On the northern edge of Italy's most impressive mountain range, in the Alta Pusteria Valley and just north of Cortina d'Ampezzo, lies the charming village of Villabassa. This area of the Dolomites is perfect for snowshoeing 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. Trek along forest trails and old military tracks to the magnificent viewpoints of Durrakopf (2275m) and Strudelkopf (2307m), learning more about the impact of World War 1 in this area along the way. Our base for the week will be the superb Hotel Adler, situated in the centre of the town and one of the best hotels we feature in our entire programme. This 4-star accommodation provides the perfect place to unwind after a day’s snowshoeing, with Michelin recommended cuisine and a relaxing wellness centre.
Fly to Innsbruck; transfer to Villabassa (approx. 1hr 45mins).
We walk wonderful routes in the Fanes-Sennes Natural Park, along the shoreline of Lago di Braies and beneath the Tre Cime di Lavaredo, arguably the most iconic image of the entire Dolomites.
Free day to relax at the hotel and enjoy the spa facilities or try downhill or cross-country skiing.
Our final two snowshoe walks.
Forest trails and old military tracks take us to magnificent viewpoints of Durrakopf (2275m) and Strudelkopf (2307m). Lunch stops at picturesque refuges give us the chance to absorb fascinating history from the First World War.
Transfer to Innsbruck; fly to London.
7 breakfasts, 5 lunches and 6 dinners are included.
Dinners are usually taken in the restaurant at Hotel Adler, where we enjoy a lovely set menu. Please note the meal on the evening of day one may be a cold buffet instead of a hot meal, this will depend on the arrival time of the flight.
Dinner is not included on the free day, which may be an excellent opportunity to try the A la carte menu on offer at Hotel Adler. Vegetarians are catered for, yet as this area is renowned for its meats, please be aware that there may not be as much variety.
5 pack lunches are provided by the hotel. Each morning there is a small buffet with items to make your own lunch (e.g. bread rolls, ham, salad...) In an effort to minimise the use of plastic and single-use items, the hotel provides Tupperware-type boxes and reusable cutlery.
Throughout the Dolomites the winter months can bring extended periods of fine, settled weather. From Christmas through to the end of February average daytime temperatures range between +4º and -10º C 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 zero 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 factor can be significant.
Snowshoeing is offered at Grade 3 - Moderate. Expect to spend 5-6hrs in the mountains each day. No experience of snowshoeing 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 have to 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 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 will then be able to confirm if we can provide suitable snowshoes for you.
Great weather. Fresh snow plus lots of sunshine. Magnificent scenery, the Dolomites are really special both in winter and summer. Comfortable hotel with good facilities and friendly, helpful staff. Tasty interesting dinners with a very good wine list to choose from. A friendly, interesting group of fellow "snowshoeers" What really made the trip special was our guide Sara. She is everything you would wish for in a guide and I can only endorse all the other glowing mentions she receives in reviews.
Each day was as memorable as the previous one. By the very nature of the week, the days are similar in that one is walking in the moutains through the snow but yet each is different with constantly changing vistas and challenges under foot.
As mentioned above, Sara was deserving of all the superlatives that she receives in these reviews. Kind, caring, considerate, knowledgeable, reliable, interesting, funny, the list goes on! Thanks Sara.
Just do it. You do need a reasonable degree of fitness but previous use of snowshoes is not a prerequisite.
A fabulous adventure. Challenging but beautiful and rewarding with undoubtedly the BEST guide in charge! We had fun, explored, felt nurtured and cared for. The hotel was gorgeous and the spa facilities were the perfect antidote to all of the hard work! As was the wonderful cuisine. A warm and friendly staff made us all feel very welcome. Take crampons....icy walking can be very tiresome if too little snow for the snowshoes.
Fabulous....went way beyond to ensure everyone felt comfortable and had everything to ensure they enjoyed their trip.
What an experience. A week of varied routes; a forest trail amongst snow laden trees - like a Narnia snowscene, mountain ascents with beautiful scenery along the way, impressive mountain ranges, breathtaking lakes, stunning mountain huts . . . A fabulous family run hotel with warm and friendly staff, elegant rooms, comfortable beds and a deep bath with copious amounts of hot water. Immense breakfast choice, fabulous food and wine, cosy bar and snug and a relaxing wellness centre.
Being sat on the top of snow covered Monte Piana on a beautiful blue sky day, surrounded by impressive mountains and feeling on top of the world.
I can’t speak highly enough of our group leader Sara Bull. She was fun, friendly, knowledgeable, helpful and supportive to all clients. Nothing was too much trouble. Sara was very organised, hard working and safety conscious. Her love of nature and the environment was clearly evident and her enthusiasm was infectious. Sara helped make our experience of the Dolomites very special.
I think everything is covered in the trip notes really. I would just emphasise the need for sunscreen and recommend a water hydration system in your rucksack rather than phaffing about with bottles.
If you fancy experimenting with cross country skiing on your free day you are in the best place to experience it.
I'd never actually heard of snowshoeing before so thought I'd give myself a change from my usual hiking/trekking holidays and was so glad I did. The scenery, food, location and walks were fantastic. I thought snowshoes would take a bit of getting used to but you soon master the technique and are able to walk through the most amazing trails. It was a fantastic week, helped by the weather, and a change to the usual walking holiday.
Each day's planned walk took you through the most spectacular landscapes. We were blessed with good walking weather which enhanced the experience. Scaling the top of the mountains gained you a great sense of achievement, especially the ones which were quite steep and took some effort. You were rewarded with the most fabulous views at the top and Sara, our tour guide, always ensured there was enough time for photo opportunities and to catch your breath!
Sara Bull was so full of energy, enthusiasm and her love of the mountains was obvious. She was a wealth of knowledge and her guidance on using our shoes was clear and helpful. Sara made the whole experience so enjoyable and was always on hand for guidance and advice. It seem't that nothing was too much trouble and she's so much fun to be around. She kept the group together and made sure that every day ran smoothly. She's a great tour leader and so committed to her job. I was amazed that she ran a foot clinic each morning prior to the walk to address any issues the group were experiencing as a result of the walks.
Make sure you are aware of potential foot problems that may occur through wearing snowshoes. I didn't experience any discomfort but a few of the group suffered blisters and rubbing sores. Sara's advice was to soak your feet in surgical spirit prior to joining the trip to harden the feet up. Some feet were really sore and this could really have spoilt the holiday experience.
The hotel Adler is a great base. The hotel is friendly and very well equipped. The menu and food choices were delicious. The food is of a very high quality. The breakfast and lunch selection are extensive which all adds to the quality of the holiday. I certainly didn't come back having lost weight! With the spectacular walks, the location of the hotel and the hotel facilities and, of course, the excellent tour guide, this is certainly a memorable holiday experience.
Fantastic holiday. We really enjoyed snowshoeing which allows you to walk on fresh deep snow and to highish altitudes . The Dolomites are very beatific and our guide Sara has a lot of geographical and historical knowledge. the Hitel Adler is excellent.
The whole week was most enjoyable, active during the day and very good company with the rest of the group in the evening.
Sara , our group leader was friendly, well organised and an excellent guide .
Take a rucksack that has straps to attach snow shoes ( already suggested but I didn't) to and possibly some mini crampons that can fit over walking boots . There were times when we walked and carried our snow shoes . The tracks were a bit icy in places.
Another great Exodus holiday. Nice hotel Great routes and scenery with a variety of Winter conditions ranging from blue skies and glorious sunshine to romantic fluttery snow falls in magical forests to wild full-on winter conditions of wind and heavy snow.
Lutterkopf for the wind and snow on a broad ridge. Monte Piana for the glorious sunshine and views coupled with the fascinating history of the site from world war 1. Bruckele to Rossalm for the magic of climbing through the silence of a remote valley after heavy snow with trees coated in snow and hearing the distant roar of avalanches in the mountains.
Outstanding! A great guide in the form of Sara Bull, knowledgeable, good fun, encouraging and safety focussed but allowing the team to move freely and not corralling the group into a bunched single file route marching group.
Yes. You are in for a treat!
A fantastic holiday. Thanks to Exodus for great work in setting this up and solving any problems we had. Thanks to Sara Bull, our guide, for making the holiday into something very special. This holiday will live a long time in our memories.
This has been another memorable Exodus holiday. An excellent package, in line with the trip description, but made outstanding thanks to Sara our group leader and an exceptionally nice group of people. The trip offered exactly the right combination of manageable adventure and physical challenge with time to relax in the hotel's wellness centre, eat excellent food and engage in conversation with likeminded people. The hotel staff were also very friendly and attentive. The equipment provided (snowshoes and poles) were of an excellent standard. In addition safety equipment (avalanche transponders, probes etc.) provided reassurance that attention was paid to potential risks in the mountains. At the same time it was clear that Sara made appropriate risk assessments before embarking on a specific route. Having received a free public transport pass prompted us on the free day to travel by train to Bolzano to visit the Oetzi museum (highly recommended) and use the pass on a couple of other occasions. This is an excellent promotion by the local tourist board.
No single moment, rather a series of moments. Each day offered a new delight, a new challenge, through the change in weather, the landscape and the connections with the group and Sara our exceptional group leader.
Sara offered an outstanding combination of skill, expertise and attention to us, both at the group and individual level. All of it presented with humour and humility. Sara's enthusiasm for the outdoors and the local area and history was highly infectious. I shall treasure the conversations we had as a group and individually. It was also evident that Sara adapted the daily excursions to the weather conditions and the group as a whole which made each day such a success.
Read the trip description - it provides a good guide to what to expect.
I think the only issue for some people from the UK is the typical continental spa etiquette, i.e. no clothes in the sauna and steam room. Loin cloths were provided, but they do not necessarily deal with some people's sensitivities. There can therefore be a bit of a conflict between respecting the local "customs" (and clear instructions) and feeling entitled to carry on as at home.
Crampons were also used due to the snown conditions.
Magnificent in every way - some of the finest scenery in Europe. Variety of walks with an afternoon stop at an Alpine hut for refreshments. Comfortable accommodation with health spar and plenty of food. One small niggle, you had to buy a bottle of expensive wine rather than a glass of Hauswein.
Monte Piana - we were lucky to go to both summits with superb views of 3 Cime. Also Strudelkopf, Lutterkopf and Durakopf walks.
Sara Bull was fantastic. She was so encouraging and helped people discretely without them feeling embarrassed. She ensured everyone reached the summits. After the second last days walk in order to see what the conditions were like, she went on the walk she was thinking of doing on the last day, returning at 10pm.
Fabulous introduction to snowshoeing, in Dolomites. 1st of many more !
Excellent trip, we thoroughly enjoyed our 1st snow shoeing holiday from start to finish. the area is beautiful, the scenery stunning. we had mostly lovely sunshine, great snow and superb views.The hotel was very nice, friendly and comfortable with nice facilities, lovely to come back to after a longs day's snow shoeing. Sara, our guide was superb, she is experienced, very competent, professional, great sense of humour and takes very good care of all members of group, quickly picking up any difficulties.
Climbing to the top of Mudlerhof, Lutterkopf, Durakopf in our last day, in beautiful conditions, a perfect final/ last day's snow shoeing. The panoramic views were spectacular.
Excellent. Experienced, very competent, professional, great fun, observant and attentive and quickly picked up if group members needed help/ encouragement.we were very confident that she could get us out of any unexpected challenges, thankfully these did not occur! Nothing seemed too much for Sarah, including Valentines Day treat for each of us, beautifully wrapped., ,post day out "stretch time', always prepared to " go the extra mile " for customers.
Get fit, you do need a good level of fitness for this trip. Bring lots of layers.
This is the 2nd time I've done this trip, last time was only 12 months ago. I pleased to say I had a fantastic time this time around as well. There were issues with the flight out due to bad weather, so nothing Exodus could have down about that. But they did re arrange the pick up from the airport, and kept us informed informed of what was going on, so top marks for their effort there. The hotel is very good, the dinner is filling, if sometimes a little unusual. I think a would have preferred a simpler menu. The rooms seem to vary greatly. Last year I had one of the superb rooms that you'll see on the hotels website, this year I had a room towards the rear of the hotel that was more traditional Tirol style, that was clean but a little tired, specially when compared to the other rooms. However it was more than adequate, after all you don't come here to sit in your room, you come for the great walking, and you get that in abundance. The walks are well paced , and gradually increase in difficulty as the week progresses. The views were fantastic, there was plenty of time to admire the view, take photos, and stop in the mountains huts for a hot chocolate or something stronger. There wasn't enough deep snow to make it worth taking the snow shoes, so we were supplies with crampons, which worked well. On the Friday there was plenty of deep snow, which great fun. Even if I did face plant a few times. There was plenty of advice and ideas on what to to do the "rest day" and the free travel pass was very helpful here and on the day of the departure when you have the morning to entertain yourself.
For me it was the views from Durakopf on the Friday. Last year couldn't see anything, this year, this time we could see for miles, it made the long slog up worthwhile. Then coming part way down on a wooden sleigh. Great fun.
Cant praise Sara's skills enough. Adept at keeping the group together, and encouraging us all to get to the top. Supplied us with loads of local history, and made every effort to speak to everybody to ensure we all got the most we could out of this holiday. She is a very experienced leader , and it showed. Nothing is to much trouble for her. I sustained an injury on the Tuesday, (tripped over my own feet) and needed assistance to get off the hill. Thanks to to her care, and advise I was able to make it back out on the hill after the rest day. She went well above and beyond to ensure I had a speedy recovery.
If you haven't done any winter walking before, you might find it a bit harder than your normal walking, so be prepared for that. Don't forget sunscreen. Make sure your boots are well worn in!