Premium: Hike the Italian Dolomites

The trip is based in Sexten (Sesto), a beautiful mountain village in the eastern Dolomites of South Tyrol, surrounded by meadows, forests and some of the region’s most spectacular peaks. It’s an excellent base for exploring the Tre Cime, Val Fiscalina and the wider Dolomites, while retaining the character of a traditional Alpine village. The hotel is set in a peaceful location just outside the village centre, with mountain views and hiking trails accessible directly from the door. When you’re not hiking, you can walk into Sexten to browse local shops, stop for a coffee or explore the village.

You’ll stay throughout at the 4-star Berghotel, a beautiful family-run hotel in a peaceful panoramic setting, surrounded by meadows and woodland in the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Dolomites. The hotel combines traditional Alpine character with a strong focus on sustainability, regional food and wellbeing. Its extensive wellness facilities include an indoor panoramic pool (29°C), heated outdoor panoramic pool (32°C), two outdoor whirlpools, a summer natural bathing pond, a seven-sauna area with Finnish, herbal, hay, infrared and Turkish steam saunas, an outdoor panoramic sauna beside the pond, Kneipp facilities and several relaxation areas with waterbeds, hanging beds and a room of silence. There’s also a Technogym fitness room, garden and sun terraces, a mountain library, cosy lounges, bar and wine cellar, as well as Zirm SPA & Badl which offers massages, beauty treatments and traditional treatments such as hay baths. Hiking equipment, including backpacks and poles, can be hired at the hotel.

The pools are open daily from 07:00–21:00, while the main sauna area is open from 14:00–19:30; one outdoor sauna is available 24 hours. The Zirm SPA is open from 12:30–20:00, making it particularly easy to fit some wellness time in after your hikes.

Sustainability is an important part of the hotel's philosophy: electricity comes from hydropower, hot water is supplied through biomass and solar energy, and the hotel uses energy-saving systems, local suppliers and measures to reduce waste and packaging. For full details of the hotel, facilities and services, see the Berghotel website (opens in new tab).

The Sexten and Val Pusteria area is home to some of the Dolomites’ best-known trails and landmarks, so the most popular routes can be busy, particularly in peak summer between July and August. The itinerary balances some iconic highlights with quieter trails and lesser-known routes, and may use early starts or alternative variants to help you experience the spectacular scenery away from the busiest crowds.

Most hikes start directly from the hotel, so there’s no need for transfers on three days of the trip. On the other two hiking days, you’ll travel by private vehicle to and from the trailheads. The only exception is a short public bus journey between Prato Piazza and Dobbiaco, as private vehicles cannot access the pick-up point during the day.

The hikes on this trip range from valley trails to high mountain viewpoints, with the highest point reaching around 2400m. Most days are spent between roughly 1300m and 2200m, so you’ll experience the full alpine environment – with cooler air, occasional snow patches early or late in the season, and spectacular views – but no altitude acclimatisation is required. The hikes remain within safe, accessible high-mountain levels.

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 replaced with scenic valley walks or cultural visits in nearby villages. Rest assured, you’ll still spend plenty of time outdoors exploring the incredible landscapes.

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. No additional support crew is required, as this trip is hotel-based and all daily logistics (transfers, luggage handling, 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.). Your main luggage stays securely at the hotels, ready for you when you return each afternoon.

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 asap 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 be accommodated provided your host is informed in advance.

Vegan
Vegan diets can be accommodated if your host is informed well in advance and the hotels will prepare a special vegan menu. However be aware that choices at the local huts for lunch may be more limited.

Kosher
Fully certified Kosher kitchens and supervision are rare and cannot be guaranteed. 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. The hotel offers some gluten-free products but is unable to guarantee separate preparation.

Lactose-free
Lactose-free diets can be catered for on this trip, and the hotel can provide specific lactose-free products.

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 the. hotel has advised they cannot accept responsibility for any potential cross-contamination, as they do not have a specialised kitchen.

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

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 hiking. Expect 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.