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Cinque torre
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Tre Cime from a tunnel
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Dolomites WW1 & Alta via 1 I 7 days I JUL 24

from
£1,650.00

Join us in the fabulous and spectacular Dolomites! Dolomites WW1 and Alta via 1, exploring open-air museums of Lagazuoi and Cinque Torre. Experience history come alive among rock spires “on the front!” In the Great War, this area of the Alps echoed with gunfire and would become the most surreal battlefield in history. You will marvel at the positions taken by both sides and see the tunnels and via ferrate used at this time as part of the defence and to move more easily amongst the spectacular scenery. We will visit open air museums en route and hear from experts. Thousands died in futile battles on what Italians called “il fronte verticale”. The peasant soldiers from the south who executed Rome’s first orders to attack were bewildered by being asked to sacrifice their lives for mountains bereft of agricultural value, the only currency they understood. After they died in the opening clashes, year after year rival forces of alpine troops – native mountain men – strove to dispossess each other of neighbouring pinnacles, to tunnel the peaks, to mine and counter-mine in unspeakable conditions.

This trip includes five days of trekking on the 7 day trip in total. We offer programme flexibility for groups.  GROUP DISCOUNTS FOR 4+ PEOPLE AVAILABLE 🙂

For 2024 we are offering the following dates:  

6-12 July 24

10-16 August 24

We can offer however offer this trip in End July, August and September on dates to suit you if you are coming with a group.

Contact us for any 2024 dates.

  • Reviews 0 Reviews
    0/5
  • Vacation Style Holiday Type
      Charity Challenge, Culture, Historic Challenge, Trekking
    • Activity Level Challenging - Trip grade 2
      4/8
    • Group Size Medium Group
      4-12
    All about the Dolomites WW1 & Alta via 1 I 7 days I JUL 24.

    Join us in the fabulous and spectacular Dolomites! Dolomites WW1 and Alta via 1, exploring open-air museums of Lagazuoi and Cinque Torre. Experience history come alive among rock spires “on the front!” In the Great War, this area of the Alps echoed with gunfire and would become the most surreal battlefield in history. You will marvel at the positions taken by both sides and see the tunnels and via ferrate used at this time as part of the defence and to move more easily amongst the spectacular scenery. We will visit open air museums en route. Italian forces dug much of the tunnel network to place mines under the Austrian positions, and while the biggest known explosion did not achieve its aim because the Austrians heard the Italian drilling and deserting their positions, the effects of the mines can still be seen today in the form of damage to the rock faces. Between 1915 and 1917, at the peak of the conflict, there were 300 Italian soldiers stationed in the Lagazuoi tunnels. Those who were lucky enough to survive endured every form of fear and suffering for no discernible military gain over two years of fighting.

    This trip includes five days of trekking on the 7 day trip in total. We offer programme flexibility for groups so if you would like to request a long weekend, for example, we can design it to your needs. GROUP DISCOUNTS AVAILABLE 🙂

    If you would like to travel on different dates to advertised please contact us to enquire about alternative dates.

    The tour package inclusions and exclusions at a glance
    What is included in this tour?Items that are included in the cost of tour price.
    • Half board accommodation in a 3* hotel or similar for 2 nights based on a twin or triple room in Cortina
    • Half board accommodation for 4 nights in mountain ‘rifugios’ based on shared rooms (twin, triple or quadruple) or dorms, all with showers.
    • The services of a fully qualified International Mountain Leader
    • Transport to the start of the route at Lago di Braies from Cortina
    • Taxi transfer back to Cortina d’Ampezza from Cinque Torres parking
    • No Luggage transfers though your spare luggage not needed for the trek will be stored
    What is not included in this tour?Items that are not included in the cost of tour price.
    • Lunches
    • Flights
    • Insurance
    • Drinks and snacks
    • Luggage transfers on 3 nights
    • Transfers to/from the meeting point in Cortina
    1. Day 1 Arrivals in Cortina

      Pick up at Venice Marco Polo airport / Venice Mestre train station at 1 pm for a lunch snack and a 2.5-hour drive to the stylish hub of Cortina d’Ampezzo. Dinner in a local restaurant.

      You can find available flights for a good price with Ryan Air and British Airways from London. Check out skyscanner or opodo for other airports.

      We can run this with a minimum group size of 2.

       

      ***Hotel accommodation. (L, D)

    2. Day 2 Tre Cime di Laveredo or Dri Zinnen- The Three Peaks – Ascent and fantastic circular walk

      We drive out from Cortina to reach lake Misurina (1816m). Situated northeast of Cortina D’Ampezzo, the incredible Tre Cime di Lavaredo (2999m), three enormous freestanding limestone towers. In the Great War, this area of the Alps echoed with gunfire and would become, without doubt, the most surreal battlefield in history. Nearby Austrian forces reciprocated with their own defences at the Schwabenalpenkopf (2685 m) and Monte Rudo. The summer of 1916 saw several pitched battles around the peaks, ridges and valleys of the Tre Cime group and neighbouring ranges. Our route first takes us to the Auronzo Hut (2330m) on foot and the summits just above on the Ciadin de Longeres. We will then make a stunning circular walk around the towers through the cols of Lavaredo and di Mezzo. Auronzo Refuge accommodation (B, D)

      : +1,427 Duration: 5-6 hrs + around the refuge Circular walk 2-3hrs Distance: 15.6km :

    3. Day 3 Lago di Braies - Rifugio Pederu

      A short taxi ride takes us to the famous Lago di Braies, part of the Fanes-Sennes-Braies nature park, in a side valley next to the Val Pusteria. On the West side of the lake, there is a small chapel that was built in 1904. The location has a curious bit of history, in that during World War II a German SS commander chose it as a meeting place for a prisoner exchange to ensure his own safety. The lake is one of the largest and deepest natural lakes in the Dolomites. After contouring around the lake we climb up through the pine trees until we arrive at Monte Muro (Mauberger.) We then have a very short downhill to the Rifugio Biella for lunch. We then descend over meadows to a road under cliffs to the Pederu Refuge. The Rifugio Pederu is a lovely overnight stop. It is very comfortable and has open meadows around the building. It is more ’guest house’ than rifugio, and our accommodation may be in bedrooms rather than dorms. (B, D)

      Ascent: 1045m (3427ft) Descent: 984m (3227ft) Distance: 17km (10.6 miles) Duration: 7h00

    4. Day 4 Rifugio Pederu - Rifugio Lagazuoi

      A steady climb this morning up through the wild and rocky Vallone di Rudo to Lago Piciodil, and with the reward of excellent Italian coffee and cake at Rifugio Fanes. We follow the trail to Passo di Limo at (2172m), by a lake. A rugged traverse then brings us to the Forcetta del Lago at 2486m, followed by an improbable descent to the green waters of Lago di Lagazuoi before climbing up to our Rifugio. We are walking along what was the frontline during WWI shown by tunnels and gun emplacements. All in all a magic site tinged by evidence of struggle during the war. The Italian positions on the ledges underneath the peak of the mountain were held for two years as a key point of the first order on the Dolomite front. The same ledges took the name of the sector commander, Captain Martini.
      The Rifugio Lagazuoi is a luxury refuge with wood-fired sauna and stunning views.

      Lagazuoi Refuge accommodation (B,D)

      +1685m (big climb), – 450m Distance: 18km Duration: Approximately 9h

    5. Day 5 Exploring the open-air museums of Lagazuoi and the Cinque Torre

      Today we explore the open-air museums of WW1 based at Lagazuoi and the Cinque Torre, a climbers delight, before returning for our second night in the refuge. We can expect to see information boards and museum displays illustrate the events of the Great War. Mount Lagazuoi is a veritable ”castle of rock”, with spires and turrets, and with military bases hidden in its bowels. During the Great War, the Italian and Austro – Hungarian armies dug shelters in its interior for men and arms, transforming it into an impenetrable 20th Century fortress. Today you can visit the restored tunnels, trenches and machine-gun posts. We find an ideal habitat for ibex and chamois, it is home to marmots, hares,  partridges and even eagles, which hunt and nest here. We may travel through the Anticima-Tunnel, which was excavated by Italian soldiers on the Martini Ledge to the “Anticima” emplacement of Lagazuoi as a mine tunnel and exploded on 20 June 1917. We stay a second night in the Lagazuoi Refuge accommodation (B,D)

    6. Day 6 Rifugio Lagazuoi to the Cinque Torri and Rifugio Averau – Cortina d'Ampezza

      This morning we have the chance to summit Mount Lagazuoi. After breakfast, we begin our day in earnest with a descent to the fabled Passo Falzarego. During the Great War, the Austrians turned the Sasso di Stria into one of the most strategic emplacements of the Dolomite front. Situated at the side of the Valparola Pass road, between Monte Lagazuoi and the Col di Lana, it played a defensive role against the attacks by the Italians, who were aiming to reach the Badia Valley and from there the Pusteria Valley and the Brenner Pass. We will explore the trenches and fortifications of Sasso di Stria with spectacular views and descend into a fascinating well-preserved First World War tunnel.

      We pass the blue-green lake of Lago Limedes which offers wonderful panoramic shots of the landscape. We normally have lunch at the beautiful Rifugio Averau which has a great reputation for its cuisine. After taking in the views at the Nuvolau we descend to the Cinque Torre parking and then travel back to Cortina for our final night in around 35 minutes by car. Celebratory meal. *** Hotel accommodation in Cortina (B,L).

      +515m, – 974m Distance: 9km Duration: 6hrs + ~3hrs exploration of fortifications

    7. Day 7 Departures

      Today is our departure day from Cortina d’Ampezza finishing at Venice Airport. As your flight should be later in the afternoon there will be time today for last-minute sight-seeing or exploring many excellent cafes or waterways.

    Accommodation

    Cortina where we start our journey is a stylish mountain town with an excellent selection of bars, shops and exudes character. All the hotels we use have en suite facilities, and are welcoming and comfortable.

    On this trip the first and last nights we will be hotel based and the rest of the trip we will stay in rifugios. A rifugio is the Italian name given to a mountain lodge/hut. The Dolomite rifugios are lovely, and our guests have said they are more like hotels than huts. We try to reserve rooms or dorms exclusive to our group but this cannot be guaranteed. In te refugios you may be accommodated in private bedrooms with en suite facilities or in larger dormitories with shared showers and toilets. The sooner we receive your booking the better chance we have of securing the best accommodation and rooms/ in the refugio.

    • Half board accommodation in a 3* hotel or similar for 2 nights based on a twin or triple room in Cortina d’Ampezza
    • Half board accommodation for 4 nights in mountain ‘rifugios’ based on shared rooms (twin, triple or quadruple) or dorms, all with showers. including Rifugio Lagazuoi, Rifugio Pederu and the Auronzo.
    The tour package inclusions and exclusions at a glance.
    • Half board accommodation in a 3* hotel or similar for 2 nights based on a twin or triple room in Cortina
    • Half board accommodation for 4 nights in mountain ‘rifugios’ based on shared rooms (twin, triple or quadruple) or dorms, all with showers.
    • The services of a fully qualified International Mountain Leader
    • Transport to the start of the route at Lago di Braies from Cortina
    • Taxi transfer back to Cortina d’Ampezza from Cinque Torres parking
    • No Luggage transfers though your spare luggage not needed for the trek will be stored

     

    • Flights
    • Personal Insurance
    • Meals and transport not specified in the programme
    • Drinks

     

     

    No, due to the fine facilities in the refuges you only need to carry a day bag of up to 6kg with your wash kit. You will be given a kit list which will help make clothing choices but of course usually the lighter the better with outdoor clothing items.

    We are lucky with this programme in that there is the flexibility to make sections harder or easier depending on the group in certain places and of course sometimes the route needs to be adapted slightly due to snow. There will be tunnels to go through but these can be optional and also some sections of path will have cable to use. On your itinerary you will find an indication of the amount of ascent and descent you can expect each day. This offers a guideline to how much effort might be expended each day and allows you to decide, based on previous experience, if your fitness and stamina are correct for the trip.

    A via ferrate  means the ‘iron way’ and is a rock or mountain route with fixed ‘protection’ such as metal ladders, handles and chain that you remain attached to using a climbing harness. This allows access to isolated trail systems, rocky cliff lines and summits normally reserved for climbers but is now a popular sport. Let us know if  you would like to try this activity before or after your trip.

    Refugios: At the end of every day you will experience 3 course Italian meal, warm hospitality and amazing views out from your refuge. Expect your own duvet and hot showers in the evening.All refuges have their own character and facilities which you can see more of in the accommodation section.

    Electric sockets may be in short supply and for that night you may not be able to charge any items. Although the accommodation will have electricity this will often be supplied by solar panels or a generator and limited to use by the staff. We advise carrying a small slimline and lightweight ‘battery pack’ can be very useful for recharging.

    Food:

    If you have a ‘special’ diet because of an allergy or intolerance to a certain food type which will make you ill the accommodation will cater for this as best they can, eg gluten free and we need to know at the time of booking. Vegetarian diets are no problem but vegan food in remote refuges in the mountains this is more difficult.  We may ask you to bring some special snacks to boost your meal but we will contact the accommodation for you to ensure we will be catered for. Gluten-free diets will be possible with regard to the evening meals, but we would advise that you bring along some gluten-free snacks for your breakfasts and lunches.

    We do not include picnic lunches in this trip fee for various reasons. We have found our guests have particular tastes and requirements for ‘hill’ food and it is better you choose and buy what you require but we will help you with any shopping.  If there is the possibility of lunch being taken at a restaurant or cafe beside the trail, you  will  be advised.

    Overall Rating
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    Package Confirmed Dates Trip Status Trip Status Price (PP) Excluding Flights Price (PP) Including Flights  
    06/07/2024 - 12/07/2024
    Spaces
    £1,650.00
    £0.00
    10/08/2024 - 16/08/2024
    Available
    £1,650.00
    £0.00
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