The Pale Group Hiking Tour explores the extraordinary Pale di San Martino plateau, one of the most dramatic and remote landscapes in the Dolomites. This 4-day, very demanding trek (difficulty 5/5) covers 53 km (33 mi) and climbs over 4,300 meters (14,000 ft), offering awe-inspiring alpine scenery and a deep sense of wilderness and freedom.
Often called a “high-altitude rocky desert”, the Pale plateau (2,400–2,700 m) reveals surreal rock formations, rare alpine flowers, and sweeping panoramas that once astonished 19th-century explorers. The route circles the entire Pale Group, showing it first from the lush northern valleys and later from the vast, sun-bleached plateau itself.
Starting from Val di Gares, the trail climbs through forests and waterfalls toward rugged alpine terrain. The highlight is the Rosetta Plateau, where the Pale’s wild immensity unfolds in every direction. For those with strength left, the final challenge awaits — the optional climb to La Fradusta (2,939 m).
