Self-guided hike E5: from Meran to the Garda lake

Self-guided trek E5: from Meran to the Garda lake

The hiking tour which connects Costanza lake (Bodensee) to Garda lake, can be divided into multiple sections: our itinerary will lead you from Meran to Garda Lake, allowing you to discover two very different poles - South Tyrol and Trentino - both from cultural and landscape points of view, getting you to cross two mountain ranges of Ortler Cevedale and Brenta Dolomites.

In 6 hiking days you’ll finish a multifaceted hiking tour, one of the best in the Italian Alps, while admiring Merano, Molveno and Toblino - with their correspondent and homonym lakes - before reaching Arco and the Garda Lake, considered the capital of sport climbing and outdoor sports worldwide; there will also be natural environments of extraordinary value, from the sharp spiers of Brenta Dolomites to the wide alpine meadows in Stelvio National Park, at the foothills of Ortler Cevedale.

Program details:

• Day 1 - MERAN
  Arrival in Meran and check-in in 3* hotel. Meran is the capital of tyrolean customs, city of festivals and medieval castles: the elegant church architectures and the big gardens will welcome you in the city and mark the beginning of your adventure.
   

• Day 2 - MADRITSCHJOCH
  Ascent: +560m. Descent: -880m. Distance: 9km. Hiking time: 4h30
  Your hiking tour will begin with a private transfer from Meran to Solda and a cableway ride to Rifugio Città di Milano (2581 m). From here, the path will gently go up and turn many times; you’ll reach in about one hour a hut with a panoramic terrace (2820 m), ideal for a first small break. In front of you, the Madriccio’s glacier, which has been watching over your steps until now. The light ascent will keep on going until Passo del Madriccio (3123 m), link between Val di Solda and the wild Val Martello, which is ready to welcome you in its arms: from here you can admire the breathtaking view which includes the peaks of Ortler (3905 m), Monte Zebrù (3735 m) e Gran Zebrù (3851 m). The descent from the pass will take you to cross a wide valley, walking along creeks and torrents. The environment around you will slowly change: green meadows and dry grounds will mix and your first day on trail will come to an end once you reach the hut where you’ll be staying tonight, next to a marvelous waterfall. Dinner and overnight stay in hut (2264 m).
  
  Additional extra hike:
  Ascent: +210m. Descent: -210m. Distance: 1,5km. Hiking time: 1h20
  From Passo del Madriccio it’s possible to climb the Punta Beltovo di Dentro peak (3325 m), with a small deviation that will allow you to reach the highest point of your itinerary.
   

• Day 3 - SAENT PASS
  Ascent: +870m. Descent: -690m. Distance: 9km. Hiking time: 5h
  The second hiking day will start with the crossing of the bridge over the Plimabach creek.  After walking in the woods, without having to face particularly challenging elevation gains, the meadows of Paradiso al Cevedale will soon open up in front of your eyes: you are still in Val Martello but from the last crossroads the steep climb to the Saent Pass (2965 m) begins. While walking through the barren valley which runs alongside some Alpine lakes, in silence and out of respect for the environment around you, you might hear the whistles of the marmots, tireless sentinels guarding their burrows. The martian landscape of the Saent Pass, an arid border between Trentino and South Tyrol made of red rocks, will soon open up to your gaze: you are ascending fast and moving away from Val Martello, ready to enter Val Saent. Once you have crossed the pass it will be time to go down. Gradually, your gaze will lay on increasingly greener terrain: the first blueberry bushes will give way to the waterways which animate the Val Saent. With the last stretch on a slight slope, you will reach the mountain hut which will host you tonight. Dinner and overnight stay in hut (2436 m).
   

• Day 4 - SAENT WATERFALLS
  Ascent: +130m. Descent: -1370m. Distance: 11,5km. Hiking time: 5h
  Today's section of the hike will result in a pleasant and panoramic descent, surrounded by marmots and blooming flowers, in a vibrant and welcoming environment. The path will soon take you to the heart of a vast plain embellished with streams, called Pra di Saent, an opportunity for a first break. From here the descent will continue through larch woods and will gently accompany you among the bridges and water games of the Saent waterfalls, the most impressive in Val di Sole and a landmark in the Stelvio National Park. At this point the hut is near, and it represents a worthy conclusion to the first part of your adventure: the Ortler Cevedale mountain range has shown you its most beautiful views, now it’s time to discover the Brenta Dolomites. With a private transfer you will quickly get to the departure of the Grosté cable car, ready to enjoy the first taste of the Dolomite panorama: the sharp spiers of the Brenta group will welcome you for your first steps among the rocky peaks, turning pink at sunset. Dinner and overnight stay in hut (2275 m).
   

• Day 5 - BOCCA DI BRENTA
  Ascent: +610m. Descent: -1220m. Distance: 12km. Hiking time: 5h30
  From the mountain hut, located in a strategic position and starting point for via ferratas and numerous itineraries, the path will immediately head towards the heart of the Brenta group, guiding you through the busiest section of the entire chain. If you prefer, you can have a quick break at the Brentei hut (2182 m), historically managed by Bruno Detassis, the "guardian of the Brenta group", and recently renovated: the panoramic window overlooks the Crozzon di Brenta (3135 m), while the external terrace offers a view of the distant Adamello group and Cima Presanella (3558 m). The trail keeps on going uphill, towards Bocca di Brenta (2552 m): the track winds through the screes. A short stretch equipped with a metal rope, under the shadow of the Campanile Basso (2883 m), will help you ascend. Beyond the Bocca a different panorama will open up to your gaze: in the distance you will already be able to guess where your destination is, surrounded by larch forests in contrast with the blinding white of the dolomite rocks. A small "baito" (mountain cabin), set in a scenic valley overlooking the Castelletto di Massodi (2145 m), will be the last human trace you will encounter before reaching the hut, at the end of the long Brenta crossing. Dinner and overnight stay in hut (1630 m).
   

• Day 6 - MOLVENO LAKE
  Ascent: +220m. Descent: -510m. Distance: 5,5km. Hiking time: 3h
  Today's leg will be short and pleasant: the elevation gain is not excessive and the green atmosphere which will surround you throughout the route is a breath of fresh air compared to the arid and rocky environment of the central section of Brenta group. From the hut where you have spent the night you will follow a path downhill, reaching after about an hour the Rifugio Croz dell'Altissimo (1430 m) and keep on discovering the southern side of the Brenta Dolomites. Here the mountain range once again shows its less touristy side: rocky paths wind through expanses of larches, firs and mountain pines, along the invisible threshold that separates the low from the medium altitude. The trail will lead you to the Pradel Plateau, a panoramic terrace which offers a broad view of Lake Molveno, now very close to you. From here you will return by cable car to Molveno. You can enjoy the town or relax along the lake shores at the end of your second-last hiking day. Dinner and overnight stay in hotel.
   

• Day 7 - TOBLINO LAKE
  Ascent: +250m. Descent: -800m. Distance: 12km. Hiking time: 4h
  Your last hiking day will begin with a short private transfer, from Molveno to Nembia. Along the Frassati Path, you will soon find yourself walking on a portion of the beloved Cammino di San Vili, which in its full version goes from Madonna di Campiglio to Trento. It was established by SAT - Trentino’s alpinists association - in 1988 and it follows San Vigilio’s pilgrimage route, a well-known and venerated character in Trentino ("Vili" is his name in popular speech). Your itinerary will continue through villages in the lower valley and show you another side of Trentino: vineyards, terraces and no sharp peaks on the horizon. With a slow and progressive descent, you will reach one of the most typical places in the area: Castel Toblino, a fortified structure dating back - as for its oldest nucleus - to 200 AD. Located in the middle of the lake of the same name and reachable via a drawbridge, it represents a landmark in the Valle dei Laghi and it’s worth a visit. With a final stretch by public bus, you will reach your destination: Arco / Lake Garda, the absolute capital of sport climbing and outdoor sports, from surfing - very popular in Lake Garda area - to MTB. Here you can rest and recover, preserving your energy before going back home. Dinner and overnight stay in hotel.
   

• Day 8 - ARCO / LAKE GARDA
  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.

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