Guided Walking at Selva

• Our experienced leaders offer the choice of two different walks each day
• Choose the option which best suits your interests and fitness
• We provide flexible holidays. Choose easier walking one day and harder the next or just explore independently or relax around the resort
• Our leaders are friendly and welcoming making your holiday fun and sociable

  Easier Walks   Harder Walks

Generally on good paths which can be rough or steep, some options include crossing mountainous terrain with steep gradients.

Early and late season dates will consist of a mixture between itineraries 1 and 2 to suit local conditions.

Mixture of itineraries 1 and 2: Sat 2, 9 June; Sat 1, 8 September 2012

Itinerary One

Sat 16 June, Sat 30 June; Sat 14 July, Sat 28 July; Sat 25 August

Day 1: Arrival day

For those arriving on the HF Holidays’ flight to Verona Airport, the onward journey to Selva is by coach. You should arrive at the hotel with time to settle into your room, and perhaps explore some of the village. On the first evening your leaders will explain more about the walks and there will be plenty of time to meet with your fellow guests.

Day 2: The north side of Val Gardena

The walks in this area will give you a good introduction to the village and surrounding area, enabling you to get your bearings for the rest of the week. All the walks head out through the centre of the village enabling you to locate the gondola station, bus stop, post office, bank and local shops.

Easier Walk: 8 miles with up to 900 feet of ascent and 2,800 feet of descent

Harder Walk: 9 miles with up to 2,060 feet of ascent and descent

Day 3: Sassolungo and Passo Sella

The Sassolungo Massif is an immense rock mountain which towers above Selva. Clearly visible from most of the walks it is a dramatic landmark that also forms the basis for a number of excellent walks.

Easier Walk: 7 miles with up to 360 feet of ascent and 2,700 feet of descent

Harder Walk: 8 miles with up to 2,400 feet of ascent and 3,000 feet of descent

Day 4: Free day

Each week there is a free day where no guided walks are offered. This is an ideal opportunity to relax around the hotel, walk independently, or visit local places of interest.

Local walks: There are a wealth of walks in the Gardena Valley and your leaders will be happy to recommend options if you would like to walk independently on your free day.

Ortisei is the largest of the villages in the Gardena Valley and is easily reached by bus. Here you could wander around the historic centre and perhaps enjoy lunch in one of the pavement cafés. Alternatively Ortisei is also the starting point for a number of lifts which will take you high into the mountains, perhaps exploring an area not visited during your walks.

Bolzano is an interesting town that is the administrative centre of the South Tyrol region. There is a good bus service from Selva, with the journey taking approximately 1½ hours. Some of the town’s interesting historic buildings include the 14^th century Franciscan church and the Chiesa dei Domenican monastery which has frescoes of 15^th century life painted on the walls. Bolzano’s main attraction is the fascinating ‘Ice Man’ museum which contains the preserved body of a prehistoric man and his artefacts that were found high on an alpine glacier. There are frequently long queues to enter the museum, but our previous guests have highly recommended a visit.

Bressanone is another interesting historic town with arcaded streets. The Duomo in the main square dates from the 13^th century and its 14^th century cloisters are decorated  with medieval frescoes. The nearby Bishop's Palace now houses the Diocesan Museum.

Day 5: Alpe Rasciesa and Pic

Today we travel down the valley to Ortisei, the largest village in the Val Gardena. Using the chairlift or cable-car to gain height, our walks explore the beautiful alpine meadows above.

Easier Walk: 8½ miles with up to 1,000 feet of ascent and 2,050 feet of descent

Harder Walk: 9 miles with up to 2,680 feet of ascent and 3,330 feet of descent

Day 6: Corvara and the Sella Group

Today we head east from Selva and cross the high mountain passes to the village of Corvara. The landscape here is dominated by the Sella Group, a huge mountain massif surrounded on all sides by towering cliffs.

Easier Walk: 7 miles with up to 780 feet of ascent and 2,250 feet of descent

Harder Walk: 7½ miles with up to 1,550 feet of ascent and 3,900 feet of descent 

Day 7: The Vallunga

The Vallunga Valley runs northeast of Selva deep into the Puez-Odle Natural Park. As its name (literally ‘long valley’) suggests, it heads for several miles away from Selva and the absence of roads and development makes it particularly peaceful and attractive.

Easier Walk: 8½ miles with up to 1,400 feet of ascent and descent

Harder Walk: 9½ miles with up to 3,020 feet of ascent and descent

Day 8: Departure day or free day for guests staying for 14 nights.

Itinerary Two

Sat 23 June; Sat 7 July, Sat 21 July; Sat 4 August

Day 1: Arrival day

For those arriving on the HF Holidays’ flight from Verona Airport, the onward journey to Selva is by coach. You should arrive at the hotel with time to settle into your room, and perhaps explore some of the village. On the first evening your leaders will explain more about the walks and there will be plenty of time to meet with your fellow guests.

Day 2: An introduction to the south side of Val Gardena

These circular walks will give you an introduction to Selva and the south side of the valley. All the walks head out through the centre of the village enabling you to locate the gondola station, bus stop, bank, post office and local shops.

Easier Walk: 5½ miles with up to 580 feet of ascent and 1,640 feet of descent 

Harder Walk: 9 miles with up to 910 feet of ascent and 3,000 feet of descent

Day 3: Alpe de Siusi or Puflatsch

Today the walks head down the valley to explore two contrasting landscapes. The easier walkers walk in the beautiful high meadows of the Alpe de Siusi, whilst those opting for the harder walk travel a little further to ascend the Pufltsch Plateau, famous for its flowers, rock formations and wonderful views.

Easier Walk: 6 miles with up to 1,260 feet of ascent and 1,575 feet of descent 

Harder Walk: 8 miles with up to 2,460 feet of ascent and 3,580 feet of descent

Day 4: Free day

Each week there is a free day where no guided walks are offered. This is an ideal opportunity to relax around the hotel, walk independently, or visit local places of interest.

Local walks: There are a wealth of walks in the Gardena Valley and your leaders will be happy to recommend options if you would like to walk independently on your free day.

Ortisei is the largest of the villages in the Gardena Valley and is easily reached by bus. Here you could wander around the historic centre and perhaps enjoy lunch in one of the pavement cafés. Alternatively Ortisei is also the starting point for a number of lifts which will take you high into the mountains, perhaps exploring an area not visited during your walks.

Bolzano is an interesting town that is the administrative centre of the South Tyrol region. There is a good bus service from Selva, with the journey taking approximately 1½ hours. Some of the town’s interesting historic buildings include the 14^th century Franciscan church and the Chiesa dei Domenican monastery which has frescoes of 15^th century life painted on the walls. Bolzano’s main attraction is the fascinating ‘Ice Man’ museum which contains the preserved body of a prehistoric man and his artefacts that were found high on an alpine glacier. There are frequently long queues to enter the museum, but our previous guests have highly recommended a visit.

Bressanone is another interesting historic town with arcaded streets. The Duomo in the main square dates from the 13^th century and its 14^th century cloisters are decorated with medieval frescoes. The nearby Bishop's Palace now houses the Diocesan Museum.

Day 5: Friedrich August Weg or Sas Ciampac

These walks head in different directions to either follow the superb Friedrich August path, or ascend to the summit of Sas Ciampac.

Easier Walk: 8 miles with up to 1,330 feet of ascent and 1,820 feet of descent

Harder Walk: 10½ miles with up to 2,320 feet of ascent and 4,640 feet of descent 

Day 6: Forces de Sieles

From Ortisei both groups use the long Secada lift to ascend high up the mountainside to the north of the valley. This lift is in two sections; the lower half is a gondola whilst the more dramatic top section is a cable-car. The high alpine meadows visited are noted for their displays of Edelweiss. These walks also visit a number of mountain huts and offer extensive views of the surrounding peaks.

Easier Walk: 5½ miles with up to 625 feet of ascent and 2,040 feet of descent

Harder Walk: 9 miles with up to 2,260 feet of ascent and 5,100 feet of descent

Day 7: Dantercepies and Passo Gardena

These final day walks use the long Dantercepies gondola to travel from Selva into the mountains to the east of the village. The mighty Sella group, the immense rocky massif that blocks the head of the Val Gardena, dominates the view from both walks.

Easier Walk: 8 miles with up to 870 feet of ascent and 3,040 feet of descent

Harder Walk: 9½ miles with up to 2,500 feet of ascent and 3,760 feet of descent

Day 8: Departure day or free day for guests staying for 14 nights.

Please note that all itineraries outlined below are provisional and could be subject to change. A finalised itinerary will be available at the resort and your leaders will brief you every evening about the next day’s walks.

Local transport

On some days the walks start and finish at the Hotel Malleier. On other days we’ll use the local buses to explore the Val Gardena. There is also an extensive network of cable-cars, gondolas and chairlifts which provide easy access to the higher slopes. The cost of transport to and from the walk is payable locally. If you are planning on walking every day we would recommend buying a Gardena Card which entitles holders to unlimited use of the local lifts and buses.

We operate two walking itineraries at Selva on alternate weeks. If you book a 14 night holiday, you can enjoy both itineraries and all the best walks.