The Grand Via Ferrata Safari: An Alta Via of Via Ferratas in the Dolomites
A long-distance hut to hut journey across the Dolomites, startin in Bolzano, combining hiking trails and technical via ferrata sections, designed and refined by a local mountain guide
Why follow a traditional Alta Via, if you’re an adventurous and fit explorer ready to go beyond hiking trails and experience the Dolomites in a more complete and technical way?
Over the years, working as a mountain guide in the Dolomites, I started connecting different via ferrata areas into one continuous journey. Not just a single trip, but a long-distance route that could be followed step by step, or completed in one big adventure.
This is how the idea of the Grand Via Ferrata Safari was born:
an Alta Via of via ferratas, starting from Bolzano and crossing some of the most iconic mountain groups in the Dolomites.
A Different Way to Cross the Dolomites
The Dolomites are the only place in the world where such a dense network of via ferratas exists. This is due to the unique structure of these mountains, with vertical walls, sharp ridges, and compact rock that naturally lends itself to this kind of movement.
Because of this, there is an incredible opportunity here. Not just to hike across the Dolomites, but to truly navigate them in three dimensions!
Instead of following only classic Alta Via hiking trails, you can combine scenic trekking with exposed and technical via ferrata sections. This adds a completely new dimension to the journey, with vertical movement, airy passages, physical engagement, and the possibility to reach summits and traverse dramatic terrain that would otherwise remain inaccessible.
It becomes more than a trek… It becomes a complete alpine experience, combining hut to hut travel with progression through the mountains in a much more dynamic and immersive way.
Why with a Mountain Guide?
Experiencing this kind of journey with a local mountain guide makes a huge difference.
Not only for safety, but for the overall quality of the experience. A guide knows how to manage timing, adapt to weather conditions, choose the right alternatives, and adjust the level of difficulty based on your abilities.
At the same time, the journey becomes a progression. Step by step, you gain confidence, improve your technique, and learn how to move efficiently on via ferrata terrain.
A Modular Journey Across the Dolomites
The Grand Via Ferrata Safari is built around four different via ferrata safaris, each located in a distinct area of the Dolomites.
(with the optional Brenta extension)
Each of these can be experienced as a standalone trip, but together they form a much bigger project.
The entire journey can be completed as an incredible 18 day traverse, starting from Bolzano and reaching San Martino di Castrozza, crossing some of the most iconic mountain landscapes of the Dolomites.
Flexible, Adaptable, Personal
One of the key aspects of this project is flexibility.
Each safari is designed to be modular and adaptable. Sections can be combined or separated. Specific via ferratas can be added or removed. The itinerary can be adjusted based on conditions, level, and preferences.
This means the experience can be shaped around you. Whether you want to explore just one area, combine multiple sections, or commit to the full journey.
How to Approach the Grand Via Ferrata Safari
One of the key ideas behind the Grand Via Ferrata Safari is progression.
It is not just a journey across the Dolomites, but a logical and gradual path, where each section builds on the previous one. This allows you to grow in confidence, technique, and exposure step by step.
Starting from Zero: Your First Via Ferrata in the Dolomites
If you are a passionate hiker and want to approach your first via ferrata in the Dolomites, the best place to start is the Rosengarten (or Catinaccio) Via Ferrata Safari.
Over 5 days, the experience is designed to be progressive.
The first three via ferratas are technically beginner friendly and perfect to build confidence: Roda di Vael, Santner, Antermoia via ferratas.
The final two days are flexible and can be adapted depending on your progression and the conditions.
Together with the guide, you will decide whether to continue on more challenging routes or keep a lighter approach.
If you feel ready for a longer adventure, this safari can be extended into a 7 day journey, continuing towards the Sassolungo area.
Here, you will add iconic routes such as the Via Ferrata Schuster, Col Rodella, and the Forcella del Sassolungo.
A full week of hiking and via ferrata that brings you onto some of the most beautiful peaks in the Dolomites, such as Roda di Vael, Antermoia, and Sassopiatto.
Intermediate Level: The Heart of the Dolomites
If you already have some via ferrata experience and are visiting the Dolomites for the first time, the Sassolungo and Sella Via Ferrata Safari is the perfect next step.
This five day journey starts with two warm up days before moving into more demanding terrain.
You will then climb routes such as the Pössnecker or Meisules, the Piazzetta, and the Via Ferrata delle Trincee. These are more vertical and exposed, offering a true climbing experience.
Advanced Level: Full Alpine Experience
For experienced climbers, two options offer a deeper and more physical experience.
The Civetta Via Ferrata Safari is a demanding and rewarding four day journey, with long days and significant elevation gain in a wild alpine environment. Here you will climb some of the most sustained via ferratas in the Dolomites, including one of the longest routes in the region.
The Pale di San Martino Via Ferrata Safari offers a completely different atmosphere, with vast landscapes, vertical towers, and some of the most beautiful mountain huts in the Dolomites. Incredibly scenic, it is a perfect mix of technical sections and exploration!
A Journey That Can Last Years
The Grand Via Ferrata Safari does not have to be completed all at once.
One of its most unique aspects is that it can become a long term personal journey, something you build over time, season after season… :)
You can start with a single safari, return the following year to explore a new area, and gradually connect the different sections into your own Alta Via of via ferratas.
For many, this becomes more than just a trip. It becomes a personal mission, a way to experience some of the most iconic Dolomite groups at their best and to reach incredible summits step by step.
Each return to the mountains is not a repetition, but a progression. Deeper, more confident, and more connected to the landscape!
Explore the Grand Via Ferrata Safari
If this idea resonates with you and you feel ready to step into this kind of experience, feel free to get in touch.
Tell us about your mountain experience, your level, and what kind of adventure you are looking for. We’ll help you choose the via ferrata safari that suits you best, and guide you step by step into this journey across the Dolomites.
