“You should go there..” are the phrases I would always say to my friends when they asked me how´s my Dolomites experience.

These peaks...I could never get enough of this.I really need to write about the Odle Groups in the Dolomites because for me, aside from hiking Seceda ridgeline, this is probably one of the epic hikes we did while exploring the Dolomiten last June.This place is just crazy–it is something so unreal, such raw beauty of this nature paradise and I am so grateful I have seen this with my own eyes.Val di Funes is the larger than life nature cinema –a backdrop that is engraved in my mind when I think about the Dolomites.

For a mountain lover like me, seeing these Odle group was a dream come true. As we do the hike, my voice is not yet back and feeling a bit sore & sick I don´t think I would finish the trail. This hike starts from the parking lot , Hike #36, or the Adolf Munkel Trail , or Geisler Alm Trek–so different names but it´s the same group of mountain.Remember my mind blowing hiking experience in Seceda? I didn´t know that that ridge is the other side of this mountain range—Dolomites can really make you crazy! For me, the north face of the Odle group of mountains is the most beautiful mountain group in this region.Oh yes, Dolomites is super extensive–even larger than life, but seeing a bit of it like the Odle group really took my breath away.This is probably one of the best hiking moments in my life.Mountains like these are really breathtaking.Nowadays, whenever we go hiking, I can´t help but compare the peaks of Dolomites!

The drive itself to Val di Funes up to Zanser Alm parking lot took us more than an hour from Val Gardena.This point is the starting point of #36 which is Adolf Munkel trail.During that time, I wasn´t 100 % fit but thankfully my voice was back.Thinking about doing the Adolf Munkel Trail of 9 kilometers with 3-4 hours of hiking gave me a little bit of a chill. I don´t wanna miss this experience so I let my worries down and just put on my hiking boots and go for it.The first steps were easy, but the trail gets exciting as we´ve reached more elevation.This hike is easy to moderate, mostly in between the forests, streams, large roots of trees, and the peaks poking from the vantage point from time to time.It was a tedious hike especially with some elevation gain so we managed to stocked up our energy while taking breaks and the mountains wowed us every single time.There is no reason to give up and go back, you just need to go on forward…until the end.

The moment I´ve had the beautiful meadow in front of me, with the towering peaks of the Odle group, I just kept on ogling, admiring, and just mesmerized by its beauty.

Of course, we´re in Italy so our goal is to reach the Rifugio.Rifugios are great– they are like the food-comfort-reward booth after running a marathon.Good thing about hiking here in Germany as well as in Austria and in Italy, you don´t need to bring bulky backpacks with food & water as you can have them in these restaurants up in the mountain.I was in Ehrwald in Zugspitzarena and I tell you, the Tirolerhaus amenities is better than the ones in the old time. Even their bathrooms are like ones in a hotel.The moment you have the sight of the Rifugio–you know that you´ve reached half of your goal. In other words, they are like refuge shelters, proving food & drinks, bathroom amenities and some even offers overnight sleeping arrangements.My ultimate dream is to do a Rifugio-hopping in my next Dolomites mountain strolling!That thought alone makes me super excited.

“The better the Rifugio–the better the service & amenities.”

I mean, look at these Rifugios, they are really not that typical restaurant , they have more than you ever need when you´re up 2,000+ meters high up in elevation.

It´s more like a Gastronomic battle in many sense.Some really serve great food ,drinks and up there is super cozy that you don´t wanna go down in the valley. When you are in Val di Funes, your goal is to reach Rifugio delle Odle or also known as Geisler Alm.I´ve heard much about this restaurant so we are curious, too much hype as well since this is a popular hike in the Dolomites especially for families.

So finally, I have found a good place to enjoy this natural cinematic pleasure.In Geisler Alm, the place is adorned with this wooden rotating lounge chairs where we have a 360 wonderful unlimited views of the Odle group and we don´t even need a popcorn.More like the Strandkörbe in Ostsee only that we have these mountain peaks in front of us.This place is like an open air cinema, with unlimited mountain views of pure beauty of the peaks–looming over me like giants, powerful and majestic.I wished i could lounge in this reclining chair forever–with a view like this.

Many times, i just breathe out these words : Simply amazing.

My kid enjoyed the large meadows where she tumbles and jump, played in the huge playground and we just sit there, completely exhausted by this beauty.As my mountain hiking experience in Germany, Austria and Italy, no matter what the Elevation is, even above 2500 meters high in altitude, there´s always a playground on top of the mountain for the kids to play and for parents to have a bit of moment of peace.

On our way back down, we were rewarded with same marvelous, stunning views. We were lucky with the weather but the hike down offers also lots of shade.Going down is easy since the tough going up is gone and steps are doable.The path is covered with big gnawy roots of the trees so its really important to wear proper footwear.We had the chance to even see Seceda again right in the middle of the hike and it just blown us away once again.Just how crazy Dolomites is, these mountains are larger than life.Not long enough, our views were changed, suddenly clearing , and there they stand the Geisler Peaks, in all their glory and awe-striking majesty. When we arrived at this point, we were utterly speechless.I can´t stop taking photos.I must and I will do so! These rugged helter skelter peaks are where the legendary mountaineer, Reinhold Messner, mastered his climbing skills as a child.Here was his training ground.So much respect in this natural Unesco World Heritage site.

Breathing hard and trying to collet our composure, we don´t know where to look anymore.These giant peaks zoomed over us, still so untouchable, so high and so mighty.

Looking back at Geisler Alm, I wan´st really impressed by this Tyrolean restaurant since we had a bad service.The waiting time is just too bad and I don´t see anything special in it.I´ve had seen better food and service in Austrian Alms better than in Geisler Alm.The views up there is priceless though as we let our eyes feasts over the Geisler Peaks, moving from left to right, where the majestic Furchetta and Sass Rigais stand tall, reigning supreme at an impressive 9,900+ ft (3,000+ m). Our gaze then drawn to the Fermeda Towers, the helter-skelter spires that reminded us of our previous wonderful hiking experience in Seceda. I was thankful that I went here.

The Dolomites are aren’t just one range, but dozens. Kinda confusing really, trying to piece it all together. It’s all called “Dolomites” or “Alto Adige” and “Süd Tyrol” … and in a part of Italy that was once part of Austria. I know I haven´t even scratched the surface so probably, you would be reading more of my Dolomites hiking adventures in the future.

As we hike down to the parking lot, we past through another Alm, the Dusler Alm (Malga Dusler) where we had an ice creal stop for the daughter.It offers shaded seats for tired hikers and some pit stop for families. They also served Tyrolean dishes but we never tried it since we also had our lunch in Geisler Alm.Also in this hut, we always have a great vista of the peaks, it´s almost like they are following us up to the time we reached the Zannes parking lot and drive to see St.John of Nepomuk chapel in Ranui.

I am sharing these snapshots because they are also the reason why i landed in this paradise in the first place. The moment I´ve seen these photos, I knew that I wanted to go and see it with my own eyes.

Back in the valley, our feets are tired and shoulders are stiff from whole day walking but our hearts are filled with enough memories.We would definitely be coming back to the Dolomites!

Until then, Tschüß!