Dolomites: Val Gardena hikes 2025 Part 1

Sunset vibes at my new best friend Sasso

Dolomites Day 1: Monday 1st September, 2025

We arrived later than anticipated at our accommodation at Santa Cristina just in time to witness a sensational Dolomites sunset. The colours on the Sassolungo group were unbelievable and the half moon was conveniently sitting in between two peaks. I have finished my Venice blog with this photo, but I am starting this one with it as well because it was too good to be true and we saw it just in the nick of time as we arrived. Our accommodation is truly fantastic – so well done Bob with locating it and as always working out all our walks step-by-step on Google maps.

 

Perched on the side of the mountain staring at Sassolungo

The Sassolungo group sits in the centre of this region and this relief map above gives you an idea how prominent it is in Val Gardena.

The Dolomites has had some significantly wet weather recently, so there has been the (my) usual anxiety about the possibility of rain and clouds messing with this extensive list of hikes, but Monday dawned with brilliant sunshine and Day 1 was looking great.

 

The first day is brilliant on waking and breakky with quite a view

Our accommodation is on a traditional farm walk route so we decided to head off along the walk to Col Raiser gondola. It is all very close by. There are very old farm houses (see below) and the history of the Farm Walk is also pictured.

     

The path of the Farm Walk 

         

Old houses along the Farm Walk and a model in a glass case on the way

We were soon at Col Raiser Gondola station and we purchased a Dolomati Super Summer Card which means we can use it on any 5 out of 7 days and just swipe on and off as many gondolas, chairlifts and funiculars that we like. You can purchase it at any station in The Dolomites.

Col Raiser Gondola

Having baulked at the cost in previous years and then paying much more for each individual chairlift/gondola/funicular, we knew it was a must. No lining up for tickets – just buy it at the first lift and off you go – just don’t lose the passes. (They do say that if the worst happens and you lose them, if you present your purchase receipt, they will issue a new one. Someone has to mind that initial purchase docket separately to the card. See the pricing at the end of the blog.)

The infrastructure of gondolas and chairlifts has to be seen to be believed. So many opportunities to get to so many beautiful scenic places quickly and it allows us to avoid the hard climbs and then just walk down which is much easier. Alternatively you can just ride back down again once you’ve had a good look around up the top.

All the Rifugios are quaint and have their own style. Col Raiser Alm was big, but still felt very homely, and we started the first round of hot chocolates there. I have learned the best thing to ask for is a hot chocolate rather than coffee (decaf flavour is sometimes not great or unavailable). We have also learnt to ask for half the chocolate otherwise the traditional hot chocolate is very rich and thick with chocolate. Due to our exchange rate you are mostly paying 5 – 6 euros per hot chocolate (equivalent of $18-20 AUD). Europe for Aussies has become very expensive sadly.

  

Col Raiser Rifugio

   

The perfect hot chocolates (for us) more milk, less chocolate

  

A lazy hour spent enjoying the sun and the view and some goats on the working farm

We had a walk around the meadow next to Col Raiser Alm and just absorbed the beauty of the surrounding mountains. Families were there with their children playing frisbee and generally having fun surrounded by these incredibly majestic mountains. Working farms sit beside the Rifugios, with their produce feeding the hungry hikers.

 

What a view – photos just don’t do it justice

We then decided to have lunch at the Malga Odles Rifugio run by the Perathoner Family for centuries, and enjoy the concept of eating when out on the hikes. From that first outing we realized one meal between us is enough, as the meals are huge and our other rule when walking is don’t drink alcohol. We learnt this a few trips ago, as it makes for tired, heavy legs and a slow, difficult walk home. As I watch many hikers down schooners of beer and Aperol Spritzers I am amazed at their resilience!

 

Malga Odles Rifugio where we tasted the local dishes – too big really for a lunchtime meal

       

Traditional polenta with mushrooms and a sausage for Bob and egg, local ham and fried potatoes for me. The timber menu was  interesting.

After eating lunch we headed down to Santa Cristina township and to the local Conad Supermarket to do some food shopping and settle into our accommodation. Part of the charm of travelling is going to do a local shop and see what the locals can buy. I have to say our bread, chocolate, biscuit and dip sections are massive compared to the supermarkets in Santa Cristina (and Venice) at least. I do wonder if having this extensive array with literally hundreds (if not thousands) of chocolate and lolly brands is all that healthy for us as a population? I know we (I) could just say no, but they are all so tempting.

   

Santa Cristina town 

Dolomites Day 2: Tuesday 2nd September, 2025

The next day I learnt a lesson about hiking in the mountains. When we headed up on the (open) chairlift to Monte Pana it was a brilliant sunny day, so I said no to the question from Bob to bring an umbrella in my bag. I said: ‘I’ve got my wet weather jacket, I’ll be fine’. My bag was already stuffed full with a second cold weather jacket, a wet weather jacket and long warm pants just in case of a cold change that was predicted, so it was pretty heavy. But with the cold change, came the rain and a wet weather coat didn’t cover the back pack or leggings so after the walk and the long, open chairlift ride down, I was pretty drenched. All part of the fun of hiking!

Stage one of the chairlift took us up to Sporthotel Monte Pana, a haven for young children where there was a minigolf circuit plus other activities for kids.

     

     

Kids activities galore at Mont Pana

The next chairlift (Segglovia – Sessellift – Chairlift Mont de Seura) took us up to the base of Sassolungo (3181mts). The walk was magnificent, passing very close to the base of our friend, Sassolungo and to our distant right was another favourite Schlern, at the end of Alpe Di Siusi – the largest/highest alpine meadow in Europe.

Panorama shot 

   

A long distance shot of Schlern, which is the flat plateau and the spikey mountain at the end is called Punta Santner

After a short hike, dodging mud and plenty of reminders that this was in fact a working cow farm, we came to Maiga Cason Schwaige (Rifugio) for yet another hot chocolate and this time we had earned an apple strudel. The scenery around this hutte is beautiful – whichever direction you look.

   

  

It was wet and cold and never has a hot chocolate and warm apple strudel tasted so nice

  

The fir trees are beautiful, prolific and there is a definite ‘fir tree’ fragrance that follows you all the way down the mountain track. The weather closed in and it was a very wet arrival home.

Dolomites Day 3 Wednesday 3rd September, 2025

Another glorious weather day called for our third visit to Seceda. People may ask why do you keep going back to the same places? Just because it is just so breath taking! We went back up the Col Raiser gondola and walked about 2 kilometers to Lift Fermuda at Malga Neider/Baita Cuca to take us up to Seceda.

Malga Neider lift to the left and Baita Cuca Refugio to the right

The crowds were quite different to what we’ve seen before, but the magnificence of Seceda overwhelms any nuisance factor of hundreds (maybe thousands of people) walking there. Instagram has unfortunately spread the word about the Dolomites over the past couple of years.

 

The queues for the scenic photo point. We went a little to the side and got the shot!

We then walked down 80 metres to Sofie Hutte and had the usual apple strudel (purely for data collection and quality control and Sofie Hutte still takes the cake for best apple strudel).

   

Sofi Hutte a favourite 

To save walking back up hill to catch the chairlift back down, we decided to walk back down all the way to Col Raiser. It was steep, but we went slowly with our trusty sticks, had plenty of rests (easy to just pause and look at the scenery) and it was very satisfying when we arrived.

After my leg fractures last year, I never really believed I could be back doing these hikes in less than 12 months, so every one of these hikes means so much more than any before. It is a testament to the ability of the body to heal, to do the rehab and the importance of keeping moving at all costs.

On the way back along the farm walk trail back home, Bob noticed a baby snake on the path. For some reason I just didn’t think the Dolomites would be a place for snakes, but then a couple of days later we were walking a trail at Alpe di Siusi and saw the sign below. (And we all know where there’s a baby snake, there’s a mummy and a daddy snake!)

      

This is the place to pull up a fence and perch to study the view, the baby snake, and proof this was not an unusual event

Dolomites Day 4 Thursday 4th September, 2025

This day dawned and it was yet another spectacular weather day. One of the things on my bucket list was a visit to Rifugio Friedrich August at Campitello di Fassa. I hate to say it, but it has been an Instagram/ YouTube favourite and Bob facilitated a day of walking that incorporated this hutte.

We drove from our accommodation to Rifugio Carlo Valentini (the sharp turn is shortly after Passo Sella) where there was all day parking (21 euro per day – 1 Euro extra for not having cash).  We walked up the road past Rifugio Salei (actually we snuck a free toilet stop – very classy toilets too- I couldn’t find anyone to buy something from, so we moved on) to take Rodella-Des Alpes gondola up to Rifugio Des Alpes.

The open chairlift with lots of marmots foraging in the grasses 

We then embarked on an almighty climb up to the highest peak, Rifugio Col Rodella, for a view of Fassa (Canazei) valley below. It was slow going for me as I am very worried by heights, but so truly worth it to see the full 360 degree view.

The highest climb to Rifugio Col Rodella for some spectacular views (it looks much steeper in real life)

We walked back down – it felt easier even with the height thing I have, but I passed so many men and women who were possibly 5-10 years older than Bob and I, that I am sure I picked the pace up a bit. They are amazing! We then caught the Val di Fassa gondola across the valley and up to Belvedere di Canazei, but sadly there wasn’t a Rifugio there, so after admiring the beautiful view of Canazei we just caught it back down and back up to where we had come from so we could finish the day at Rifugio Friedrich August also known as The Yak Place. 

   

Rifugio Friedrich August the highlight of all the Rifugios for me

The view, the food and the vibe of The Yak place is definitely worth the effort of getting here. All the food at these Rifugios is pretty well priced (if you were transacting in euros earned, instead of Aussie dollars). When you consider some of these Rifugios are on the top of 3500metre mountains it is amazing how they keep their prices manageable.

 

Staring out at an impossible view, soaking up the sun and thinking how lucky are we? Spinach and ricotta ravioli -delish

Rifugio Friedrich August 

The drive home from any day of hiking in the Dolomites is always just as scenic as the day walking because you are surrounded by the fantastic peaks of this World Heritage region.

There is so much to write that I am going to divide the Dolomites into two parts. Remember the words are for us so we can remember what we did. You’re allowed to just look at the pictures!

Dolomites Hints: Some notes for those who may be considering a trip to Val Gardena

These will just be in dot point form but are handy to understand and know about before you leave.

• Dolomati Supersummer Card €180 per person (5 0f 7 days) gives you admission to all lifts and is better value and gives great flexibility to just decide to buzz up to Seceda again, just because you can with the pass, if the weather was bad the first time. Most 2-way cable car trips cost 25€ each. It might sound a lot for lift passes but we mostly don’t eat out at night and are just satisfied with cheese and nibblies instead of another meal out at night. Walking is why we come to these mountains and they are worth whatever they need to charge to keep them safe and well serviced.
• Emergency number: 112
• Mountain rescue service “Aiut Alpin Dolomites”
• Muse Office Ortisei (St. Ulrich), phone +39 0471 797766 (our accommodation company. Emergency number, phone +39 0471 797171
• Carabinieri: Carabinieri Selva Gardena (Wolkenstein) phone +39 0471 795129; Carabinieri Ortisei (St. Ulrich) phone +39 0471 782300
• Hospitals: Hospital Bressanone (Brixen) (approx. 30-35 km): phone +390472 812111; Hospital Bolzano (Bozen) (approx. 35-40 km) phone +39 0471 908111
• Medical emergency stand-by duty Selva Gardena (Wolkenstein) – Nivesplatz phone +39 0471 794266
• Pharmacies: Pharmacy St. Elisabeth – Ortisei (St. Ulrich), Str. Chemun 5 phone +39 0471 792106; Pharmacy Sella – Ortisei (St. Ulrich), Reziaplatz 73B phone +39 0471 796125; Pharmacy Dolomiti Dr. Berdou – Selva (Wolkenstein), Str. Meisules 246 phone +39 0471 795142; This link leads you to the register of all pharmacies in South Tyrol
• Take all types of clothes – it’s the mountains! Beanie, neck warmer, puffer coat, rain jacket, umbrella – yes this is essential – we got caught on Day 2 in a heavy longish downpour and we only had one umbrella and one back pack got very wet because I said ‘Nah, thanks I’ll be right”.
• Take a lanyard for your phone – a good friend recommended it and it has been the best thing for making sure your phone is safe on those open chairlifts (there are lots in the Dolomites and you are in the best place for the best photos of the view).
• Use a Day Pass from Australia for your phone. Telstra was $10 per day and it has worked in all situations. Bob did a travel pack from his provider (Felix) and the first 3 days were spent communicating with a bot and some people and was a shemozzle. In the end the money spent is worth it as it is far less stressful and you are able to communicate with each other, when and if needed.
• In the mountains you’ll need lots of socks if there’s rain. It is also hard to dry clothes if it is raining as the air is damp.
• The major roads have a slower lane at 110kms per hour and 2 faster lanes that are supposed to be 130kms per hour, but of course the Italians drive at way more than that. Driving on the right needs concentration (and let the Italians (men) have the zippy lanes was my constant advice to Bob. I am positive he was grateful for my input!)
• Speaking of chairlifts – I am massively scared of heights and I have electricity going through my body constantly while up in the air. I have proved that belly breathing (my favourite thing in the world) also controls the constant electric pulses! On the belly breath in they completely vanish. Try it sometime if you have a height issue too.

Part two on the last three days in the Dolomites may come soon.

And to all the physiotherapists who help people hike in the mountains, who help women to improve their pelvic pain, or deal with their prolapse and incontinence symptoms may you have a fabulous World Physiotherapy Day. Fortunately I am in Italy where it is still September 8th – even though there may only be a few hours left!