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Dolomites Ski Highlights

Italy
Available Departures: Jan, Feb

8 days from

US$2,560

without flights
Winter
Guided Group
CHALLENGING CHALLENGING

Centre based cross country skiing holiday in the Italian Dolomites

Trip Code: DSH
Holiday Grades
      1    

Our Holiday Grades Explained

To show the relative difficulty of our holidays, each trip is graded on a scale of 1 to 12, with 12 being the most challenging. Although we have tried to make our grading system as clear as possible, it cannot take into account your personal interests, abilities or experience. If you have any questions about the nature of a particular trip or its suitability for you, please read the 'Is this holiday for you?' section or contact us.

 1 - 3 LEISURELY
1 - 3 LEISURELY

Suitable for most people in good health, holidays at this grade include only limited amounts of activity.

View leisurely holidays
4 - 6 MODERATE
4 - 6 MODERATE

Suitable for reasonably fit individuals, such as weekend walkers and cyclists. There can be the occasional more difficult day.

View moderate holidays
7 - 9 CHALLENGING
7 - 9 CHALLENGING

Physically challenging holidays, where you need to be prepared before you go.

View challenging holidays
10 - 12 TOUGH
10 - 12 TOUGH

Our toughest holidays, involving many long days, often in isolated areas. A high level of fitness and previous wilderness and mountain experience is essential.

View Tough holidays

Dolomites Ski Highlights

Highlights
  • Ski the famous 'Gran Fondo' and 'Tour de Ski' race route
  • Enjoy centre based hotel accommodation with spa facilities
  • A full day skiing journey to the beautiful town of Cortina
  • Six days coaching from expert instructors to improve your technique
  • Ski through incredible mountain scenery

At a Glance
  • Group Size 5 to 8
  • 6 days cross country skiing
  • Join In Dobbiaco / Toblach

Accommodation & Meals
  • 7 Breakfasts
  • 7 Dinners
  • 7 nights Hotel
Overview

Based from the idyllic town of Dobbiaco in the South Tyrol, this one week holiday is the perfect way to advance your cross country skiing skills. This area - The Italian Dolomites, are a dream for cross country skiers! Imagine some of the world's most stunning and inspirational mountain scenery, with over 1000 km (625 miles) of expertly groomed cross country tracks. We have six full days of journeying through this incredible environment, accompanied by an expert instructor who will always be happy to help improve those skills, whilst also allowing everyone the freedom to ski at their own pace. One of the many highlights of the week is having the opportunity to ski part of the ‘Tour de Ski’ race route, all the way through to Cortina – a journey of approximately 27km, passing rocky gorges and through forests under the spires of the world famous Tre Cime, the Three Peaks. At the end of each day we return to our beautiful hotel, where you can visit the spa and sauna, or just relax with a drink in the cosy lounge before dinner (the food in this area is a wonderful fusion of Austrian and Italian).

Is this holiday for you?

On this holiday you should expect to ski on a mixture of both flat and rolling terrain on prepared cross country ski trails with parallel grooves. You should already be at a level where you are confident about controlling your speed and direction, and have a good ‘snowplough’. You should be able to cope with skiing under control on a variety of terrain both uphill, downhill including some s …

On this holiday you should expect to ski on a mixture of both flat and rolling terrain on prepared cross country ski trails with parallel grooves. You should already be at a level where you are confident about controlling your speed and direction, and have a good ‘snowplough’. You should be able to cope with skiing under control on a variety of terrain both uphill, downhill including some steeper terrain and narrow tracks and be confident about tackling corners while skiing downhill.

Instruction is included, but for these trips you need to have a good ‘kick and glide’ to be able to travel competently and at a steady pace. You should have a good level of fitness to ensure that you are comfortable with longer days in winter weather, which may include snowfall and cold winds. You should be happy to ski on a variety of snow including perfect fresh tracks, AND tracks less than perfect which may be ‘firm and icy’.  We do not always use skis with metal edges so it is important that you have good control on descents and while turning.

 

Ski hire is available locally and will cost approximately 56 Euros for the 6 days, you can upgrade to the top of the range for 65 Euros per week. We will be using 'classic' fish-scale track skis for this trip. If you have your own skis then either fish-scale or skintec skis are appropriate. We do not advise using waxing skis as the temperatures can fluctuated substantially during the course of the day. If you require to hire skis please note this on your booking form (or contact the KE office directly). Your ski pass will cost approximately 40-45 Euros for the week. This covers 900km of tracks in the Dolomites.

Why KE?

If you have already completed a cross-country skiing holiday, or joined KE’s Trolls Trail Cross-Country Ski Experience, then this holiday is the ideal place to progess your skills.

(If you are a begginer, take a look at KE's Italian Cross-Country Ski Break - the perfect holiday to start learning to cross-country ski).

Itinerary

The holiday starts at the group hotel in Dobbiaco, Italy, also know as Toblach. The Sud Tirol is predominantly German speaking, with Italian the second language. If arriving by bus/train be sure to check both names, Dobbiaco and Toblach. The hotels in Dobbiaco usually provide a free pick up service from the station.

Accommodation

Hotel

Meals

D

A lovely trip today into the remote Val di Fiscalina. We can begin our ski journey right in Dobbiaco making our way along the valley towards the village of San Candido where we turn up into the valley. Just after this we pass the very cosy Hotel Sole Pardiso beside the river and it normally means a coffee stop! This is a wonderful old hotel serving excellent apple strudel. The trail to the Val di Fiscalina climbs steadily all the way from San Candido, passing through larch forests and quaint hamlets. When we reach our destination at the head of the valley the cliffs and mountains are impressive to say the least. The good news is that there is a Rifugio, the Piano Fiscalino, serving great food, and an hotel at the end of the trail where we can stop for a break, before skiing back to our hotel in Dobbiaco.

Accommodation

Hotel

Meals

B D

This morning we begin with a 30 minute transfer to the famous Anterselva Valley, an idyllic side valley of the Puster Valley in South Tirol, which is also know by its German name of Antholzertal. The valley extends deep into the Rieserferner-Ahrn Nature Park and is on the sunny side of the mountains of Croda Nera-Schwarze Wand, and the Cima di Pianalto-Hochflachkofl. Down below, on the valley floor, the cross country ski trails of Niederrasen snake their way through the entire valley as far as the Lake Antholz at the end of the valley. In all there are 62km of cross country ski trails in the Anterselva and this will keep us busy for a while. The valley is known as a true cross-country ski paradise and is well known for its unspoiled landscape.

Accommodation

Hotel

Meals

B D

Today we have a 12km journey as we ski from Villabassa to the famous beauty spot of Lago di Braies. Without a doubt this is a stunning lakeside location surrounded as it is by spires and towers. It makes the ski along the valley well worth the effort. En route from Villabassa we can stop at Ferrara or San Vito for a morning coffee. If we are feeling fine then we can also ski the return journey back to our hotel and its spa! However, if you want to take it easy then you can use the local bus to travel back to Villabassa. Be prepared to bring your camera for the stunning Lago di Braies which is home to the Italian Curling Championships.

Accommodation

Hotel

Meals

B D

This wide and sunny Valle di Casies is perfectly suited for cross country skiing and enjoying the beautiful landscape all at the same time. The municipality of Casies is a really striking area which retains its traditional roots in agriculture. There are many farmsteads along the length of this valley, which becomes surrounded by mountains as we ski nearer to San Magdelena. Eventually, we see the foothills of the Vedrette di Ries and the Defregger Alps. We take a transfer to reach this ski area, and we normally ski from near the hamlet of Wiesen through and past ancient villages all the way to the hamlet of San Magdelena at the far end of the valley. Our morning coffee stop has sun loungers right by the tracks where we can take time to enjoy the ambiance. The 42km well prepared tracks offer something for all levels of skill and is the site of the famous 'Pustertaler Skimarathon' route. This really is a scenic day out, but then every day is.

Accommodation

Hotel

Meals

B D

Today we take the local bus up to the beautiful plateau of Prato Piazza. From here we have stunning views to the red cliffs of the Croda Rossa and the surrounding mountains. The tracks offer wonderful technical skiing with hills, bends, and flats, something for everyone. This is the day when our guests often choose to ski at their own pace in the morning, with a group meet up for lunch. Beside the tracks there is a cosy restaurant for the compulsory hot chocolate and apple strudel! If conditions are good we will be able to have a brilliant descent back down to the valley floor which promises to test your skills. We may even make our way down the long zig-zag track to the other side of the mountain to Carbonin and catch the bus back to our hotel. A proper day out with a journey!

Accommodation

Hotel

Meals

B D

The highlight of our week is when we journey to the 'Queen of the Dolomites' the lovely town of Cortina d'Ampezzo. We make our way up and along a valley trail known to cross country ski racers as the Gran Fondo which runs from Dobbiaco to Cortina. This route is also part of the World Cup 'Tour de Ski' race. We ski past lakes, through rocky gorges and forests under the spires of the world famous Tre Cime, the Three Peaks. The route is approximately 27km and this is a great opportunity to get the feel for a long 'journey' on skis. Cortina is the only Italian member of the prestigious 'Best of the Alps', a collection of the 12 most famous and exclusive Alpine resorts. The town was home to the 1956 Winter Olympics and has a long tradition of hosting sporting events.

Accommodation

Hotel

Meals

B D

Depart after breakfast. Transfers are not included.

Meals

B
Download Trip Notes
The Route
Point Point
Ski
Transfer
Trek

Essential Information

We've compiled some of our Frequently Asked Questions to help you learn more about this amazing trip.

  • 6 days with a Nordic Ski Instructor who is also an International Mountain Leader with the relevant qualifications required for that country
  • Hotel accommodation in Dobbiaco for 6 nights
  • All meals except lunches

  • Travel insurance
  • Lunches & Hillfood snacks
  • Equipment hire
  • Ski Passes
  • Miscellaneous personal expenses - drinks and souvenirs etc.

Airport transfers are not included on tihs holiday.

Travelling By Train:
It is possible to make the entire journey by train from the UK.
For planning train travel we recommend using Rail Europe and Trainline to book your tickets and plan routes.

For travelling by coach, large operators like Eurolines, Flixbus and Ouibus are reliable and inexpensive options.

By Air:
You can fly into Innsbruck, in Austria, and Venice or Verona, in Italy. Note that Austrian Airways will normally carry ski bags free of charge. We do, however, ask that you verify this yourself.

Innsbruck: take a free shuttle bus from the airport to Innsbruck central train station, a 15 minute journey leaving every 10 minutes. Take a train to Dobbiaco, also called Toblach, via Brennero/Brenner and Fortezza/Franzensfeste. Be aware that in the Dolomites/Sud Tirol all the towns and village have an Italian name and a German name. The train departs hourly for Brennero/Brenner, change here for Fortezza/Franzensfeste, then on to Dobbiaco/Toblach. The journey takes approximately 3h00, and the changes are every 30 minutes at Fortezza and Brennero. If your departure flight is too early for the first local train between Dobbiaco and Fortezza, then you can book a taxi at the hotel to take you directly to Fortezza.

Venice: (either Marco Polo or Treviso airports)Take either the Cortina Express or Flix bus to Cortina, and then change for the local bus to Dobbiaco. Our guests have reported that either route works well, and the journey is enjoyable.

Check out Rome2Rio for other options, including trains from Venice to Dobbiaco or even for the entire journey from the UK. Check www.sad.it for local trains to Dobbiaco.

7 Breakfasts and 7 Dinners are included.

Water from the taps is perfectly drinkable on this holiday - please use this to fill your personal bottles for your daily activities. We do not encourage the purchase of single-use plastic bottles.

We spend 7 nights at the family run 'Hotel Toblacherhof' in Dobbiaco. The hotel is right beside the cross country ski tracks, and a short walk from our ski hire shop. It is equal distance between the old heart of Dobbiaco and the newer town which is around the beautiful old railway station.
The hotel is a short walk from the train station.

Your ski instructor will be a BASI qualified, or equivalent, Nordic Ski Instructor.

For this holiday, approximatly 250 - 300 euros should cover all items which are not included in the holiday price.

As this holiday is centre based, there are no restrictions on the type or weight of luggage you can bring.   If you are flying please do check with your international flight's luggage weight limit.

For each holiday there is a minimum number of participants required to enable it to go ahead. Once the minimum number is reached, the trip status will change from 'Available' to 'Guaranteed to run'. You can check the trip status for each departure in the ‘Dates and Prices’ table. Other than in exceptional circumstances, we will not cancel a trip once it has achieved this guaranteed to run status so you are free to proceed with your international flight booking and other travel arrangements.

The information that we provide is for UK passport holders. A passport with 6 months remaining validity at the end of your stay is generally required, and you should have at least 2 blank pages for each country that you visit.

It is your responsibility to ensure that you have the correct travel documents and visas for your holiday. Please ensure that you check for the latest advice before travel. For the most up to date information on entry requirements, please visit the UK Government website.

If you have a severe allergy please inform the KE office before you travel. We will do all we can to help, but we cannot guarantee an allergy free environment on KE trips. You will need to carry your own treatment for the allergy with you, as 'adrenaline auto-injectors' are not carried as standard by KE leaders and staff. You should inform your leader on arrival of your allergy, and let them know where you keep your adrenaline pen.

Vaccinations

You should contact your doctor or travel clinic to check whether you require any specific vaccinations.

GHIC / Medical cover

UK residents should carry a free Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC). This entitles you to state provided medical treatment when you're visiting an EU country or Switzerland. This is not a substitute for medical travel insurance which is vital when travelling overseas.

The currency for part or all of this holiday is the Euro.

As a reputable tour operator, KE supports the British Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office's ‘Travel Aware campaign to enable British citizens to prepare for their journeys overseas. The 'Travel Aware' website provides a single, authoritative source of advice for all kinds of travellers and we recommend that before travel, all KE clients visit the official UK Government website at travelaware.campaign.gov.uk and read the FCDO Travel Advice for their chosen destination. North Americans can also check out the U.S. Department of State website: www.travel.state.gov for essential travel advice and tips.

KE treat the safety and security of all clients as the most important aspect of any trip we organise. We would not run any trip that we did not consider reasonably safe.  Should the FCDO advise against travel for any reason, we will contact everyone booked to travel to discuss the situation.  We receive regular updates directly from the FCDO and are in constant touch with our contacts on the ground.  If you have any questions about government travel advice, please call our office.

KE do not encourage the use of single use plastic items. We are ensuring that our agents all over the world are working together to reduce the problem and educate those around them. We are leading by example in our KE office by reducing our plastic use.

It is an essential condition of joining a holiday with KE Adventure Travel that you have a valid travel insurance policy to cover the cost of medical treatment and to protect the value of your holiday in the event of cancellation.  When taking out insurance please ensure the policy you choose covers you for the activities and altitude included in your itinerary.

For appropriate insurance cover we recommend Campbell Irvine Direct.  Please go to our Travel Insurance page for further information and to get a quote.

This holiday is part of our Explore International range. Participants on these trips can book through KE or through one of our international partners. This helps us to gather together sufficient numbers of like-minded adventurers to get your holiday up and running quickly. Led by an English-speaking guide, the cosmopolitan nature of these groups can be an important part of the experience!

When packing for a trip in the mountains it is important to have appropriate equipment and clothing. This kit list features items we believe are necessary for the weather you will encounter and accommodation you will be staying in.

Equipment

We use 'classic' style cross country track skis for this trip either ‘fishscales’ or ‘skintec’. You can choose to bring your own 'classic' track skis (non-metal edged), however, do check with us first to ensure they are suitable.

Skis, boots, and poles - can be hired at the start of the trip. The cost of hire is indicated in 'Trip Information'. If you are intending to hire you must inform us as soon as possible as equipment must be booked in advance. The type of ski supplied by the hire shop is provided in the 'Ski Rental' section of the Trip Information page. If in doubt about the suitability of your own skis please contact us.

  • Ski ties - to hold your skis together, useful but not essential
  • Rucksack - 20 to 25 litres with waist and chest strap. You need space to carry your kit, and an item of group kit
  • Rucksack waterproof cover or liner to keep contents dry
  • Water container - 1 litre, drink tubes and bottles stowed on the outside of your rucksack usually freeze in winter
  • Whistle

Clothing
  • Waterproof jacket - essential, this must keep you dry during a day of continuous snowfall or at least as dry as any waterproof jacket ever keeps you!
  • Waterproof trousers - in case of heavy snowfall
  • Trousers - lightweight, windproof and warm
  • Thermal top - long sleeves
  • Thin fleece - long sleeves
  • Gilet - fleece/wind stopper
  • Gloves x 2 (one thick and one thin)
  • Over-mittens for colder days can be useful
  • Warm hat
  • Sun hat
  • Head/ear band
  • Duvet jacket (or second warm layer)
  • Scarf or 'Buff' for neck
  • Socks - 2 or 3 pairs

Comfort
  • Lip salve
  • Sunscreen - essential
  • Sunglasses - essential
  • Goggles - or Nordic Ski Visor
  • Snack bars/chocolate
  • Tissues - we recommend biodegradable bags to dispose of rubbish
  • Anti-bacterial hand wash

Personal First Aid
  • Personal medication
  • Blister plasters (e.g. Compeed)
  • Painkillers/anti-inflammatory
  • Glucose tablets/Energy gel
  • 2 x Rehydration sachets - eg Dioralyte
  • Throat lozenges
  • Antiseptic cream/spray

Documentation
  • Mountain Rescue/Ski Insurance documents
  • Passport
  • Credit card
  • Cash - Euros

Additional Items
  • Slippers for use at accommodation
  • Clothing for use at accommodation
  • Hair dryer if required
  • Travel Kettle if required
  • Swimwear for when sauna is available
  • Camera/ Book/Music
  • Toiletries – soap/shower gel; not all accommodation supplies these
  • Ear plugs - if room sharing
  • Small thermos for hot drinks
  • Short gaiters for snowy days
  • Head torch - plus spare batteries

**Supplementary snacks if you follow a gluten free or coeliac diet**

 

Ski hire is available locally and will cost approximately 56 Euros for the 6 days, you can upgrade to the top of the range for 65 Euros per week. We will be using 'classic' fish-scale track skis for this trip. If you have your own skis then either fish-scale or skintec skis are appropriate. We do not advise using waxing skis as the temperatures can fluctuated substantially during the course of the day. If you require to hire skis please note this on your booking form (or contact the KE office directly). Your ski pass will cost approximately 40-45 Euros for the week. This covers 900km of tracks in the Dolomites.

Many of the equipment items listed above are available from Cotswold Outdoor - our 'Official Recommended Outdoor Retailer'. When you book a holiday with KE you will receive a 12.5% discount with Cotswold Outdoor, Snow+Rock and Runners Need. The discount code can be downloaded from your MyKE account and you can use this code at the checkout, either in store or online.

DATES & PRICES

Private Departure?

Gather a few friends, family or club and take over your own departure.

2025

Dates

Adults from

Deposit

Status

More Information

  • Dolomites Ski Highlights
    Without Flights
  • Departure Reference: DSH /02/25/
  • This trip begins on Sat 15 Feb and ends on Sat 22 Feb
  • This departure is available and departs within 55 days. Secure your place today with full payment
  • Single Supplement Price: US$410 - There are a limited number of single rooms available.
  • Download Trip Notes

2026

Dates

Adults from

Deposit

Status

More Information

  • Dolomites Ski Highlights
    Without Flights
  • Departure Reference: DSH /01/26/
  • This trip begins on Sat 10 Jan and ends on Sat 17 Jan
  • This departure is available to book. Secure your place today with a deposit of US$650
  • Single Supplement Price: US$410 - There are a limited number of single rooms available.
  • Download Trip Notes

More Information

  • Dolomites Ski Highlights
    Without Flights
  • Departure Reference: DSH /02/26/
  • This trip begins on Sat 14 Feb and ends on Sat 21 Feb
  • This departure is available to book. Secure your place today with a deposit of US$650
  • Single Supplement Price: US$410 - There are a limited number of single rooms available.
  • Download Trip Notes

Land Only Information

We sell this holiday on a Land Only basis, joining at the group accommodation in Dobbiaco / Toblach. The nearest airports are Innsbruck, Venice or Verona. Please refer to the 'Joining arrangements & transfers' for further details.

Flights SHOULD NOT be booked until you have received your booking confirmation and the departure is showing 'Guaranteed to Run' or 'Limited'.

If you would prefer to book a 'flight inclusive package' using scheduled airlines from the UK please contact our flights department for a quote. Whilst flight prices are likely to be more expensive you will benefit from full financial protection.

BOOK WITH KE CONFIDENCE - No surcharge guarantee

The price of our holidays can change depending on a variety of factors but unlike some other tour operators, KE have undertaken to guarantee the Land Only price of your holiday will not change after you have booked. The price when you book is the price you will pay, whether you are booking for this year or the next. Book early to avoid any tour price increases, get the best flight prices and take advantage of our 'No Surcharge Guarantee'.

KE Adventure is a fully bonded tour operator. We hold an ATOL license (No: 2808) and are bonded with ABTA (Membership No: W4341)


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