distance to Cortina’s pedestrian zone.

Midrange | Hotel Regina is a friendly, family-run hotel located directly in the town center. A delicious breakfast is included in the rate.

Midrange-Luxury | Ambra Cortina Luxury&Fashion Hotel is a lovely boutique hotel with 24 thematic rooms and a bar in the very center of Cortina. Guests are treated to an excellent breakfast.

Luxury | Hotel de Len is a sparkling new luxury hotel in the heart of Cortina. Fresh-faced interiors blend alpine design, modern lines, and natural and sustainable materials. The hotel restaurant, open 12 pm – 10 pm,  showcases mountain products and local Ampezzo flavors in new and exciting ways. Breakfast is included in the room rate. Rooftop spa access is an extra charge. Read our Hotel de Len review. 

Look for accommodation in Cortina.

Where to Stay in Dobbiaco / Toblach

Budget | Guesthouse – Cultural Center Gustav Mahler is a friendly and clean B&B, situated conveniently close to the Dobbiaco/Toblach train station.

Look for accommodation in Dobbiaco.

Where to Stay in Lago di Braies

If you want to spend the night directly at Lago di Braies, before embarking on your Alta Via 1 trek, you have one option: Hotel Lago Di Braies.

Alta Via 1 Packing List

Here’s our complete hut to hut hiking packing list.

It’s always tempting to bring a big pack, but you don’t need anything larger than the Osprey Kyte 36 (for women) and Osprey Kestrel 38 (for men) for this trek. If you have a 45 L backpack, that’ll work too.

Rifugios provide sheets, blankets, and pillows, but you need to bring a sleeping bag liner for hygienic purposes. We use this Sea to Summit Silk-Cotton Blend Travel liner. More options: Cocoon Cotton TravelSheet and Sea to Summit Premium Silk Sleeping Bag Liner.

No special equipment is needed. However, if you hike in June, it’s probably a good idea to bring microspikes like these CAMP Snowline Chainsen Lightweight Microspikes. There are some trail variations along the Alta Via 1 which follow Via Ferrata assisted climbing routes. If you choose to do those, you’ll need a via ferrata kit.

Alta Via 1 Guidebook

• Cicerone’s Alta Via 1 & 2 Trekking Guide  – every English speaker hiking this trail will have a copy of this guidebook.

Alta Via 1 Trail Maps

You can purchase trail maps in the Rifugios.

• 031 Pragser Dolomiten – Enneberg/ Dolomiti di Braies – Marabbe
• 03 Cortina d’Ampezzo e Dolomiti Ampezzane
• 025 Dolomiti di Zoldo Cadorine e Agordine
• 024 Prealpi e Dolomiti Bellunesi

Day 1: Lago di Braies – Rifugio Biella

• Distance: 6.5 km (4 miles)
• Difficulty: Easy – Moderate
• Altitude Difference: 870 meters ascending / 60 meters descending 
• Time Needed: 3 – 3.5 hours

Stay in Rifugio Biella

• Showers: None
• Drinking Water: No potable water
• Electronic Charging Stations: There’s a single charging station on the second floor by the bathroom.
• Payment: Cash Only
• Food: Good
• Half Board or à la carte: à la carte only
• Rooms: Rooms with 4 beds. Walls between rooms are paper-thin, so it’s hard to sleep.

Rifugio Biella is a well-run, economical mountain hut. However, Rifugio Sennes is probably the better option, in terms of comfort and food. From Biella, it’s a 50-minute walk to Rifugio Sennes – a suitable option for stage 1.

Day 2: Rifugio Biella – Ücia Pederü – Rifugio Fanes

• Distance: 13.5 km (8.4 miles)
• Difficulty: Easy
• Altitude Difference: 630 meters ascending, 870 meters descending 
• Time Needed: 4.5 hours
• Lunch Option: You can grab a bite to eat at Pederü. We enjoyed a coffee and Apfelstrudel here.

Stay in Rifugio Fanes

• Showers: Yes. There’s no fee to use the showers.
• Drinking Water: Tap water is safe to drink
• Electronic Charging Stations: In rooms
• Payment: Cash, or Credit Cards
• Food: Great. The food and wine menus are very extensive.
• Half Board or à la carte: both available
• Rooms: Dormitory and private rooms available

Tonight, you can also stay in Rifugio Lavarella, which is a 5-minute walk away from Fanes.

Day 3: Rifugio Fanes to Rifugio Lagazuoi

• Distance: 12 km (7.5 miles)
• Difficulty: Moderate
• Altitude Difference: 1150 meters ascending, 450 meters descending
• Time Needed: 5:30 hours

Stay in Rifugio Lagazuoi

• Showers: 3.50 EUR for 3 minutes
• Drinking Water: No potable water
• Electronic Charging Stations: In the dining area
• Payment: Cash, or Credit Cards
• Food: Great
• Half Board or à la carte: Both options available
• Rooms: Private and dormitory rooms available

Rifugio Lagazuoi is an iconic mountain in the hut in the Dolomites. Because of its close proximity to a cable car, many people visit and overnight in this hut, without actually hiking here. So, that changes the atmosphere, naturally.

We arrived in Rifugio Lagazuoi in a snow blizzard. We were wet, frozen, and exhausted. Luckily, we could warm up in the hut’s tiny sauna, which fits 4 people. Sauna access costs 20 EUR per person and comes with a towel, bathrobe and a shower token.

Our only complaint about this hut was the dry room. It was way too small, and there wasn’t enough room for everyone’s shoes and clothing. So, we hiked in wet shoes the next day.

Day 4: Rifugio Lagazuoi to Rifugio Nuvolau

• Distance: 14 km / 8.7 miles
• Difficulty: Easy – Moderate
• Altitude Difference: 900 meters ascending / 1080 meters descending 
• Time Needed: 5 hours

There are a few different ways to hike from Rifugio Lagazuoi to Rifugio Nuvolau. The Cicerone trail guide does a great job outlining your options. One route takes you to Rifugio Dibona via Forcella Col dei Bos and then up to Cinque Torri, before ascending to Rifugio Nuvolau.

You can also descend to Passo Falzarego via the cable car, or hiking trail, and hike up past Lago di Limides to Forcella Averau, and then up to Nuvolau.

The first route is probably more gratifying. We opted for the second, because of the heavy snow conditions along the route to Forcella Col dei Bos, from the freak storm the day before.

Stay in Rifugio Nuvolau

• Showers: None
• Drinking Water: Tap water isn’t drinkable
• Electronic Charging Stations: There’s a charging station by the entrance (available until 10 pm).
• Payment: Credit cards (minimum: 25 EUR), or Cash
• Food: Good
• Half Board or à la carte: à la carte. When you check-in, they ask you to order dinner between 5:30 and 6 pm.
• Rooms: Dormitory only

Rifugio Nuvolau was the only hut along the AV1 that asked to see our passports.

Tonight, you can also stay at Rifugio Averau, Rifugio Scoiattoli, or Rifugio Cinque Torri.

Day 5: Rifugio Nuvloau – Passo Giau – Forcella Giau – Forcella Ambrizzola – Rifugio Città di Fiume

• Distance: 12 km (7.5 miles)
• Difficulty: Easy – Moderate
• Altitude Difference: 400 meters ascending, 1050 meters descending
• Time Needed: 5:30 – 6:00 hours
• Lunch Options: You can grab something to eat at Giau Pass Rifugio. They have excellent cakes.

Stay in Rifugio Città di Fiume

• Showers: 3.50 EUR for 4 minutes
• Drinking Water: Tap water isn’t potable.
• Electronic Charging Stations: In the hallway upstairs
• Payment: Credit cards, or cash
• Food: Okay
• Half Board or à la carte: Both available. You can choose when you arrive.
• Rooms: Dormitory rooms only

Day 6: Rifugio Città di Fiume – Rifugio A. Sonino Al Coldai

• Distance: 9.3 km (5.8 miles)
• Difficulty: Easy
• Altitude Difference: 520 meters ascending, 300 meters descending
• Time Needed: 4 hours
• Lunch Option: Rifugio Passo Staulanza

Stay in Rifugio A. Sonino Al Coldai

• Showers: 5 EUR for 6 minutes
• Drinking Water: Tap water isn’t potable.
• Electronic Charging Stations: In the dining room
• Payment: Cash only
• Food: Good
• Half Board or à la carte: Both available. You can decide when you order dinner at 6:30 pm.
• Rooms: Dormitory, and private rooms available. It only costs 2 EUR extra (per person) for a small room (2 beds).

Before you settle in, make sure to hike up to Lago Coldai. The lake is gorgeous in the late afternoon. We checked in, dropped off our bags in our room, and walked up to the lake before dinner.

Day 7: Rifugio A. Sonino Al Coldai – Rifugio Vazzoler

• Distance: 9.5 km (6 miles)
• Difficulty: Easy
• Altitude Difference: 380 meters ascending, 800 meters descending 
• Time Needed: 4 hours
• Lunch Options: Rifugio Tissi (optional detour)

Exit Route to Listolade

As explained earlier, we decided to exit the AV1 at Rifugio Vazzoler. We hiked down to Capanna Trieste, where we stayed the night. The next morning, we finished the walk to Listolade and caught the Dolomiti Bus to Corvara in Alta Badia.

Rifugio Capanna Trieste

• Showers: Yes, Free
• Drinking Water: Tap water is drinkable
• Electronic Charging Stations: Upstairs
• Payment: Cash Only
• Food: Not good. All the vegetables were overcooked and mushy.
• Half Board or à la carte:half board only
• Rooms: Dormitory rooms only. But, we didn’t share our “dormitory” room with anyone else.

For those of you continuing the trail, we recommend pushing on to Rifugio Carestiato on day 7. 

On Day 8, continue to Rifugio Pramperet. 

And On Day 9, you can finish the trek. AV1 hikers will catch the bus at La Pissa bus stop to Belluno.

Check out Dolomiti Suite (Budget accommodation with a washing machine), or Suite Hotel Astor (Midrange hotel) in Belluno.

Look for accommodation in Belluno.

It’s a 2.5 – 3 hour bus ride from Belluno to Venice Marco Polo Airport.