Fanes-Sennes mountain bike tour

This tour through the beautiful Fanes-Sennes nature park is one of the most impressive mountain bike tours in the Alps and a real challenge for every biker.

Our starting point is the Rifugio Pederù (at 1,548 metres asl), reachable by car from San Vigilio di Marebbe in the Val Badia. After an exhausting ascent on a well maintained gravel road with many sharp turns we can relax for some time on a less steep section before the track leads steadily upwards to the Rifugio Fanes (at 2,060 metres asl). We continue our tour on the very steep section up to the Passo del Limo at 2,170 metres asl. This is the first, but not the last time, we have to push our bikes. However, the wonderful panorama of the Fanes-Sennes-Braies nature park is really worth the effort!

After a short rest at the Passo del Limo we start our exciting descent through the Valle di Fanes, passing the emerald green Lake Limo. This descent on a wide track with gravel and stones is 10 km long with an altitude difference of 800 metres and exhibits some quite steep and slippery sections. Attention: This descent requires some cycling experience and a good cycling technique!

After the third bridge (or 28 km from San Vigilio) we turn left and prepare ourselves for the second ascent on a gravel path. After some 100 metres we reach a parking space and continue our tour on an asphalted road limited to traffic towards the Rifugio Ra Stüa (at 1,668 metres asl).

After a short rest at the Rifugio La Stüa we begin the last but hardest ascent of our tour with an altitude difference of 450 metres up to the Rifugio Sennes (at 2,126 metres asl). Very steep and stony sections force us to push our bike for quite some time until we finally reach the mountain hut.

After a very tasty lunch we continue our tour back to Pederù, passing the Vodara-Vedla huts and finally cycling downhill on a military street built in World War I. Attention: This descent reaches gradients up to 21%!

Please note: This bicycle tour leads through the wonderful landscape of the Fanes-Sennes-Braies nature park and the Dolomiti d’Ampezzo nature park and exhibits breathtaking views, impressive rock walls, beautiful meadows and streams. However, it is a very difficult tour requiring a very good physical condition and cycling technique!

Author: BS

When you plan to do this bicycle tour, please inform yourself on the conditions of the track!

Starting point: parking space near the Rifugio Pederù (12 km from San Vigilio di Marebbe)
Track route: San Vigilio di Marebbe - Rifugio Pederù - Rifugio Fanes - Passo del Limo - Rifugio Ra Stua - Rifugio Sennes - Rifugio Pederù - San Vigilio di Marebbe
Track numbers: 10/11, signposts Rifugio Fanes, Rifugio Ra Stüa, Rifugio Sennes
Cycling time: approx. 4 - 5 hours
Length: 33 km
Altitude difference: 1,450 metres
Restaurants: Rifugio Pederù, Rifugio Fanes, Rifugio Ra Stua, Rifugio Sennes
Track: 28 km gravel/forest road, 5 km asphalt
Please note: Don’t underestimate the altitude difference of 1,450 metres since this tour exhibits very steep, pushing and technically difficult sections!
Level of difficulty: very difficult
Experienced in: July 2009
More information: tourist board San Vigilio di Marebbe, tel.: +39 0474 501 037, e-mail: info@sanvigilio.com