Hike, Bike and Raft in the Dolomites

The Dolomites are known for changeable mountain weather; you can experience sun, wind, and rain all in a single day. Your guides are experts in the region and will adapt the route if needed to ensure safety and enjoyment. In case of really adverse conditions, hikes may be shortened, swapped for lower-altitude routes, or days of the itinerary reshuffled.

Dobbiaco and the Val Pusteria area sit close to some of the Dolomites' best-known landmarks, so it naturally draws more visitors, especially in July and August. To help you find space and serenity on the trails, your guide may plan early starts, and you'll follow a more challenging variant of the classic Tre Cime route, avoiding the crowds for most of the hike (except around Rifugio Locatelli). Rafting is a generally quiet experience by comparison, rarely busy. The bike ride to Lienz follows a family-friendly route that can get busier in peak summer, so it's scheduled on a weekday and, depending on crowd levels, may also start early to stay ahead of the bike traffic.

You'll be led by one experienced, English-speaking hiking guide throughout the week. The guides are fully qualified and know the area well. Group size is capped at 12 travellers, ensuring an atmosphere where everyone can move at a steady, comfortable pace. On the rafting day, you'll be led by specialist rafting guides, and on the cycling day, an additional local support guide joins groups of 9+ people. No further support crew is required, as this trip is hotel-based and all daily logistics (transfers etc.) are pre-arranged and managed by your host and guide.

Since this is a hotel-based trip, you’ll have a permanent base for your luggage throughout. Just bring a comfortable daypack for your essentials (water, snacks, layers, camera, etc.) during each activity.

The local tap water is safe to drink. Please bring along your own reusable water bottles (at least 2L) to fill up at the mountain huts to avoid buying single-use plastic bottles.

The bike day uses comfortable, unisex aluminium-frame city bikes with SHIMANO NEXUS 7-speed gears, V-brakes, and front suspension – well suited to the easy, mostly flat, paved terrain of the Drava Cycle Path. Helmets and baskets will also be provided.

On some days, you’ll set off directly from your hotel, while on others you’ll reach the trailheads by private minivan or public bus, with short transfers of between 15–40 minutes.

At Much Better Adventures, we work hard to accommodate dietary requirements and allergies so your trip is safe, inclusive and enjoyable. That said, options can vary by country, location and accommodation, and in some places options may be limited or unavailable. The information below has been provided by your host so you’re fully informed about what will be possible on your trip depending on your individual requirements. This information should be read carefully prior to your trip to ensure that you are adequately prepared for the situation ‘on the ground’.

Once you have booked on your trip, please fill out your passenger information form as soon as possible with any dietary requirements. Once you complete your passenger information, your dietary needs and any allergies are automatically shared with your host and, in turn, your guide. Please submit this as early as possible so they can plan accordingly and deliver the best experience. Please also remind your guide about your dietary requirements upon arrival, as mentioning these in person allows your guide to comprehend individual preferences and limitations as soon as you arrive.

SPECIAL DIETS

Vegetarian
Vegetarian diets can usually be accommodated provided your host is informed in advance. Please note that choice in the mountain huts is limited; meals may be simpler and less varied than at lower-altitude accommodation.

Vegan
Vegan diets can often be accommodated if your host is informed well in advance, although options in the mountain huts are likely to be limited. Meals may be repetitive and lower in protein, as traditional cuisine relies heavily on meat, cheese and dairy products. We strongly recommend bringing protein bars and other suitable snacks to supplement your diet.

Kosher
Fully certified Kosher kitchens and supervision are rare and usually cannot be guaranteed, unless expressly confirmed in advance by your host. Vegetarian options can often be the most reliable alternative if this is acceptable to you. Please read the related sections above.

Halal
Certified Halal supply will not be possible during the trip. Vegetarian options can often be the most reliable alternative if this is acceptable to you. Please read the related sections above.

INTOLERANCES

Gluten-free (for Coeliac, please see Allergies section below)
Gluten-free diets can usually be accommodated provided your host is informed well in advance. However, choice in the mountain huts may be limited, and gluten-free alternatives may not always be available for every meal. If you have Coeliac disease or rely on specific gluten-free products, we recommend bringing some supplementary products from home.

Lactose-free
Lactose-free diets can be catered for on this trip, provided that your host is made aware in advance.

ALLERGIES

Our host has confirmed that they are able to accommodate mild allergies to the 14 allergens (opens in new tab) identified by the UK Food Standards Agency, where these are disclosed in advance. However, if you have a severe or life-threatening food allergy, please get in touch with our Customer Experience team prior to booking, to discuss whether your requirements can be accommodated safely on this trip. This will allow us to carefully consider the sensitivity and severity of your allergy, the available provision on the trip and the accessibility of medical care should a reaction occur. Your safety is always our top priority. Please note that when travelling overseas, local ingredients, food preparation methods and labelling standards may vary, particularly in remote areas. It is also worth noting that any allergies may result in more limited options and repetitive provision in some areas. Whilst your guide will help communicate dietary requirements where possible, customers remain responsible for managing their own allergies during the trip. Please note that meals are prepared in small shared kitchens within remote mountain huts, where cross-contamination cannot be completely eliminated.

Sure can! Over 70% of our travellers travel solo, it’s a great way to meet like-minded people.

Our team of Adventure Hunters co-create exclusive adventures which are run by highly vetted, specialist hosts. The trip is run by our trusted host partner in the destination. We only work with independent, local, in-destination experts who know the very best places to explore and how to stay safe. Read more information about the local teams we partner with (opens in new tab). You’ll be introduced to the host straight after making a booking via the Much Better Adventures platform.

Much Better Adventures refer to the UK Government’s official travel advice when designing trips and monitoring trip operations. We recommend that all customers are familiar with the practical information provided on the Government’s FCDO website (opens in new tab), where current travel advice can be found by searching for the applicable destination(s).

For customers joining this trip from other international destinations – please also read the official travel advice applicable to your country of residence/origin, as this may differ.

We recommend checking out the country-specific information (opens in new tab) and also talking to a travel nurse.

We automatically convert prices from the local currency that a host receives to your chosen currency. We update our exchange rates on a daily basis so this does mean that prices displayed on the site are subject to currency fluctuations, which is why you may see them change over time.

If you wish to change the currency you pay in, head to the bottom of the page.

All of our group adventures are specially designed for adults to enjoy as we want these adventures to bring together outdoorsy people who are truly like-minded. You must be over 18 to join one of our trips.

You're always in good company on one of our adventures.

Our trips are typically made up of a mixture of solo travellers and small groups of 2 or 3 friends, with most in their 30s-50s.

Our sociable adventures are solo-friendly by design and naturally attract outdoorsy people with a shared mindset; a love for adventure, a desire to push themselves and meet awesome, like-minded people along the way. Check out our Community Values (opens in new tab) – a shared code to make sure that everyone's experience is safe, inclusive and brilliantly unforgettable.

It’s this camaraderie that has so often turned a great adventure into a life-changing one.

Don't just take our word for it:

• 95% of people rate the group dynamics on our trips 5/5
• 90% of people recommend joining a trip to make new friends
• 75% of people have met people on our trips that they would now consider friends

See here (opens in new tab) for more info about the Much Better Adventures tribe.

This trip runs from June to September, when weather conditions in the Dolomites are more favourable for the outdoor activities included in this trip. Val Pusteria sees classic Alpine summers: warm days and cool nights. June can be unsettled, with daytime temperatures at altitude around 12-20ºC (54-68ºF). July and August are the hottest, driest months, with valley temperatures reaching 25-29ºC (77-84ºF), cooling to 15-20ºC (59-68ºF) higher up the trails. September tends to bring the most stable hiking weather, with daytime temperatures around 10-15ºC (50-59ºF) at altitude. Afternoon thunderstorms are possible in any summer month, so pack layers and a waterproof shell whichever month you travel.