Hiking and camping the Alta Via 1 in Italy in 9 Days

📍9 days ↔️ 123km/76mi ↗️ 7,070m/23,195ft

The Alta Via 1 is one of the most iconic long-distance hikes in the Dolomites, offering an unforgettable journey through dramatic limestone peaks, alpine meadows, and historic mountain refuges. Stretching roughly 120 kilometers from Lago di Braies in the north to Belluno in the south, this well-marked trail is known for its accessibility, making it a favourite for both first-time hut-to-hut hikers and seasoned trekkers. Along the way, hikers experience ever-changing landscapes, rich Ladin culture, and some of the most breathtaking scenery in the Alps, all while enjoying warm hospitality and hearty mountain cuisine in traditional rifugios.

This is a no-fluff personal take on walking the Alta Via 1 and skips all the Via Ferrata sections. It’s designed as a informative, step-by-step reference for anyone planning to walk and camp along the route.

A large rock with yellow symbols and an arrow painted on it, located on a dirt trail. The symbols include a diamond shape with 'TMI' written inside and a triangle with the number 2. In the background, several people are walking along the trail in a m
Two hikers with backpacks walking on a grassy trail in a mountain landscape with rocky peaks and partly cloudy sky.
Two hikers walking along a narrow dirt trail on a green hillside amidst a mountainous landscape with steep, rocky peaks and a clear blue sky.
Two hikers with large backpacks walking on a narrow mountain trail surrounded by green grass and wildflowers, with steep rocky mountain slopes in the background.
Scenic view of a mountain range with steep rocky slopes, patches of green vegetation, and snow at the peaks, partly shrouded by clouds and illuminated by sunlight.
A row of backpacks and hiking gear resting against a metallic bench with star-shaped cutouts outdoors.
A man with a beard wearing sunglasses, a blue shirt, a blue head covering, and a black backpack, standing outdoors among lush greenery and a hill in the background.
Hiker with a large purple backpack walking on a trail through a green forest.
A hand holding a sandwich made with a thick slice of rustic bread filled with visible slices of deli meat and cheese, against a blurred green outdoor background.
Two hikers walking on a trail in a forested mountainous area, with tall green trees and a waterfall in the background.
Trail marker painted on a rock along a hiking path with green shrubs and purple flowers.
Two men in outdoor clothing eating at a picnic table with camping gear, including a stove and utensils, in a park or campsite setting.
Man hiking outdoors in a mountainous area, holding a smartphone, wearing a purple shirt, a backpack, a white cap, and using hiking poles.
A mountainous scene with a wild specimen of the Alpine Ibex, a goat with long, curved, ridged horns, standing amidst lush green ferns and other alpine vegetation.
Two hikers looking up through a narrow rocky opening, with one waving and pointing, on a mountain trail with greenery.
A mountain goat standing on rocks amidst a rugged landscape with mountain peaks in the background.
Hiker with a large backpack and walking sticks on a mountain trail with snow-capped peaks in the background under a clear blue sky.

🔍 Activity Overview

Number of days: 9

Distance: 123km/76mi

Elevation gain: 7,070m/23,195ft

Highest point: Forcella Lagazuoi - 2,752 m/9,029 ft

Difficulty: Moderate to Hard (due to elevation and remote sections)

Best time to go: Late June to mid September

💵 Costs

Airfares from London - 120 GBP

Transfers and transports - 60 EUR

Pitches - overnight camp/bivouac and commercial campsites - 80 EUR

Total - ~250.00 GBP

The maps provided on this website are intended as a general guide only. Conditions, routes, and features may change at any time. Always rely on your own judgement and seek local or professional advice if possible.

Always read the disclaimer

The Alta Via 1 passes through some of the most celebrated landscapes in the Dolomites, linking together legendary peaks, alpine lakes, and historic mountain refuges. Below are some of the most iconic places you’ll encounter along the route, each offering a distinct glimpse into the region’s natural beauty and cultural heritage.

• Lago di Braies – The emerald-blue lake that marks the classic starting point of the Alta Via 1

• Fanes–Sennes–Braies Nature Park – Wide alpine plateaus, grazing cattle, and some of the most peaceful scenery on the route

• Lagazuoi & Forcella Lagazuoi – The highest point of the trail, surrounded by dramatic peaks and World War I tunnels

• Cinque Torri – Striking rock towers rising from open meadows, one of the most photographed areas in the Dolomites

• Monte Pelmo – A massive, iconic peak that dominates several stages of the hike

• Traditional rifugi – Memorable stays at huts like Rifugio Lagazuoi, Rifugio Nuvolau, and Rifugio Averau with panoramic views and local cuisine

Key Highlights of the

Alta Via 1 in the Italian Dolomites

A brown goat with curved horns standing on large rocks in a mountainous landscape with green vegetation and towering mountain peaks in the background.
A man crouching by a small lake, reaching into the water with a hand, surrounded by rocky terrain, with mountains and trees in the background.
A hiking trail marker painted on a rock, with white and red stripes, on a dirt trail surrounded by green and purple plants.

Day 0 - Cortina d'Ampezzo

✈️ Getting to Italy

  • Cheapest flights via easyjet and ryanair to Venice.

  • Note that if you want to spend the first day in “proper accomodation” and don’t want to spend too much, Venice will be your best bet. Hotels at closer places such as Cortina d'Ampezzo and Dobbiaco (Toblach) start at 100EUR a night per person.

🚌 Transport to Cortina d'Ampezzo

  • Flixbus or Cortina Express from Venice airport to Cortina d'Ampezzo which takes about 2.5 hours and costs 20 EUR one way. Tickets should be booked in advanced.

⛺ Where to Stay

Note: Prices is for 1 person and pitch and includes the tourist tax. Try and get here fairly early as they do not take reservations and work on a first come first serve basis.

  • Camping Rocchetta - 🗺️Maps 🌐Website

    • ~22 EUR a night and is an easy 30min walk away.

  • Camping Cortina - 🗺️Maps 🌐Website

    • ~26 EUR a night and is an easy 30min walk away.

  • International Camping Olympia - 🗺️Maps 🌐Website

    • ~20 EUR a night and requires catch the Line 1 bus (Cortina d'Ampezzo urban service) to get to.

🍦 Food and Equipment

Camping gas

Supermarkets

Last-Minute Gear

Cortina is a hiker’s paradise, with plenty of outdoor stores from all the big brands.

🥾 Things to Do

  • Go shopping at the many outdoor stores.

A group of four hikers with backpacks standing under a wooden archway for the Tour du Mont-Blanc in Les Houches, France, with houses and mountains in the background.
Two hikers with backpacks on a hilltop, exchanging a smartphone against a bright blue sky with some clouds.
Hiker walking on a rocky mountain trail with green hills and a peak in the background under a clear blue sky.
Scenic mountain landscape with green valleys, rocky slopes, and distant snow-capped peaks under a partly cloudy sky.

Day 1 - Lago di Braies to Rifugio Biella

Top Tips

  • To get to the trail head, you need to take the 445 bus from Cortina to Dobbiaco (Toblach) which costs approximately 6.50 EUR. After that, at the same stop, you will need to change to the 442 bus to Lago di Braies for about 7 EUR. Please note that 442 bus needs to be booked in advance during the summer peak season which can be done on the Lakes Braises website.

Food

Breakfast

  • Food to go here

Lunch

Evening Meal

Campsite

Camp just beyond Rifugio Biella.

Group of four hikers with backpacks standing under an archway at Mont Blanc, France.
Two hikers with backpacks exchanging a phone on a grassy hilltop under a blue sky.
Hiker walking on a rocky trail through green mountains with a backpack, under a clear blue sky.
A mountain landscape featuring green grassy slopes, rocky terrain, and distant snow-capped peaks under a partly cloudy sky.

Day 2 - Rifugio Biella to Le de Limo

Top Tips

  • Tips to go here

Food

Breakfast

Lunch

  • Self cater.

Evening Meal

Campsite

Where to camp to go here

A person wearing an orange hat and teal shirt stands outdoors in a mountainous landscape with green hills and blue sky.
Person in red hoodie sitting on rocky mountain slope, looking at a phone, with a purple backpack nearby, green hills and blue sky with clouds in the background.
Two hikers sitting on a mountain trail with a backdrop of mountain peaks and a cloudy sky, wearing backpacks, sunglasses, and outdoor clothing.
Three hikers with backpacks walking on a dirt trail through mountainous terrain with green slopes and distant peaks.

Day 3 - Le de Limo to Lech de Lagacio

Top Tips

  • Tips to go here

Food

Breakfast

Lunch

Evening Meal

Campsite

Where to camp to go here

Four hikers with backpacks and trekking poles standing in front of a white van and an information board in a mountainous area.
Wooden signpost with directions in French for a mountain refuge, with arrows pointing right and left; background of green grassy hillside and mountain scenery.
Mountain landscape with hikers walking along a trail on a green hillside.
Two hikers with backpacks and trekking poles walking on a gravel trail through a mountainous landscape with pink wildflowers on both sides.
Yellow arrow pointing upward on a large stone with black and yellow hazard signs, set outdoors on a gravel path with mountains and hikers in the background.
Three hikers walking on a gravel trail through a lush green valley surrounded by mountains with dense trees and cloudy sky.

Day 4 - Lech de Lagació to Lago di Limides

Top Tips

  • This is a shorter day given you plenty of time to explore Cinque Torri, one of the most popular and iconic landmark in the Dolomites.

  • You are spoilt for choice on food as there are plenty of rifugio around.

Food

Breakfast

Lunch

Evening Meal

  • Self cater.

Campsite

Where to camp to go here

People dining on an outdoor terrace with mountain views, red flowers in pots, umbrellas, and a stone building, in a mountain setting.
Two hikers resting on a grassy hilltop with a mountain range and glaciers in the background.
A black cow standing on grassy terrain with mountain peaks in the background under a partly cloudy sky.
Two hikers with backpacks on a grassy hillside, looking up at snow-capped mountains and rocky peaks, with a cloudy blue sky.
A stone marker with a yellow hiking trail sign indicating the route to Villair, 1.325 meters high, with an estimated walking time of 2 hours and 10 minutes, and a difficulty level of E, situated on an outdoor grassy area.
A mountainside landscape with a green grassy hill in the background, purple wildflowers in the foreground, and a rustic stone and wooden structure.

Day 5 - Lago di Limides to campsite in Cortina (resupply)

Top Tips

  • Tips to go here

Food

Breakfast

Lunch

Evening Meal

  • Cortina has many options to suit all budgets.

Campsite

Camping Rocchetta - 🗺️Maps 🌐Website

Camping Cortina - 🗺️Maps 🌐Website

People dining on a restaurant terrace overlooking a mountain range with peaks and green slopes, decorated with red flowers and shaded by umbrellas.
Two women are sitting and standing on a mountain ridge with a large glacier behind them, surrounded by towering, rocky mountains.
A black cow standing on a grassy hill with a mountain range and a partly cloudy sky in the background.
Two hikers with backpacks and walking sticks exploring a mountain trail with yellow signposts, golden grassy hillside on the right, and rugged snow-capped peaks under a partly cloudy sky.
A stone marker with a yellow trail sign attached, indicating directions and distance to Villair, 1.325 meters away, with an estimated walking time of 2 hours and 10 minutes.
A hillside with a stone wall and purple wildflowers, with a grassy mountain slope in the background.

Day 6 - Campsite in Cortina to Campeggio Palafavera

Top Tips

  • Tips to go here

Food

Breakfast

  • Cafe at campsite

Lunch

Evening Meal

Campsite

Campeggio Palafavera - 🗺️Maps 🌐Website

People dining on a deck overlooking a mountain range with green slopes and rocky peaks, some with clouds.
Two people sitting on a rocky mountain patch, with one standing and the other sitting, overlooking a large snow-covered mountain with clouds in the sky.
A black cow standing on a grassy hill with mountain peaks and blue sky with clouds in the background.
Two hikers with backpacks and trekking poles in a mountainous landscape with rocky peaks and patches of snow, under a partly cloudy sky.
A stone marker with yellow trail sign indicating directions and information for the Villair trail, including the distance of 1.325 km and hiking time of 2 hours and 10 minutes, set in a grassy outdoor area.
Mountain hillside with green grass, pink wildflowers, and weathered wooden logs and stone structures.

Day 7 - Campeggio Palafavera to Casera del Camp

Top Tips

  • Tips to go here

Food

Breakfast

Lunch

Evening Meal

Campsite

Stay in or camp around Casera del Camp.

Outdoor terrace with people dining and relaxing, surrounded by red flowers, overlooking a mountain range with rugged peaks and green slopes under a partly cloudy sky.
Two people resting on a rocky ledge in a mountainous area with snow-capped peaks in the background.
A black cow standing on a grassy hillside with mountains in the background under a partly cloudy sky.
Two hikers with backpacks and trekking poles walking on a grassy trail amidst mountains with snow patches and clouds in the sky.
A stone marker with a yellow trail sign indicating the path to Villair, 1.325 meters high, with an estimated hiking time of 2 hours and 10 minutes, and a difficulty level of E, situated outdoors on grass.
A scenic mountain landscape with green grassy slopes and purple wildflowers growing among stone and wooden debris.

Day 8 - Casera del Camp to Malga Moschesin shelter

Top Tips

  • Tips to go here

Food

Breakfast

Lunch

  • Food to go here

Evening Meal

  • Food to go here.

Campsite

Camp around the Malga Moschesin shelter.

People dining on a terrace with red flowers, overlooking a mountainous landscape with rugged peaks and green valleys.
Two hikers, one standing and one sitting, on a mountain trail with a backdrop of rugged snow-capped mountains and glaciers.
A black cow standing on a grassy hill with mountains and a partly cloudy sky in the background.
Two hikers with backpacks walking along a mountain trail with rocky peaks and a blue sky with clouds in the background.
A stone cairn with a white rock on top, next to a yellow trail sign with directions and information, situated in a grassy outdoor area.
A hillside landscape with green grass and purple wildflowers, old wooden beams, and stone ruins in the foreground, and a sloping mountain in the background.

Day 9 - Malga Moschesin shelter to La Muda (End)

Top Tips

  • After finishing at La Muda, you can catch the Line 1 (BELLUNO - AGORDO) bus to Belluno which comes every hour and costs about 4 EUR. Tickets can be purchased onboard.

Food

Breakfast

Lunch

Evening Meal

  • Plenty of restaurants on Belluno.

Campsite

Sadly, there are no campsites in the area but there are plenty of hotels. Book early to secure a reasonable deal.

People dining outdoors on a mountain terrace with views of green, rocky, and rugged mountain peaks under a partly cloudy sky.
Two people with backpacks resting on a mountain top, with a rugged mountain range in the background.
A black cow standing on a grassy hill with mountains in the background and a partly cloudy sky.
Two hikers with backpacks walking on a grassy trail in a mountainous landscape with rocky peaks, some snow patches, clouds, and blue sky.
A stone trail sign with yellow markers on a stone pillar, indicating a direction towards Villair, 1,325 meters away, with an estimated walking time of 2 hours and 10 minutes.
A scenic mountain landscape with green grassy hills, pink wildflowers, and abandoned wooden and stone structures.

Day N - Belluno

Things to do

In Belluno City

  • Piazza dei Martiri (Campedel) - The main square for relaxing and people-watching.

  • Palazzo dei Rettori & Piazza Duomo - Admire Renaissance architecture.

  • Basilica Cattedrale di San Martino - Visit the cathedral with its Baroque bell tower.

  • Museo Civico (Palazzo Fulcis) - Explore art and history in a beautiful palace.

  • MiM Belluno - Learn about local migration history.

  • Chiesa di Santo Stefano - A historic church to visit.

Revisit Cortina

  • Cortina is just a short bus ride away. If you have some extra days to spare, you can tackle the great hikes or challenge yourself with the many via ferratas.

  • The simplest way to get there is to use the local buses ran by Dolomiti Bus; Line 9 (BELLUNO - CALALZO) and then transfer for Line 30 (CALALZO - CORTINA).

Explore Venice

  • Many take the opportunity to head back into proper civilisation and explore the world famous floating city.

  • Don’t forget that you can use bag minding services so that you don’t have to lug the backpack around town. Prices range between 15 to 20 EUR depending on the size of the bag(s) and the duration. <Insert a few links here>

Getting home

  • Easiest way to get back to Venice is by train which takes 2 hours and will about 10.00EUR. The two main stops you will need are:

    • Santa Lucia (Venice City Center).

    • Venice Mestre (An affordable place to stay near Venice town center).

  • To get from Venice to Marco Polo airport, it is an easy 30min bus ride which will cost a further 10 EUR. For the more adventurous or aquatic inclined, you can also take the Alilaguna water bus for 15 EUR. More information can be found in this guide.

People dining on a terrace overlooking a mountainous landscape with green forests and rocky peaks.
Two hikers, a woman standing and a man sitting, on a mountain ridge with a snow-capped mountain in the background.
A black cow standing on a grassy hill with mountain peaks and a partly cloudy sky in the background.
Two hikers with backpacks walking on a grassy trail in a mountainous landscape with rocky peaks and snow patches, blue sky, and few clouds.
A stone pillar with a yellow trail sign attached, indicating a hiking route to Villair, 1.325 meters away, taking approximately 2 hours and 10 minutes, with an arrow pointing to the right.
A hillside with green grass, purple wildflowers, and stone and wooden structures.

Helpful Links

Booking site for multiple rifugios - https://www.suedtirol.info/en/en/accommodation/plp-accommodations

Great guide for camping on the first half - https://medium.com/@ruinadd/5-days-in-alta-via-1-with-a-tent-d39752aa940

Sample route - https://www.alltrails.com/explore/custom-routes/map-aug-24-09-53-pm-fcd4c88

Handful of guides to hiking the Alta Via 1

Getting to and from Venice and Marco Polo airport - https://www.vivovenetia.com/marco-polo-airport-in-venice-an-essential-guide/

Terms of Use

A quick but important note for all visitors: we do our best to share high-quality, accurate information, but it’s always possible that we’ve missed something or that conditions have changed. All GPS tracks (GPX files and maps) and route suggestions are meant to be used as general guidelines—not exact instructions.

chalkypeaks.com and its contributors are not liable for any personal injury, property damage, or other incidents that may occur while hiking or following this route or any route on the site.

If you choose to hike this trail, you do so entirely at your own risk. Always use your own judgment, follow local laws, keep yourself and others safe, and practice Leave No Trace principles.

Your Questions, Answered

  • Excluding flights, you can expect to pay between 600GBP to 800GBP. The main thing which will cause costs will be food and drinks. Expect to pay between 20 and 30EUR per meal at refuges.