Dolomites Hiking Adventure Retreat

Welcome to the adventure of a lifetime in the Dolomites!!

Energize your body and mind in the spectacular Dolomites of Italy with incredible daily hikes, yoga and Qigong plus facilitated artful sessions designed to awaken and enrich your creative life force. Together, we’ll experience the joy and personal power that comes from combining our journeys in nature with positive and supported self-expression. 

 The Dolomites are famous for their surreal beauty, with rugged white, gray, and pink peaks rising abruptly from rolling green valleys and meadows. Breathtakingly beautiful to behold, the mountains are mesmerizing to hike through as sweeping valleys and craggy peaks give way to flower-filled alpine meadows. The Dolomites really need to be seen to be believed and hiking them truly is an unforgettable experience. We will hike 8-10 miles a day carrying only our day packs and stopping for lunch at rufugios or having a picnic overlooking an incredible vista.

Our journey begins in Val Badia in Corvara, where we’ll explore the stunning mountain scenery with guided hikes. This area is renowned for its breathtaking peaks, lush valleys, and crystal-clear streams. After a day of hiking, we’ll indulge in some wellness pampering at the hotel’s spa center and enjoy a delicious dinner featuring local cuisine. Our luxury Hotel Marmolauda, Corvara’s Best Hotel, provides a cozy and welcoming atmosphere with comfortable rooms and warm hospitality plus a spa!

After three nights we’ll head to Val Gardena for more invigorating hikes, surrounded by stunning vistas of the Dolomites. We will stay at the the family-owned and run Hotel Dorfer for incredible food and hospitality with stunning views.

Join us for a truly transformational travel experience. This 6-night, 7-day tour promises to be a life-changing experience, filled with adventure creative art exercises to expand your life view and new best friends!

What is included:

*Meals: 

• 6 breakfasts with all the local delicacies, fresh juice, fruits, eggs and more.
• 1 pic nic lunches that WQ provides, 5 lunches (OYO) On your Own at Refugios on our hikes.
• 6, very nice gourmet 4 course dinners

*Afternoon tea time with local cakes and snacks

*Guided hiking 8 to 10 miles per day, with 2 WQ guides (Colleen Cannon and Rachel Anderson) and 2 local guides Renate and Maria, to introduce us to the local flair and history of the area. 

• Daily Yoga, Qigong and breath work 

* Creativity exercises: Creative “Soul Spark” exercises making a “Soul Collage” with Rachel Anderson. We will create a soul collage during our time together and other heartfelt projects. We will also have afternoon journaling to center, connect, reflect, declare our values and FILL OUR JOY TANKS!! 

* Afternoon use of hotel spas, with hot tubs, pool, saunas and massages. *extra cost for massages and spa treatments

*On trip transportation, Gondolas and lifts

*Stunning views

Hiking Itinerary:

Daily hiking itinerary: please email colleen@womensquest.com and she will send you the whole itinerary with maps. Be prepared to hike 5 to 6 hours a day (most days the hikes are around 8 miles and we will be taking the gondolas up and starting our hikes at the top). We will be stopping for lunch at Rufugios and YES they have coffee and local treats as well as a hearty lunch. 

Afternoons we have open for soaking in the hot tubs and getting a spa treatment OR if you are not tired you can join Colleen to ride E-Bikes, regular bikes or mt bikes along the beautiful bike trails in the Valleys. (This is also some of the best cycling in the world) Bike rental is not included

Getting There

Arrival information:  We will start the retreat on Sept 7th at 9:30 in the morning. Transportation is not included but we can arrange the shuttles for you. Many people will fly in a day or two early and visit Venice or Cortina. Most people will fly in to Venice and take a bus or taxi to Cortina d’Ampezzo. This is a really fun town so you may also want to spend a night here. and then we can arrange a van/taxi from Cortina to Hotel Marmolada.

If you fly in to Munich we can get a van shuttle to pick you up or you can take a train to Balzano and then a taxi up to us.

Arrival: Sept 7th at 9:30 am

Departure: Sept 13th at noon back to Cortina or Balzano.

Contact colleen@womensquest.com for more arrival information.

Accommodations 

We will be staying at three- or four-star hotels with double-occupancy rooms and each hotel has a spa with hot tub, sauna and steam room. Single supplements are an extra cost  ($1500). A word about Italian hotel beds: typically, a double room features two twin mattresses on adjoining bed frames. We have asked that they split these beds for us and you can push the bed frames apart more if you like. Each mattress is made up individually, but they are generally close to each other or side by side but they will move them apart for our group.  

Our first 3 night we will stay in the cozy and charming Hotel Dorfer.

Then we are going to transport ourself to the second hotel for out trip: Hotel Marmolada, right in  in Val Badia:

Meals:

We’ll eat breakfasts and dinners at our lodges. The meals are very very good. Breakfast is a buffet, and the dinners are served with several courses. 

Lunches are not included. On our hikes we will stop at huts along the way for lunch called Refugios, which have gourmet food. The huts serve sandwiches, soups, pastas, and stews. One of the huts is Michelin rated. On one day, we will carry our lunche and have a group picnic, on the top of a mountain ridge, in a grassy meadow, or some other scenic spot. 

For our dinners it is usually a three- or four-course meal with three options for each course. Local specialties abound, including many pasta or polenta dishes, meats (typically veal, pork, fish, or chicken), and tasty desserts such as tiramisu. While vegetarian meals are not the norm in this area, our hosts are willing to make a special effort to accommodate guests. Usually, omelets, cheese dishes, vegetable soup, risotto with mushrooms, or pasta with tomato sauce are available. 

Trip Difficulty

This is a moderate hiking adventure and we will be taking the gondola lifts UP every day. It is intended for the experienced hiker who is able to walk five or six hours every day. We have not planned any rest days during the trip, but you can take a day off to enjoy the spa or read a book by the pool.  Our maximum daily hiking distance will be 8 to 10 miles, with never more than 1,400 feet of elevation gain or 2,000 feet of loss. Our terrain includes pastoral rolling hills, broad meadows, some steep ascents, and rocky paths.  Valley elevations are 4,000-5,000 feet and hikes will normally take us no higher than 8,000 feet. Everyone should plan on carrying Osprey or Camelback hydration packs with water, waterproof rain gear, a warm layer, personal items, and room for lunch. 

We will get the whole group on a hiking program over the Summer. 

FAQ

Tell me about yoga?
We begin each adventure-filled Women’s Quest day with Colleen’s unique “Awakening the Senses” Yoga. This gentle but powerful practice draws inspiration from Gyrokinesis, Qigong, and Tai Chi, and is a perfect way to prepare the mind, body and senses for the activities of the day.

Do I have to participate in everything on the schedule?
You do not need to participate in everything; you can pace yourself so that it is the perfect amount of activity for you. We fully support you in doing as much or as little as is right for you in the moment. The schedule gives you a sense of the flow of each day. It is subject to change, depending upon the needs of the group, weather, etc. We will go over the schedule each day at breakfast.

What is the average age on this retreat?
We have a wide range of people who attend our retreats, from 15-70 years young. Each retreat will vary. Please contact us if you have questions about the ages on a specific retreat.

What if I come alone?
The majority of the women who attend our Iceland retreat come by themselves. Iceland is a safe and easy country to travel in as a single woman. English is widely spoken, and we are here to answer any questions about travel that you may have. Although you may come alone, you will leave the retreat with new, lifelong friends!

What if I am new to Italy or Europe?
If you’ve never been to Europe, relax! You will love it. If you’ve been many times- you’ll be surprised, refreshed, and delighted by our intimate version of the European experience. We will pick you up and always be available for any questions and with a helping hand.

Payment Policy

To secure your spot on a retreat, a non-refundable deposit is required:

• $500 for domestic retreats
• $1,000 for international retreats

Single room reservations may require an additional $200 deposit. Reservations cannot be held without a deposit.

Full payment is due 90 days prior to the retreat. If payment is not received by this deadline, you may lose your reservation. For bookings made within 90 days of the retreat, payment in full is required at the time of registration.

Payment Options:

• Avoid fees by paying via check or Zelle.  
• Payments via PayPal or Stripe incur a 4% processing fee.  

Cancellation Policy

• 91+ days before the retreat: Refund of payments (minus your deposit).
• 90 or fewer days before the retreat: Payments are non-refundable.

Women’s Quest reserves the right to cancel retreats with insufficient participant interest. In such cases, all payments will be refunded; however, Women’s Quest is not responsible for personal expenses, such as airline tickets, due to schedule changes or cancellations.

Travel Insurance

We highly recommend purchasing travel insurance to protect your investment in case unforeseen circumstances prevent you from attending or completing the retreat.

Travel insurance is particularly important in the event you:

• Need to cancel due to illness or injury (including testing positive for COVID-19).
• Require medical care during the retreat.
• Face trip interruptions, delays, or unexpected quarantine requirements.

We suggest a policy that covers:

• Trip cancellation and interruption
• Medical expenses
• Quarantine costs

For maximum flexibility, consider a “Cancel For Any Reason” (CFAR) policy, which provides additional peace of mind. While this type of coverage is more expensive, it offers the most protection for unforeseen changes.

To compare and purchase travel insurance, we recommend using Squaremouth, a trusted platform to find the best policy for your needs. https://www.squaremouth.com/22393

Before purchasing any policy, consult a travel insurance agent to ensure it meets your coverage expectations.