Hiking tour around Lake Braies

Hiking around the Pearl of the Dolomites is a great adventure both for children and adults, offering great views and very nice picnic places.

Today we are going to hike around Lake Braies, the so-called „Pearl of the Dolomites“. We leave our car on one of the three parking spaces (all subject to charge) in the upper Valle di Braies. Starting from the Hotel Pragser Wildsee we hike around the lake clockwise.

Right from the beginning we are impressed by the incredibly beautiful emerald green colours of the lake. We soon get to a pier with boat rental. For those who like paddling, this might be a very special and romantic experience. However, we decide to continue our hike at the shores of the lake, on a very well maintained promenade. The trail gets narrower and rooty until we arrive at the narrowest end of the lake from where we enjoy a great view of the entire length of it. On this section there are also many nice places to rest.

From here, the trail veers away from the trail but we can still see its green water shimmering trough the trees. Arrived at a picnic place with benches and tables, the most exciting part of our hiking tour begins: the trail gets narrower and leads us high above the lake, at the foot of a vertical rock wall, offering an impressive perspective of the lake. At the southern end of the lake the trail descends back to its shores and we reach a beautiful beach with toilet, one of several beaches at the south shore of Lake Braies.

After the last beach the trail gets wider again. From the west shore we see the steep trail at the opposite side we have just climbed… really impressive! Finally, passing several more picnic and rest places, we arrive at our starting point, the Hotel Pragser Wildsee.

[fett]Please note: Lake Braies is part of the Dolomites - Unesco world natural heritage site. Please help to protect the natural beauty of it and take your waste with you. Treat nature with respect. The trail is in very good conditions and can also be gone by less trained and experienced hikers.

Author: BS

Please note: When you plan to do this hiking tour, please inform yourself on the conditions of the trail!

Starting point: Hotel Pragser Wildsee (1,490 metres)
Trail: Seeweg
Walking time: approx. 1 - 1.5 hours
Altitude difference: 93 metres
Experienced in: August 2011
Suitable for families? Yes. This hiking tour is no problem for children and offers a lot of fun and adventure. Some sections (west shore) are also accessible for prams. However, the south-west shore is bumpy and even presents some steps. We recommend a baby rucksack for small children. Please keep your dog on the lead.
More information: tourist board Valle di Braies, tel.: +39 0474 748660