Have you always wanted to do a hut-to-hut but don't know where to start? READ THIS!

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Hi Reader

Last week I dropped the access updates, and a few of you wrote back basically saying: "Great, now I'm stressed about even getting into the Dolomites. Is it even worth it anymore?"

Yes. But maybe not the way you've been picturing it.

Here's the thing nobody tells you: the day-tripper crowds at Tre Cime and Seceda are a daytime problem. The cable cars run on schedules. The parking lots fill and then empty by sunset. And up on the high routes, the ones that connect rifugio to rifugio — you can walk for hours and see almost no one.

That's hut-to-hut hiking.

Why I keep recommending it (even to people who think they "aren't hikers"):

You sleep up where the views are. You eat Ladin/Italian/Tyrolian-inspired dishes, someone's grandmother probably taught the cook to make. You watch alpenglow hit the peaks while everyone else is stuck in traffic on the way back to their hotel in Cortina. SCORE!

And you do it carrying nothing but a small pack, because you don't need three outfits when you're walking between huts.

These routes, some popular, some lesser-known, will get you walking through some of the most beautiful landscapes...

• ​Alta Via 1 Short — Just 4 days on the classic gateway to the Dolomites and Ladin heritage. Doable for fit beginners. Stunning every single day. My short itinerary breakdown is here. You'll also need a place to stay before you go on the Alta Via 1! Check out my post on Where to Stay Before and After the Alta Via 1​
• ​Alta Via 2 Short — harder, more remote, more holy-cow-look-at-that. My 4-day short version is the best entry point if you want a taste without committing to two weeks and various Via Ferrata.
• ​Palaronda Trek — the one most Americans haven't heard of. The Pale di San Martino group is otherworldly, and the huts feel like a secret.
• ​MADE Trek — newer, less trafficked, in the Carnic Alps just east of the main Dolomites. If you want to avoid even the hut-to-hut crowds, this is it.

Here's the other thing, too: you don't have to book these alone; there are ways to book your hut-to-huts without pulling your hair out. My favorite self-guided booking methods are through Bookatrekking and Dolomist. I've found their prices to be reasonable, and the two companies are highly reputable!

When do you want to book? You'll want to start booking for 2027 in early September. I am dead serious about this! Bookatrekking has their 2027 Calendars up, and they can work on reservations for you. It was such a pain in the butt to book the southern half of the Alta Via 1, so I ended up doing day hikes instead. For the Alta Via 2, the Palaronda trek covered the middle portion with high-altitude huts and a very interesting landscape! To say I was frightened was an understatement. The last day was a doozy for me.

One honest thing as a solo female hiker (or if you're a male hiker): I was nervous my first time. I shouldn't have been. The rifugio trail community is one of the safest, kindest networks I've ever traveled through. You'll meet people at dinner who become your walking companions the next morning. You're never as alone as you think you'll be.

If you're newly curious about how this all works, start here:

• ​The Complete Dolomites Mountain Huts Guide — which huts, where, why
• ​What to Actually Pack for Hut-to-Hut — and what to leave home
• ​Guided vs. Self-Guided: Which Is Right for You? — the honest comparison
• ​Where to Stay in the Dolomites: My Favorite Hotels as a Solo Female Hiker: A collection of my favorite hotels in the Dolomites.

ICELAND IN 2027

I still have spots available for my ICELAND FOR SOLO FEMALE TRAVELERS GROUP TRIP January 26 – February 1, 2027. Northern Lights, glaciers, Blue Lagoon, and a small group of like-minded women. I would love to have you on this trip with me!

​See the full trip here — early bird pricing is still active! You get a lot with this one, and the itinerary is lengthy. It's such a great itinerary, and I can't wait to take a group of women with me!

As always, my inbox is open and if you need a chat, I'm here!

Happy planning,

Kimberly