S-cape travel

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Demanding Inn to Inn Wilderness Trek through northern Majella

The74.095 haMajella National Park, located in the Italian Abruzzo region, is an impressive limestone massif with over25.500 haof wilderness; it is a little unknown area not far from Rome and the Adriatic coast suitable for nature lovers and families alike. Clear streams, mountain meadow with flocks of sheep, endless beech forests, ancient attractive villages, Romanesque monasteries and solitary hermitages fill the scenery.In theMajellaNational Parkyou can still find wildlife that has become rare elsewhere inEurope. Otters play in the clear water while brown bears, wolves, lynx, Apennine Chamois,red deerand roe deer still wonder through their natural habitat while the Royal Eagle soars above.

TheMajellaNational Parkis a unique example of mountainous wilderness in the heart of the Apenine range and consists mainly of a limestone massif with hundreds of caves, gorges and rivers and 30 peaks above2000 meters.The park is home to 22% of all European flora and lies at a crossroads of climates making it the most Southern Alpine range with over 2.100 different plant species of which 140 are endemic.

Itinerary

Day 1: Arrive in Pretoro  

Arrive in Pescara Airport or Chieti train Station and take a public bus to Pretoro, unless you have booked an optional transfer.If you arrive early, take a stroll in the tiny streets of this nice medieval village, located at 600m altitude on the slopes of the Majella Massif. Enjoy having a glass of wine sitting on the bench of the panoramic terrace in front of the accommodation. Dinner is on your own. 

Villages along the way: Pescara, Pretoro

Day 2 : Walk through the Foro Valley and afternoon faunal introduction activities with a local guide

The day’s walk takes you into the deep wooded Foro Valley. Along steep cliffs you reach an undulating terrain with overgrown land (meadows, fields and orchards). From this semi-open area, you have great views of the Majella and GranSasso Peaks(2.912m), which is the highest peak inItaly outside the Alps.After the walk, on the way back to Pretoro, you pass the Wolf Study and Environmental Education Centre “Il Grande Faggio”, where you are given an introduction of 1.5-2 hours of the PAN Park Association, the wolves and other animals that live in theMajellaNational Park.

Challenge: 10.6 km, 500m ascent, 500m descent, 4.5 hrs

Villages along the way: Pretoro

Day 3:  Walk from Pretoro to Passo Lanciano and wildlife observation at sunset 

From Pretoro walk up the village (or optional transfer) and begins a steep climb. First through half-open terrain, then through a dense forest. The route is well marked but the trail is sometimes hard to see. You come out on an open level with great views of theMaiellettaMountains. You stay in a good hotel in Passo Lanciano, a small ski  hamlet in the beech woods, uninspiring in summer, but the only place where you can overnight. At sunset, faunal observation with local expert guide near Passo Lanciano. This guided excursion takes about 1.5 -2 hours. 

Challenge: 17km, 950m ascent, 200m descent, 7 hrs OR

Challenge: 15.7km, 780m ascent, 200m descent, 6.5 hrs

Villages along the way: Passo Lanciano

Day 4: Walk from Passo Lanciano to Decontra 

Challenge: 16km, 575m ascent, 1075m descent, 6.5 hrs OR

Challenge: 17km, 450m ascent, 950m descent, 6 hrs 

Villages along the way: Decontra

Day 5 : Walk from Decontra to Caramanico Terme through the Orfento Valley

Through scenic trails, you plunge into the deep and narrow Orfento Valley, formed by the erosive action of the homonymous river through the millennia, that has contributed to the creation of one of the most singular and spectacular areas in the Apennines, both from an aesthetic and naturalistic point of view. Because of its natural characteristics, the valley is a protected and restricted area. Climbing up the valley, you reach Caramanico Terme, the well known spa town. Here you can stop for lunch and for a visit of the Park Information Centre. In the afternoon walk up back to Decontra.

Challenge: 11.7km, 450m ascent, 450m descent, 4.5 hrs 

Villages along the way: Caramanico Terme

Day 6 : Walk from Sant’Eufemia to Pacentro via Lama Bianca and the San Leonardo Pass

A short transfer takes you to the start of the walk in the village of Sant’Eufemia or, if you want to shorten the walk, in Lama Bianca or Passo San Leonardo. The walk is a gradual climb predominated by the spectacular views of and from the Morrone Mountain that sits majestically behind Caramanico Terme. All along the walk, on forest trails and mountain pastures, you have magnificent views of the soaring peaks of the Majella massif, the Gran Sasso (2800mt), the highest mountain outside the Italian Alps and the Monti della Laga. Once over the San Leonardo Pass the steep descent down to the tower filled medieval village of Pacentro offers great views on the mountains of the Abruzzo National Park and the town of Sulmona.

Challenge: 17km, 650m ascent, 800m descent, 6.5 hrs 

Villages along the way: Sant’Eufemia, Lama Bianca, Passo San Leonardo

Day 7 : Departure…Arrivederci!

The trip and our service end after breakfast with a private transfer to Scafa train station where you take a public train to the airport.