TREKKING IN VAL MAIRA
(5 nights/6 days)

Spectacular tour around the mountain huts of one of the most beautiful valleys in Cuneo: the environment, unique and spectacular, offers very satisfying technical sequences, traces of the past military presence, endemic flora and fauna, the fortification path, bivouacs, waterfalls, rock faces, amazing and very high summits. 
In the Gardetta, symbol of the valley, you can see curious dinosaurs' footprints which date back to 245 milions years ago.

Rocca la Meja

Lago alpino

Rifugio La Gardetta

Choose it for these reasons:

unique and spectacular environment
technical sequences and military traces of the '30s 
traditional dishes and customs 
The valley has still a strong tradition: the mass tourism is still far far away.

When? 
4-9 JULY
30 AUGUST - 4 SEPTEMBER 

€ 935 per adults, includes:

• 1 night stay in a selected hotel in Val Grana or similar
  
• 4 nights stay in alpine huts
  
• half board with breakfast and dinner included
  
• mountain guide, insurance

BOOK

Italian version

Version française

PROGRAMME

1st day: arrival of the participants by 6 p.m. in Pradleves (Val Grana) or similar and meeting with the mountain guide: check of the individual clothing and equipment, presentation of the detailed programme. Dinner and overnight stay. 
2nd day: brekfast at 7 a.m, departure at 8 a.m. We will go up the Valle Grana on a jeep up to the Sanctuary in Castelmagno, after that we will reach the Colle Valcavera and the pastures in Bandia. Departure on foot to climb the beautiful Rocca la Meja, which, with its majestic rock mass, dominates the pastures around, which have the same name. Going down the Meja the trekking continues with a beautiful and relaxing walk among the pastures with herds of cattle, to reach the mountain hut Gardetta, where we will have dinner and stay overnight. 
3rd day: breakfast at 7 a.m, departure at 8 a.m. From the mountain hut we will go up the comfortable mule track which, in a bit more than an hour, will lead us to the Passo Rocca Brancia, then we will go along the scree slopes surrounded by the steep slopes of Oserot and Rocca Brancia to go past the Colle Oserot. We will go through the Comba Emanuel to go up to the Testa di Repiatetta: here we will cross the Sentiero Roberto Cavallero which, once we go past the bivouac Due Valli and the Passo Peroni, ends at the top of the Monte Scaletta. Here we will be on the boundary between Italy and France, along which there is the fortification path: here the different remains of the stationing of cannons, of bunkers, of sentry boxes, of tunnels tell us about a past which is not so far away. Then we will go down the Vallone di Scaletta up to the mountain hut of Viviere, dinner and overnight stay. 
4th day: breakfast at 7.30 a.m, departure at 8.30 a.m. Once we leave the larch wood at the bottom of the valley we will enter the magnificent  Vallone di Enchiausa, to reach, in about three hours' walk, the hill which has the same name; we go down in the shade of the imposing north face of the Mount Oronaye, reaching quickly the Bivouac Bonelli. The long descent will lead us to Lago Visaisa, to the sources of the Maira and in the end to Saretto and Chiappera where we will have dinner and will stay overnight in a booked inn. 
5th day: breakfast at 7 a.m. and departure at 8 a.m. We will go up the wide Vallone della Pausa to reach the Passo della Florcellina with a steep path set between colourful towers of calcareous rock. Once we go down the opposite slope, we will be in front of the imposing mountain chain which, from the Buc de Nubiera, continues with the immense surface of the Parias Copà to culminate with the 3400m of the Brec de Chambeyron. We will then go down as far as the Stroppia mountain hut where we will have a packed dinner and will stay overnight. Notes: this is the overnight stay at the highest altitude during the whole tour, and it will be in a typical bivouac situated in a wild mountain environment, dominated by the massive Provençal Castle. 
6th day: after breakfast, departure at 8 a.m. to climb the Vallonasso di Stroppia and reach, in about two hours and a half, the bivouac  Barenghi, from where, going through a spectacular alpine environment, we will reach the Colle di Gippiera, sheer on Lac des Neuf Couloirs. From here the tour will lead us to the last summit: Tete de la Frema, from where we will go down the characteristic Passo delle Terre Nere, made of rocks of volcanic origin, along which some chains make easier to reach the Vallone dell’Infernetto. The final descent takes place exactly along this deep valley which will lead us again to the pastures and the pine forest of the upper Val Maira. This last part takes place in the presence of the imposining Stroppia Waterfalls and of the steep faces of the massive Provençal Castle. Return to Pradleves (Val Grana) on a jeep. 1 overnight stay in a hotel in Val Grana - 4 overnight stays in a mountain hut/inn at high altitude -  half-board with breakfast and typical dinner – mountain guide during the whole trekking – assistance.: minimum 6 people.

DEPARTURE/RETURN: Pradleves (Val Grana) or similar
MEETING PLACE/TIME: by 6 pm
DURATION: 5 nights/6 days
CHILDREN: not recommended
LINGUE: Italian, French and English
GUARANTEED DEPARTURE: minimum 6 maximum 8 people.

TOUR OPTIONS: ferrata of the Oronaye, climb to the Provenzale, groups of 1-4 people/guide: €300 each climb. Further overnight stays in Val Grana, Val Maira on arrival/departure.