THE DOLOMITES EXPERIENCE

The Dolomites and Selva Val Gardena-This will be home base for our guests during trip. The group will be spending 7 Nights in one of the most classic Italian Ski Villages in the Dolomites. We have stayed here for many years and the hotel gives us quick access to the gondola away from the main crowds and the famous Sella Ronda Ski Safari. This is one of the best spots to start your ski day from as it provides access to over 450 lifts, 11 Italian valleys and 750 miles of groomed skiing! Not to mention the sidecountry and backcountry options throughout the Dolomites are endless. This is area is well known for the endless backcountry options that include wide open bowls, gladed trees and some of the best couloirs in the world. On top of the incredible skiing is a diverse and internationally recognized culinary scene that will please any palate. The hotel has a great breakfast buffet, modern rooms, and one of the best locations in town. We are close to other resorts, lots of sidecountry/backcountry options and other villages for starting points for the group to explore new areas.

These surrounding ski areas offer anywhere from 1800’-6000’ foot vertical runs ranging from the top of the Marmolada (7.5 miles/ 6,000’ descent on glaciers and groomed runs) to hundreds of miles of wide open groomers that spread through the Italian Alps. Each day the group will use the lifts to ski the surrounding resorts and off piste areas. We will have a private van that will take the groups to different starting point locations throughout the trip so you get to really experience skiing the Dolomites. Our local Italian guides know the area very well and have lots of great spots away from the crowds. There are dozens of great restaurants, bars, and areas to explore around the town and the Dolomites. The Apres scene in Italy is well known for their hospitality local family owned mountain hut trying their home made drinks to the ever popular spots in town that will have people dancing in their ski boots.

THE RIDING EXPERIENCE

The Dolomites are home to the largest interconnected ski lift system in the world. The Dolomiti Super Ski spreads over 12 Valleys, 450 lifts, 750 miles of trails and endless sidecountry/ backcountry options. Experience pure Italian skiing on the glacier slopes of the 3.000 m high Marmolada Mountain and enjoy the fresh powder across the Ladin valleys while admiring the majestic peaks of the Italian Alps mountain scenery. The Dolomites are known for their long groomed runs, endless backcountry runs and some of the best couloir skiing in the world. Legendary runs like the Val Mesdì offers one of the most popular off-piste itineraries around the Dolomites.The run sits in a deep ravine starting by the Rifugio Boè and arriving in the Colfosco (Alta Badia) area. The route offers an incredible panorama that is enclosed by the towering walls of the Sella massif. A truly unique and classic ski experience for everyone.

THE CULINARY EXPERIENCE

The Dolomiti Superski area takes great delight in offering a true Italian foodie experience, as you combine an impressive high alpine environment, beautiful rifugios, history and great skiing with tasty local al dente pasta washed down with your choice of local vino, espresso or café latte. From classic Ladin dishes to authentic local Italian dishes, the area will offer a truly unique opportunity to try some of the best food you have ever had. With a wide variety of award winning restaurants, and over a dozen Michelin rated restaurants- the area has a reputation for fantastic food. Each area offers a wide variety of small local eateries and traditional restaurants serving plenty of homemade pizza, pasta and specialty dishes. Make sure to try the Carbonara!

Fresh local dishes and ingredients from the surrounding valleys are served everyday at breakfast and all of the group dinners during the trip. Lunches during the day will be based on the area we are skiing and will range from traditional rifugios to restaurants in the valleys. Across the Alpine of the Dolomites are classic Italian rifugi. These mountain huts across the valleys and slopes offer cozy restaurants that are also cafés, après pubs and mountain inns. They offer hearty local dishes, traditional vino, beers and classic bombardinos, to the Italian espressos between ski runs. The culinary experience of the Dolomites is an incredible experience. 

THE LODGING EXPERIENCE

The area offers accommodations for every level of experience you are looking for. From high end hotels and chalets, to 3 and 4 star modern hotels, as well as classic mountain rifugios, the Dolomites offer all of it with a touch of Italian character. Our guides and hosts have been living and traveling through the Dolomites for decades. We have selected hotels and chalets that offer the best options for ski trips and comfortable lodging during your trip. We include breakfast in all of our hotel stays and in some cases, at the chalets we include breakfast and dinners. The locations of our lodging will allow our guests to access town as well as the nearby areas to ski. Wellness and relaxation areas are available at the hotels to relax after a day of skiing. A classic Italian lodging experience!

Transportation – We will have a private van for the group during the trip to make traveling more comfortable for everyone. We will have our 10 passenger van as well as a trailer to transport all gear.  We will meet you at Milan Malpensa Airport to start the journey to the Dolomites. It is roughly a 4 hour drive from the airport.

SAMPLE ITINERARY

ARRIVAL DAY

Fly into Milan Milpensa Airport (MXP) – You should arrive the day prior to the trip start date and spend one night in Milan.
Arriving the day before the trip allows room for any flight or luggage delays as well as gives you time to relax and adjust to the local time before the trip starts.

DAY 1 – WELCOME TO ITALY! TRANSFER DAY

Le Grand Adventure Tours welcomes you to Italy! We can arrange to pick you up at the hotel you are staying at or you can meet us at the airport if you land the same day at 1pm. From here we will transfer you through beautiful Northern Italy and to your ski destination, The Dolomites. Upon arrival in Selva Val Gardena, guests can settle into their rooms and prepare for the the ski week ahead. We will have a group meeting around 6pm at the hotel to meet the whole group and talk about the trip and plan for the week. The guides will review the current snow conditions at the spots we will be skiing as well as any weather during the trip. The team will help guests get the gear dialed in for everyone so we are ready to go for the week. The evening offers your first chance to explore, dine or relax at the hotel with new friends.

If rentals are needed, we can arrange snow equipment for the week through our partnership with Scott Sports. We will have a selection of powder skis with touring bindings to choose from. There will also be the brand new Scott E-1 Patrol Backpack and avalanche kits available for rent for guests during the trips. Both items can be rented for the duration of your trip to save you time and money. If you wish to rent ski/snowboard equipment please let us know so that we can coordinate your rental.

DAY 2

Today is our first ski day around the Dolomites and Val Gardena. Breakfast is included at the Hotel and after a great breakfast the group will head out to ski the resort and surrounding areas. Today will be a mix of resort skiing and some off piste depending on conditions. If we have a powder day to start, we will maximize our time skiing these incredible mountains. The group can have lunch on the resort at one of the many mountain huts or villages we will ski into. Enjoy an Apres ski with the group in the afternoon and walk through the town to experience the local culture of the South Tyrol region. Dinner, tonight is the Group Welcome Dinner at one of our favorite spots in Val Gardena.

DAY 3

Today the LGA Guides will take you to some of the classics around the Passo Pordoi area which have been made famous for its ski descents and cycling history. The classic ski runs in this area are the: Val di Mesdi and the Val Lasties. A great day of skiing around the UNESCO Heritage landscapes. Breakfast is included at the hotel and after a great breakfast the group will head out to ski the resort and surrounding areas. Today will be a mix of resort skiing to access the off piste areas depending on conditions. The group can have lunch on the resort at one of the many mountain huts or villages we will ski into. Enjoy an Apres ski with the group in the afternoon or walk through the town to experience the local culture of the South Tyrol region. Dinner is open for guests to explore town or eat at the hotel which serves great local specialities.

DAY 4

Our third day of skiing will be exploring the vast untracked terrain around Corvara (Alta Badia) and the Arabba areas. Breakfast is included at the Hotel and after a great breakfast the group will head out to ski the resort and surrounding areas. Today will be a mix of resort skiing and some off piste depending on conditions. The group can have lunch on the resort at one of the many mountain huts or villages we will ski into. Enjoy an Apres ski with the group in the afternoon and walk through the town to experience the local culture of the South Tyrol region. Dinner is open for guests to explore town or eat at the hotel which serves great local specialities.

DAY 5

Today the group will explore the Marmolada Massif, the highest mountain in the Dolomites and the only glacier-covered mountain in the area. The Marmolada offers the longest run in the Dolomites, the Bellunese at 7.5 miles long and a 6,000 foot descent from glaciers, to forrest and into the valley below. Breakfast is included at the Hotel and after a great breakfast the group will head out to ski the resort and surrounding areas. Today will be a mix of resort skiing and some off piste depending on conditions. The group can have lunch on the resort at one of the many mountain huts or villages we will ski into. Enjoy an Apres ski with the group in the afternoon and walk through the town to experience the local culture of the South Tyrol region. Dinner is open for guests to explore town or eat at the hotel which serves great local specialities.

DAY 6

The group will head out for a drive to explore the terrain surrounding Lagazuoi and Cortina d’Ampezzo and the Cristallo Massif. This area of the Dolomites is well-known all over the world for its fascinating beauty, surrounding mountains, and host to the 1956 Winter Olympics. We will enjoy off-piste descents in such areas as the Cinque Torri, Lagazuoi, Tofana, and Cristallo Massifs if conditions allow. Breakfast is included at the Hotel and after a great breakfast the group will head out to ski the resort and surrounding areas. Today will be a mix of resort skiing and some off piste depending on conditions. The group can have lunch on the resort at one of the many mountain huts or villages we will ski into. Enjoy an Apres ski with the group in the afternoon and walk through the town to experience the local culture of the South Tyrol region. Dinner is open for guests to explore town or eat at the hotel which serves great local specialities.

DAY 7

Today is the last ski day and what a better way to finish it off then to ski the areas around San Cassiano (Alta Badia) and Lagazuoi. This area offers incredible terrain to ski through as you take in the history while seeing some of the best views in the Dolomites at the same time. There are many historic spots from WW1 that have been preserved in the mountains of the Dolomites that we will ski by on this day. Breakfast is included at the Hotel and after a great breakfast the group will head out to ski the resort and surrounding areas. Today will be a mix of resort skiing and some off piste depending on conditions. The group can have lunch on the resort at one of the many mountain huts or villages we will ski into. Enjoy an Apres ski with the group in the afternoon and walk through the town to experience the local culture of the South Tyrol region. Dinner tonight is our Farewell Dinner at one of our favorite local restaurants serving original Ladin dishes and other great local specialities.

DAY 8 – DEPARTURE DAY

Guests will be departing the Dolomites around 8am after a great 6 days of skiing! Join us for breakfast, say our goodbyes and enjoy a 4hr ride back through the Italian countryside to Milano Malpensa Airport (MPX) where you can catch a flight home or enjoy a night in this beautiful city exploring the rich history of this area. We recommend selecting a departure after 2pm from Milano Malpensa Airport. If you would like to spend another night in Milano, please contact us and we can help you make arrangements.

NOTE: This itinerary is an example. The tour may be altered to adjust for weather and conditions. Our guides will plan the tour around the conditions to make sure you have the best trip possible.

DETAILS

BOOKING YOUR TRAVEL

PLEASE RESERVE YOUR TOUR WITH LGA & GET TRIP CONFIRMATION BEFORE BOOKING FLIGHTS.

ARRIVAL & DEPARTURE DETAILS

You should arrive the day prior to the trip start date and spend one night in Milan. Arrive to Milan Malpensa Airport (MPX). If you’re able to find a flight that lands the day of the Tour Start Date and will be able to meet by our 1pm pick-up time, that works as well. Flight time from the West Coast of the United States to Italy is approximately 12 hours and 8 from the East Coast depending on if you book a direct flight or a flight with stops.

Departure is around 8am to Milan Malpensa Airport (MPX)
Please do not schedule your departing flight before 2pm. On the final day of the tour, we will transport you back to the airport where you can catch a flight home or enjoy a night in the next city. If your departure flight differs from this, we would be happy to advise you with transfer and/or hotel options if needed. We can offer advice and suggestions if you need any assistance. Please give us a call or send us an email for more information.

HOTELS BEFORE & AFTER YOUR TRIP

Arriving the day before the trip allows room for any flight or luggage delays as well as gives you time to relax and adjust to the local time before the trip starts. You will need to reserve a night at a nearby hotel in Milan, we have provided our favorite options for you to select from:

• Moxy Hotel
• Cardona

GEAR

RECOMMENDATIONS

We suggest you bring your own ski and backcountry gear if you have it. A ski with roughly a 100mm to 110mm is the best option. If you want to bring a wider pair of skis please feel free or we can rent these if needed. We highly recommend bringing or renting a touring set up as this will allow the group to really ski a wide variety of areas. (not mandatory)  Having this as a daily set up allows us to find the best snow on the resort, quick laps in the sidecountry or going a little deeper into the backcountry. There are also options for ski touring days if the groups wants. If you have a new pair of touring bindings (Dynafit, Plum, Marker, Salomon, etc) and are comfortable skiing a wide variety of terrain on them, please feel free to bring them. Always bring extra layers, good gloves, 2 goggles if you have them or extra lenses, winter clothes for after skiing and a down jacket. We will be in the mountains so bring clothes that will keep you warm in a wide variety of conditions.

SCOTT SPORTS DEMO SKIS

Through our partnership with Scott Sports we will have a selection of Scott Scrapper powder skis with Marker alpine touring bindings with skins to choose from. Skis can be rented for the duration of your trip to save you time and money.

BACKCOUNTRY SAFETY GEAR

Avalanche safety gear is required on all of our tours. If you have your own equipment please bring it. We have Scott E-1 Patrol Backpacks including a beacon, shovel and probe available to rent for the duration of your trip.

ALL ABOUT ITALY

WEATHER & MOUNTAINS

For the most accurate weather please check the Val Gardena Weather Online a few days before your trip. We will guarantee you get the most out of your ski holiday as we have a wide range of activities that we can add to the trip in case there are down days due to snow storms or weather.

CURRENCY

Credit cards are widely accepted, but Amex is not always accepted. You will need some cash – but just for casual expenses. Most things can be paid for by credit card. The currency is the Euro. Withdrawing cash from your checking account using your US cash/debit card is usually much cheaper than converting dollar bills at an exchange desk and you will get the BEST Exchange rate. Many credit cards charge a foreign transaction fee around 3-5%. This may be the time to get yourself fun new rewards travel credit card that comes with “No Foreign Transaction Fees.” Italy is affordable as long as the Euro is in our favor. Even if the Euro isn’t in our favor the costs are on the lower end than what we are used to in the US. It’s easy to have an expensive meal, but it’s also easy to eat for less. 

LANGUAGE
Italian! You will find English is widely spoken all over Italy. It is still great to learn a few words of the day-to-day vocabulary to be polite.

SAFETY
In general, Italy is safe to travel. Keep an eye on your belongings at all times and beware of pickpockets around the main cities. Always take regular precautions whenever abroad to save yourself from any potential headaches that could interfere with your travels.

FAQ

Check out our General FAQs section. Here you will find answers to your general questions.

DO I NEED TRIP INSURANCE?

Trip Insurance is Not Included – We require trip insurance for all trips abroad. Protecting your trip & safety is our priority. We recommend World Nomads as they are the ultimate in travel protection and global emergencies and evacuations. They provide rescue and coverage designed for ski trips where other travel insurance options may not cover or rescue with skiing involved. This policy will cover you in case of any medical and personal accidents that could occur prior to or during your trip. This will also cover you if you have to cancel your trip for any reason or if your baggage gets delayed or lost.

DO I NEED TO TIP OUR GUIDES?

Gratuities for your guides are not included in your trip price. We recommend tipping 7-10% of your trip price for the guide team. US Currency is preferred, however, local currency is also greatly appreciated. Unless you want to tip separately, guides will divide tips amongst themselves. Please tip your guides at your discretion, based on the overall trip experience provided by our team.

WHAT IS THE BOOKING PROCESS?

Contact LGA Tours via our website or telephone and an LGA representative will be in touch with you. After we confirm availability and confirm trip details, you will be provided a booking link to reserve your trip. Once you book the trip, a guest confirmation letter is immediately sent out. In the confirmation letter you will find a link to complete your guest profile form online as well as a link to your liability release that you will need to complete. If you make a reservation more than 90 days prior to the trip, a deposit is due at the time of booking. If you reserve your trip less than 90 days prior to the departure, the full balance is due at the time of booking. One week prior to the trip start, you’ll receive an email containing your trip start meeting location reminder and any last-minute information that you’ll need to know before you go.

CAN I RESERVE MY TRIP WITH A DEPOSIT?

Yes, you can reserve your trip with a Deposit for all Multi-Day Tours lasting 24 hours or longer. If you seek to reserve a spot on a Tour more than 90 days prior to the Date of Departure, the deposit amount is $1000. For Private Group Tours the Deposit amount is fifty percent (50%) of the Tour Price. Within 89 days or less prior to the date of departure, the full amount is due at time of booking.

WHEN IS THE FINAL PAYMENT FOR THIS TOUR DUE?

Final payment is due no later than 90 days prior to departure, or 7 days from booking confirmation if booking is within 90 days.

WHAT IS YOUR CANCELLATION AND REFUND POLICY?

Le Grand Adventure Tours cannot be held responsible for snow and/or weather conditions. Trips cannot be canceled or amended on the basis of snow and weather conditions. No refunds, reimbursements or discounts will be granted if, for any reason, client misses the tour, fails to join the tour, leaves the tour, is dismissed from the tour, or cannot fully participate in the tour. Any refunds will be at the discretion of Le Grand Adventure Tours if you are involuntarily forced to leave a tour for any reason. Travel Insurance is required on our trips to avoid the financial risks related to cancellations, involuntary early departures, medical reasons or any other travel related problems. 

WHAT IS THE GROUP SIZE?

We like to guide small group tours to ensure you have a great experience. Groups are typically between four to eight people. Private groups range anywhere from 6-16 people.

WHAT SHOULD I BRING WITH ME?

Ski/Snowboard Gear:
Skis/Snowboard, boots, poles
Goggles
Helmet

Misc/Recommended:
Backpack
Avalanche Transceiver
Shovel/Probe
Touring Gear and Skins
Packable Puff
(We can assist with some gear, please feel free to contact us)

Après Clothing:
You will be in the mountains for a week so please bring warm clothing for when you’re not on the slopes.

Travel Requirements:
Current Passport
Credit card, cash and/or traveler’s checks
ID or driver’s license
Medical insurance cards
Prescriptions or other medications
Important phone numbers
Proof of Travelers Insurance