Cross country skiing holiday in the Dolomites, Italy
| country: | Italy |
| location: | Dolomites |
| trip type: | A small group adventure |
| departures: | 2008: 20 Dec, 27 Dec 2009: 3 Jan, 10 Jan, 17 Jan, 24 Jan, 31 Jan, 7 Feb, 14 Feb, 21 Feb, 28 Feb, 7 Mar |
| price: | From £695 - £795 (8 days) including flights from the UK or from £535 - £615 excluding flights. £100 optional single supplement. Minimum age 14. |
the amazing things you'll be doing
Excellent track skiing in the spectacular northern Dolomites. Over the years Dobbiaco has become one of our most popular centres - and justifiably so. A lively and picturesque town at about 1200m, it is set amid the unique scenery of the Dolomites, the famously beautiful range of jagged peaks in northeast Italy.
This region of Alta Pusteria is close to the Austrian border where German is spoken as much as Italian, and the region’s towns and villages have names in both languages (Dobbiaco becomes Toblach in German). The range of cross-country tracks here is almost unrivalled in Italy. Along the wide valley floor east and west of Dobbiaco there is easy skiing for many kilometres - great for beginners.
A little more challenging is the track that leads south to Cortina d’Ampezzo, a memorable route, passing under the triple rock buttresses of the imposing Tre Cime di Lavaredo. The Sexten and Prags valleys offer a choice of undulating routes in typical Dolomites scenery. To the south the high Plätzwiese plateau has some superb routes at about 2000m.
Optional activities include downhill skiing at San Candido, self-guided snowshoeing and a day trip to see the remains of Otzi the famous 'ice-man' in Bolzano.
Accommodation: 3 star hotel. This fine hotel has been welcoming our groups for many years. The attractive building is traditionally styled, but with the advantages of a small swimming pool, a sauna, and a beauty treatment room (treatments not included). An ample buffet breakfast prepares us for the exertions of the day ahead. The excellent evening meals draw equally on Italian and Austrian traditions. After dinner you can relax in the lounge or go through to the bar for a drink with the locals. Single, double and twin-bedded rooms all have shower and w.c. and are comfortably furnished.
Trip details: Price includes return flights from Gatwick to Innsbruck, airport transfers (group flights only), 7 nights half board, Loipe pass - 6 days of ski instruction/guiding and ski hire and one cross-country ski leader per grade. Minimum group size is 7 people (average max group size is 14 people per leader). Minimum age is 14 years. Multi-grade skiing available each week (either grades 1 & 2 or grades 2 & 3, depending on departure date). Grade 1 (beginners) and grade 2 (intermediates) weeks will be mostly track skiing. Grade 3 weeks (advanced) will have some off-track routes.
This region of Alta Pusteria is close to the Austrian border where German is spoken as much as Italian, and the region’s towns and villages have names in both languages (Dobbiaco becomes Toblach in German). The range of cross-country tracks here is almost unrivalled in Italy. Along the wide valley floor east and west of Dobbiaco there is easy skiing for many kilometres - great for beginners.
A little more challenging is the track that leads south to Cortina d’Ampezzo, a memorable route, passing under the triple rock buttresses of the imposing Tre Cime di Lavaredo. The Sexten and Prags valleys offer a choice of undulating routes in typical Dolomites scenery. To the south the high Plätzwiese plateau has some superb routes at about 2000m.
Optional activities include downhill skiing at San Candido, self-guided snowshoeing and a day trip to see the remains of Otzi the famous 'ice-man' in Bolzano.
Accommodation: 3 star hotel. This fine hotel has been welcoming our groups for many years. The attractive building is traditionally styled, but with the advantages of a small swimming pool, a sauna, and a beauty treatment room (treatments not included). An ample buffet breakfast prepares us for the exertions of the day ahead. The excellent evening meals draw equally on Italian and Austrian traditions. After dinner you can relax in the lounge or go through to the bar for a drink with the locals. Single, double and twin-bedded rooms all have shower and w.c. and are comfortably furnished.
Trip details: Price includes return flights from Gatwick to Innsbruck, airport transfers (group flights only), 7 nights half board, Loipe pass - 6 days of ski instruction/guiding and ski hire and one cross-country ski leader per grade. Minimum group size is 7 people (average max group size is 14 people per leader). Minimum age is 14 years. Multi-grade skiing available each week (either grades 1 & 2 or grades 2 & 3, depending on departure date). Grade 1 (beginners) and grade 2 (intermediates) weeks will be mostly track skiing. Grade 3 weeks (advanced) will have some off-track routes.
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1: | Fly from Gatwick to Innsbruck and transfer by road to Dobbiaco (approx 2 hours). |
| Day 2-7: | 6 days of cross-country skiing. |
| Day 8: | Return transfer to Innsbruck. Fly Innsbruck to Gatwick. |
small group adventure holiday
Typically you will be sharing your experiences with between 4-20 like minded travellers (depending on the trip, operator and how many others are booked on the trip) and you'll have a group leader with you. Whether you are travelling alone or with friends its good value, and a great way to meet new people! While itineraries are pre-planned there is some flexibility and you'll have plenty of privacy. This trip will appeal to travellers of all ages who enjoy meeting new people as well as seeing new places.how this holiday makes a difference
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Our cross-country skiing holidays in general avoid large alpine ski areas, and are less dependent on snow cannons, graded pistes and ski lifts, creating significantly less environmental impact than alpine skiing holidays. Using skis that are longer and lighter than alpine skis, our cross-country day tours explore the magical scenery and tranquillity of the natural winter environments. Journeys further afield use public transport as much as possible, and the local economy benefits from our groups purchasing supplies directly. Accommodation is in a family-owned hotel.
 We have teamed up with Friends of Conservation to support projects at Ranthambore, India, Nava Kiran Orphanage, Nepal and on the edge of the Masai Mara, Kenya. Water consumption in our UK office has been reduced by 30% since 2005, and the range of materials recycled by the office has been broadened. All electricity is supplied from renewable sources such as combined heat and power, and hydroelectric, and regular audits are carried out to compare our energy consumption with received benchmarks set up by the Carbon Trust. |
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