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Rosengarten (Catinaccio) hut-to-hut trek: five days from Val di Fassa to the Schlern and Alpe di Siusi

The Rosengarten, Catinaccio in Italian, is a compact Dolomites massif on the border of Trentino and South Tyrol. Its name comes from the legend of King Laurin's rose garden, and its rock turns pink at sunset, the glow called Enrosadira. In five days you cross it from Val di Fassa to the Schlern plateau and Alpe di Siusi, sleeping in mountain huts between 2,243 m and 2,497 m. The route climbs over Passo d'Antermoia at 2,770 m and the steep scree of Passo Molignon, where you should expect secured ground. You start and finish with a lift and public transport, so no car is needed. Here is what to expect, from the huts and the passes to the August 2026 storm damage and food for every diet.

By HoyooTrek editorial team · Updated · 13 min read

Rifugio Alpe di Tires with its red roof below the rugged rock wall of the Rosszähne, with paths and snow patches on the slopes
Photo: Ansgar Koreng, CC BY 3.0 DE, via Wikimedia Commons
High point
2,770 m · Passo d'Antermoia, between Vajolet and Lago di Antermoia
Duration
4–5 days
Best months
Jun–Sep
Difficulty
Hard, non-technical
Guide
Not required

For guidance only. Check details with your operator and the official sources listed at the end before you book.

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On this page
  1. Where to book
  2. Choosing a route
  3. Vigo di Fassa to Siusi traverse, via Vajolet, Antermoia, Alpe di Tires and the Schlern itinerary
  4. Real costs
  5. Insurance
  6. eSIM and data
  7. Getting there
  8. Gear
  9. Add-ons
  10. FAQ

Which route should you choose?

The Rosengarten (Catinaccio) rises between Val di Fassa in Trentino and the Tierser Tal and Eggental in South Tyrol. Its highest peak is the Kesselkogel (Catinaccio d'Antermoia), 3,002 m, or 3,004 m in some sources; the route does not climb it. Other landmarks are the Rosengartenspitze (2,981 m) and the Vajolet Towers (2,813 m). The South Tyrol side lies in the Schlern-Rosengarten Nature Park, and the massif is part of the Dolomites UNESCO World Heritage site, inscribed in 2009.

There are three common ways to walk it over several days: the full traverse from Val di Fassa to the Schlern and Alpe di Siusi, a shorter loop on the Fassa side around Vajolet and Antermoia, or a start from Passo Costalunga over the Roda di Vael. The Santner Pass route above Vajolet has several cable-aided sections and is an option for experienced hikers only. The Laurenzi ferrata over Molignon and the Kesselkogel ferratas are real via ferratas, not part of the trek.

Note for the coming season: on 2 August 2026 a storm triggered debris flows at Gardeccia and on the Vajolet slope. Water, power and sewer lines at the Vajolet, Passo Principe and Re Alberto huts were badly damaged, trails 546 and 584 were cut and about 20 hikers were flown out by helicopter. Both trails reopened on 7 August 2026 after an inspection by SAT, and the ground is still being monitored. Check trail and hut status with the huts and the Val di Fassa tourist board before you go.

The slender Vajolet towers above a small lake and Rifugio Re Alberto, with hikers on the scree path in front
The Vajolet towers above Rifugio Re Alberto, seen from the path just above the Vajolet basin. Photo: Vincenzo Gianferrari Pini, CC BY-SA 2.5 IT, via Wikimedia Commons
RouteDaysSceneryCrowdsAcclimatisation
Vigo di Fassa to Siusi traverse, via Vajolet, Antermoia, Alpe di Tires and the Schlern itinerary belowThe itinerary below. A Catinaccio cable car start from Vigo di Fassa, four nights in huts and a Seiser Alm cable car finish down to Siusi. It crosses Passo d'Antermoia twice and the steep Passo Molignon, and the local tourism board rates its core stage difficult. To make it four days, walk down from the Schlernhaus on the afternoon of day 4. 4–5ExcellentMediumVery good
Fassa-side loop, Vajolet and AntermoiaA shorter loop on the Trentino side: up from Ciampedie and Gardeccia to Rifugio Vajolet, over Passo Principe and Passo d'Antermoia to Rifugio Antermoia, then back the same way or down one of the hut's access valleys, Val di Dona or Val Duron. Trail 584 is rated EE, for experienced hikers. You stay in Val di Fassa and skip the Schlern. 2–3ExcellentMediumVery good
Roda di Vael start from Passo CostalungaStart at Passo Costalunga (1,752 m), take the Paolina chairlift and walk past the Christomannos eagle monument to Rifugio Roda di Vael, then over Passo Cigolade (2,550 m) to Vajolet and on along the traverse. The tourism board gives the Roda di Vael to Vajolet stage as about 9 km with about 900 m up and down, rated difficult. Path 549 is exposed but well secured; path 552 is the easier option. Past landslides hit the Cigolade loop, so check conditions first. 5–6ExcellentMediumVery good

5-day Vigo di Fassa to Siusi traverse, via Vajolet, Antermoia, Alpe di Tires and the Schlern itinerary at a glance

Day 1 starts in Vigo di Fassa with the Catinaccio cable car to Ciampedie, then a flat forest path of about half an hour to Gardeccia (trail 540) and a wide zigzag mule track of about an hour to Rifugio Vajolet (trail 546). With time to spare, walk up trail 542 to Rifugio Re Alberto under the Vajolet Towers, about an hour there and back. Day 2 follows trail 584 up steep scree to Passo Principe and Passo d'Antermoia, the high point at 2,770 m, then down to Rifugio Antermoia by its lake.

Day 3 crosses the most passes. You cross Passo d'Antermoia and Passo Principe again, then take trail 554, first right after the Principe hut, to Passo Molignon (2,598 m). The climb to it is steep over a gravel field, and you should expect steep, secured ground near the pass: ask the hut about conditions. You sleep at Rifugio Alpe di Tires (Tierser Alpl). Day 4 is short: about two hours on trail 4 to the Schlernhaus (Rifugio Bolzano), with Monte Pez, about a quarter of an hour away, for the sunset. Day 5 descends in about two and a half hours to Compatsch on Alpe di Siusi, where the Seiser Alm cable car drops you to Siusi.

The turquoise water of Lago di Antermoia below pale scree and orange-grey rock towers, with the Kesselkogel massif on the left
Lago di Antermoia below the Kesselkogel, next to the hut of night 2. Photo: Riccardo Chiarini / Unsplash
  1. Day 1 Vigo di Fassa (Catinaccio cable car to Ciampedie) Rifugio Vajolet, via Gardeccia night at 2,243 m
  2. Day 2 Rifugio Antermoia, by Lago di Antermoia via Passo Principe and Passo d'Antermoia 2,770 mnight at 2,497 m
  3. Day 3 Rifugio Alpe di Tires (Tierser Alpl) via Passo d'Antermoia, Passo Principe and Passo Molignon 2,770 mnight at 2,440 m
  4. Day 4 Schlernhaus (Rifugio Bolzano), on the Schlern plateau via Monte Pez, the Schlern's flat summit (optional) 2,563 mnight at 2,457 m
  5. Day 5 Siusi (Seis am Schlern), via Compatsch and the Seiser Alm cable car night at 1,015 m

Hut altitudes are the figures published by the huts' operators or the local tourism boards; sources differ by a metre or two (Antermoia 2,497 m or 2,496 m, Alpe di Tires 2,440 m or 2,441 m, Passo Principe 2,600 m or 2,601 m). Total distance is not published for this exact route: the tourism board gives about 13 km for Vajolet straight to the Schlernhaus and the descent to Compatsch is about 9 km; the walk in from Ciampedie and the night at Antermoia add the rest. As an estimate, plan on roughly 32 km to 40 km in all. Hut seasons for 2027 are confirmed only for the Schlernhaus (8 June to 10 October 2027): check the others in spring.

What it really costs

No trekking permit is needed. The main costs are the huts, the lifts at both ends, the trains and buses to Val di Fassa and back from Siusi, and a Schengen visa if your passport needs one. Carry cash, as not every hut takes cards.

Hut half boardDinner and breakfast, set by each hut; private rooms cost more and drinks are extra. Members of CAI, AVS and partner alpine clubs (DAV, ÖAV, SAC, Alpine Club UK) pay less. Rifugio Alpe di Tires takes cash only.
About €60–100 per person in a dorm
Booking depositSAT, which runs Vajolet and Antermoia, adopted a deposit rule in February 2026. CAI huts such as the Schlernhaus can ask up to one night's price. Ask each hut about its cancellation terms.
€21 to just over €25 per person at SAT huts
Sleeping-bag liner and showersA liner is compulsory in CAI huts; blankets or duvets are provided. Showers often cost extra and may be off in dry spells. Grasleitenhütte, an optional stop, asks for your own sleeping bag.
Bring a liner; showers about €3–8
Lifts at the start and finishThe Catinaccio cable car runs from Vigo di Fassa to Ciampedie from late May to early October 2026; the Seiser Alm cable car runs from 22 May to 2 November 2026. 2026 fares were not published on the pages we checked: check before you go.
Catinaccio cable car and Seiser Alm cable car, check current faresGetting there
Tourist taxRates per night in South Tyrol since 2025 depend on the type of accommodation (under-14s free), with higher rates in some municipalities. Ask your hotel and the huts what they add to the bill.
About €2–3 per person per night in South Tyrol
Schengen visa, if your passport needs oneSaudi, Qatari, Kuwaiti, Bahraini and Omani citizens, for example, need one; UAE citizens need no Schengen visa for stays up to 90 days in any 180. GCC citizens can get a five-year multiple-entry visa on their first application.
€90 adults, €45 children aged 6 to 11
Travel insurance
Hiking cover with helicopter rescueInsurance notes
Gear
Liner, good boots, rain shell and warm layersGear list

Fees and estimates checked on 6 November 2026.

Insurance that covers Rosengarten (Catinaccio)

Take a travel policy that covers hiking and mountain rescue by helicopter in Italy. Rescue can be charged to you: in Trentino, where the trek starts, an uninjured hiker who is not admitted to hospital pays €750, and someone without a European health card is billed €92 per flight minute. South Tyrol also charges a fee. Most travellers from outside Europe have no European health card (EHIC).

Alpine-club membership (AVS, ÖAV) includes rescue cover up to €25,000, but AVS covers only residents of Europe or the Mediterranean rim: check residence conditions before joining a club for its insurance. In an emergency call 112.

Staying connected in Italy

TIM, Vodafone, WindTre and Iliad sell SIM cards and eSIMs in Italy. Bring your passport; the shop may create a tax code (codice fiscale) for you on the spot. Your home SIM will roam at your own operator's rates.

Signal is patchy in the high valleys and at the huts, and only about one hut in three has Wi-Fi or reliable signal. Download offline maps and the hut phone numbers before you leave the valley.

Getting there and where to stay

Fly into Venice (VCE) or Munich (MUC), take the train to Bolzano, then the bus up Val di Fassa to Vigo di Fassa. Verona is on the same railway, so many journeys from Venice change there. At the end, the Seiser Alm cable car takes you down to Siusi, with buses back to Bolzano.

The Santner Spitze tower of the Sciliar (Schlern) under dark storm clouds, rising above the forest near Siusi
The Santner Spitze of the Sciliar above Siusi, where the trek ends: storms build fast here on summer afternoons. Photo: Wolfgang Moroder, CC BY 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons
Flights

Getting there by air

The usual gateways are Venice and Munich, with Milan Malpensa further away. Emirates flies Dubai to Venice daily. Munich has flights from Emirates, Qatar Airways, Kuwait Airways and Oman Air, and Milan Malpensa from most Gulf carriers. A connection through one of these Gulf hubs works from most of the world. Qatar Airways' Venice route is suspended until at least 27 March 2027, and Bolzano airport has no Gulf flights. Schedules to Italy changed several times in 2026, so check current schedules.

Transfers

Train to Bolzano, bus to Vigo di Fassa

Venice to Bolzano takes just under three hours on the two direct trains a day; otherwise change at Verona. Munich to Bolzano takes about four hours on five direct railjets a day. From Bolzano, a summer bus runs up Val di Fassa (timetable from late June to early September 2026 on fassa.com). At the end, bus 170 links Siusi and Castelrotto with Bolzano. Drivers note: private cars may not drive up to Alpe di Siusi between 09:00 and 17:00 while the cable car runs.

Where to stay

A night in Vigo di Fassa or Bolzano

A night in Vigo di Fassa lets you catch the first cable car at 08:00 and reach Vajolet early, before the afternoon storms. Bolzano has trains back to Venice and Munich, and the bigger valley towns are where to stock up for the trail if you have dietary needs (halal, vegetarian, allergies…).

Gear: rent or buy

You sleep in huts, so no tent or stove: pack light, about 30–40 litres. The essentials are a sleeping-bag liner (compulsory in CAI huts), boots with a good grip for scree, and layers for cold mornings. Around 2,000 m summer days are 11 °C to 16 °C and nights 5 °C to 8 °C; at the passes, over 2,500 m, expect a few degrees less and nights near freezing in June and September.

  • Sleeping-bag liner (compulsory in CAI huts)Buy
  • Hiking boots with ankle support and a stiff, grippy sole for screeBuy
  • Backpack of 30–40 litres with a rain coverRent or buy
  • Waterproof jacket and trousers for afternoon thunderstormsBuy
  • Fleece or light down jacket, hat and glovesBuy
  • Trekking poles for the scree descentsRent or buy
  • Sun hat, sunglasses and high-factor sunscreenBuy
  • Headlamp, first-aid kit, power bank and cash for the hutsBuy
  • Harness, helmet and via ferrata set (EN 958) only for the Santner Pass variantRent

Add a few days in Italy

The trek ends close to some of South Tyrol's best-known sights, each an easy half day by bus or cable car.

Lago di Carezza (Karersee)

A small lake at 1,520 m near Nova Levante, fed by springs from the Latemar, with views of the Rosengarten. It is a protected natural monument, swimming is banned, and bus 180 from Bolzano stops at the lake.

Alpe di Siusi (Seiser Alm)

The high plateau at the end of the trek, described by the South Tyrol tourist board as Europe's largest mountain plateau. Stay an extra day for easy walks around Compatsch before the cable car down.

Bolzano and Ötzi

South Tyrol's capital has an old town and the South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology, home of Ötzi the Iceman and his finds. The museum offers advance booking to skip the queue; check opening times on its site.

Frequently asked questions

How hard is the Rosengarten (Catinaccio) trek?

Hard, though not technical. Most stages are short, about two to four and a half hours where times are published, but the passes are steep and loose: trail 584 over Passo Principe and Passo d'Antermoia is rated EE, for experienced hikers, and Passo Molignon has a steep gravel climb and secured ground on the descent. The tourism board rates the Vajolet to Schlernhaus stage difficult. You need sure footing on scree and a head for heights; ask the huts whether you need any kit for the secured ground near Passo Molignon.

Do I need a permit or a guide?

No permit is needed, and a guide is not required. Consider a mountain guide if you have not walked on steep scree before, or if you want the Santner Pass or a via ferrata. Wild camping is not allowed (only an emergency bivouac is tolerated), so plan on huts, and leave the drone at home in the nature park.

How do I book the huts?

Directly with each hut, by its online form, email or phone; SAT huts such as Vajolet and Antermoia also use SAT's booking system. Most huts take bookings from January, and the Alpe di Siusi tourism board says huts are often full well in advance: book months ahead for July and August. Expect a deposit, and carry cash for Rifugio Alpe di Tires, which takes cash only.

What about food, dietary needs and faith on the trek?

No hut we found states that it serves halal meals, and pork is everywhere in South Tyrolean and Ladin cooking: speck, dumplings with speck, barley soup with smoked pork. Meat-free staples include polenta with cheese or mushrooms, spinach and ricotta Schlutzkrapfen and Kaiserschmarrn. Vegan and kosher meals are not something to expect in the huts, so ask early or bring your own. Whatever your diet or allergy, ask in writing when you book: for a pork-free dinner, a vegetarian or fish main instead of meat, and whether stocks and sauces contain speck, pancetta, lard or wine; confirm a few days ahead.

For religious practice, you use the hut or a quiet spot on the trail; if you pray, bring a light mat and a qibla app. Bolzano and Trento have Islamic centres, and halal food is easier to find in the bigger valley towns before you go up.

Which languages do guides and hut staff speak?

Hut staff speak Italian and/or German, and English is common in the busy huts. If you go with a guided group, ask the operator before booking about other languages, such as Arabic, French or Spanish.

Should I tip?

Tipping is not expected in Italy. The coperto, a cover charge of a few euros on restaurant bills, is not a tip; rounding up or leaving a few euros for good service is fine. For a private mountain guide, ask what is usual when you book.

Which visa do I need?

It depends on your passport. Italy is in the Schengen area: check the rules for your nationality on Visto per l'Italia, the Italian foreign ministry's visa site, before you book. Visa-free visitors can stay up to 90 days in any 180; UAE citizens, for example, need no visa. Others need a Schengen visa (€90 for adults in 2026), among them Saudi, Qatari, Kuwaiti, Bahraini and Omani citizens, who since May 2024 can get a five-year multiple-entry visa on their first application. Apply at the Italian embassy or consulate, or its visa centre, where you live; if you live outside your home country, the rules for your own passport still apply. Since April 2026 the EU Entry/Exit System takes your fingerprints and photo on your first entry. ETIAS, the online travel authorisation for visa-free visitors, is not running yet.

When is the best time to go?

From late June to mid or late September, when the huts are open. Rifugio Alpe di Tires opens from May to October and the Schlernhaus from 8 June to 10 October in 2027; the SAT huts on the Fassa side usually open from about 20 June. Late June to mid July and September are quieter; huts are busiest in August. Snow can linger on the passes until early July.

Is it safe?

The main risks are afternoon thunderstorms, rockfall and slips on steep scree. Start early and be off the passes by early afternoon. On 2 August 2026 a storm caused debris flows below Vajolet, cut trails 546 and 584 and led to about 20 hikers being flown out; the trails reopened on 7 August, but check trail and hut status for the coming season. In an emergency call 112, and make sure your insurance covers helicopter rescue.

Are there cables or via ferrata sections?

The main route avoids the via ferratas, but expect steep, secured ground near Passo Molignon; ask the Alpe di Tires hut or the Grasleitenhütte about cables and conditions before you go. The Santner Pass variant above Vajolet has several cable-aided sections, and the Laurenzi and Kesselkogel routes are real via ferratas for which you need a harness, helmet, a via ferrata set and experience.

Can I do it without a car?

Yes. Trains run from Venice and Munich to Bolzano, a summer bus goes up Val di Fassa to Vigo di Fassa, and a cable car takes you up to Ciampedie. At the end, the Seiser Alm cable car runs from 22 May to 2 November 2026 down to Siusi, with buses to Bolzano. Cars are not allowed onto Alpe di Siusi between 09:00 and 17:00 while the cable car runs.

Sources and last check

Facts on this page were checked against these sources on 6 November 2026.

Image credits

ItalyAlta Via 2ItalyPuez–Odle hut-to-hutItalyAlta Via 1