Overview
This is a seven day adventure, walking in Friuli-Venezia Giulia (centre-based), and following a carefully-crafted itinerary of trails that take you from your eco-friendly mountain hotel into the surrounding Carnic Alps. Based in the small village of Comeglians, enveloped by peaks and valleys, forests and lakes, there are many remote rambles to be had. Hiking highlights include Val Degano and the hills around Ovaro, the stunning Panoramica delle Vette ridge walk which leads to the summit of Monte Crostis, and also the Lago Volaia trail, with an alpine lake shimmering at the end of the it, on the border with Austria.
- Monte Zoncolan
- Monte Crostis (2,251m)
- Panoramica delle Vette
- Comeglians
- Ovaro
- Lago Volaia
- Lago di Bordaglia
Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive in Comeglians
You are met at Carnia train station by our driver, then transferred to your accommodation (40mins), a chalet-style mountain resort located in the quiet forests of the Carnia region. Depending on your time of arrival, explore the landscapes around the hotel, enjoy a treatment in their wellness centre or a dinner at Borgo Nomplan restaurant.
- Accommodation: Dolomiti Village in Comeglians
Day 2: The hills of Ovaro | 15km
Starting directly from your accommodation, follow forest and mountain paths down Val Degano towards Ovaro. The route offers a mix of alpine landscapes, quiet hamlets and cultural landmarks. Along the way, you can visit historic sites such as the Church of San Martino in Cella or the romanesque Pieve di Santa Maria di Gorto, famous for its medieval frescoes and hilltop views. Continue to the alpine village of Ovaro before walking back to the accommodation along different mountain paths.
- Walking for the day: 16km, 6h ↑875m ↓875m
Day 3: Panoramica delle Vette | 11km
You are transferred to Rifugio Chiadinas (30mins) to the trailhead of Panoramica delle Vette, a high-mountain ridge path with views over the Carnic Alps. The path climbs steadily across alpine meadows and rocky slopes to the summit of Monte Crostis (2,251m), where you get views across the Coglians massif to the distant Julian Alps. After walking along the wide ridge, follow the same route back to Rifugio Chiadinas, where your driver awaits to drive you back to the resort.
- Walking for the day: 11km, 4h ↑554m ↓554m
Day 4: Lago Volaia | 8km
Begin with a short private transfer to Rifugio Tolazzi (35mins) where the walk begins. The trail to Lago Volaia takes you through through forests and open pastures before rising into a wide alpine basin. Follow a rugged trail with great views of the Coglians Massif as far as Lago Volaia, located right on the border between Italy and Austria. The walk back follows the same route back to Rifugio Tolazzi, where you are met by your driver, for a transfer back to your accommodation.
- Walking for the day: 8km, 3h ↑784m ↓784m
Day 5: Monte Zoncolan | 13km
The day begins with a short transfer (25mins) to the slopes of Monte Zoncolan (1,750m). The route then follows a wide open ridge towards Monte Arvènis, where its grassy summit has superb views of the Carnic and Julian Alps. Descend through high pastures to Malga Meleit, a farmstead surrounded by meadows. Continues across the slopes to Malga Agareit, another farmstead overlooking the valley. The path eventually brings you to Rifugio Tamai, perched above the Zoncolan area, a perfect place for a break, before returning to Zoncolan, where you are met and transferred back to the resort.
- Walking for the day: 13km, 5h ↑762m ↓762m
Day 6: Passo Giramondo | 14km
You are transferred to the Goccia di Carnia (25mins) to the trailhead. Follow a gentle ascent through larch and spruce woods which then open into wide alpine clearing and lead to Lago di Bordaglia. Continue to Stretta di Fleons, a narrow passage where steep rock faces close in around the trail. Beyond this rocky gap, the route rises steadily towards Passo Giramondo, with views over remote valleys and peaks. End the loop at the Goccia di Carnia followed by a transfer back to your accommodation.
- Walking for the day: 14km, 6h ↑930m ↓930m
Day 7: Departure
After breakfast, you are transferred to Carnia train station.
What to expect
Accommodation
Accommodation on this tour is in an eco-friendly alpine resort, located between the towns of Comeglians and Ravascletto in the Carnic Alps. It has been carefully selected based on various criteria, including their location, warm hospitality, fine local food, and commitment to responsible tourism. All the chalets have en-suite or private bathrooms.
Click to view sample hotels
- Dolomiti Village (Comeglians, Udine)
Accommodation is subject to availability. In the event of a particular hotel or guesthouse being fully booked for your chosen dates, we will replace it with a hotel of equal value and quality level. We will provide exact accommodation details to you upon booking confirmation.
Meals
Breakfast is included on all days. When no restaurant location is available en route, lunches and snacks can either be bought from local shops or packed lunches can be pre-ordered from your hotel the night before. Dinner is available either within the premises of the accommodation or from other restaurants in the local area, reachable with a short transfer.
Difficulty and terrain
This tour is rated easy to moderate and is suitable for hiker with a good level of fitness, with most days offering 4-6h of walking. The routes cover a variety of terrain, including dirt roads, mountain trails and asphalt, with important steep sections in certain areas. (read more about difficulty grades).
We strongly advise you only to follow marked trails and never try to shorten the path through unknown and unmarked terrain. We will provide you with detailed route notes and maps and you can call our 24/7 local assistance phone number anytime. More detailed information on route navigation will be included in your holiday information pack.
When to go
This trip is available from May to October. The flexibility of self-guided holidays means that there are no fixed dates and you can start your trip on any date within the season.
The Friuli Venezia Giulia region generally experiences mild to warm weather. Spring and autumn temperatures range between 05–15C, with possible snow in early April. Summer temperatures typically range between 15–25C, with plenty of sunshine, so it’s advisable to start walks early to avoid the midday heat.
For more information please read our Best time to go to Italy blog.
Getting there
Click to view travel options
By plane
Our recommended airport for this tour is Trieste airport.
By train or bus
- From Trieste airport, take the local train to Udine (40mins, payable locally) from the airport railway station. In Udine, change trains to reach Carnia (40mins, payable locally). For more details, see the national rail operator Trenitalia, or use the Omio planner above. From Carnia, you will be transferred to the resort with one of their minivans.
- Transfers: private transfers to and from the airport can be arranged on request.
Inclusions
Included
- 6 nights accommodation
- 6 breakfasts
- Transfer from Carnia railway station to Dolomiti Village on day one
- Transfer from Dolomiti Village to Carnia railway station on day seven
- Round trip transfers to reach the starting point of the hikes on day three, four, five and six
- Digital tour materials: detailed roadbook including maps a navigation app for smartphones and GPS tracks. Please note that no printed documents will be provided on-site.
- 24/7 phone assistance by our local office/representative
Excluded
- International flights and land transfers
- Lunches and dinners, drinks and snacks
- Travel insurance (required – get a quote online)
- Additional travel-related changes in the programme due to bad weather
- Entrance fees for attractions and museums
- Personal expenses
- Any items not specifically mentioned as included in the programme
- eSIM data for international travel (get an eSIM)
Options, extras and supplements
- If you’re travelling in a group, a supplement applies to group members who would like to have a room of their own
- This holiday is available for solo travellers. However, a supplement will be charged as the cost of rooms and also luggage or private transfers (when applicable) is not shared. Please note that solo travellers are always accommodated in their own room. For logistical reasons, we don’t offer an option for solo travellers to share rooms with other solo travellers.
- Extra nights
- Airport transfers from any major airport or city in the area on request
