Itinerary

5/8 Arrival in Dolomites

Our meeting begins in the morning at Venice Marco Polo Airport (VCE) in Venice. From there, we’ll pick up our cars and drive to the Cortina d’Ampezzo area, home to the iconic Cinque Torri landscape. We’ll stay for two nights at Rifugio Angelo Dibona, a mountain hut surrounded by the beautiful peaks of Tofana di Rozes.

The Dolomites were designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2009 for their exceptional natural beauty, unique vertical landscape, and geological significance. If you’ve never been to the Dolomites, you’ve truly missed one of the most diverse mountain regions on the planet. Jagged peaks, alpine lakes, dreamy meadows — it has it all. During our stay, we’ll visit classic locations such as Cinque Torri and Lago di Limides.

The huts — or rifugi — maintain traditional alpine style while providing excellent quality in both food and accommodation. On this trip, we’ll be staying in shared dormitories, which is very common in mountain huts. Our booking at Rifugio Angelo Dibona includes breakfast only, but you can upgrade to half-board if you wish.

After settling into the hut, we’ll take the cable car to Rifugio Scoiattoli near Cinque Torri. This ride avoids a steep climb and is the quickest way to reach the area. The cost is €27 per person for a round trip.

From the upper station, we’ll walk the Giro delle Torri loop — a 2–2.5 km circular trail (120 m elevation gain) around the five towers and historic World War I trenches. The hike is easy and takes about 1–2 hours. Facilities (restaurants and restrooms) are available at both Rifugio Scoiattoli and Rifugio 5 Torri.

We’ll stop at Rifugio 5 Torri for a relaxed lunch before heading toward our photography vantage point for early night shots. After the evening session, we’ll hike down along the trail that passes Rifugio 5 Torri and reaches the main road in about one hour. From there, we’ll return to our hut and capture epic northern views toward the Tofana di Rozes.

Please bring clothing suitable for cold conditions. Shooting at 2,300 m altitude after sunset can feel very chilly.

6/8 Visit Lago di Limides

For early birds, we can enjoy sunrise light on the Tofana di Rozes and Cinque Torri peaks directly from the hut terrace. Afterward, we’ll fuel up with hearty mountain food, recharge our batteries, and prepare for the day’s program.

Today, we take the cable car from Passo Falzarego to Lagazuoi, where we’ll photograph dramatic ridge lines and wide panoramas of Monte Pelmo, the Tofane, and Averau. The cable car costs €26 per person for a round trip.

Around 14:00, we’ll head down to Rifugio Col Gallina for lunch, then return to Rifugio Angelo Dibona to rest a bit and prepare our gear. At 18:30, we’ll meet and take a short drive to the Col Gallina parking area, where the hike to Lago di Limides begins.

The hike is easy and short (around 30 minutes), and our goal is to reach the lake about one hour before sunset. You’ll again need warm clothing and some snacks. This shallow alpine lake is less visited, making it a perfect place to relax — or even take a short nap — while enjoying the view.

During our night session, we aim to photograph the Nuvolau Group surrounding the area. After our astrophotography session, we’ll hike back down and return to the hut for a well-deserved rest.

7/8 Travel to Tre Cime di Lavaredo

After a night under the stars, you’ll deserve a good rest. The next day, we leave the Cortina d’Ampezzo region and travel to the Dolomiti di Sesto, home to one of the true gems of the Dolomites: Tre Cime di Lavaredo. This iconic location has inspired many great photographers, including Alyn Wallace, and it has deeply inspired us as well to explore and photograph the night sky.

After arriving at the Tre Cime parking area, we’ll hike for approximately 1.5 hours on an easy trail to reach Rifugio Antonio Locatelli, where we’ll stay for two nights. Our booking here includes half-board. The area surrounding the hut offers endless compositions, with the Milky Way setting behind the peaks.

On our first night at Tre Cime, we’ll photograph around the hut, which serves as a perfect foreground subject. Very close to the hut, we’ll also find the beautiful alpine lakes known as the Laghi dei Piani, which look stunning in night images.