Tre Cime di Lavaredo Loop Hike in the Dolomites

The Tre Cime di Lavaredo Hike is one of the best and most popular hikes in the Dolomites, and your Dolomites Itinerary is not complete without a visit to these three iconic peaks. The Dolomites are a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the most beautiful mountain landscapes in the world.

Wondering how to visit Tre Cime di Lavaredo/Drei Zinnen? You can visit it as a day trip and combine your hike with the “Towers of Mordor” viewpoint.

This ultimate guide to the Tre Cime di Lavaredo Hike includes the best time to visit, how to reach the best photo spots, what to expect on the hike, and practical information.

Disclosure: This post contains a few affiliate links, which means we may receive a small commission, at no cost to you, if you make a purchase through our link. This is a free way to support us and allow us to continue to create inspiring travel guides.

Table Of Contents

Tre Cime di Lavaredo Loop Hike in the Dolomites
When to Hike to Tre Cime di Lavaredo
How to Get to Tre Cime di Lavaredo?
Where to Stay near Tre Cime di Lavaredo?
Tre Cime di Lavaredo Hike

NO TIME TO READ NOW? PIN IT

Tre Cime di Lavaredo Hike Details

Hike Distance: 10 km
Duration: 3-4 hours
Hike Difficulty: Moderate
Hiking Trail: Rifugio Auronzo → R. Lavaredo → Forcella Lavaredo → Drei Zinnen Hütte → Malga Langalm → R. Auronzo

When to Hike to Tre Cime di Lavaredo

You can visit the Dolomites at any time. However, during the low season, most hiking trails are probably not accessible due to snow, mountain huts are closed, and public transport is limited.

We recommend hiking the Tre Cime di Lavaredo between the end of June and mid-September. During these months, most hiking trails are snow-free. August is usually the busiest month in the Dolomites. If you want to avoid crowds and high prices, you should visit during the low season.

TIP
In the mountains, the weather can be unpredictable. Always pack warm clothes, suitable hiking shoes, and a raincoat.

Read our → Ultimate Dolomites Road Trip Itinerary

How to Get to Tre Cime di Lavaredo?

The quickest way to reach Rifugio Auronzo/Tre Cime di Lavaredo is by car or shuttle bus. It takes 35 minutes to drive from Cortina d’Ampezzo to the Auronzohütte and 20 minutes from Misurina. But you can also walk to the car park if you’re on a budget or want to go hiking.

The Rifugio Auronzo is a private road and costs 30 EUR/car, but the price includes parking. The road is usually open from late May to October, depending on snow conditions.

Vehicle prices on the toll road:

Car 30 EUR
Motorcycle 20 EUR
Camper 45 EUR

If you don’t want to pay the toll, you can park near Lake Antorno and walk up to Rifugio Auronzo, which takes about 1.5 hours. Alternatively, you can take the shuttle bus line 444 from Toblach/Dobbiaco to the Auronzo mountain hut, which runs frequently during the high season. The Südtirol Guest Pass is not valid on the 444 bus service.

TIP
Before you visit, check the weather forecast.

See also → Seceda Ridgeline

Tre Cime di Lavaredo Loop Hike, Dolomites

Where to Stay near Tre Cime di Lavaredo?

If you want to stay near Tre Cime di Lavaredo, spend one or more nights in one of the mountain huts. Alternatively, you can stay in Misurina, the nearest village.

But Cortina d’Ampezzo or Dobbiaco are also good choices and are only 40 minutes drive from Rifugio Auronzo. These are our recommendations.

Best hotels in Misurina

Mid-Range: Hotel Sorapiss or Grand Hotel Misurina
Budget: Hotel Lavaredo

Best hotels in Cortina d’Ampezzo

Luxury: Faloria Mountain Spa Resort
Mid-Range: Radisson Residences Savoia Palace
Budget: B&B Hotel Passo Tre Croci Cortina

more hotels in cortina d’Ampezzo

Tre Cime di Lavaredo Hike

Rifugio Auronzo to Rifugio Lavaredo

The hike should start early in the morning, as parking spaces run out quickly in the high season. Although we know that getting up early in the morning can be a pain on a Dolomites road trip, the beautiful views that only the morning light can give you will make up for any effort.

The weather was still cold in the morning, so we suggest you wear layers. However, remember that even on a cloudy day, you can still burn, so use sunscreen in the later hours.

Don’t forget to buy travel insurance! Travel insurance is the best way to avoid extra expenses due to unexpected accidents, cancellations, delays, loss of personal items, and emergencies.

TIP
Hungariandreamers readers get a 5% discount on Heymondo.

Tre Cime di Lavaredo Hike in the Dolomites

There is no entrance fee to the Tre Cime di Lavaredo Nature Park. The starting and ending point of the Tre Cime di Lavaredo loop hike is the Rifugio Auronzo parking lot.

From the Rifugio Auronzo, you can start the hike in either direction. But we recommend that you go anticlockwise as the views are much better. You will need to take path NR. 101 on the right side. The trail is wide and relatively straight, so this is the easiest part of the hike.

The distance from Rifugio Auronzo to Rifugio Lavaredo is about 1.7 km and can be completed in 30-40 minutes.

Keep reading → Passo Giau to Cinque Torri Hike

Rifugio Lavaredo to Forcella Lavaredo

The views are already stunning from here, and as you walk towards the Tre Cime di Lavaredo, the landscape becomes more and more impressive. After arriving at the Rifugio Lavaredo, we decided to make a quick stop to enjoy the view over a good coffee.

From Rifugio Lavaredo, there are several ways to reach the Forcella Lavaredo. The Forcella Lavaredo viewpoint is one of the best photo spots on the Tre Cime di Lavaredo hike.

The distance between Rifugio Lavaredo and Forcella Laveredo is about 15 minutes.

Recommended post → Best Day Hikes in the Dolomites

Forcella Lavaredo to Drei Zinnen Hütte

From the Forcella Lavaredo, several trails lead to the Drei Zinnen Hütte. The hiking trail in the first picture is moderately easy and ideal for families and older people.

The upper trail is much steeper and was still covered in snow in many places at the time of our visit. As we were higher up, we had a much better view at the Tre Cime di Lavaredo and found a great photo spot, which you can see in the second photo. If you’re not afraid of heights and like a challenge, we recommend you choose the upper trail.

The distance from Forcella Lavaredo to the Drei Zinnen Hütte is 1.8 km and takes about 30 minutes.

TIP
Wear closed hiking shoes and lightweight, quick-dry clothes.

Drei Zinnen Hütte to Malga Langalm

Most hikers will take a break at the Drei Zinnen Hütte. If you want to have lunch here or just enjoy the panoramic view, this is a great place to relax. After your break, we recommend you explore the surroundings and find one of the most beautiful views of the Tre Cime di Lavaredo.

The easiest way to reach the cave is to walk past the small chapel, climb the steep hill, and enjoy the magical view. This is one of the most stunning viewpoints of the Tre Cime di Lavaredo hike!

From Drei Zinnen Hütte, you can reach Malga Langalm in 50 minutes, which is 3 km.

Another Dolomites Hike → Geisler Alm

Malga Langalm to Rifugio Auronzo

Malga Langalm is also a great photo spot on the hike. As we reached the last part of our trek, we stopped here and enjoyed the panoramic view of the lake. The hike was well-marked, and the trail was flat in most places. But there are steep climbs and descents in some parts of the path.

Then we returned to the Rifugio Auronzo car park, which took 50 minutes and was 2.5 km.

The Tre Cime di Lavaredo Loop is about 10 km, and the hike takes about 3-4 hours, depending on how many breaks you take. This is a moderately easy hike, accessible to almost everyone.

Cadini di Misurina Viewpoint

The Cadini di Misurina is one of the lesser-known places in the Dolomites, starting from Rifugio Auronzo, the same as the Tre Cime Di Lavaredo. If you want to avoid the crowds on the Drei Zinnen hiking trail, start your day at the “Towers of Mordor”.

We recommend you do both hikes on the same day if you don’t want to pay twice for the toll road. The hike takes around 40-50 minutes to get to this viewpoint.

Visit the lookout at your own risk, and if the weather is not good or the roads are slippery, we do not recommend you take the trail. The hike is not recommended for those who are afraid of heights.

We hope you found our guide to the Tre Cime di Lavaredo Hike useful and will inspire you to visit. If you have any questions or thoughts, let us know in the comment below.

Travel Resources

Hotels – Booking.com
Car Rentals – Discover Cars
Flights – Skyscanner
Travel Insurance – Heymondo
Tours & Attractions – GetYourGuide
Bus/Transfer – Bookaway

Tre Cime di Lavaredo Loop Hike in the Dolomites