UKC

Hi all,

I'm considering hiking AV2 in Italy's Gran Paradiso national park, or alternatively the nearby AV1, following one of the routes suggested in the Cicerone guides ('Gran Paradiso: Alta Via 2 Trek and day walks' & 'The Giants Trail: Alta Via 1 - Beneath Mont Blanc, the Matterhorn and Monte Rosa')

Note: These are not the more famous routes in the Dolomites!

The routes suggested in the books spend roughly half the nights in a rifugio, and half the nights in hotels in the valleys. I've started looking at hotels online to get a sense of the costs for July 2024, but as of now (mid-January 2024) very few hotels appear to be available for booking on the usual websites. I'm trying to work out whether this is because they are already mostly fully booked, or is this because hotels in the region run a winter and a summer season and the summer season is typically not yet bookable?  

Any advice from anyone with experience in the region would be much appreciated. 

Also! If anyone has hiked both routes, can you suggest any reason to choose between them..?

Thank you!
Ray

I did the AV2 end of August/beginning of Sept 2022 solo. Usual mix of rifugios and hotels. The former weren't busy (although I skipped the overnight at the Elisabetta hut which is on the TDMB and always full with groups 😕).

Hotels I booked in advance with no problem, though I'm pretty sure I booked direct with them all rather than through booking sites. There was no need to book in advance though and I wished I hadn't for more flexibility. Planning to do the AV1 at about the same time this year and not booking anything in advance (but will be prepared to bivvy if necessary). The Tor de Geants was starting not long after my trip and the anticipation was palpable everywhere. I'm in awe of anyone who does it!

AV2 I can highly recommend and anticipate AV1 will be excellent too.

Thank you! 

I stay in the area a lot and have noticed fewer hotels on the usual booking sites over the last few years, although they clearly still exist. I don't know why but probably worth calling direct if you are struggling.

I have been to Gran Paradiso many times and am walking part of the Alta Via 2 in late June (the other direction from Pina through to Höne, then train onto Ivrea & Locana and up into Gran Paradiso) for my 50th!

What I would say is that there are quite a few empty hotels and a few permanently closed refugios these days and that in some areas e.g. the more popular resorts like Cogne, the hotels do tend to be more pricey. I think the summer season is more than bookable, but what is probably more of an issue is not enough accommodation and lots of people visiting as Aug/Sep are the peak months. Best best friend runs a B&B in Locana and I know that she is already 50% full!

With quite a bit of wiggling about, I managed to find accommodation between 25 June and 3 Jul through a combination of Booking.com (where I booked all of them for free - payment not taken till early June, so wiggle room there if needed) and then an email to the refugio (Refugio Miserin were very quick and helpful and I just paid a 15E deposit and it was done).

I am not sure there is much to choose between the two routes - both have lots of very decent ascents and will be spectacular to walk in terms of wildlife, and nature etc., I have made up my route purely because I wanted to start in Aosta (cause its such a fab place with all the Roman remains!) and finish in Gran Paradiso because I have many friends there. I am happy to share my route with you if it is of any use. There are lots of other paths which join up with AV1/ AV2 that you could use to take you from the Aosta Valley through to Gran Paradisio, ending up in Ceresole Reale. It all depends on where you want to fly to/ from.

What budget do you have for each night? More than happy to recommend places for you.

Claire