How many days does the Alta Via 1 take?

I did it in 7 days with 6 nights in huts, about 75 miles. If you haven't done back-to-back mountain days with a pack, plan on 9 or 10 days.

When is the best time to hike the Alta Via 1?

July to September. The huts open mid to late June and most close between about September 20 and 27. August is the busiest month, and I went September 14 to 20 when the south end was quiet.

Where do you sleep on the Alta Via 1?

In huts, every night. Wild camping is prohibited in the Dolomiti Bellunesi National Park and restricted in the other protected areas, so you don't need a tent. Book months ahead; some huts open next year's bookings in October or November.

How do you get to the start of the Alta Via 1?

Fly into Venice and take a bus to Cortina d'Ampezzo, about 2 hours. From Cortina, bus 445 goes to Dobbiaco and bus 442 to Lago di Braies. Arrive the day before you start.

How do you get back from the end of the Alta Via 1?

From the La Pissa bus stop, Dolomiti Bus line 1 goes to Belluno in about 26 minutes, line 9 or the train goes on to Longarone, and Cortina Express runs from Longarone to Venice airport.

Dolomites, Italy · 7 days · 75 miles

Alta Via 1 Hiking Guide

7 days hut to hut through the Dolomites.

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Real pages from the guide. Tap one to see it big.

A day page
A day map and elevation profile
At a glance
What I paid

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The route

My GPS recording of 7 days on a relief map. The numbers are where each day starts; the red dot is the finish. The full GPX files and the day maps come with the guide.

Relief map of the Alta Via 1 route: 7 days drawn in red with numbered day starts, labelled Lago di Braies, La Pissa, Punta Penia, Lagazuoi, Rifugio Vazzoler and Rifugio Bianchet. — Map data: Terrain: Mapzen Terrain Tiles (EU-DEM, SRTM) on AWS · Glaciers, rivers & lakes © OpenStreetMap contributors

At a glance

Days: 7 days
Distance: 75 miles
Climbing: About 21,800 ft (6,650 m) up
Season: July to September
Route: Lago di Braies to La Pissa bus stop

What's inside

All seven days. Distance, climbing, time to allow, trail numbers, food and water, hut notes, where to get off the trail, and links to that day in my film.
A map and elevation profile for every day. Plus an overview of the whole route and a close-up of the Nuvolau detour.
GPX files. One for each day and one for the full route, from my own recording. Load them into AllTrails, Gaia GPS, Garmin or Organic Maps.
The huts. Phone numbers, websites, seasons and 2026 prices for every hut on the route and the 10-day plan, which ones take cash only, and how I booked mine.
Getting there and home. Venice airport to Lago di Braies and La Pissa back to Venice, with 2026 bus lines and times.
What I paid. My real costs, plus a budget for booking the huts yourself.
Straight answers. Fitness, when to go, what to do if huts are full, phone signal, going solo, cash and cards.
A one-page trip sheet. The whole itinerary and the buses on one printable page.

About this trip

Everything from my September 2025 hike, from Lago di Braies to La Pissa, in one guide you can keep on your phone. Day-by-day stats and maps, the huts and how I booked them, the buses in and out, what I spent, and GPX files for every day.

Watch the film on YouTube (196K views).

Gear for this route

Paid links: I earn a commission if you buy through these links, at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

No tent, stove or sleeping bag on this route: every night is in a hut. Here's what I carried in 2025, what I'd add now, and the camera gear behind the film.

What I carried in 2025

PackHyperlite Mountain Gear Waypoint 35 Hyperlite35 liters was plenty with a hut every night.
ShoesOboz Katabatic LT Low GTX AmazonThey were flawless, with zero blisters or grip issues over the entire 75 miles. Oboz sponsored my film of this trip.
Sun shirtPATH Projects Pyrenees T19 Hoodie PATH ProjectsThe climb to the last pass on Day 6 was by far the hottest part of the trip.
FleeceSenchi Designs A90 Half Zip HoodieGreat to have on the trail, and so cozy.Similar: PATH Projects Lomond Hoodie PATH Projects
PuffyArc’teryx Cerium Hoody Arc’teryxFor evenings outside the huts.
Rain shellArc’teryx Beta AR Jacket Arc’teryxDay 2 ended in fog at Lagazuoi, and Day 3 started with rain.
ShortsTerritory Run Co. Long Haul ShortI wore the same pair the entire hike.Similar: PATH Projects Sykes PX Short PATH Projects
SocksPATH Projects Joyner Crew Sock PATH ProjectsThe same pair the entire hike, too.
HeadlampNitecore NU20 Classic Amazon
Power bankNitecore NB20000 AmazonKept my phone and camera going between huts.
Watera filter water bladderI filled it at Rifugio Coldai on Day 4.

What I'd add now

Sleeping-bag linerNaturehike ZY20 Sleeping Bag Liner AmazonRequired at Città di Fiume, and most huts ask for one. Mine is 4.5 ounces and goes in the wash.
Hut shoesCrocs Classic Clog AmazonEvery hut had slippers to borrow, but I regretted not bringing my own.
Water filterKatadyn BeFree AC · 1L AmazonTap water isn't drinkable at Città di Fiume or Nuvolau. This is the filter I carry now.
NavigationAllTrails+ AllTrails · 30% offI loaded my own route for each day and downloaded it offline. Offline maps need the paid plan.
Phone dataAiralo eSIM Airalo · $3 offMobile data in Italy without a SIM swap. Expect little or no signal between huts.

Filming kit

What I filmed this trip with in 2025. My setup is smaller now (below). Check the drone rules in Straight answers before you fly: drones are banned in parts of this route.

CameraSony ZV-E1 Amazon
LensSony FE PZ 16-35mm f/4 G AmazonThat white mark in some shots is light hitting a ding on my lens from a fall in Pakistan.
DroneDJI Air 3 Amazon now the Air 3SI used its 70 mm telephoto camera to compress the mountains behind a subject.
TripodSmallRig Carbon Fiber Tripod AmazonFor the walk-past shots: set it up, walk back, walk past, then go back for it.
Tripod headJoby BallHead 3K (now the 3K PRO) AmazonI swap the SmallRig's head for this one.
Wrist strapPeak Design Cuff Wrist Strap Amazon

What I film with now

Since September 2026 I film with a smaller setup: the Pocket 4 and the Mic 3 on the trail, and the Mini 5 Pro in the air.

CameraDJI Osmo Pocket 4 Amazon
MicDJI Mic 3 · 1 TX + 1 RX AmazonIt pairs with the Pocket 4.
DroneDJI Mini 5 Pro Amazon

Everything I carry now: my gear page.

The Day 2, Pederü to Lagazuoi page from the Alta Via 1 Hiking Guide

Free sample + packing list

Try Day 2 free, plus my packing list

Pederü to Lagazuoi

The whole day page from the guide as a PDF, plus my hut-to-hut packing list: the 35 things I carry, with a note on each, and this route's own list on top. The PDF opens right away and both come by email. You'll also get my emails about new guides and trips, a few a year.

The details

Format: A 59-page PDF sized for a phone (A5, prints fine too) and a folder of GPX files, in one zip download.
Edition: 2027 season edition, updated October 2026.
Delivery: Instant. After you pay you get a private download link. Bookmark it to download again on any device.
Payment: Secure checkout through Stripe, in your own currency. Tax is included in the price, except in the US and Canada, where any sales tax is added at checkout.
Refunds: Not useful? Email me within 30 days for a refund: kraig@kraigadams.com.
Questions: Email kraig@kraigadams.com.

Questions

How many days does the Alta Via 1 take?: I did it in 7 days with 6 nights in huts, about 75 miles. If you haven't done back-to-back mountain days with a pack, plan on 9 or 10 days.
When is the best time to hike the Alta Via 1?: July to September. The huts open mid to late June and most close between about September 20 and 27. August is the busiest month, and I went September 14 to 20 when the south end was quiet.
Where do you sleep on the Alta Via 1?: In huts, every night. Wild camping is prohibited in the Dolomiti Bellunesi National Park and restricted in the other protected areas, so you don't need a tent. Book months ahead; some huts open next year's bookings in October or November.
How do you get to the start of the Alta Via 1?: Fly into Venice and take a bus to Cortina d'Ampezzo, about 2 hours. From Cortina, bus 445 goes to Dobbiaco and bus 442 to Lago di Braies. Arrive the day before you start.
How do you get back from the end of the Alta Via 1?: From the La Pissa bus stop, Dolomiti Bus line 1 goes to Belluno in about 26 minutes, line 9 or the train goes on to Longarone, and Cortina Express runs from Longarone to Venice airport.

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