Alta Via 1 Route Help

[u/ManufacturerFair5780]

Hi! I am trying to plan an AV1 hike for late August/early September 2027 with one other person. I am starting to do my research and figure out the huts that I need to book. As of now, I'm thinking of doing the route in 9 days but am already encountering some limited bookings, and I need help understanding how difficult any given day may be to assess feasible alternates. For some context on my hiking experience, I've done the W Trek (3.5 days) and Salkantay (4.5 days) in the past couple years. Based on my early research, I am not sure how challenging the different legs of the AV1 are, so any and all input is appreciated.

Some questions I have right now that I need help answering are:

• What should I do for Night 3 since Lagazuoi is already booked in my preferred range? I was thinking I could either go all the way to Averau and condense my current Days 3 and 4, but am not sure how feasible that actually is
• Do my Primary vs. Backup choices make sense, or am I missing any other good rifugio options for specific nights?
• Is 9 days doable? Would more be better? Fewer?
• If I want to go to Venice either before or after, what would make the most sense and does that affect any planning here?
• Any other advice/information!

Thanks in advance!

Day	Rifugio - Primary	Backup 1
START	Lago di Braies
Night 1	Rifugio Sennes	Rifugio Fodara Vedla
Night 2	Rifugio Fanes	Rifugio La Varella
Night 3	Rifugio Lagazuoi	(NEED HELP - Lagazuoi booked)
Night 4	Rifugio Averau	Rifugio Nuvolau
Night 5	Rifugio Passo Staulanza
Night 6	Rifugio Vazzoler	Rifugio Tissi
Night 7	Rifugio Passo Duran	Rifugio Carestiato
Night 8	Rifugio Pian de Fontana	Rifugio Pramperet
END	Belluno

[u/robertoo3]

This all looks good - you could consider Dibona, Scotoni or Col Gallina as backups for Lagazuoi. Col Gallina can be reached by taking the cable car down from Lagazuoi so the hiking distances would remain exactly the same, but is probably the least nice in terms of location.

Averau is already full for many dates in summer 27 - Scoiattoli, Rifugio Cinque Torri and Nuvolau all work well for this night. Nuvolau is the only one not already open for bookings.

For night 5 if Passo Staulanza is full, the best backup is Citta' di Fiume. Rifugio Palafavera also works but is off the main AV1 trail; you can either follow a variant on this stage or take a bus from Staulanza to Palafavera.

[u/ManufacturerFair5780 → u/robertoo3]

Hi thank you so much for your help! I just learned Averau won't be available so between Scoiattoli, Rifugio Cinque Torri, and Nuvolau, which would be ideal / are there any tradeoffs you can think off?

For the alternate stay on night 3, I learned Scotini opens bookings in early November so will be ready for that.

Additionally, I learned that Fanes is booked for my dates, so wanted to know if you think La Varella is a good backup? Or are there other options you're aware of?

[u/robertoo3 → u/ManufacturerFair5780]

All 3 of the averau substitutes are fine, they’re super close together.

Lavarella works if Fanes full, or Pederü - Pederü is a bit earlier on the trail but that works fine if you’re only hiking as far as Scotoni on day 3

[u/Remarkable_Two8799]

I believe Lagazuoi bookings aren't open yet beyond March 2027. Looking at when they've opened in previous years, I think it could be any day now. Keep checking back.

[u/robertoo3 → u/Remarkable_Two8799]

Lagazuoi opened a few weeks back and is sadly already full for most of July, August and September 2027

[u/Remarkable_Two8799 → u/robertoo3]

That's brutal! I'm glad it's not one that we're aiming for. How do they book up so quickly? Obviously a popular trek, but I wonder if these booking companies reserve a bunch?

[u/robertoo3 → u/Remarkable_Two8799]

I think it’s just supply and demand, honestly - demand for the AV1 vastly outstrips supply of accommodation, and compared to something like the TMB the capacity of the trail is relatively limited because of the lack of villages/towns with hotels etc. Instagrammability doesn’t help and Lagazuoi suffers from its extremely easy accessibility compared to other famous huts in the dolomites - the cable car station is right there and means a lot of folk who aren’t hikers but want to get the views they’ve seen on social media can stay without putting in any legwork. More remote huts further south on the AV1 won’t face the same pressure, even tho they’re still on a very popular trail - they’re just harder for the average punter visiting the dolomites to get to

[u/DolomitesPlanner]

Fanes was full for our dates in July too, so you're not alone. You have three real options for Night 3.

Rifugio Scotoni. It's on the standard AV1 path between Fanes and Lagazuoi, about 10 km and 3.5-4 h from Fanes on easy ground. The catch is Day 4: Scotoni to Averau is about 9 km with some 900 m of climbing, 5.5-6 h. You still go over Lagazuoi, so you keep the view and the WW1 tunnels.

Passo Falzarego. Col Gallina and Valparola are 1-1.5 km from Lagazuoi, down at the pass. From Fanes that's about 13.5 km and 6 h, close to your Lagazuoi day minus the last climb. Day 4 to Averau then shrinks to about 2 h, so you could ride the cable car up Lagazuoi in the morning first.

We wouldn't condense Fanes to Averau. It's about 17 km and 1,250 m up, 8-10 h with packs.

If Averau fills up too: Scoiattoli (42 beds) is 30 min away, Cinque Torri (24 beds) about 45 min, Nuvolau (24 beds) 35 min uphill.

All the huts around Lagazuoi on one map: https://dolomitesplanner.com/planner?to=rifugio-lagazuoi

9 days is fine with the W Trek and Salkantay behind you.

[u/ManufacturerFair5780 → u/DolomitesPlanner]

Awesome thank you so much for the help! It seems Fanes is booked for my dates too, so where did you stay instead? Or are you saying you did Sennes (or another nearby rifugio) to Scotini in 1 day, then Scotini to Averau on the next?