Lakes of the Dolomites Tour from Venice

Included and Not Included

The listing bundles the included and excluded items into one list, and the split is confirmed by the tour details: hotel pickup and drop-off, the guide and minivan transport are in the price. Food and drinks are not, and neither are tips. No entry fees, chairlift tickets or boat rides are stated as included, and none are named as paid extras either. Bring money for your own lunch and coffee.

One thing to note: the listing text says you can visit an animal center with cows, horses and yak and choose between the Tibetan Bridge or a walk in the center of Cortina d'Ampezzo, but the printed program lists the bridge walk at 16:00. The animal center and the Cortina center option are not timed, so confirm on the booking page what the guide will actually run on your date.

Season and Winter

The listing states no season or winter changes for this tour, so confirm running dates for your travel window on the booking page. For context on independent winter travel, the Cortina Express winter timetable runs 1 October to 8 June with daily buses, and Dolomiti Bus leaves Piazzale Roma at 6:20 and 18:20 in that period.

Money, Lunch and the Euro

Food and drinks are not included, so bring money for lunch. The long 12-15 block in the Cortina valley is the likely lunch slot. Euro prices on this page convert at the European Central Bank rate of 1 EUR = 1.1130 USD.

Meeting Point, Bags and What to Wear

The van leaves Piazzale Roma in Venice at 7:30, with hotel pickup available and details shown at booking. No bag size rule, minimum age or wheelchair access is stated in the listing, so ask the operator if any of these matter to you. The listing asks you to bring a wind jacket and trekking shoes, and notes the day runs outdoors in the mountains, so pack a warm layer even in summer.

The Kit List

The listing requires a wind jacket and trekking shoes. The operator also says to pack a warm layer even in summer. Vivovenetia recommends a waterproof jacket, sunglasses, sunscreen, a small backpack, a water bottle and an extra layer.

Cash and Small Extras

Remember food is not included, so plan to buy lunch in the Cortina valley during the 12-15 block. The minivan takes normal daypacks, no bag rules are stated, and reserve now pay later means you can book the seat before you finish packing.

The Program Hour by Hour

The day starts at 7:30 at Piazzale Roma in Venice, also called Square Rome in the listing. Hotel pickup is included, with details shown at booking. From there the minivan runs a circular route between Lake Auronzo, Lake Misurina and the Cortina lakes, also passing Lake Landro.

The first stop window opens from 9:30 at Lake Auronzo or Lake Domegge for a selfie. Then comes a full visit window at Lake Misurina from 11 to 12, listed as a 1 hour visit. From 12 to 15 the group is in the Cortina valley for selfies and a short trekking loop around a lake, which is the longest block of the day. At 16:00 you walk over the Tibetan Bridge. The listing also names a selfie stop at the Three Peaks of Lavaredo with 3 prospects, listed as a 1 hour visit, without pinning it to a clock time in the program. The day ends about 17:30 back at the pickup point.

What the Windows Really Mean

The windows overlap flexibly and itineraries are subject to change, so treat the program as a shape rather than a contract. You can decide at several stops whether to stop or just take a selfie. Because the listing does not sum its stop times, nobody can tell you in advance how many hours you get on foot.

If guaranteed time on the ground matters to you, compare tours that print a total, such as the Dolomites day trip with Cortina and 2 Lakes, which lists 4 hours at its stops.

Lake Braies, Not on This Route

Lake Braies is not a stop on this tour, so its access rules do not touch your day. For the record, from 1 July to 15 September, 9:00 to 16:00, access is only by public transport, on foot, by bicycle, or with an online reservation or a valid transit permit. A combined ticket costs $48.97 (€44) with a full-day transit permit, guaranteed parking and a $24.49 (€22) voucher, advance booking only.

If the lake is on your list, look at the Lakes of Braies, Misurina and Cortina with Drone page instead.

Tre Cime Road and the Misurina Lift

The Three Peaks appear here as a selfie stop only. Independent drivers face stricter rules: the Rifugio Auronzo road needs an online reservation with your plate added by 23:59 the day before, and cars pay $44.52 (€40) in 2026. Near Misurina, the Col de Varda chairlift runs 18 June to 20 September, with an adult return at $18.92 (€17).

This tour's listing does not name the chairlift, so ask the operator before the day if you want to ride it.

Lake Auronzo or Lake Domegge

The first stop from 9:30 is a selfie at Lake Auronzo or Lake Domegge. You can decide whether to stop or just take a selfie. No fixed minutes are printed for this window.

Lake Misurina

The only full visit window is here, from 11 to 12, listed as a 1 hour visit. Walk the lake shore and photograph the peaks across the water. The Col de Varda chairlift nearby runs 18 June to 20 September at $18.92 (€17) adult return, and the listing does not include it.

The Tre Cime shuttle from Misurina Genzianella to Rifugio Auronzo costs $11.13 (€10) per person for a day ticket and does not take cash, if you ever come independently.

Cortina Valley and Cortina D'Ampezzo

From 12 to 15 the group is in the Cortina valley with a selfie and a short trek around a lake. The listing also offers a walk in the center of Cortina d'Ampezzo as an alternative to the Tibetan Bridge. If you would rather travel by public bus, Cortina Express tickets from Venice start at $13.91 (€12.50) and the bus takes about 2 hours 30 minutes per the operator's route page.

Three Peaks of Lavaredo

A selfie stop at the Three Peaks of Lavaredo with 3 prospects, listed as a 1 hour visit, though no clock time is printed. Independent visitors need an online reservation for the Rifugio Auronzo road at $44.52 (€40) per car. The Dolomites themselves have been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 26 June 2009.

Lake Landro and the Tibetan Bridge

Lake Landro sits on the route, with the listing not printing a stop time for it. The last stop is at 16:00, a walk over the Tibetan Bridge. What this tour does not give you is any lake with hours of shore time, so for a proper Braies stop consider the Lake Braies and Tre Cime Minivan Trip, and for a route that includes Tre Cime di Lavaredo see the Dolomites and Cortina Small-Group Tour.

Which Months Work

The Better Vacation puts late June through September as the best stretch for the lakes and hiking. The Col de Varda chairlift near Misurina runs 18 June to 20 September, and the Lake Braies traffic rule covers 1 July to 15 September. The listing states no season, so confirm your date.

The Weather Risk on This Route

Mountain weather can change within hours, so check the forecast the night before and again on the morning of the tour. Low cloud can hide the peaks entirely, which matters here because the Three Peaks stop is a selfie stop. Bring a wind jacket as the listing requires, since the stops run outdoors.