Dolomites September 27 - October 4 2025

Dolomites in fall

The landscape of the Dolomites is one of the most thrilling locations to visit as a landscape photographer. Jagged solitary mountains rife with colourfull limestone tower high above idyllic valleys filled with rivers, lakes and beautiful forests.

Late September and early October is arguably the best time to visit. The summer heat is gone, along with most of the tourists and the onset of fall brings beautiful warm colours to the landscape, especially at altitude.

This tour is set up to show you the best the Dolomites have on offer, from popular photo spots like the churches in Val di Funes to the wild and barely photographed Val Venegia in the unknown southeastern Dolomites.

Scenic mountain landscape with a lake, surrounded by golden trees and reflected peaks at sunrise.

Price

€2500,-

Price based on double room occupancy. Single room supplement €250,-

Maximum group size

5 participants

Start

Saturday 27 September 14:00 Innsbruck Central Station

End

Saturday 4 October 14:00 Innsbruck Central Station

Physical difficulty

Moderately challenging

Maximum hike duration 2 hours with 250 meters of vertical ascent. Good balance required for uneven mountain trails.

Accommodation

4 nights in hotel, 3 nights in mountain hut

For more information, see the page on accommodation.

Old wooden cabin on grassy hillside with sunrise in the background, mountains and trees in the distance.

Included

  • Personal guidance from English speaking professional photographer

  • All accommodations & lodgings

  • All transport during the tour

  • All meals including non-alcoholic drinks

  • All costs of excursions & outings

Not included

  • Alcoholic drinks

  • Travel to and from start/endpoint of the tour

  • Non mealtime snacks and drinks

  • Personal purchases & souvenirs

  • Travel insurance

Itinerary

The photo tour is set up as a roadtrip covering the best photo spots of the Dolomites During the week we’ll cover a lot of ground, sleeping in hotels and mountain huts situated right next to epic photo spots.

Saturday
After the pick up from Innsbruck Central Station we’ll drive directly towards our hotel at the Würzjoch pass. The hotel is offers amazing views towards the Dolomites and is situated right next to two great photo spots. We’ll stay here for two nights to explore the surrounding area. For sunset shoot we’ll stay close to the hotel to photograph a scene with a wonderful foreground. Here we’ll learn how to work with a wide angle lens.

Sunday
In the morning we’ll photograph from a photo spot right next to the hut. It offers an amazing view of a twin-peaked mountain with characteristic wooden huts in the foreground. After breakfast we’ll head over to Val di Funes where we’ll photograph the famous St. John’s church. For lunch we’ll head back to the Würzjoch pass and hike 20 minutes to a large meadow with great panoramic views. We’ll stay here until sunset to explore the area and find unique compositions.

Monday
Time to leave our hotel at the Würzjoch pass. Before we leave we’ll revisit one of the photo spots from earlier to shoot the morning light. Then it’s time to head on to our hotel on the unknown Passo Rolle. After check in we’ll drive down to Val Venegia where we’ll stay until sunset. The many rivers and streams in this valley offer us the opportunity to practice blurring the water with neutral density filters.

Tuesday
We’ll photograph the morning light from close to the mountain pass. After breakfast it’s time to head onward to the Croda da Lago mountain hut, where we’ll stay for two days. The hut is beautifully located next to Lago Federa which offers amazing reflections of the surrounding forests and scenery. In fall the larch trees surrounding the lake will turn orange before dropping their needles completely. To reach the hut we’ll have to hike up for one hour on a steep but wide jeep track.

After lunch at the hut I’ll take you for a walk around the lake to show the best spots to photograph the sunset and sunrise.

Wednesday
Before breakfast we’ll photograph the sunrise from the lake. Throughout the day I’ll organize two excursions: one in the morning and one in the afternoon where you have the option to visit a deep canyon with a series of amazing waterfalls and a mountain pass with an amazing perspective on the mountain right above the lake. Both excursions require extra hiking. Those who want to rest can stay at the mountain hut.

Thursday
After photographing sunset it’s time to leave the hut. We’ll hike back down to the car and move to our hotel at the foot of the Drei Zinnen National Park. Once we’ve checked in we will drive up a toll road to the amazing height of 2500 meters. From here we’ll hike 45 minutes to an amazing photo spot high up in the mountains where we’ll photograph sunset. Even though this spot is very popular, it’s definitely worth the visit as the mountain vistas are simple overwhelming.

Friday
The next morning we’ll photograph the mountain scenery from yet another lake, which offers many great compositions. After breakfast we’ll check out and head on over to the Passo Giau. Along the way we’ll stop for an excursion to a beautiful stream and waterfall, which requires 20 minutes of hiking.

After lunch we’ll head on over to Passo Giau where we’ll take our time to explore the area to find the best photo spot for sunset. From the top of the pass it’s only a few minutes driving towards the mountain hut where we’ll stay our final night.

Saturday
Sadly, the last day of the tour. After one last sunrise shoot at Passo Giau and breakfast we’ll drive back to Innsbruck Central Station where I leave you with a camera filled with photos and a head filled with memories.

ITINERARY CAN CHANGE DUE TO WEATHER CIRCUMSTANCES AND AVAILABILITY OF ACCOMMODATIONS

Sunrise through trees with mountain view, foreground roots, Dolomites.
A small church with a bell tower stands in a green meadow surrounded by dense forests and dramatic mountain peaks under a cloudy sky.
Dramatic mountain landscape with peaks illuminated by sunset, surrounded by clouds and dense forest, with a rocky stream running through the valley.
Scenic lake at sunset with mountain reflection, trees, and grass in foreground.
Mountain landscape with sharp peaks, a narrow rocky ridge, and a person in a red jacket standing on the ridge.
Silhouette of mountains against an orange sunset with sun rays streaming through.

Is this photo tour for you?

  • You love mountains and landscape photography

  • You want to visit a blend of classic compositions and unique locations

  • You have no problems getting up early for sunrise

  • You don’t mind hiking to reach unique and epic photo spots

  • You don’t mind sleeping in beautiful but simple mountain huts

A towering rocky mountain peak partially covered by clouds with a clear blue sky background.

Recommended gear & packing list

Camera equipment

  • Mirrorles or DSLR camera

  • Wide angle zoom, standard zoom & telephoto zoom

  • Tripod

  • Neutral density filter set

  • Polarisation filter

  • Charger & extra battery

  • Drybag to protect your gear from rain

  • Drone (if you have one)


Hiking gear

  • Backpack with space for your camera equipment, 1.5L water, snacks and clothes for overnight stay in mountain hut

  • Sturdy and waterproof hiking boots

  • Rain clothes

  • Trekking poles

  • Hiking clothes including sun hat

  • Warm fleece or puffy coat for cold mornings

  • Sleeping bag liner and pillowcase (mandatory in mountain huts)

Hiking & fitness

Some of the photo spots and lodgings are only reached on foot by mountain trails. During the photo tour we’ll stick exclusively to easy trails but even easy mountain trails are often uneven and at times fairly steep. On top of that, at times you’ll be carying a backpack with camera equipment and gear for an overnight stay. This means that good health and balance are required for this trip.

Dramatic mountain landscape with rugged peaks, dark clouds, and a winding path in the foreground. The scene conveys a sense of solitude and natural grandeur.

Registration

Fill in the form below for your booking enquiry. To complete your registration a deposit of €1000 is required.

If you have any questions about the photo tour, do not hesitate to contact me.