Use our ultimate Dolomites Packing List as a guide for what to bring along while you’re on this epic trek! We’ve packed this Dolomites Packing List with our trail tested favorites and recommendations, plus lots of useful info on the best gear for adventuring in the conditions of this region.

Our biggest piece of advice is to pack light and smart, and bring durable, multi use items that you can layer as temperatures and weather changes - because they will! Test and break in all your gear beforehand and use common sense and your own best judgement when choosing exactly what you pack. After all, no one knows you better than you! If you tend to run cold, pack an extra layer or two. If you have dietary restrictions, bring extras of your go-to snacks.

We’re firm believers that there’s no such thing as bad weather, only inappropriate gear! Stocking up on quality gear from brands who are doing it right will make all the difference for enjoying all your adventures in the great outdoors!

1-2 THERMAL BASE LAYERs

A thin, snug fitting top and bottom set that you can wear underneath everything at higher altitudes to regulate your body temperature and wick sweat away from your skin. We recommend a sport synthetic fabric, like recycled polyester, or merino wool. We love these Smartwool tops and bottoms. Your base layers can also double as your pajamas!

3-6 PAIRS of HIKING SOCKS

Bring durable wool socks in a few different weights - lighter for the hotter days, and heavy ones for nights and colder days. We love Darn Tough’s Hiker Boot Sock in full cushion. A couple pairs of sock liners are great for sweaty feet and preventing blisters. We recommend Injini toe sock liners if you tend to get blisters between your toes.

SPORTS BRAS + UNDERWEAR

Bring as many pairs as you know you’ll want! Check out REI’s Merino Hipster Underwear which are comfy and great for adventuring.

DAYPACK

You’ll need a lightweight hiking backpack to wear every day to carry your essentials like water, layers, snacks, and on some days your evening clothes and toiletries. (See the itinerary for details on which nights you won’t have access to your duffel.) We recommend getting a pack that is around 30L, compatible with a water bladder and hose, and one that has a padded hip belt and rain cover. (If it doesn’t come with one, be sure to get a rain cover separately.) It’s important to try it out your pack to insure that the padding, fit, suspension, and ventilation suit you and will be comfortable for a multi-day trek. Osprey, Deuter, and Gregory make some of our favorites!

Pro Tip: Use a hip pack also, for easy access to your snacks, phone, and sunscreen.

40-50 L DUFFEL

This will store the gear and clothing that you won’t carry daily in your daypack, and will be transferred to the next night’s lodging for you on most days. (See the itinerary for details on which nights you will and won’t have luggage transfers.) Only one piece of luggage can be transported per person and hard shell suitcases are not allowed. Be sure to pack light because duffel bags CANNOT be larger than 50L! We love Patagonia’s water resistant duffel for multi-day treks.

WATER BLADDER

Staying hydrated is so important while hiking, especially in Alpine climates! We highly recommend getting a 3 L water bladder. It’s the easiest way to carry and drink water while trekking.

WATER BOTTLE

Bring a 1 L wide mouth BPA free Nalgene in addition to your water bladder.

TREKKING POLES

These are MANDATORY, and a life (and knee) saver on tricky terrain. Make sure they are collapsible, for easy stashing, and simple to adjust for up and downhill. Check out our faves at Leki.

BONUS: You get 20% off Leki poles for being a part of the WHOA family! Just use this special link and your discount will be automatically applied. (For free shipping use code FREE99 at checkout.)

SLEEPING BAG LINER

You’ll want this for nights you’re staying in more remote rifugios. We recommend this one from SeaToSummit.

RAIN PONCHO

Bring a poncho to protect your daypack from getting wet if it rains (this is in addition to the pack raincover). Be sure it’s a durable, reusable poncho rather than single-use plastic disposable one!

BUFF OR BANDANA

An all around great item to always have with you. You can use it as a neck gaiter, head band, sweat rag…the possibilities are endless. Plus, there are so many different fun designs to choose from!

HEADLAMP + EXTRA BATTERIES

This is important for wandering around after the sun sets. Be sure to start the trek with fresh batteries, and bring a spare set just in case. We love Black Diamond for headlamps.

POLARIZED SUNGLASSES

You have to protect your eyes from the fierce mountain sun and wind, so make sure your sunglasses are UV-blocking and polarized. We love Goodr for their durability and cute designs. Consider a wrap around pair for the utmost protection!

CAMERA

There are so many amazing photo ops! Most smartphones have great cameras, and we’ve found DSLRs can be cumbersome while trekking, so think twice before bringing anything too heavy or fancy. Remember to always pack your electronics in waterproof bags or cases!

portable battery charger

Whatever electronics you choose to bring, make sure you have a way to recharge your batteries. We always have a portable battery charger on hand so our devices are charged and ready to capture spontaneous dance parties!

Gaiters (Optional)

Gaiters are great in the snow and help keep rocks out of your boots. For people with lower profile boots, check out these fun and festive ankle gaiters from Dirty Girl.

PASSPORT

Make sure it’s valid for 6 months after your adventure dates. Bring a waterproof bag to keep it dry while you’re trekking, and it’s always a good idea to travel with an extra photocopy of it.

DRY BAGS

When preparing your gear, pack everything in dry bags. We’ll be in the elements so we want to make sure our gear is always protected! We recommend bringing along different shapes and sizes of these to help organize and separate dirty clothing and gear. For waterproofing your phone/passport/money, we like using a dry pouch like this.

TOTE + PAPER BAGS

Having a stash of brown paper lunch bags, sanitary bags, or any form of biodegradable bag is great for collecting and carrying out trash on the trails and when we’re on the go. You’ll also want to bring a small reusable packable tote bag to eliminate the need to use a single-use plastic bags at snacks and souvenir stops. They’re also handy to have in case you need another bag to take on the plane. Just another way to make Mother Earth proud!

FIRST AID + MEDS

Our team will have all this stuff on hand, but make sure you have a compact kit with blister supplies (including items like band-aids, moleskin, duct tape, Compeed, etc), antiseptic, pain relievers, antihistamines, antidiarrheals, eye drops, bug spray, etc. We like this one because it’s lightweight, waterproof, and has most of the things you might need!

SWIMSUIT

You never know when you’ll have the opportunity to take a dip or use the occasional sauna and hot tub, so make sure you are always water ready!

Toilet Kit

Sometimes nature calls when we’re not near a bathroom, so having a toilet kit is necessary! This includes a Kula cloth, a small amount of toilet paper, and compostable dog poop bags to pack out your toilet paper. You should keep this all in your daypack inside a small dry bag.

SUNSCREEN + LIPSCREEN

This is a must have for being in the strong mountain sun all day! Bring a new container with a SPF rating of 30+. We love Badger Sunscreen because it works great, is reef friendly, and plastic free.

Luggage Lock

It’s a good idea to have a lock for your duffel, as we’ll be sharing some of the rifugios with other hikers.

TOILETRIES

Don’t forget the travel essentials like travel sized deodorant, sun screen, hair ties, hair brush, tampons, contact solution, toothbrush, toothpaste, face masks, hand sanitizer and Aquaphor. Remember our pledge to keep single-use plastics out of the places we love, so pack reusable bottles, bar soaps and biodegradable products! (And, pack it all in this adorable upcycled toiletry bag.)

universal adapter

Bring along a universal adapter that will work for Type C and F plugs, which are the types used in Italy.

QUICK DRY TOWEL + WET WIPES

Bring a quick dry camp towel that packs small. This camp towel from Cocoon is great. Also, don't forget about the environment and make sure your wet wipes are biodegradable.

EAR PLUGS

Recommended for light sleepers, and for sleeping in rifugios. We recommend Mack’s ear plugs, and bonus: they’re WHOA pink!

SNACKS

There’s plenty of hearty food provided at meal time, but be sure to bring plenty of extra snacks. The days can be long, you need to keep your energy up, and nothing beats comfort food when you're on the trails! Some of our favorite morale boosters are Cheez-Its, gummy worms, and peanut M&Ms. 

Packing extra snacks is especially important for those with dietary restrictions. While we can accommodate all dietary restrictions, due to the remote nature of our adventures, there might not be as much variety as you’d find at home, so please pack the snacks you know you love. If you have questions about what to expect on your adventure when it comes to food, don’t hesitate to reach out to our team.