Wilderness Travel 2017 Catalog of Adventures

Hiking in the Cortina Dolomites EXPERIENCE EUROPE’S MOST DRAMATIC MOUNTAINS

Nothing quite prepares you for the awesome spectacle of the Dolomites, where enormous rock spires soar above an enchanting realm of deep green valleys and tiny villages. Our exhilarating journey brings you into the stunning Cortina Dolomites, justly famed for the regal Tofane Massif and the ghostly pillars of the Tre Cime di Lavaredo. With a choice of moderate or challenging hiking options, you’ll experience incredible mountain scenery and delight in northern Italy’s delectable cuisine, including creamy polenta with porcini mushrooms or

casunziei (beet and poppy-seed ravioli). Our special overnight in a remote hike-in lodge gives you a perfect perch for watching the sunset paint the massive pinnacles an extraordinary palette of ever-changing, luminous hues.

Days 1-3 Venice / Passo Giau / Civetta Massif From Venice, we head to the heart of the Dolomites and our chalet-style

SEAN MORRISSEY

mountain hotel at Passo Giau, with its wonderful views of the Tofane, Croda Rossa, Cristallo, and Croda da Lago massifs. Our hikes lead right from the hotel, including one that brings you through beautiful meadows to Ambrizolla Pass, with a descent past waterfalls and stunning views of the Tofane Massif. Other hikes lead into the magnificent Civetta Massif, with its famous six-mile-wide north face known as “the wall of walls,” while a lovely ramble through meadows and woodlands carries you beneath the soaring Tofane peaks to a lakeside restaurant for a cappuccino and fresh pastry. Day 4 Rifugio Lagazuoi A challenging hike (with easier options) rewards you with panoramas stretching from Tofane to Marmolada (10,965'), the “Queen of the Dolomites,” as we head to Rifugio Lagazuoi, one of the most awesome spots in the world to experience the sunset. Here we are on top of the world, above the clouds and the birds, amid the silence of the mountains. Days 5-8 Cortina d’Ampezzo / Tre Cime di Lavaredo Our hikes from stylish Cortina include a challenging option featuring the “secret” valley behind the Tofane Massif that few hikers explore. Walking right from our rifugio, we traverse around the peaks of the Tofane via the remote Val d’ Travenanz amid lovely, sweet-scented wildflowers, crystal-clear springs, and alpine meadows. Our moderate option leads along a trail below the great spires of the Tofane di Roses and continues along the Alta Via 1, a long-distance footpath traversing the Dolomites from north to south. You’ll also enter the world of the famous Tre Cime di Lavaredo, three yellow-pink spires that offer quintessential Dolomites hiking and an iconic setting. No matter which hikes you choose, the views are simply out of this world. Depart on Day 8 via Venice, or extend your stay in this glorious city.

Great hikes by day, wonderful food and wine at night—the perfect trip! PHOTO: ANNIE HAWKINS

HIGHLIGHTS • Hike through a surreal landscape of splintered spires, huge rock walls, and picturesque villages • See the Dolomites at your own pace, with moderate or challenging hiking options • Delight in Italian-Austrian alpine culture and hearty cuisine—be sure to try canederli , a bread dumpling unique to the area, and speck , the local cured, smoked ham

DETAILS • 8-day trip begins and ends in Venice • 6 nights 3- and 4-star hotels and inns, 1 night comfortable alpine lodge with semi-private or dorm-style rooms, shared baths, and hot showers • All meals included except 1 dinner • All transport during the trip included (cable cars, etc.)

TRIP COST $4495 (11-15 members) $4895 (6-10 members) Single supplement: $320

TRIP LEVEL 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

6 hiking days, choice of moderate to steep trails, 3-7 hours a day, altitudes from 5,000-9,100 feet, van support, team of up to 3 Trip Leaders

DATES Jun 23-30, 2017 Jul 3-10

Jul 17-24 Aug 6-13 Sep 1-8

ROBERT HARDING

QUESTIONS? 1.800.368.2794 OR EMAIL EUROPE@WILDERNESSTRAVEL.COM 28