The Complete Guide to Booking Alta Via 1 Rifugios

The Alta Via 1 is one of the most spectacular hikes you'll ever do. Imagine spending over a week traversing the dramatic peaks of the Dolomites, walking beneath towering rock spires, crossing high mountain passes, and ending each day at a cozy rifugio with incredible Italian food and drinks. It's truly an unforgettable adventure.

Now, let's talk about the elephant in the room: booking accommodations. When we hiked the Alta Via 1 in 2023, we started planning in January for our July trek, thinking we were being pretty organised. Turns out, we were already late to the party! We quickly learned that for the Alta Via 1, "early" means booking in September or October of the year before. We managed to piece together our itinerary, but it took persistence, flexibility, and a few tricks we picked up along the way.

Securing beds on the Alta Via 1 has become incredibly competitive, and the situation seems to intensify every year. Some say it's now harder than booking the Tour du Mont Blanc! But if you've landed on this guide, you're probably already aware of the challenge and looking for solutions. Good news, we've got a few strategies and insider tips that can help you navigate the booking process and increase your chances of finding those precious beds.

Why is it so hard to find accommodations on Alta Via 1?

It's important to understand why availability is so tight on the Alta Via 1. There are two main reasons that create a perfect storm of competition for beds:

No campsites along the route. First and most importantly, there only one campsite along the Alta Via 1 and wild camping isn't allowed in the Dolomites. This means every single hiker needs a bed in a rifugio every single night. There's no camping backup plan, no way to pitch a tent when the huts are full.

The route stays high in the mountains. Unlike many other long-distance treks that descend into valleys where you might find towns, villages, and hotels, the Alta Via 1 stays high in the mountains for virtually its entire length. The trail doesn't pass through any populated areas where alternative accommodation exists. This means mountain huts are essentially your only option, there are no valley hotels, no guesthouses, no B&Bs to fall back on when your preferred rifugio is fully booked.

These two factors combined mean that everyone hiking the Alta Via 1 is competing for the same limited number of rifugio beds. There's simply no alternative accommodation infrastructure along this route, which is part of what makes it such a remote and spectacular adventure, but also what makes booking so challenging.

What to Expect at the Alta Via 1 Rifugios

Before we dive into the booking madness, let's talk about what these rifugios are actually like, because they vary wildly.

Think of the Alta Via 1 rifugios as existing on a spectrum. On one end, you've got places like Rifugio Fanes, Lavarella, and Averau, which are basically mountain hotels with private rooms, ensuite bathrooms, and amenities that'll make you wonder if you're really roughing it at all. Some even have saunas! On the other end, you've got the rustic, no-frills huts like Rifugio Biella, Nuvolau, and Pramperet, where it's all about dormitory beds and basic facilities.

Here's what's pretty much universal: the atmosphere is incredibly friendly, with trekkers from all over the world sharing tables, swapping stories about the day's adventures, and bonding over amazing food and wine. It's honestly one of the best parts of the whole experience.

Most rifugios offer half board, which means dinner and breakfast are included. Trust me, you want half board. The dinners are typically three or four courses of absolutely delicious Italian mountain cuisine. I'm talking speck dumplings, beetroot ravioli, homemade pasta.

How to Book the Alta Via 1 Rifugios

Okay, here comes the part that can be a bit overwhelming. Unlike some long-distance treks that have a central booking system, the Alta Via 1 rifugios must be booked individually, one by one. There's no way around this. Each rifugio has its own website, its own booking system, and its own way of doing things.

Most rifugios now have online booking systems built into their websites, which makes life much easier. However, a few still require you to email them directly to request availability and make reservations. This means you'll be juggling multiple email conversations, waiting to hear back, and trying to piece together your itinerary like a puzzle.

Here's our special tip for managing this process: use a tool that helps you visualize all the rifugios and their availability in one place. We created the Hike Planner specifically to solve this problem. It shows all the Alta Via 1 rifugios along the route, displays real-time availability for those with online booking systems, and provides all the contact information and booking links you need in one centralized place. Instead of having to visit 30+ different websites and keep track of everything manually, you can see the whole picture at once and identify where the gaps in your itinerary might be.

The key is being organised and starting this process early.

What If the dates don't line up?

Try hiking in reverse. Many hikers automatically plan north to south, which means everyone is competing for the same rifugios on the same nights. By flipping the route and hiking south to north instead, you're essentially looking at a completely different availability pattern.

Sign up for cancellation notifications. Some rifugios offer email notifications when cancellations occur or when new spots become available. If a key rifugio is blocking your entire itinerary, reach out directly via email and ask if they have a waiting list or if they can notify you of any cancellations. Rifugio staff are generally very helpful and understand the booking challenges hikers face. Cancellations do happen, people's plans change, weather forces itinerary adjustments, or groups fall apart, so staying on top of these opportunities can pay off.

Monitor huts that haven't opened reservations yet. Remember, not all rifugios open their booking systems at the same time. Some open as late as February or even April. If you're planning in January and a critical hut hasn't opened bookings yet, don't book everything else and hope for the best. Instead, mark that rifugio's opening date on your calendar and be ready to book the moment reservations open.

Hut Highlights

While every rifugio has its own personality, some really stand out for specific reasons. Here are a few highlights worth knowing about:

Rifugio Sennes (Sennes Hütte): The cozy interior here makes you feel right at home after a long day on the trail. But what really sets this place apart are the homemade desserts. Don't miss the pine ice cream! It's unique, delicious, and perfectly captures the alpine essence of the Dolomites.

Rifugio Lagazuoi: Perched at the highest point along the route, Lagazuoi offers breathtaking 360-degree views that will leave you speechless. The rifugio has a sauna (perfect after a challenging day), and the location is absolutely ideal for both sunset and sunrise photography. The area is also rich in WWI history, with tunnels from the war located right next to the rifugio. Inside, you'll find fascinating artifacts from this period, adding a historical dimension to your mountain experience.

Rifugio Coldai: This rifugio is perfectly positioned just 15 minutes from Lago Coldai, one of the most beautiful lakes along the entire route. In the evening, make the short walk to the lake to enjoy the serene views and spectacular sunset reflections on the water. It's a magical spot that many hikers consider a highlight of the whole trek.

Rifugio Lavarella: If you're looking for comfort and a bit of fun, Lavarella delivers. They offer private rooms and a sauna for relaxation. Spend your evening on the terrace with an Aperol Spritz or a freshly brewed beer, watching the Dolomites glow in the alpenglow. Pure mountain bliss.

Rifugio Carestiato: This is an authentic mountain hut in the truest sense. Surrounded by dramatic rocky peaks, Carestiato has a wonderful atmosphere that captures the spirit of alpine refuges. The homey food is delicious and comforting, exactly what you want after a day in the mountains. It's rustic, genuine, and absolutely charming.

Food in the Rifugios

Let's talk about one of the absolute highlights of the Alta Via 1: the food. We're not exaggerating when we say this is the best food we've ever eaten while hiking. Seriously. Every single rifugio surprised us with how incredible the meals were, and we quickly realised that dinner time would become one of our favorite parts of each day.

But here's something that really elevated our experience: we made it a habit to stop at rifugios along the trail for lunch, even when we weren't staying there overnight. These midday stops became some of our best memories. Picture this: you've been hiking for a few hours, the sun is high, and you arrive at a rifugio terrace with stunning Dolomite views. You order a sandwich or some fresh pasta, maybe an Aperol Spritz (just one—not enough to make you fall off the mountain), and you sit there soaking in the alpine atmosphere. Pure bliss.

The espresso culture is real here. Every rifugio serves proper Italian espresso, and paired with their absolutely delicious desserts, it's heaven. We have to be emphatic about this: try every pie you see. All of them. They're homemade, they're incredible, and you won't regret the extra calories. The ice cream deserves its own paragraph, honestly. We had some of the most incredibly tasty ice cream on this trail, and on hot hiking days, there's nothing better than reaching a rifugio and treating yourself to a scoop (or three) of artisanal gelato while looking at jagged peaks.

The Alta Via 1 is an absolutely spectacular trek, and staying in these rifugios is a huge part of what makes it so special. The process of booking them can be a bit tedious, but once you're sitting at a rustic wooden table at 2,700 meters, sharing wine with fellow trekkers and watching the Dolomites turn pink at sunset, you'll forget all about those hours spent on spreadsheets and bank transfers.