Alpe di Siusi Walks: 9 Best Routes on the Seiser Alm

The Alpe di Siusi and the Seiser Alm are one place: the Italian and German names for a 56 km² high pasture above Kastelruth, Seis and Ortisei. Its meadows lie between 1,680 and 2,350 m, under the Sassolungo and the Sciliar, and most of its paths are farm tracks, not mountain trails.

This guide covers nine walks: our two inn-to-inn tours first, then seven routes on the plateau, each with its distance and climb. The practical sections give the 2026 road closure, cable car fares and buses.

Why Walk the Alpe di Siusi

The plateau is made for walking. There are 450 km of marked paths on two levels, the high pasture and the villages below, and the local tourist board counts around 300 sunny days a year. You can walk here from March to November.

Cars are the other reason it walks well. Private traffic is banned uphill from 9:00 to 17:00 while the cable car runs, so the roads across the meadows carry mostly buses and walkers. The peaks around the rim, the Sciliar, the Rosszähne and the Sassopiatto, are where the climbing starts.

Alpe di Siusi at a Glance

• Names: Alpe di Siusi (Italian), Seiser Alm (German), Mont Sëuc (Ladin)

• Height: 1,680 m at Saltria to 2,350 m under the Sassolungo

• Ways up: cable cars from Seis and Ortisei, or on foot

• Road: closed uphill to private cars from 9:00 to 17:00; parking booked online from 29 June 2026

• Our tours: 7-day inn-to-inn (65 km) and 3-day Seiser Alm Highlights (41.5 km)

Best Alpe di Siusi Walks

The list starts with our two self-guided tours, which link the plateau's best walks into multi-day routes with the hotels booked. Entries 3 to 9 are single walks, and five of them are days of those tours. The table compares the single walks with published route figures.

Distance, walking time and climb for the plateau's main single walks, from Seiser Alm Marketing route data and the regional portal seiser-alm.it, 2026:

Times are walking time only. Add an hour for a hut lunch, and keep something in reserve for the climb back from Saltria, the plateau's lowest point.

1. Alpe di Siusi Inn-to-Inn: Kastelruth to Ortisei in 7 Days

• Distance: 65 km over 6 walking days, 6.5 to 15.5 km a day

• Duration: 7 days, 6 nights in three inns

• Route: Kastelruth, Compatsch, Saltria, Ortisei

• Surface: farm tracks, meadow paths and forest trails

• Difficulty: fitness 2/5, technical 2/5, with 310 to 1,110 m of climb a day

• Best for: a first Dolomites walking week, June to September

This is the plateau walked end to end, with your luggage moved between three inns. Two nights in Kastelruth start with a loop to the hamlet of Tagusens (10.5 km, 530 m). Day 3 is the big one: 11 km and 1,110 m up through the Marinzen pastures to Compatsch.

From Compatsch, day 4 circles Piz Ridl and returns by Mont Sëuc (11.5 km, 340 m). Day 5 crosses to Saltria past the Rosszähne and Rifugio Molignon, 10 km with only 310 m of climb. Day 6 loops from Saltria to the Murmeltier hut, the longest day at 15.5 km.

The last morning drops 830 m in 6.5 km to Ortisei. Nights 3 to 6 are on the plateau itself, in Compatsch and Saltria, so the 9:00 road closure and the parking booking never touch your week.

The hotels are 3-star with breakfast, such as the Piccolo Hotel Sciliar in Compatsch and the Tirler in Saltria. A digital guidebook and GPS app come with the tour.

With only a long weekend, you can cover the same plateau in three walking days instead of six, at the price of longer days. The shorter tour below sleeps in the same two plateau hamlets.

2. Seiser Alm Highlights: The Plateau in 3 Days

• Distance: 41.5 km over 3 walking days, 12 to 16 km a day

• Duration: 3 days, 2 nights

• Route: Ortisei, Kastelruth, Compatsch, Saltria, Ortisei

• Surface: grass and gravel paths, well marked

• Difficulty: fitness 2/5, technical 2/5, with 680 to 1,150 m of climb a day

• Best for: a long weekend, June to October

Three days cover the same ground as the week, at a faster pace. You take the bus from Ortisei to Kastelruth and climb the Marinzen pastures to Compatsch, 12 km and 1,150 m, so the hardest day of either tour comes first.

Day 2 winds toward the Rosszähne ridge, passes Rifugio Molignon and drops to Saltria: 13.5 km with 680 m up and 840 m down. Day 3 climbs under the Sassolungo to Rifugio Sasso Piatto, loops back past the Murmeltier hut and ends on the Mont Sëuc gondola down to Ortisei (16 km, 920 m).

Both nights are on the plateau, in Compatsch and Saltria, in 3-star hotels with breakfast. Luggage transfer is an optional extra on request, so add it when you book or carry two nights' kit.

The seven walks below are the single days inside these two tours, plus loops that day visitors use. Each says which lift or bus helps and which tour day it belongs to, if any.

3. Kastelruth to Compatsch Over the Marinzen Pastures

• Start and finish: Kastelruth (about 1,060 m) to Compatsch

• Lift option: the Marinzen gondola from Kastelruth, 1 May to 1 November 2026

• On our tours: day 3 of the inn-to-inn, day 1 of Seiser Alm Highlights

Walking onto the plateau instead of riding is how both our tours arrive. The route leaves Kastelruth, climbs to the Marinzen hut and its pond, then crosses high pasture to Compatsch. It is 11 to 12 km with more climb than any other walk on this list, between 1,110 and 1,150 m.

A shorter taste is the 7.4 km Marinzen loop from Kastelruth, with 418 m of climb and about 2 hours of walking, up on paths 6 and 4A and back on 11A and 4. The Marinzen gondola skips the steep forest section.

4. Compatsch to Saltria: The Steger Path or the Rosszähne Route

• Start and finish: Compatsch to Saltria, the plateau's lowest hamlet at 1,680 m

• Back by bus: the Almbus, line 11, runs between the two

• On our tours: day 5 of the inn-to-inn, day 2 of Seiser Alm Highlights

Two routes link the plateau's two hamlets. The Hans and Paula Steger path, number 30, is the classic Alpe di Siusi meadow walk. It runs 8.7 km with 301 m of climb on wide tracks rated easy and suitable for pushchairs.

It is named after Hans Steger and Paula Wiesinger, climbing and ski pioneers who turned the Dellai hut into a hotel after the Second World War. Many meadow paths are fenced while cattle graze, so stay on the track.

Our tours take the higher line toward the Rosszähne ridge, pass Rifugio Molignon and descend to Saltria: 10 km and 310 m of climb on the inn-to-inn, 13.5 km and 680 m on the Highlights.

5. Panorama Walks From Mont Sëuc and Compatsch

• Start: the Mont Sëuc top station (Ortisei gondola) or Compatsch (Seis cable car)

• Lifts on the way: the Panorama chairlift at Compatsch, the Sole chairlift below Mont Sëuc

• On our tours: day 4 of the inn-to-inn

Three different walks go by the name of the Alpe di Siusi panorama walk, so check which one a sign means. The shortest is the 5.3 km circuit from the Mont Sëuc top station at about 2,000 m, with 208 m of climb and the Sassolungo in view for most of the loop.

The official Panoramic tour is a full day of 15.8 km and 546 m. It runs from Compatsch over Monte Piz, down to Saltria and back up to the Giogo, the top of the Panorama chairlift at 2,009 m. Our inn-to-inn's day 4 sits between the two, at 11.5 km round Piz Ridl and back via Mont Sëuc.

6. Puflatsch Round and the Witches' Benches

• Lift option: the Bullaccia (Puflatsch) Telemix, 22 May to 12 October 2026

• On our tours: not a tour day; an add-on from a Compatsch night on the inn-to-inn

North of Compatsch, path 14 climbs steeply onto the Puflatsch. The round is 9.1 km with 340 m of climb, about 3 hours 10, past the Bullaccia and Arnica huts to the Witches' Benches, two porphyry blocks on the Puflatsch's western edge.

Legend makes them the meeting place of the Sciliar witches. The view runs to Val Gardena and the Puez and Odle groups. The descent back to Compatsch is short but very steep, so take the Telemix down if your knees are sore.

7. Saltria to Rifugio Sasso Piatto Under the Sassolungo

• Lift option: the Florian chairlift from Saltria, 30 May to 10 October 2026

• On our tours: day 6 of the inn-to-inn, day 3 of Seiser Alm Highlights

From Saltria the plateau rises east toward the Sassolungo and the Sassopiatto. Our inn-to-inn spends day 6 on a 15.5 km loop up to the Murmeltier hut and back through forest, with 840 m of climb, the longest walk of the week.

The Highlights tour goes further on its last day, to Rifugio Sasso Piatto at the foot of the Sassopiatto, then loops back past the Murmeltier hut: 16 km and 920 m. The Florian chairlift lifts you about 400 m to Rifugio Williams and saves around 90 minutes of climbing.

8. Saltner Hut at the Foot of the Sciliar

• Walking time: about 1 to 1.5 hours each way

• On our tours: not a tour day; a half day from Compatsch

Walking south from Compatsch brings the Sciliar closer with every step. Paths 10 and 5 cross forest and meadow to the Saltner hut (Malga Saltner, 1,731 m), right under the wall, where the easy walking on this side of the plateau ends.

From the hut, path 1 climbs in hairpins to Rifugio Bolzano (the Schlernhaus) on the Sciliar plateau. The full outing from Compatsch is 17 km with 934 m of climb, a mountain day covered under Going Higher below.

9. Walking Down to Ortisei

• Start and finish: the plateau down to Ortisei (1,236 m) in Val Gardena

• Back up: the Ortisei gondola, 8:30 to 18:00 from 6 June to 16 October 2026

• On our tours: day 7 of the inn-to-inn

The inn-to-inn ends on foot: 6.5 km from the plateau to Ortisei, with 370 m of climb and 830 m of descent. It answers a common question, whether you need the cable car at all.

You don't. The same path reversed climbs about 830 m from Ortisei, so many walkers ride up and walk down instead. Poles help on the descent, and the gondola is the fallback if the weather turns.

Easy and Family Walks on the Alpe di Siusi

For an Alpe di Siusi easy walk, take the Mont Sëuc circuit (5.3 km, 208 m) or Compatsch to Saltria via Piz (7.8 km, 167 m). The Steger path is rated easy and suitable for pushchairs. All three end at a bus stop or a lift station.

Every ropeway on the plateau carries pushchairs, and children under 8 ride both cable cars free with paying parents. The Almbus is free for under-6s, so a tired family can ride back to Compatsch.

Our tours take children from 8 who are used to walking. With younger children, an Alpe di Siusi family walk works best from a base in Compatsch or Seis.

Getting Up to the Alpe di Siusi

Every walk above starts at Compatsch, the Mont Sëuc top station or Saltria, reached by cable car, by bus or, before 9:00, by car.

The Road Closure and Parking Reservation

While the Seis cable car runs, the road from Seis to Compatsch is closed to private cars uphill from 9:00 to 17:00. Driving down is allowed at any time. In the two shoulder seasons, mid-April to mid-May and early November to early December, the lift closes and the road is open all day.

From 29 June 2026, cars parking at P1 Spitzbühl or P2 Compatsch need a parking reservation, made from six days ahead until the morning itself. The booking doubles as your permit at the staffed St. Valentin checkpoint. Parking on the plateau is banned from 23:00 to 5:00.

Hotel guests on the plateau get a permit from their host. You can drive up at any time on arrival day and leave at any time on departure day. In between, driving to Compatsch is allowed only before 10:00 and after 17:00.

Cable Cars and Buses Onto the Plateau

Two cable cars climb onto the plateau. The Seis cable car lands in Compatsch after 15 minutes, beside the start of most walks here. The Ortisei gondola climbs out of Val Gardena to Mont Sëuc at about 2,000 m, for the loops on the northern side.

Tickets are sold at both stations, and Seis also sells them online. A single ticket up and a walk down to Ortisei or Saltria makes the most of a day. On the plateau, the Almbus links Compatsch and Saltria. The Südtirol Guest Pass is not valid on it or on the Seiser Alm Express.

Lifts and buses for walkers on the Alpe di Siusi, summer 2026, from the operators and Seiser Alm Marketing:

How to Get to Seis, Kastelruth and Ortisei

Bus 170 runs from Bolzano and Brixen to the Seis cable car every 30 minutes, a ride of 30 to 50 minutes, and also serves Kastelruth. Line 350 runs every half hour from the Ponte Gardena or Chiusa railway stations to Ortisei.

Line 172 links the Seis cable car and Kastelruth with Val Gardena. A 7-day Mobilcard covers South Tyrol's public buses and trains for €52 in 2026. Flights and transfers are on our page about how to get to the Dolomites.

Best Time to Walk the Alpe di Siusi

The walking season follows the lifts: the Ortisei gondola opens on 1 May and the Seis cable car on 22 May, and both close on 2 November 2026. Crocuses cover the meadows for one to two weeks in mid to late May, right after the snow melts.

Our tours run from June to September (inn-to-inn) and June to October (Highlights). In July and August storms tend to build in the afternoon, so the tour notes advise walking early in the day.

The cattle come down in early October, on the Saturday before the harvest festival, while the lifts keep running into November. Month-by-month weather for the whole region is on our page about when to visit the Dolomites.

How Much a Walking Day Costs

The walks are free; you pay for access, at the fares in the table above. A day at P2 Compatsch costs the same €30 as a Seis cable car return, so driving up only pays with passengers or at P1 Spitzbühl for €15.

Staying several days? The Combi Card costs €73 for three returns in seven days, or €94 for seven days of unlimited cable car, line 10, Almbus and shuttle buses. Almbus 3-day and 7-day tickets cost €11 and €17.

Our tours start at €679 per person for Seiser Alm Highlights and €1,789 for the inn-to-inn, with hotels, breakfast, guidebook and GPS app included and tourist tax extra. Luggage transfer is included on the inn-to-inn and optional on the Highlights.

What to Pack

The tour kit list is short. It asks for walking shoes with ankle support, a 25 to 35-litre pack, a base layer and a midlayer, and waterproof jacket and trousers. Add a sun hat, sunscreen, sunglasses, poles and water bottles.

Two items matter more here than elsewhere: a waterproof jacket for the summer storms, and cash for the huts and the buses, since the Seiser Alm Express sells tickets only on board. Poles take the strain on the 830 m descent to Ortisei.

Going Higher: The Sciliar and the Denti di Terrarossa

Two classic outings start on the plateau and end on rock. Rifugio Bolzano (the Schlernhaus) sits on the Sciliar plateau above the Saltner hut: 17 km and 934 m of climb from Compatsch. The Denti di Terrarossa loop crosses a 2,500 m pass by Rifugio Alpe di Tires, 17.1 km and 781 m.

These are mountain hiking days rather than meadow walks, and our sister company Hut to Hut Hiking Dolomites runs them. Its Seceda and Alpe di Siusi traverse passes under the Denti di Terrarossa and sleeps at the Schlernhaus.

The same company's Seiser Alm and Rosengarten trek climbs the Sciliar on day 2. Nights in mountain huts work differently from hotels, as its rifugio guide explains.

Ready to Walk the Alpe di Siusi?

Choose the 7-day inn-to-inn to cross the whole plateau at an easy pace with your bags moved, or Seiser Alm Highlights for three bigger days. Send us your dates through the inquiry form.

For the rest of the region, read our guide to walking in the Dolomites.