Cross-Country Skiing: Dobbiaco Dolomites In Italy - Winter Activity Holiday

Essential Information

Trip Profile

6 days of cross-country skiing; multi-grade skiing available on some weeks - see Dates and Prices. Grade 1 (beginners), Grade 2 (intermediates and confident beginners), Grade 2+ (intermediates - unsuitable for beginners) and Grade 3 (advanced).

Price Includes

Return flights from Gatwick to Innsbruck with Thomsonfly, airport transfers (for group flights only)
7 nights half board at Hotel Tschurtschenthaler
Loipe pass
6 days of ski instruction/guiding
One cross-country leader per grade

Not included:
Cross-country ski hire available locally for approx. EUR45 per week
Allow approx. EUR15 for local transport costs
Optional Activities:
Downhill skiing at Versciaco or Cortina d'Ampezzo
Self-guided winter walking
Day trip to see the remains of Oetzi the famous 'ice-man' in Bolzano

Accommodation

Tschurtschenthaler Hotel
*** hotel
This fine hotel has been welcoming our groups for many years. The attractive building is traditionally styled, but with the advantages of a small swimming pool, sauna and beauty treatment room (treatments not included). An ample buffet breakfast prepares us for the exertions of the day ahead and evening meals draw equally on Italian and Austrian traditions. After dinner you can relax in the lounge or go through to the bar for a drink with the locals. All rooms have shower and WC, and are comfortably furnished.

Food

All breakfasts and 7 evening meals included.

Reality Check

Activity Details Cross-country skiing is an increasingly popular winter pastime. Compared to those used for downhill, the skis are longer, thinner and lighter with bindings that allow you to lift up your heel. Most cross-country skiing is undertaken on prepared tracks (loipe) covering flat and hillier terrain enabling you explore the winter landscapes away from the confines of the alpine pistes.

At Dobbiaco, there are four grades of skiing offered, ranging from beginner to intermediate and advanced. Availability varies and depending on the dates there may be two leaders offering two different grades or one leader offering a single cross-country skiing grade and a leader running our Winter Walking trip (see trip code CID for details). Please check the grade of skiing that applies to your selected week.

Your Safety All active winter holidays involve some element of risk, from a possible slip on an icy pavement to the possibility of sustaining an injury as a result of the winter activities. Exodus does everything it can to safeguard against any dangers however participants must be prepared to accept some level of risk as part of the holiday. On the first few days of a beginner's cross-country skiing course your instructor will choose the trails and terrain carefully, avoiding steep slopes. In spite of this you should expect to fall over on the flat! Unlike downhill skiing, where falls can happen at speed, most cross-country falls happen at slow speeds or from an almost static position and cause no injury. In the rare case that an injury is sustained this may, at worst, involve broken bones.

When properly instructed, cross-country skiing is a safe and enjoyable sport.

Normal group size and age

Normal max. group size: 14 persons per leaders Minimum age 14.

Misc

INDEPENDENT DEPARTURES:
TRIP CODE: LCD
For those not wishing to ski in a group, who are looking for a little more flexibility, we offer independent departures to Dobbiaco. We book your accommodation, flights and transfers, allowing you to enjoy your holiday with ease. See page .. for further details.

Icons explained

The vast majority of Exodus adventures are adult group holidays. Groups are always small in size. We strongly believe that this adherence to small groups means a better experience for all; more time with your guide, less waiting around and a reduced impact on the communities and environments visited.
Each group is generally made up of like-minded travellers - with singles, couples and friends all joining in together. All these trips are suitable for single travellers, but if you prefer to travel with clients booking individually, please see our Solo Departures page.

Cross-country skiing: will involve intensive instruction, and our groups are carefully graded to ensure participants have similar levels of experience.
Cross-country ski grades: 1 Beginners | 2 Intermediates (suitable for confident beginners) | 2+ Intermediates (not suitable for beginners) | 3 Advanced | 4 Strenuous | and for Cross-country Skating levels: 1 Beginners | 2 Intermediates - For full explanations of Cross-Country Grading and Levels please see below or check here to view the full Winter Grades page.

Winter Activities: It's about seeking out alternative ways to have fun in unspoilt locations, you won't find standard skiing or snowboarding breaks here.

Grade 1 Beginners. Recommended for beginners, or those who feel the need to improve basic techniques. We teach you the essentials and explore gently undulating terrain. All or most skiing is on prepared tracks (loipe). More experienced skiers are welcome, but the pace will be set for the beginners. Towards the end of the holiday you might ski 10-15km or more a day, at a gentle pace. Throughout the week you will be taught how to snowplough and different techniques to have you gliding along the tracks in no time.

Grade 2 Intermediates and confident beginners. A mix of flat and hillier terrain. Grade 2 weeks are for people who have enjoyed a Grade 1 holiday, grasped the snowplough and now want to improve technique. We ski a little more quickly and over more challenging ground than on a grade 1 trip.
Acceptable for newcomers to cross-country skiing, but you should be very fit and have experience of ther sports that develop balance - ice-skating, roller-skating or downhill skiing. Most of the skiing will be on tracks but there may be some off-track skiing.

Grade 2+Intermediates (unsuitable for beginners). On these holidays we will be skiing on some steeper terrain. Suitable for clients who have done a couple of weeks with us, have developed their snowplough and can cope fairly confidently with undulating tracks. Also suitable for those wishing to progress onto a skating week.

Grade 3 Advanced. Choose this level if you can tackle ‘ups and downs’ competently, manage a controlled snowplough descent, and if you want to ski at a lively pace. You should also be able to get up swiftly and easily by yourself after a fall. The mix of track and off-track skiing varies.

Cross-country Skiing: Dobbiaco