So, How Does the IKON Pass Work in the Italian Dolomites?

There is no need for any special preparation!

Arrive with your pass, slip on your ski boots, and head for any one of the Dolomites 450 ski lifts and beep straight through! 

And it's contactless which means that through the magic of the IKON RFID system you have full and free access to the 750 miles (1,200 kilometers) of ski trails that the Dolomites has to offer.

Yes, 750 miles of ski trails!!!

So, what’s the skiing like in the Dolomites?

All 15 ski resorts of the Dolomites are covered by your IKON pass which gives you access to the world's largest ski area.

And if you're into the statistics, this is how it looks …

 15 ski resorts across 29,652 acres and 889 groomed trails accessed by 450 lifts!

Impressed? Well, it gets better...

Dolomites skiing is characterized by long, perfectly groomed trails running through truly amazing and unique mountain scenery. The Dolomite's culture and territory are protected as a UNESCO World Heritage site.

And the evenings show off these highly colored peaks which glow red at sunset. 

It is claimed that 8 out of 10 days are sunny!

⬆️ Watch the Video ⬆️

What Do American Skiers Say About the Dolomites? American skiers and subscribers to Seniorsskiing.com, Lowell Nelson, and Tony Borden signed up for the Inspired ITALY Classic Dolomites Ski Safari. 

⬆️ Watch the Video ⬆️

Where is the Best Place to Stay in the Italian Dolomites?

With 15 resorts to choose from, you can choose from hundreds of accommodation options from basic self-catering to the most luxurious hotels. 

And the Dolomites have the highest density of Michelin-starred chefs in Italy!

But there is a secret to seeing the Dolomites on skis. It is called the ‘Dolomites Ski Safari’.

This is Hut to Hut skiing using only the groomed trails and you spend where each evening in a cozy high-mountain rifugio [hut]. And throughout the week-long trip [5 nights in rifugi] you never ski the same run twice!

And that's where we come in because this is exactly what we do - The Inspired ITALY Dolomites Ski Safari.

So What Exactly is a Dolomites Ski Safari?

This is Hut-to-Hut skiing using only the vast network of groomed trails. 

You can choose from a handful of different itineraries that will take you through the Dolomite mountains, skiing the best slopes, eating the best food, and staying each night in a high-mountain rifugio (hut).

This is a soft skiing adventure. 

There are so many highlights, but descending from the rifugio just as the lifts open on immaculately groomed ski slopes and having the mountain to yourself while carving those fresh tracks each morning creates many lifelong memories.

And you will only ski on groomed trails.

You carry everything with you in a 22ltr backpack! Yes, it might seem incredible but every year around 100 fortunate guests get to experience this one-off experience with English-speaking ski leaders whose knowledge of the piste network and local culture and history is unrivaled.

And, How Do I Get to the Dolomites from the US?

Fly Non-Stop to the nearest intercontinental airports which are:

1. Munich (United & Lufthansa) - Germany
2. Venice Marco Polo - Italy
3. Milan Malpensa - Italy

Travel time from the US east coast to the Dolomites is around 13 or 14 hours in total with flights taking around 8 hours.

Here’s how that works out….

United and Lufthansa offer direct flights from a number of USA airports including (please double-check as things do change) New York, Boston, and Washington DC to Munich with flight times of around 8 hours. 

Then take the train (around 4 hours) into Italy and get off at either Bolzano or Bressanone where a taxi will meet you for the 30/40min transfer to your hotel. 

With one-stop you can hub out of intercontinental airports like Frankfurt or Amsterdam and then take a flight to the nearest international or regional airports:

1. Innsbruck Airport (INN) – Austria
2. Verona Villafranca Airport (VRN) - Italy
3. Treviso Airport (TSF) – Italy
4. Orio al Serio International Airport (BGY) – Bergamo, Italy

Most Inspired ITALY guests arrive in Innsbruck from where we provide a private taxi transfer taking around 75 minutes to your hotel.

Or Travel By Train

Bolzano is the best local train station and has the distinction of being part of Italy’s high-speed train network which puts these major Italian favourites just a few hours away…

1. Venice - c3h
2. Milan Centrale - c3h 
3. Florence - c3h 15m
4. Munich - c4h
5. Rome - c5h

And train travel is Italy is cheap and reliable.

 

American Skiers Review Inspired ITALY Dolomites Ski Safari

You’ve seen Tony and Lowell describe their experience in the video above and many of our guests have written glowing reviews.

Here are just a few ….

Chris Bouthiette on Reddit ....

"Just finished a six day on-piste ski safari across the Italian Dolomites. Absolutely stunning scenery, food, and skiing....."

[click to read the full piece]

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Jan 2022 - You MUST do a Ski Safari!

Andy F - Park City, UTAH

Our Venture Ski Safari was amazing! 

Everything was extremely well planned, graciously hosted by our guide. We had amazing skiing conditions and ZERO lift lines, meaning we packed in a LOT of skiing every day. 

The accommodations were excellent - it's so much fun to stay on the mountain!

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Mar 2022 - Professional, personable and polished. Our ski safari adventure made memories for a lifetime.

Sonja G - Lexington, KENTUKY

For us it was a family affair and from the start, we could tell w Inspired Italy's help it was going to be an adventure to remember. 

We typically make our own travel arrangements and it was our first time to hire a tour company; but this wasn't your typical tour…

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Mar 2022 - Incredible Ski Experience

Donna B - Lake Tahoe, California 

I had always dreamed of a fabulous European ski vacation and my expectations were vastly exceeded by Inspired Italy Ski Safari! 

I can’t begin to describe the unique experiences of staying in the different refugios on top of pristine ski slopes surrounded by magnificent sweeping and dramatic views of the Dolomites with the most delicious food and wine! 

But most impressive of all was the way our consummate host and leader guided our small group each day down a variety of thrilling and iconic runs (pistes) sharing interesting bits with an easygoing style while keeping to a schedule to get us to the next iconic alpine meal or apres ski cocktail!

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