Self-guided trek among lakes and glaciers in Ortler Cevedale

Self-guided trek in Ortler Cevedale mountain range and Stelvio National Park

A 6-days hiking tour in Trentino, where you'll discover the unspoiled nature of Stelvio National Park, land of lakes and glaciers, admiring many different alpine landscapes, features of one of the biggest natural reserves in Europe.

The route crosses various environments: from the pastures set in the valleys to the red rocks around mountain huts, from the bubbly waterfalls in Saent to the snowfields and crystal clear lakes of Cevedale... until you reach the wide and solitary Careser's Glacier, main character in the endless scenery which ranges from the peaks of Ortler Cevedale mountain group to Adamello's and Brenta Dolomites.

Six days of hiking are waiting for you, along with the priceless hospitality of mountain huts, a self-guided trek with the planning and support of Campo Base, before and during the trek!

What if you have less days at your disposal? No problem! Our hiking tour among lakes and glaciers in Ortler Cevedale can be adjusted and it is available in three, four and five hiking days' solutions.

Find out more about our variants of the Self-Guided trek in Stelvio National Park!

Program details - 8 days:

• Day 1
  Arrival in Val di Sole and check-in in 3* hotel. 
   
• Day 2 - LAKES CORVO
  Ascent: +1020m. Descent: -0m. Distance: 5km. Hiking time: 4h. 
  Transfer by public transport to Val di Rabbi. Across forests of larches and firs, the trail leads you to some alpine huts, where the farmers milk their cattles and produce Casolet, the local cheese. Above the tree-line, you keep walking across wide mountain grasslands and, through a steadily uphill trail, you reach the slopes of Quaira peak. Dinner and overnight stay in hut (2.435 m). 
   
• Day 3 - COLLECCHIO PEAK 
  Ascent: +530m. Descent: -530m. Distance: 8km. Hiking time: 4h.
  By hiking besides a sequence of glacial lakes, you arrive at Collecchio peak (2.957 m). The peak is located on the border between Val Montechiesa (South Tyrol) and Val Saent (Trentino). After a scenic stretch on an easy ridge, the path runs downhill, following along the mountain’s slopes until it reaches the wide green basin, set in the heart of Val Saent. Dinner and overnight stay in hut (2.436 m).
   
• Day 4 - MARTELLTAL
  Ascent: +690m. Descent: -860m. Distance: 9km. Hiking time: 5h30.
  Surrounded by a barren and rocky environment, you reach Saent Pass (2.965 m), which separates Val di Rabbi from Val Martello. From the pass, the descent towards South Tyrol begins and allows you to reach the grazing lands of Paradiso al Cevedale, on the opposite side of Rio Plimbach. Dinner and overnight stay in hut (2.265 m).
   
• Day 5 - FORCOLA GLACIER
  Ascent: +775m. Descent: -430m. Distance: 8km. Hiking time: 4h.
  The itinerary leads to the crossing of the Forcola Glacier, where you will notice the signs of melting, especially over the steep final stretch just before Forcola Pass (3.032 m). Here you can admire the beautiful landscape with the best-known peaks of Ortler Cevedale. The descent on the opposite side of the mountains brings you back to the region of Trentino. The hike ends in today's hut, which is surrounded by a crown of peaks soaring over 3.500 meters: Cevedale, Zufall, Palon de la Mare and Vioz. Dinner and overnight stay in hut (2.607 m).
   
• Day 6 - CARESER GLACIER
  Ascent: +520m. Descent: -685m. Distance: 11km. Hiking time: 5h30, 1 hour walking over a small glacier.
  You hike across a plateau inlaid with numerous alpine lakes, until you arrive at Lake Careser (2.603 m). After some moderate slopes and rocky terrains, you reach the limit of Careser Glacier, which you'll cross in about 1h towards its eastern edge (3121m). After a gentle traverse, you descend once again to the green pastures of Val Saent. Dinner and overnight stay in hut (2.436 m). 
   
• Day 7 - SAENT WATERFALLS
  Ascent: +0m. Descent: -1180m. Distance: 9km. Hiking time: 4h30
  Today you undertake a pleasant and panoramic descent, surrounded by agile marmots and rhododendron flowers. After the wide basin of Pra di Saent, the path leads you across the bridges and the splashing waters of Saent Waterfalls, the most important and scenographic waterfalls in Val di Sole. The alpine dairy, located almost at the end of the hike, is an excellent spot to taste local products. Last stretch on foot before going back to the hotel by public transport.
   
• Day 8
  Departure.

The program is available also with a stay in a 2000 meters' high mountain hotel on the 7th day. In this case the crossing of Careser Glacier and Val Saent are not included.

What if you have less days at your disposal? No problem! Our hiking tour among lakes and glaciers in Ortler Cevedale can be adjusted and it is available in three, four and five hiking days' solutions.

Program details - 5 days:

• Day 1
  Arrival in Val di Sole and check-in in 3* hotel. 
   
• Day 2 - LAKES CORVO
  Ascent: +1020m. Descent: -0m. Distance: 5km. Hiking time: 4h. 
  Transfer by public transport to Val di Rabbi. Across forests of larches and firs, the trail leads you to some alpine huts, where the farmers milk their cattles and produce Casolet, the local cheese. Above the tree-line, you keep walking across wide mountain grasslands and, through a steadily uphill trail, you reach the slopes of Quaira peak. Dinner and overnight stay in hut (2.435 m). 
   
• Day 3 - COLLECCHIO PEAK 
  Ascent: +530m. Descent: -530m. Distance: 8km. Hiking time: 4h.
  By hiking besides a sequence of glacial lakes, you arrive at Collecchio peak (2.957 m). The peak is located on the border between Val Montechiesa (South Tyrol) and Val Saent (Trentino). After a scenic stretch on an easy ridge, the path runs downhill, following along the mountain’s slopes until it reaches the wide green basin, set in the heart of Val Saent. Dinner and overnight stay in hut (2.436 m).
   
• Day 4 - SAENT WATERFALLS
  Ascent: +0m. Descent: -1180m. Distance: 9km. Hiking time: 4h30
  Today you undertake a pleasant and panoramic descent, surrounded by agile marmots and rhododendron flowers. After the wide basin of Pra di Saent, the path leads you across the bridges and the splashing waters of Saent Waterfalls, the most important and scenographic waterfalls in Val di Sole. The alpine dairy, located almost at the end of the hike, is an excellent spot to taste local products. Last stretch on foot before going back to the hotel by public transport.
   
• Day 5
  Departure.

Program details - 6 days: 

The first three days correspond with the first three days of the 5 days' program, plus the crossing of the Careser Glacier.

• Day 4 - CARESER GLACIER
  Ascent: +820m. Descent: -660m. Distance: 11km. Hiking time: 5h30, 1 hour walking over a small glacier.
  Today's hike takes you through a vast and lonely environment above 3000 meters. Going up a rocky slope you reach the Bocca di Saent Sud (3.121 m) which represents the western access to the Careser glacier. At this point, a large field of snow and ice unexpectedly opens up which must be crossed in a south-west direction, always continuing at the foot of the ridge that connects Cima Careser and Cima Campisol. Once reached the opposite limit of the glacier, the descent towards Lake Careser begins where the itinerary joins up with path 123. A mostly flat walk now takes you across a plateau full of alpine lakes. Short descent to the hut, located in front of the Vedretta de la Mare glacier and the high peaks of Cevedale, Zufall and Vioz. Dinner and overnight stay in hut (2.607 m).
   
• Day 5 - VAL DE LA MARE 
  Ascent: +60m. Descent: -1080m. Distance: 12,5km. Hiking time: 4h30.
  The descents begins in a rocky environment, then the trail follows the river Noce Bianco to the plateau of Pian Venezia. Once reached the small wooden box, you keep on walking across larch woods towards Malga Mare, where it's possible to take a break. An easy trail along the slopes takes you to Peio. The hill has been a burial site for soldiers from different countries (austrian prisoners, polish, russian and italian) who died in the nearby battlefront, during the First World War. Back to the hotel with public transport.
   
• Day 6 
  Departure.

Program details - 7 days:

The first three days correspond with the first three days of the 5 days' program, plus Martelltal and Forcola Glacier.

• Day 4 - MARTELLTAL
  Ascent: +690m. Descent: -860m. Distance: 9km. Hiking time: 5h30.
  Surrounded by a barren and rocky environment, you reach Saent Pass (2.965 m), which separates Val di Rabbi from Val Martello. From the pass, the descent towards South Tyrol begins and allows you to reach the grazing lands of Paradiso al Cevedale, on the opposite side of Rio Plimbach. Dinner and overnight stay in hut (2.265 m).
   
• Day 5 - FORCOLA GLACIER
  Ascent: +775m. Descent: -430m. Distance: 8km. Hiking time: 4h.
  The itinerary leads to the crossing of the Forcola Glacier, where you will notice the signs of melting, especially over the steep final stretch just before Forcola Pass (3.032 m). Here you can admire the beautiful landscape with the best-known peaks of Ortler Cevedale. The descent on the opposite side of the mountains brings you back to the region of Trentino. The hike ends in the hut, surrounded by a crown of peaks soaring over 3.500 meters: Cevedale, Zufall, Palon de la Mare and Vioz. Dinner and overnight stay in hut (2.607 m).
   
• Day 6 - VAL DE LA MARE 
  Ascent: +60m. Descent: -1080m. Distance: 12,5km. Hiking time: 4h30.
  The descents begins in a rocky environment, then the trail follows the river Noce Bianco to the plateau of Pian Venezia. Once reached the small wooden box, you keep on walking across larch woods towards Malga Mare, where it's possible to take a break. An easy trail along the slopes takes you to Peio. The hill has been a burial site for soldiers from different countries (austrian prisoners, polish, russian and italian) who died in the nearby battlefront, during the First World War. Back to the hotel with public transport.
   
• Day 7
  Departure.

Additional clarifications

The program could be changed at discretion of the Campo Base Team based on weather conditions and forecasts, mantaining however inalterate the basic structure and the aims of the proposal.