Holidays in Corvara & Colfosco

On an Inghams walking holiday, you have the freedom to explore the area at your own pace. Make each day a new adventure, with as much or as little walking as you like.

Why we love walking in Corvara & Colfosco

When you’re up in the Dolomite mountains, everywhere you look is absolutely incredible – from walking at sunrise or sunset and catching the famous 'enrosadira', when the sun hits the peaks in such away that they emanate a pinky-orange glow, to stopping off for a typical Tyrolean lunch in a rustic mountain hut. Whether you’re new to walking, and just love strolling through the sublime mountain setting, taking in the gravity of nature, or you’re an expert hiker looking to scale challenging peaks and push yourself to the limit in pursuit of a rare viewpoint, Corvara & Colfosco have got you covered. It’s this variety of landscapes, trails and rich food that makes us come back to this area again and again.

Cable Cars

All of our hotels are within walking distance to a nearby cable car, all but one within a five minute walk away, making it easy to head up into the mountains and start walking straight away. In the summer, lifts open from mid-June until early October. The Alta Badia official website has the most up to date information about the opening times of the main lifts in the area.

Buses

The buses are a useful and affordable way of hopping from place to place in the Alta Badia. If you use your free guest card, local buses are free (not applicable to the private Cortina Express bus), so they're a great option. To get from Corvara to Colfosco, all you have to do is take the no. 460 bus which takes under 10 minutes, or if you’re a foodie then head slightly further to the resort of San Cassiano on the 465 bus which takes around 25 minutes.

Cascate del Pisciadu

Walking from Corvara to Colfosco through grassy meadows, which are lovely underfoot and through shaded woodlands. You’ll cross bridges over streams and listen to the gentle trickling of the water as you head to the bottom of the dominating Sella Massif, the Dolomite mountain range that towers above you, in contrast to the gentle meadows and streams you’ll pass on the way! This is where you’ll find the Pisciadú waterfall which rushes down over the mountain rocks. This is a gentle walk, ideal for families, or just a relaxed moment to enjoy the nature surrounding you.

• Grade: Easy-Moderate
• Distance: 3.7km (walking time approx. 1 hour 10 minutes)
• Ascent and descent: 204 metres (ascent) 14 metres (descent)
• Terrain: asphalt surfaces, woodland, meadows

Sass da Ciampac Circumnavigation

See the Dolomites from a totally different perspective on this circular walk. Not as the lush green coated mountain range that you see in pictures but from the top you’ll experience the striking, rocky side of this mountain range; almost as if you’ve hopped on a space shuttle and landed on the moon! This is a great walk if you want to experience the ‘Dolomite Giants’, the Sella Group, the Mittag Valley, Puez Group, Sassongher, Sasso Croce Group, Lavarella, Conturines, Lagazuoi and Val Gardena and Val Badia. See how the landscape changes as you head from the grassy meadows of Corvara and the Gardena Pass and up to the Sass da Ciampac, down into the picturesque Edelweiss Valley.

• Grade: Moderate-Challenging
• Distance: 13km (walking time approx. 5 hours 30 mins)
• Ascent and descent: 950 metres
• Terrain: dirt tracks, forested paths, curated paths, roads
• Getting there: Taking a taxi to the starting point of the walk at the Passo Gardena takes approx. 15 minutes

Lake Crespeina

Walk all the way up to the Crespeina Plateau at 2,370 metres to visit the Crespeina lake which puddles between Val Gardena and Val Badia. The lake has a legendary past and in Ladin folklore is believed to have been the place where a dragon unleashed his wrath on the lake and surrounding area. You’ll also come across another lake during this walk, Lake Ciampaise. On a good day, the lake will be full of crystal clear mountain water, but it does have periods where it dries out – so it’ll be a matter of luck!

• Grade: Moderate-Challenging
• Distance: 9km (walking time approx. 4 hours)
• Ascent and descent: 450 metres (ascent) 930 metres (decent)
• Terrain: dirt tracks, forested paths, natural paths, curated paths, asphalt surfaces
• Getting there: Taking a taxi to the starting point of the walk at the Passo Gardena Car Park takes approx. 15 minutes

Recommended equipment

Suitable walking shoes with good grip, appropriate clothing, rain jacket, sun cream, insect repellent, sun glasses, rucksack, at least a litre of water, a re-usable water bottle, a snack and cash. You may find walking poles useful.

Walking maps

For an idea of the walking trails in the area check out this digital walking trail map from the Alta Badia official website.

Walking guidelines

The mountains are a natural paradise, with lots to explore and discover. To help it stay that way, and remain an enjoyable and safe place for everyone, we recommend following our little list of do's and don'ts:

• Plan your route well and don't over-estimate yourself
• Check the weather forecast
• Tell someone where you're planning to walk and what time you're expecting to be back
• Take all the recommended equipment
• Make a note of emergency numbers:
  • Italian Emergency Services: 112
• Don't leave the marked trails or go onto a glacier without a guide
• Let nature stay wild by not picking flowers (it's illegal in some places) or getting close to/making contact with wild animals
• Always leave gates as you found them and don't climb over fences
• Leave no trace

Check out our Responsible Walking insider guide if you want more tips for your summer walking holiday.

The Dolomiti SuperSummer card is useful if you’re looking to really take advantage of the walking trails and use several ski lifts throughout the Dolomite area. It gives you access to 120 lifts in the region. The card can be purchased in resort; ask your resort representative for advice on the best version of the card to suit your needs. For more information visit the Dolomiti Supersummer official website.

The card includes access to:

120 lifts in the Dolomites area
Included bike transport on lifts

For a 3 day card the cost is:

€120 per adult
€84 for children under 16 years

For a 5 day card the cost is:

€160 per adult
€112 for children under 16 years

Concessions:

Children under 8 years can access the card for free if accompanied by an adult who has purchased the pass

Prices are accurate at the time of publishing, for up to date pricings visit the Dolomiti Supersummer official website.

When staying in any of our hotels in Corvara, Colfosco and La Villa you'll have access to a free Guest Card.

The Guest Card includes:

• Free use of most public buses in the Alta Badia region (not applicable to the private Cortina Express bus)
• Free use of most local trains in the Alta Badia region

For more information on the card and how to access it, please ask your local representative in resort.

Corvara & Colfosco are home to two nature parks, both part of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The Puez-Geisler and Fanes-Senes-Braies parks provide miles of opportunities for exploring various walking trails in the summer. With stunning mountain views, wildflowers and geological places of interest, it's a great choice for your next holiday in the mountains. 

Go on a day out and head to the town of La Villa, just up the road. Potter around the pretty village and grab a bite to eat and a drink next to Sompunt Lake. On your way back, visit the 16th century Colz Castle. This impressive building has a rich history and makes for a great photo opportunity with the Dolomites in the background.  

Traditional food & drink in the Dolomites

In typical Italian fashion, you’ll be spoilt for choice when it comes to eating out around Corvara & Colfosco. Alta Badia is one of the best regions in the Dolomites for gastronomy and whether you fancy a casual pizza or a Michelin-starred meal, you’ll find it here. Local food is the star of the show in most restaurants, so make sure you try speck (cured meats) as well as the local cheeses and other dairy products. On a warm summer's day we love grabbing lunch in a mountain hut– they tend to have the best views of the jagged Dolomite peaks. If you’re celebrating a special occasion, then book a table at La Stüa de Michil in Hotel La Perla– it’s been awarded a Michelin star for its food.

Walking adventures and outdoor activities

Walking is one of the main attractions in the Alta Badia– there are so many trails to choose from thanks to the national parks; this is the perfect place if you want a range of trails to explore on your summer holiday. We recommend the Cascate del Pisciadu walk, it's about eight kilometres long, starting in Corvara and out towards the woods before ending at a beautiful waterfall. Other activities in the area range from a game of tennis to a round of golf; Corvara has one of the most scenic golf courses you'll ever see (Golf Club Alta Badia) with a dramatic Dolomite backdrop, so, if golfing is up your street, make sure you scope it out.

Exploring La Villa

The delightful mountain village of La Villa is just under 10 minutes from Corvara and is where the Hotel La Villa is located. There's lots to explore in La Villa and best of all, you'll be surrounded by the UNESCO World Heritage Puez-Odle and Fanes-Senes-Braies Nature Parks, which are perfect for a walking holiday. All you have to do is jump on the Gardenacia chair lift and you'll find yourself immersed in fantastic landscapes. This is the best place to go and experience the famous local phenomenon of Enrosadira- watch the Fanes-Dolomite mountains transform from grey to a deep crimson at sunrise and sunset.

Corvara and Colfosco are great for families who love being outdoors! If you’re looking for activities for all ages this is a great area to visit; teenagers can try out more adventurous activities such as para-gliding while the little ones have fun in one of the local play areas and nature parks.

Family activities

In Corvara and Colfosco there are lots of fun summer activities to try out including: ice-skating, climbing, tennis and archery. They also have big play areas with paddling pools and deck chairs. For teenagers, why not try a more thrill-seeking activity such as tandem paragliding over the mountainous terrain; there's no better way to take in the views!

Adventure Park Colfosco's a great place to head for a family day out. Its high ropes courses of various levels are immersed in wooded nature and will keep children entertained for hours. If climbing indoors is more your speed then head to Corvara's boulder centre, an indoor rock climbing centre.

Fantastic for biking

This area is really well set up for biking with over 350 routes to choose from, so there’s plenty of choice if you want an easier child friendly route or a challenging ‘thrill- seeking teenager’ route. If you just want to stick to going down the mountains, then it's easy to jump on a lift and enjoy the descent back down, clocking up the miles as you go.

Family nature walks

If your family love nature, then the Movimënt dles ês programme in Corvara is not to be missed. It's a nature project which teaches all age groups about the importance of bees within our eco-system, through interactive experiences and fun signposting, as you walk through a nature park. These projects are fantastic opportunities to get children engaged with nature and learning about the importance of preserving it for generations to come.