Orobie Ring

The Orobic Alps

The Alps in the province of Bergamo, in Italian “Alpi Orobie”, belong to the southern Alps and extend for about 80 kilometers between Lake Como in the west and Lake Iseo in the east. They are known for their great biodiversity of flora and fauna and their richness of water, whose erosive power has also given rise to the valleys elongated in the “V profile”.

The Orobie Alps extend fan-shaped north of the provincial capital Bergamo and owes a dense network of mountain shelters and alpine trails to the Bergamo section of the Italian Alpine Club CAI. The paths and climbs are often steep and exposed, partly as a support for rope insurance. Good conditions, absolute safety, freedom from vertigo and climbing ability on easy rocky terrain are the requirements that visitors should possess.

This also applies to the two-part long-distance path “Sentiero delle Orobie” or “Anello delle Orobie” (Orobie Ring) which was established in the 1950s and 1970s. Its most familiar, central-eastern variant winds through the most important valleys and mountains of the Bergamo Alps in eight stages: from Ardesio in the middle Val Serale (Valcanale), through the upper Brembana, the upper Val Seriana and the Valle di Scalve and above the Dolomites the Presolana returns to the starting point.

The Orobie Ring will take you through the region in eight days. Photo: Joachim Chwaszcza

The Orobie ring – round trip in eight stages

Le fasi:

1. Ardesio (550 m, Val Seriana) – Valcanale – Alpe Corte shelter (1415 m), 850 Hm up, 85 Hm downhill, about 4 hours
2. Alpe Corte shelter (1415 m) – Passo i Laghi Gemelli (2139 m) – Laghi Gemelli shelter (1968 m), 730 Hm uphill, 170 Hm downhill, about 3 hours
3. Laghi Gemelli shelter (1968 m) – Fratelli Calvi shelter (2015 m), 395 Hm uphill, 280 Hm downhill, about 4 hours
4. Fratelli Calvi shelter (2015 m) – Valsecca Pass (2494 m) – Baroni al Brunone shelter (2297 m), 900 m ascent, 450 m descent, about 5 hours.
5. Baroni al Brunone shelter (2297 m) – Ol Simal (2714 m) – Merelli al Coca shelter (1892 m), 500 Hm uphill, 825 Hm downhill, about 5 and a half hours
6. Merelli al Coca shelter (1892 m) – Passo del Corno (2220 m) – Inferiore del Barbellino lake (1798 m) – Antonio Curò shelter (1895 m), 465 Hm uphill, 495 Hm downhill, about 3 and a half hours
7. Antonio Curò shelter (1895 m) – Passo della Miniera (1952 m) – Passo della Manina (1799 m) – Passo Fontanamora (2208 m) – Passo Scagnello (2076 m) – Rifugio Luigi Albani (1939 m), 1040 m above sea level of the sea, Descent 590 Hm, about 7 hours
8. Luigi Albani shelter (1939m) – Passo Scagnello (2076m) – Colle Palazzo – Ardesio (550m), 350m uphill, 1450m downhill, about 5h30. During the regular stage 8 north of the Presolana massif, the west leads a variant in the limestone cliffs of Presolana which resemble the Dolomites (2521 m), through the via ferrata “Passo della Porta” to Monte Visolo (2369 m) and the Passo di Pozzera (2126 m) to the Rifugio Olmo (1819 m), then to return to the normal stadium; However, the climbing experience and the corresponding equipment (via ferrata set, helmet) are necessary for this variant.

The Ostello al Curò, self-sufficient unit / seminar center of the Curò shelter, has been extensively and finely restored. Photo: Joachim Chwaszcza

Accommodation (all CAI Bergamo cottages)

Maps, literature, information

Most are the steepest and most often secured ways with wire ropes. Photo: Joachim Chwaszcza

Orobie Ring Passport

News: Passaporto Sentiero ad anello delle Orobie Orientali (Italian)

“A passport to document the exciting journey through the naturalistic beauties of the ring path of the Eastern Orobie which starts and arrives in Ardesio: the new initiative promoted by Vivi Ardesio, CAI Section of Bergamo, CAI Alta Valle Seriana, Visit Bergamo, Province of Bergamo and PromoSerio will begin next year (2019/2020) but passports are ready and can be requested from the Vivi Ardesio Tourist Office starting from the spring season”.

Request your FREE Passport right now!

Technical route details

Place of departure and arrival: Valcanale (Ardesio, BG)
Support points shelters: Alpe Corte, Twin Lakes, Calvi, Brunone, Merelli Coca, Curò, Albani

Typical trail, n °, trail sign: 220 – 311
Difficulty: EEA [difficulty scale]
Main exposure: All
Starting altitude (m): 550
Summit altitude / maximum altitude (m): 2295
Total climb height difference (m): 9000
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