Frequently Asked Questions for hiking in Italy, Dolomites and more

We want our guests to be able to find what they're looking for without having to contact us. For this reason, below you can find the answers to the most frequently asked questions.

Tour Customization

Since we offer private tours, you can customize everything to best meet your needs.
Timing, dates, difficulties, places to visit, breaks for lunch, pictures spots, going further, coming back earlier... whatever you reasonably want, we will try to satisfy your wishes.
The only thing you won’t be able to decide yourself is safety! If weather conditions are poor or the trails are not in good conditions, or any other safety issue emerges, you have to follow the directions of your guide.

Our one-day tours last all day. The meeting time is usually between 8.00 and 9.00 am, while the return time is between 4.00 and 6.00 pm.
Depending on weather conditions, the meeting time and the return time can be brought forward.
If you need to come back earlier or start later, please tell us in advance and we will customize the tour for you.

Yes, of course, but only in the Dolomites. If you have little time or you prefer a small excursion to a beautiful place, ask us for a half-day tour. The tour is about 20% cheaper and can only be booked by contacting us.

Equipment and what to bring

Each tour requires different equipment depending on weather conditions.
For tours in the Dolomites and Glaciers we recommend suitable outdoor equipment: hiking shoes, light jacket (better if waterproof), something warm to wear (better if technical), t-shirt if it is hot during the excursions (possibly not cotton but synthetic), a small backpack, sunglasses and/or cap, sunscreen, water, snacks and everything you are used to during outdoor activities.
For Lake Garda, Tuscany and the Amalfi Coast, depending on the season, it is advisable to bring lighter equipment, while suitable shoes are always recommended.
On each tour detail page we provide a list of suggested equipment. If in doubt about what to bring, please contact us.
Please note that we lend backpacks, hiking poles, head-lamps and ponchos for free.

All our tours are outdoor, typically on mountain terrain. For this reason, hiking shoes are highly recommended. If you do not have proper hiking shoes, you can wear sports shoes, but know that in this case we may decide to take an easier route.
In Bolzano, Cortina and Lake Garda, we know places where you can rent suitable hiking shoes, please ask us in advance.

We lend backpacks, hiking poles, head-lamps and ponchos for free. Tell us in advance if you want us to bring something for you!

It depends on where we are going to hike.
Most of the time, in the Dolomites we pass through several huts ("rifugio") where there are proper restaurants and bars. In this case you only need water and a snack (bars or nuts or whatever you prefer).
For tours on Lake Garda and Glaciers, we recommend you bring a sandwich/full lunch and a snack because it is possible that we do not pass through any "rifugio".
For multi-day tours on the Amalfi Coast, Islands and Tuscany, your guide will tell you every day what you need for the next day depending on the chosen itinerary.

Multi-day Tours

Since we offer several multi-day tours in various Italian locations, the accommodation possibilities are very different.
Please note that for multi-day excursions, the sooner you contact us, the more possibilities we have to find the accommodation that best suits your needs.
For the Dolomites and Glaciers tours, we sleep in "rifugio" (huts) of different quality and prices where dinner and breakfast is always included. There is a wide choice of accommodation and before we start, we will ask you which type of accommodation you prefer (basic, luxury, common dormitory, double or even single rooms with or without shower and/or private bathroom and so on). The choice is wide but also depends on availability and your budget. Single/double rooms are normally 20% to 50% more expensive than dorms.
For multi-day tours on the Amalfi Coast, Lake Garda, Islands and Tuscany, we sleep in small villages where, depending on availability, we can choose between hotels, B&B, apartments and campsites. As for food, you can go out for a tasty traditional Italian dinner accompanied by a good wine and preceded by a real "aperitivo". Our guides all know how to have a "dolce vita" style!

Our guides are flexible and adapt to all kinds of situations. For this reason, depending on your budget and privacy needs, the guide can sleep in the same room with guests, in a single room or in common rooms when available.
For the Amalfi Coast, Lake Garda, Islands and Tuscany, the final cost of the tour depends on you and your preferences. In case you are a Solo Traveller but do not want to share the room with the guide, the cost of accommodation for 2 single rooms may be expensive. A cheaper solution is to book a two bedroom apartment, but it is not always possible.
Please contact us well in advance to allow us to arrange the best solution for your needs.

Booking, Fares and Cancellation Policy

We try to be as flexible as possible to best meet your needs. For all one-day tours we offer 2 different fares and cancellation policies. For multi-day tours we offer the Flex Fare.

Smart is a convenient but non-refundable fare. Once booked, it is not possible to cancel except in case of bad weather and at our discretion. You can book this fare only online.
Comfort is the most flexible fare which is refundable up to 24 hours before the start of the tour. You can book this fare only online.
Flex is a fare with a flexible price range that varies depending on the period and tour chosen. To book, you must first send us a request using our booking platform. Once we check our availability, we will get back to you with a quote and a request for a non-refundable deposit (usually 30%).

Feel free to contact us for any question you may have.

We welcome solo travellers! We know that hiring a guide may be expensive when you are alone. That's why we offer special deals.
For all our tours we have a "solo traveler" rate. We also have a cheaper excursion called "Adventure Tour".
Feel free to tell us that you are alone and, depending on the period and availability, we will offer you the cheapest possible tour.

We offer different booking methods: if Smart or Comfort fares are available, you can book online, the booking process is fully automatic and there is no need to contact us in advance (2,7% commission). If the Flex fare is available, you can ask us for a quote using our booking platform and we will get back to you with the most advantageous fare.
For any method you prefer, after booking, we will contact you to customize the tour and confirm the meeting time.

If our guides decide not to go for safety reasons due to poor weather conditions, we will refund you in full.
We carefully check the weather forecast especially for tours of the Dolomites and Glaciers. We don't want our guests to have a bad experience, but we also know that sometimes, even if not sunny, it can be even more impressive to hike in the mountains, especially when the bad weather leaves and the clouds thin out.
Rely on our experience and trust us regarding the weather, we have been living in the Dolomites for a very long time and we know how the weather behaves around here.
For the Amalfi Coast, Lake Garda, Islands and Tuscany, the weather conditions are less dangerous for safety and must be really poor for the hike to be cancelled.

Difficulty, Fit Level and Experience

For all our tours we use our own "scale of difficulty" which is easy to understand and is made of 4 different levels:

Unexperienced for those who have never hiked before. Recommended tour types: Ʀ Relax

Easy never demanding but pleasant tour with many stops for photos and selfies. Suitable for those who have a minimal hiking experience and prefer to enjoy nature with many breaks. Recommended tour types for this level: Ʀ Relax © Classic ★ Special

Medium this is our most common tour. It requires a normal hiking experience, a stable and safe pace and no fear of heights. During the hike there can be some difficult parts that, if you are afraid, you can face with the help of our guides. Recommended tour types for this level: © Classic ❍ Open ★ Special

Challenging this is the highest level of excursions we can offer. Especially for the tours in the Dolomites and Glaciers, guests must have a good hiking experience, no fear of height, adequate shoes and clothes and a stable and reliable pace. Recommended tour types for this level: Ʌ Adventure ❍ Open ★ Special

We prefer to guide Solo Travellers, Couples, Families and Small Groups up to 4 people. This way we can offer greater customization for each excursion and we can have a better relationship with our guests. However, we also have experience managing larger groups of up to 10/12 people.
On each tour detail page we indicate the target audience.

Yes, of course! Since we customize all tours according to our guests' needs, if you have never hiked before, we will surely find a suitable tour for you. We may use the cable cars and take a short walk without change in elevation, or we may go to places where there are easy paths suitable to everyone.
Wherever we may go together, spectacular views and wide horizons are guaranteed. Do not hesitate to contact us for any doubt you may have.

If we don't know you, we usually choose hiking tours that offer different possibilities "on the go". This means that if we realize that you are less fit than expected it won’t be a problem, we will have the possibility to choose to hike different paths also depending on the weather conditions. This is because we know all trails very well. Trust us, you are in good company!

Yes, of course! As long as we hike and don't climb, we can push ourselves to the limit and take the most challenging tours you can expect. A helmet is required for this type of tour. We will bring it to you included in the price.
Please note that in the case of the Dolomites, the terrain is different from other hiking locations around the world and your technical level may not be as good as you thought.