Alpine Hiking in Austria and Italy

We made our own travel arrangements and had some difficulty with train service due to the disruption caused by flooding prior to our arrival. But once we were in the hands of our very capable guide and started the tour all went very well. Our main guide and the local guides she had arranged were excellent. They had to improvise in full collaboration with the group for one rainy morning and some earlier-than-expected snow in the mountains but in every case they chose well and not a single day was disappointing.

Great group leaders, great fellow travelers and great venue!

This program was a wonderful adventure. Hiking in the Austrian and Italian Alps was such a thrill. It is so beautiful. The hikes were mostly on groomed trails, and everyone was very capable. I really enjoyed the trip.

Our Hiking the Dolomites trip was fantastic. It was our first Road Scholar trip and we will schedule another.

The hikes were sometimes challenging but always doable and at a reasonable pace for the ages and abilities of the group. The scenery was breathtaking! Our group leader (Nacho) was fantastic. The accommodations and food were exceptional. Then there were all the “perks” that we weren’t expecting…but I’ll not ruin those surprises for the next group. I’d do this trip again and highly recommend it to others. Road Scholar really has it together!

The Dolomites are incredible!

What a trip! If you like hiking and want to experience the Dolomites this is the way to do it. The scenery was more beautiful and impressive than I anticiipated, and the hikes allowed us to view them from different angles. This was my first trip as a solo. I made friends I anticipate staying in contact with. At no time did I feel alone. In addition this was one of the most congenial groups I've hiked with.

Done many hiking tours, several with RS, which says a lot about my appreciation about efficiency, friendliness and my trust of RS organizational skills. The Alpine Hiking is a lovely vacation and discovering Austria and Italian Tirol with part of the Dolomites is a great combo. The trip coordinator Anne-Sophie is attentive, the mountain guides Jane and Leila are highly personable and the local guides in Brixen, Ortisei and Innsbruck are top notch. The accommodations were comfortable and food/wine surpassed expectations. Many of us were ready for more hiking than nature trails and walking. Other group members actually trained for this. And so when the itinerary was modified, perhaps because of weather conditions, perhaps not, several were underwhelmed. One day in Austria was to ascend the Seefeld peak by funicular to Rosshutte and cable car to S Joch or Harmelekopf but only the first leg was offered. Of course the tremendous beauty of the natural setting made for an unforgettable morning. Even better was to leave the group to independently explore the Harmelekopf and, even if the sky was not clear, low cloud cleared in a matter of minutes, as it often does, and then the afternoon vista was SPECTACULAR, believe me. One day in Italy was replaced by a morning stroll in the Vallunga Valley, charming yes but we needed a fuller day. We were back at the hotel very early in Ortisei and had time to independently get to the Alpe di Seceda cable car, hike, be amazed by the marvelous views of almost the entire south Tyrol and get to the Instagram hotspot that is #Seceda. Like everyone else of our 16 people convivial group, I had a great time exploring these not so well known villages and little towns and, even if I had wanted more challenging hikes, I am super happy to have participated and getting more educated on these communities. So much fun, unforgettable trip and a reminder of what travel is meant to be about. It is after all, Road not Trail Scholar !!

Great trip! Spectacular scenery especially Val Gardena. Anne-Sophie, our guide, was great. She is knowledgeable, and show great patience with all our concerns. I wasn't feeling well in the last couple of days and she even brought me breakfast. Thank you.

The description of this program is accurate. Expect to be plenty tired enough to sleep. Despite my uncertainty, I did not have to be the last guy on every hike.

The Alps were more beautiful than I had imagined possible. It was a thrill to hike through them and to share the experience with my fellow program participants. They were a diverse group of interesting and accomplished people. The overall success of the program is attributable in large part to the tireless work of the group leader, Anne-Sophie Lickel. She regularly informed us about the local geology, history and culture. She motivated us with her enthusiasm and her humor. She frequently adjusted our schedule so that we could continue to hike even when weather conditions were unfavorable. And she assured that we remained safe throughout are sometimes strenuous activities.

An excellent opportunity to immerse yourself in the rich cultural, geological, and biological environment of the Southern Alps!

Road Scholar offers a good number of hiking trips in mountains, several of which I have taken and greatly enjoyed. What made this one special? The spectacle of the southern Alps and the Dolomites--the sheer jaggedness of the mountains, the varied trails and terrain, the towns and villages clustered at the foot of looming peaks. The hikes varied from very steep and demanding--be ready for that--to relatively relaxed, all around 8-10 miles daily. The leader Petra was truly outstanding, both professionally and personally, and that added significantly to the experience. This program was a real winner for me.

The trip was awesome, the scenery was beautiful, the free days were educational, and overall, Road Scholar presented a first-class program. At times the hikes were challenging due to the elevation (I live in a flat land state), I hiked at my own pace, stopped to take photos, took in the scenery and plants, and completed each hike. Our group leaders (Nacho and Anne-Sophie) were top-notch, organized, and caring. This was my first Road Scholar trip, and it probably won't be my last trip.

This is our first Road Scholar trip and I was disappointed with how badly organized it was before the trip start. My husband is not on email list. I didn't get any email from the trip leader unlit half hour before he organized a meeting at the hotel. This is because I got a reply mail from one of the participants. The original email went to junk mail folder. The trip leader should use decent email server that will prevent this from happening. I discovered that I didn't receive any package that had my name tag and etc. and there was no extra name tags to give to us. On the list of participants given out, our state where we live was not listed. I wasn't the only one that didn't receive that package in the mail. How did that happen??? Apart from that, the trip was wonderful. I credit it to the trip leader and wonderful participants. The other annoying thing was that the final trip itinerary was quite inaccurate. I enjoy the hike every day but I don't like the day we visited Bolzano. I think it is not fun and a waste of a day.

This program offered the glorious scenery and hiking opportunities we were looking for in Italy and Austria. The accommodations in each location were lovely and well-situated and the group was very "in-tune" and compatible. However, it was the leadership of Nacho Engel and the local guides that made this a top trip of nine we have taken so far with Road Scholar!

Nacho Engel is an outstanding group leader and our two independent hiking guides (Leila and Christoff) were excellent also and added much to our experience. This program greatly exceeded our expectations!

Breathtaking views, spectacular hikes, great hotels and food, and a wonderful group of participants. All made possible by our super guide, Nacho, and his local colleagues. Nacho's expert and flawless guiding skills were essential in making this program a memorable one. Thank you Nacho! I give it five stars.

This trip is like walking through beautiful postcards. The hikes are varied, challenging and interesting...each leading to another jaw dropping experience. The accommodations are very comfortable and make great hubs for the daily hikes and city visits. The food (especially at the mountain huts) is well prepared and delicious. If you love mountains and being physically active...this trip is for you. Highly recommended.

Get ready to hike! Road Scholar is not kidding when they say this is a strenuous trip. Luckily everyone was prepared and able to keep up. The Alps are gorgeous. So if you enjoy being extremely physical and enjoy nature, this might be the trip for you.

We learned so much about the culture of the region and it’s history it gave a much more in-depth experience that just seeing the incredible landscapes “up close and personal” rather than through a window of a train or bus. We just loved being outside hiking almost everyday and we will find it hard to take a more conventional tour again that does not include extensive hiking as long as our health permits.

If you like hiking in the beautiful nature of the Dolimites, this is the program for you. The hikes, the scenery, the hotel and the food are much better than those in Austria, some of us actually think that Road Scholar should cut short or totally eliminate the Austria part of the program and have it held totally in the Dolomites.

It's a spectacular area and Nacho Engel was an excellent guide.

What a wonderful trip! The accommodations were lovely, the food was great (and plentiful!), the company tremendous, and oh, the hiking! We had wonderful local guides in the mountains (Kristof and Karin), but so much of the planning and arrangements and details were handled deftly by Nacho, whose endless good humor and kindness let us forget how many details and last minute changes happen in group travel such as this. Many, many thanks to Nacho and all who helped as local guides for making this a remarkable couple weeks! This part of the world has some of the most spectacular mountains around, with plenty of opportunities for hiking well above the valleys between them. The trip gives allows participants a taste of 2 different Alpine regions; both locations were spectacular, with comfortable accommodations - so glad to have a taste of both areas. Even as a newbie I knew I was in good hands with the group leaders, and felt ready to tackle tougher terrain having experienced guides keeping an eye on us. As has been said, you do need to be in pretty good shape, and stepping up your routines before the trip to get ready is wise -- but I wholeheartedly recommend it highly to anyone interested!

Phenomenal trip! Nacho and Kristoff were excellent guides. We enjoyed beautiful vistas, opportunities to learn and experience the culture, grand hikes, yummy food at the mountain huts at lunch... all wonderful.

Spectacular hiking, especially in the Dolomites with hiking guide Karin Moroder. Hikes are not easy so get in shape before you go, but the views are awesome and worth the effort. Bring your hiking poles. Loved having lunches during the hikes at the huts/alms on the mountain trails. Trip was in June when all trails and hillsides were covered with wildflowers to add to the beauty. Both Seefeld and St. Ulrich are lovely small towns. Hotels were also nice in both places. Great views of the Alps from the hotel in Seefeld.

For people who love to hike amidst gorgeous scenery this is the program. The mountains are just stunning and our two mountain guides knew the mountains and flora and fauna so well. We went in June and the wildflowers were everywhere. This is a hiking trip with long hikes and plenty of ascent and descent so just prepare, but you won't be disappointed. The Dolomites are unique. Nacho, Christoff and Karin were wonderful guides.

This is a terrific trip. Heads up - we've done 5 other RS hiking trips in Europe and this was definitely the most strenuous. Not a bad thing, just a comment. We were glad we brought our poles...and wish we had trained a bit more! Our leader (Petra) and guides (Hans Peter and Karin) were all terrific. They managed the itinerary (weather variations) very well.

My high expectations were met and often exceeded on this hiking trip to Austria and Italy. Our group leader (Petra) was very experienced and delightful, and our local guides (Hans-Peter & Karin) were very knowledgeable. Also, I really enjoyed our fellow participants who had a lot of previous travel experiences to share and learn from.

We have traveled all over the world, and this is best trip I have ever been on.

Very positive experience in a different part of the world. Excellent guides.

Program and activities were well organized. Activities and hikes were adjusted as need be to meet weather, circumstances and group preferences. Hike leaders were very helpful and positive.

Road Scholar did a fantastic job. It was our first trip and I'm pretty sure we will do more.

This was my first Road Scholar experience and I was so thrilled with it that I booked another hiking trip as soon as I returned home! The trip exceeded my expectations in every way. My fellow travelers were terrific--warm, inclusive, and fun to be with. I traveled solo and the group was a perfect blend of other solo travelers and several couples, though everyone mingled. We were also surprisingly well-matched on the hiking trails. The seventeen of us generally remained together with a local guide at the head of the group and a sweeper at the rear for those who wished to take it a little more slowly. Petra, our group leader, was a delightful, enthusiastic, and competent leader who made us feel as though we were a big family out on an exciting adventure. The hotels were well-located with terrific staff and amazing food. I particularly loved our hotel in Seefeld with its views of the surrounding mountains. The scenery and local towns were more beautiful than I was anticipating, and I'd had high expectations. I found the hikes varied, challenging, and invigorating. Our lunch stops at the mountain huts were always interesting, the food delicious. All in all, an amazing experience.