Snowshoeing in the Dolomites - Premium Adventure

Discover the most impressive mountain range in Italy

The Alta Pusteria valley, on the northern edge of the Dolomites, is an ideal destination for a snowshoeing adventure with routes leading into Fanes-Sennes Natural Park, along the shoreline of Lago di Braies and beneath the jagged peaks of Tre Cime di Lavaredo. We’ll trek along forest trails and old military tracks to the magnificent viewpoints of Durrakopf and Strudelkopf, learning more about the impact of the First World War here along the way. Our base for the week is Hotel Adler, one of the best hotels we feature in our entire programme. It’s a four-star stay in the centre of Villabassa, a charming village, and provides the perfect place to unwind after a day of snowshoeing, with Michelin-approved cuisine and a relaxing wellness centre.

People, Places & Planet

We work hard to create trips that have a positive impact on the people and places we visit and look after the planet we explore. Learn more about our sustainable travel ethos and practice here and find out about the work of the Exodus Travels Foundation here.

Some sustainable travel highlights of this trip include:

People

How this trip helps improve life for local communities.

• Local guides keep you well informed about local traditions and cultural-social sensitivities.
• This trip brings income and opportunity to the destination community through the inclusion of locally owned hotels, restaurants, and other enterprises, and by championing locally produced food wherever possible. Seasonal vegetables and salads are often sourced in the gardens at the hotel, while local businesses and farmers provide fresh meats, fish and cheeses.
• Read more about our other initiatives here.

Places

How this trip helps protect and conserve local landscapes and nature.

• By travelling in a small group, we ‘tread lightly’ to minimise our impact on local resources and the environment.
• We work with our partners on the ground to proactively reduce waste; this includes eliminating all single-use plastic water bottles by providing refills for reusable bottles.
• With our partners, Rewilding Apennines, we rewild 100 square meters (1,075 sqft) of land per passenger who travels with us.
• Read about our commitment to nature protection and restoration here, including our rewilding commitment for every customer who travels with us.

Planet

How we seek to keep the carbon footprint of this trip low.

• Accommodation and restaurants in the itinerary use locally sourced food which has not been transported long distances.
• Accommodation for the week is Hotel Adler, a locally run hotel in Villabassa. The whole region has a renewable energy policy and this is reflected by the hotel’s commitment to using 100 percent clean energy. Hot water is provided with central heating supplemented by solar energy, while electricity is hydro powered.
• Snowshoeing trips have very little detrimental impact on the environment and the locals, as it is a quiet, low impact activity requiring comparatively few resources to support.
• Read about our climate action here, including our carbon reduction and compensation commitments.

Tips for sustainable travel on this trip

• Leave no trace: We do all we can to ensure we leave no rubbish in the wild and beautiful places we visit; we ask that you do the same. If there are no recycling facilities in-country, consider bringing recyclable materials home with you.
• Plastic waste reduction: Please bring a reusable water bottle on this trip, also consider avoiding single-use hotel toiletries, which generate a large amount of plastic waste.

Is this trip for you?

This trip is rated Activity Level 3 (Moderate). For more information on our trip gradings please visit the Activity Level Guidelines page. If you have any queries about the difficulty of the trip please do not hesitate to contact us.

Expect to spend five to six hours in the mountains each day. No snowshoeing experience is necessary, but good health and fitness are important, as walking in snow can be more tiring than summer walking. Some walking at higher altitude and occasional longer/harder days may be involved.

Certain walks are dependent on weather conditions and alternative routes may be chosen as necessary. The overriding priority on the trip is group safety and conditions are assessed daily by the leader. A route is chosen based on current conditions and the forecast for that day. Our leaders are required not to proceed with any proposed route (including those mentioned in the brochure or Trip Notes) if they believe the risk to be unacceptable.

Snowshoes are adaptable to fit most trekking boot sizes; however, if you wear larger than UK size 12 boots (US13 or EU47) please let us know at the time of booking. We can then confirm if we can provide suitable snowshoes for you.

Following a review of all our trips we have categorised this trip as generally not suitable for persons of reduced mobility. However if you are a regular traveller on such trips, please contact customer services to discuss the trip and your personal condition.

Vaccinations and Health

Italy

There are no required vaccinations. However, you may want to consider vaccinations for tetanus, rabies and tick-borne encephalitis. Please confirm with your doctor or travel clinic.

Visa

Italy

Travellers from the UK, US and EU normally do not need a visa to enter Italy. Please note, visa requirements often change and it is your responsibility to obtain any required visas for this trip. Therefore, we recommend that you check with the nearest embassy or consulate of your chosen destination(s), including any countries you may be transiting or transferring through.

Some local governments provide guidance on what visas their citizens need. To help, we’ve gathered a selection of useful links below.

• Australia: www.smartraveller.gov.au/destinations/europe/italy
• Canada: www.travel.gc.ca/destinations/italy
• United Kingdom: www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/italy/entry-requirements
• USA:  www.travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/Italy.html

Please note: it is compulsory to carry ID with you at all times in Italy.

Food & Drink

Seven breakfasts, five lunches and six dinners are included, one of which will be an authentic Tyrolean gourmet dinner

Dinners are usually taken in the hotel restaurant, where we enjoy a lovely set menu. Please note, the meal on the evening of Day 1 may be a cold buffet instead of a hot meal.

Dinner is not included on the free day, which may be an excellent opportunity to try the à la carte menu on offer at the hotel or a local pizzeria recommended by your leader. Vegetarians are catered for; however, as this area is renowned for its meats, please be aware there may not be as much variety.

Five pack lunches are provided by the hotel. Each morning there is a small buffet with items to make your own lunch (eg cured meat/ham, cheeses, boiled eggs, tomato, cakes, fruit etc). To reduce the use of plastic and single-use items, the hotel provides reusable cutlery and a paper bag.

Weather

Throughout the Dolomites, winter can bring extended periods of fine, settled weather. From Christmas through to the end of February, average daytime temperatures range between -10C and 4C (14F and 39F) in the shade. These temperatures can feel surprisingly comfortable, largely because the air is very dry, and you will often be on the move. In periods of unsettled weather, the daytime temperature will rise to freezing point or higher, but it will feel much colder as the air carries much more moisture at these times. It can occasionally get windy, and the resulting wind chill can be significant.