Italy, July 2018: ADLER Dolomiti (https://www.adler-dolomiti.com/en/) has introduced magical night hiking for summer 2018, as part of its program of daily walks led by in-house guide Thaddäus Moroder, which are offered on a complimentary basis to all guests. The hikes will take place, weather permitting, when there is a full moon, i.e. on 27 July and 27 August, adding a whole new dimension to a walk through the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Dolomites.
Dolomites at dusk; ADLER Dolomiti
At 5pm, the group will set off from the Adler Dolomiti on the first stage of the hike, taking the cable car up to Furnes at 1,800 meters, from where they will start hiking off the beaten track through woods and small streams until they reach the Resciesa mountain. There, blown away by the view, they will stop to admire the glow of the setting sun on the rocks of the Dolomites, at one moment a vibrant yellow, the next a deep pinky red, giving eyes time to gradually get used to the changing light before the night sets in.
After a hearty traditional meal and warm drink in a local hut situated just above the tree line, the group will stop to witness the spectacle of the moon rising from behind the mountains until it becomes clearly visible in the sky. Starting to walk, the path lit only by the full moon (which is part of the thrill, seeing what your eyes can pick out of the darkness once they’ve had time to adjust), the group will start to descend through woodland towards Costamula, a farmyard above Ortisei.
Dolomites at night; night hiking
Once Costamula is reached, transfers wait at around midnight to take the group back to the hotel. It really is an enchanting experience, not just for the visual imagery, but also for the peace and tranquility that comes at night when all the other hikers have long gone home, which makes the likelihood of seeing animals all the more likely.
The hike is open to all those of reasonable fitness who are sure of foot and happy walking at altitude; there is one passage that is more difficult, particularly as the path is not as well lit as during the day, but overall it is not a particularly tough route. The group will be limited to 10 people, so that Thaddäus can keep a close eye on all participants.
The total hiking time will be around four hours, as the group will stop for dinner at the Sofie Hut on Seceda. The cost of dinner and the cost of the lift ticket up to Seceda are the only costs incurred by guests; however, they will need their own hiking shoes and a backpack. Head torches, if required (dependent on cloud cover), can be borrowed from ADLER Dolomiti.
Book online at www.adler-dolomiti.com or call reservations on +39 0471 775 001.