Fanes-Senes MTB round tour

The starting point of this MTB tour is the rifugio Pederü mountain hut, a mountain restaurant at 1,548 m a.s.l. accessible from San Vigilio di Marebbe. Those who would like to extend this already very challenging tour can start from San Vigilio di Marebbe. We start in San Vigilio and cross the wonderful Valle di Tamores on our bikes. As we arrive at the mountain restaurant Pederü on this cold morning in July we are already warmed up and ready for the tour. The ascent to the pass leads along a well-maintained gravel road with many hairpin bends. Having covered a few hundred metres of elevation gain we arrive at a flatter section where we catch our breath before tackling the long and very steep ascent to rifugio Fanes at 2,060 m a.s.l. We don't have time to stop for a break and ascend to passo Limo at 2,170 m a.s.l. along numerous hairpin bends. The final 110 metres of elevation gain before the pass are extremely challenging and cannot be tackled by everyone. We have to push our bikes for the first but surely not for the last time during this tour.

Fortunately, our efforts are rewarded by the stunning panoramic views this tour delights us with. The landscape of the Fanes-Senes-Braies nature park is truly spectacular! As we arrive at the passo Limo we stop for a break. After a delicious meal at the hut we pass lake Limo with its turquoise waters and prepare ourselves for the long descent. This 10-km long section with an 800-metre drop may be difficult for less-trained bikers. The stones and rocks and the steep and slippery sections can be tackled only by mountain bikers with good technique. Caution is recommended as some rocks could lead to falls. The marvellous places along the path are perfect for a relaxing break. However, we decide to continue as we still need to tackle some rather challenging sections. A stop on the Ponte Alto at 1,380 m a.s.l. bridge is highly recommended for people free from vertigo!

Having covered 28 km since our start in San Vigilio, we follow a gravel road branching off on the left after the third bridge. The road continuing straight ahead arrives in Cortina d'Ampezzo. At the crossroads, the second ascent awaits us. Having covered a few hundred metres we arrive at a car park where we take the asphalt road closed to traffic towards Ra Stüa. Now we need to cover another very challenging stretch which takes us to rifugio Ra Stüa. Here, we stop for a break before facing the most demanding section of the entire tour.

At this point we only have to tackle another 450 metres of elevation gain to rifugio Senes where we will stop for our lunch break. This gravel path with rocks and debris forces even well-trained bikers to push their bikes. On the right the path to rifugio Biella (Seekofelhütte) branches off. However, we continue cycling along the path towards the rifugio Senes at 2,126 m a.s.l. which we reach with difficulty. The pigs living at the hut and the delicious dishes of the hut are two highlights you shouldn't miss. After our lunch break we head towards Pederü and San Vigilio. The former military road dating back to the Great War presents a considerable drop of 21% and descends to Pederü in numerous hairpin bends. The final stretch leading to San Vigilio is very easy to manage.

Please note: this unforgettable tour in the Fanes-Senes-Braies Dolomiti d'Ampezzo nature parks is truly impressive. The path is characterised by impressive rock walls, brooks and meadows. This technically difficult and very challenging tour requires an excellent physical condition and technical preparation to be completed!

Date of the MTB-tour: 25 June 2009
Last updated in: 2026

Author: BS