The Dolomites
Marco Polo Expeditions
... Where Light meets stone .
Venice — Rocca Pietore — Misurina — Alpe di Siusi — Val di Funes
8 Days
8 4 Private 10 Oct
Days In The
Dolomites
Basecamps
Car Throughout
Iconic Locations
Autumn Larch Season
T H E S T O R Y
"For a few minutes at dawn, the rock itself seems to breathe the Dolomites call it enrosadira, when pale stone catches fire."
Over eight days we move at the pace of the light, not the road from the jagged towers of Cinque Torri and the high pass at Passo Giau, he still waters of Lago Antorno country and the sheer walls of Tre Cime di Lavaredo, before the trip softens into the golden meadows of Alpe di Siusi and the church at Val di Funes that has appeared in a thousand photographs and still surprises. A private car carries us between four basecamps, so every stop is chosen for its light, not its convenience.
T H E T R A V E R S E
Eight Days, Four Basecamps
Venice → Rocca Pietore → Misurina → Alpe di Siusi → Val di Funes → Venice
B A S E C A M P I : R O C C A P I E T O R E
2 Nights
01
The Hush Begins
Into The Mountains
We land in Venice and watch the flat lagoon light give way to stone as the road climbs into the Dolomites. By the time we reach Rocca Pietore, the peaks are already catching their last color of the day our first taste of a place that seems to glow from within.
PHOTOGRAHY HIGHLIGHTS
First Views Of The Dolomites. Evening Light, Rocca Pietore
02
Between Two Fires
Towers & Passes
Before light, before words, we are at Cinque Torri. The rock towers emerge slowly from the darkness, catching the first light while the valleys below remain in shadow. Later, we make our way to Passo Giau. The switchbacks disappear into the landscape, and the last light moves across Ra Gusela and the surrounding peaks. We don’t photograph them so much as sit with them a while.
PHOTOGRAHY HIGHLIGHTS
Cinque Torri Sunrise. Passo Giau Sunset
B A S E C A M P II : M I S U R I N A
2 Nights
03
Lago Antorno's
Mirror
Into The Quiet
We leave Rocca Pietore behind and make our way toward Misurina, following the road deeper into the mountains. By evening, Lago Antorno becomes our first encounter with the Tre Cime landscape calm water, autumn forests and the mountains rising quietly beyond. We arrive before sunset, giving ourselves time to slow down, explore the foreground and wait for the last light to find the peaks
PHOTOGRAHY HIGHLIGHTS
Evening Light, Lago Antorno
04
The Long Wait
Towers & Passes
Darkness gives way slowly to the three towers. We arrive before first light, when the mountain is still blue and silent, and wait for the first warmth to reach the rock. The trail then becomes our classroom for the day every turn offering a different relationship between stone, sky and distance. By evening, we are still there, waiting for the last light to leave the peaks. Some mountains ask to be conquered. These ask to be watched.
PHOTOGRAHY HIGHLIGHTS
Early Morning Hike day Sunset Around Tri
B A S E C A M P III : A L P E D I S I U S I
1 Nights
05
Meadow Remembers
The Golden Meadow
One last sunrise among the Three Peaks before we leave the high mountains behind. The road carries us west, and by evening the landscape changes completely. Europe’s largest high meadow opens beneath the Dolomites quieter in October, the grass turning gold, the mountains catching the last light. Alpe di Siusi doesn’t need drama. The silence does most of the work.
PHOTOGRAHY HIGHLIGHTS
Tre Cime sunrise Alpe di Siusi
B A S E C A M P IV : V A L D I F U N E S
2 Nights
06
Still Speaking
The Chapel In The Valley
One more sunrise over Alpe di Siusi before we descend a place doesn’t let you go easily, and it shouldn’t. By evening, St. Johann in Ranui stands beneath the Odle the way it has for centuries: small, stubborn, unbothered by how many times it’s been photographed. It still has something to say.
PHOTOGRAHY HIGHLIGHTS
Final Alpe di Siusi Views St. Johann in Ranui
07
Trip Exhales
Ridgeline Light
One last sunrise beneath the Odle, then we leave the chapel and valley behind and climb toward Passo delle Erbe. Up here, the landscape opens differently the ridgeline stretches, the trail thins, and the mountains seem to slow everything down. By evening, the last light moves across Sass de Putia, and for a while there is nothing to do but watch. This is the frame I keep coming back for — not the peak, but the quiet around it.
PHOTOGRAHY HIGHLIGHTS
Passo delle Erbe Ridgeline. Val di Funes Panoramas
08
What Remains
Towers & Passes
One final sunrise in Val di Funes. Perhaps Ranui, perhaps Santa Maddalena, perhaps simply a quiet hillside where the autumn light finds the valley one last time. Then we leave the mountains behind and begin the long road to Venice. The Dolomites don’t stay in the memory card. They stay in the way you notice light for weeks afterward, in the silence you start listening for at home. I photograph silence, not just places.
This is where I learned why.
PHOTOGRAHY HIGHLIGHTS
Last Light On The Drive Out
I S T H I S F O R Y O U
Who Belongs On This Journey
Landscape
Photographers
Autumn Colour
Chasers
Alpine
Storytellers
Slow-Travel
Seekers
Seekers Of
Silence
T H E V I S U A L J O U R N A L
Frames From The Ridgeline
Meet Your Expedition Leader
Leading this expedition is Ganesh Bagal, a professional landscape photographer and photography educator with over 15 years of experience.
Having explored the Dolomites during the summer season, Ganesh has experienced firsthand the region’s dramatic peaks, alpine meadows, winding mountain passes, and iconic landscapes. Drawing from this journey, he has carefully designed the workshop to visit the most photogenic locations at the best times of day, helping participants make the most of the Dolomites’ ever-changing light and breathtaking scenery.
His work has been recognized with Tamron Photographer of the Year (2015) and published in National Geographic, Sanctuary Asia, and several other publications. He has also served as a jury member for photography competitions, including contests organized by India's Ministry of Culture.
Ganesh proudly represents Sony Alpha, Peak Design, Haida Filters, Think Tank Photo, Godox, and Google Pixel, combining years of field experience with practical guidance to help participants create meaningful images while experiencing one of the Himalayas' most remarkable landscapes.
T H E F I N E P R I N T
What's Included
I N C L U D E D
✓ 7 nights accommodation
✓ Private car throughout, Venice to Venice
✓ Photography guidance & golden hour planning
✓ Local driver & on-ground support
✓ Parking fees and road tolls during the workshop
✓ Local transportation between all planned photograph locations
N O T I N C L U D E D
✗ Meals — lunch, dinner, snacks
✗ Travel insurance - highly recommended
✗ Flights to and from Venice
✗ Extra activities or excursions not mentioned in the itinerary
✗ Any additional costs arising from flight delays, cancellations or changes to the itinerary due to circumstances beyond our control
R E S E R V E Y O U R P L A C E
Join The Traverse
T R A V E R S E P A SS
Venice → Rocca Pietore → Misurina → Alpe di Siusi
→ Val di Funes → Venice
Duration 8 Days / 7 Nights
Group Size Small Group
Best Season October — Autumn Larch
Total
₹ 2,95,000
GST is not included and will be charged additionally as applicable.
B E F O R E Y O U G O
Frequently Asked
Why October for the Dolomites?
"The larches turn gold against the pale rock, the summer crowds thin out, and the air is clear enough to see the peaks catch fire at dawn."
How much walking is involved?
"This is a photography-paced trip, not a trek. Most locations are short walks from parking a private car does the heavy lifting between basecamps."
What should I pack for October in the mountains?
"Layers. Mornings at Passo Giau or Lago Antorno can be near freezing, while afternoons in the valleys are mild we'll send a full packing list beforehand."
Why four basecamps instead of one hotel?
"Each basecamp puts us closer to the next morning's light Rocca Pietore for Passo Giau, Misurina for Tre Cime, Alpe di Siusi and Val di Funes for the meadows and the Odle."