italian dolomites hut-to-hut hike for couples: July 25-august 2, 2025
Into the Wild is a chance to take a moment for you and your partner. To dive deep into your wild woman self. To see the Italian alps’ beauty, culture, and landscape. To, simply put, have a wild time with your partner, experience the mountains of Italy that will take your breath away, sleep in the quaint huts, and try new things. To accomplish a feat that will challenge you and make you feel proud.
This trip is for you badass hiker couples out there! This Italian Dolomites thru-hike is just that: a hike lasting several days, through beautiful mountainous terrain like you’ve never dreamed of. This trip is NOT for a fair-weather hiker or somebody who’s never hiked before. It CAN be for somebody getting into hiking or who simply likes hiking, or somebody who’s never backpacked before, or somebody who’s willing to put in the time to train. You and your partner absolutely must be ready by May 2025 for this trip.
Do you have an interest in hiking through the Italian Dolomites, up and down beautiful passes In the Rosengarten Nature Park? Do you desire to see the world through new eyes? To achieve a physical feat that you can look back on and be proud of? Self-rediscovery? Self-empowerment? Bringing out your inner wild selves?
If so- this retreat is for you, and couples like you. Come as you are and leave as your best selves, with new friends, new experiences, and a new zest for life and the outdoors.
The cost per couple for this trip is $5399.
Below is the information on what you’ll experience on this thru-hiking trip in the Dolomites.
To see what 2023’s trip was like, follow me on instagram at @intothewild.adventure and check out the Dolomites highlight!
overview:
This trip to the Italian Dolomites will likely be the first to the area for many of you. Into the Wild is run by Wendy Wilder, and Wendy and her partner Thor will have all the details laid out and ready for you- all you have to do is follow their lead and enjoy the experience of hiking miles and miles through absolutely stunning scenery. Thor will provide photos of our trip, so you’ll have memories of the hike and the beauty throughout for years to come.
pricing:
This hiking trip is priced at $5399 per couple (two people in a romantic relationship). You may pay in one or two installments. This price will include the first night’s hotel stay in Venice, Italy, 6 nights in huts and mountain lodges (these are dorm style units that are safe, comfortable and amazing), all breakfasts, lunches and dinners, bus and train tickets to trailheads, and the last night’s stay in Venice, Italy. You will pay for anything else including extra alcoholic drinks, snacks, and souvenirs. You’ll also need to get travel insurance which isn’t too expensive, but it is required and proof must be provided. You’ll also be required to sign a liability waiver.
when:
July 25-August 2, 2025. You must book your flight to arrive on July 25th to Venice Airport to avoid problems with delays, etc. The transfer to Carezza, Italy, will happen on July 26th, and we will begin our trek on this day (however, it’s a very easy start!)
The hut-to-hut trek will include 6 nights stays in huts called Refugios. These are not the small huts your mind might think of, but more like rustic hostels nestled in the Dolomite range, where we will sleep in dorm style rooms, dine on half-board meals (large portions, boasting the region’s delicious fares!) and beverages, and enjoy the magestic alpine views. Please note that most huts have only twin beds and bunk beds, but in huts where a double/queen/king bed can be reserved for couples, they will be. Each night we will rest up, enjoy each other’s company in stunning scenery, and prepare for the next day’s adventure.
After these 6 days, we will transfer back to Venice. You will book your flights for the morning of August 1st from Venice back to your home. Optionally you can stay in Venice on either end of the trip to get your sightseeing in!
Who:
This retreat is for the couple interested in maximum fun in the beautiful Dolomite mountain range of Italy. We will combine adventure and sightseeing and send you home feeling amazing. I am a firm believer that fun and adventure with your partner are a key part of maintaining a healthy relationship. Be prepared to rediscover each other and what originally drew you together!
Couples who come to this retreat should fall somewhat into these guidelines:
You and your partner want a trip that will break the mold of typical trips- it’s exotic, challenging to plan for yourself, and so unlike any other trip you’ve taken.
You enjoy nature and being out in it.
You love hiking.
You want to try new things.
You look forward to having an epic time with your partner without having to do the work of planning it.
You are ready to unplug and have amazing experiences.
You are ready to gain friends of a similar outdoor and travel loving mindset.
Why:
When is the last time you enjoyed 7 nights abroad for yourselves? To develop as a couple, rediscover each other and to have adventures you deserve?
NOTE: THIS PARTICULAR INTO THE WILD TRIP IS ALL ABOUT THE HIKING, ADVENTURE AND THE INCREDIBLE SIGHTS AND EXPERIENCES. UNBEATABLE FOOD WILL BE PREPARED ALONG THE TRAIL!
What:
A couple’s adventure vacation built to help you rediscover you and your partner’s connection, your passions, and this beautiful earth you live on. An experience that will make you feel youthful and adventurous (and tired!). A moment to be close whatever it is that drives you. A bonding experience not to be missed.
We will hike together. Make lots of new friends, and laugh a lot, and create unforgettable memories, together, of course.
IMPORTANT NOTE: tHIS RETREAT WILL INVOLVE WILD ADVENTURES. WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO STRIVE for and GET TO A MODERATE/advanced HIKE LEVEL BY May 15 2025 SO YOU CAN BE READY TO trek/hike and adventure WITH THE GROUP. iF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS AT ALL ABOUT WHAT THIS MEANS, JUST ASK! wendy@intothewildphotocamp.com
Disclaimer: Due to the nature of retreat planning- there are not refunds, only re-sales of your ticket in which you must find a buyer. IMPORTANT: if you end up not being ready for this hike, you can transfer your ticket to another trip for a $500 fee plus the difference in costs between retreats.
Below are some pictures of the Women’s trip to the Dolomites in 2023 so you can preview the scenery!
Gallery photos are by @wechoseadventures and @rootedwild.
A mountain hut in the Italian Dolomites
ITINERARY: (Subject to changes)
Here’s the breakdown as my Garmin captured it in 2023- but be aware that other watches and trackers were up to 1.5 miles different than mine on certain days.
July 25: everyone meets up! Intro dinner. Explore Venice in small groups. Sleep :)
July 26: store non-trek luggage in Venice. Board train for Bolzano. In Bolzano, catch a bus to Paolina, our first hut! Play around, eat dinner, enjoy the scenery and excitement for the next day.
Day 1 of trek, (July 27): 7.11 miles, 2,155 elevation gain. There is a cable portion on this day, which means you’ll be climbing a steeeeep rocky crag while holding onto a cable. Risk of falling: quite low. But I do warn that the feeling of heights may bother some of you. It will be ok, it’s safe and sound. Time hiking: 6 hours ish.
July 28: 8.7 miles, 2000 feet elevation gain. Couple of steep ups and downs as we conquer passes. Narrow trails. So much fun! GORGEOUSSSSSSSS. This took people 6.5 to 9 hours last year, depending on speed and including a nice lovely lunch break.
July 29: Rest day! Some can e-bike, some can nap, some can hike, whatever! This was such a fun day in the most idyllic location last year. It was magical.
July 30: 7.2 miles, elevation gain 2,603. Tough and gorgeous day climbing an unbelievably gorgeous pass! 6-8 hours hiking, including a glorious hut-lunch. Have I mentioned how BEAUTIFUL IT IS????
July 31: we climb the other side of a very impressive pass, returning to a valley we spent the night at before. 3.5 miles, 1,300 feet gain. It took us 2 hours last year because a huge thunderstorm broke and we ran the entire downhill portion. Most people stayed at a repeat hut but some people hiked a difficult cable route to a different hut, which was an additional 2 hours and 1500 feet climb.
August 1: We hike a total of about 4 miles, mostly downhill. Catch a ski lift to a bus, back to another bus, back to the train :) Trek is over! We will go back to Venice via train, grab our luggage, have dinner and sleep at a hotel.
August 2: retreat ends!
Lago di Antermoia, a very cold, brilliantly colored lake that we will see on our trek!
We aim for friendships to be formed with other couples- it’s one of the top features of Into the Wild retreats, as stated by couples who’ve participated in the past. MOST rooms are SHARED, dorm-style rooms. If possible at the huts, a double bed will be reserved for each couple, but most have twin or bunk beds. Again, with the nature of the mountain huts, all rooms are shared occupancy. We know- this sounds scary. But it always turns out to be the best!
A reminder: your expenses are all paid, except your flights to and from Venice from your home, extra alcohol, extra snacks and any souvenirs. We cover lodging, activities, food, transport, etc!
Couples retreats are an amazing thing to experience. You come often not knowing anyone except your partner, not knowing what to expect. And you leave with a set of new, awesome, genuine friends who all experienced the same exciting, immersive, life-changing experience.
