Nature
Gardena Pass
Gardena Pass is a high mountain pass in the Dolomites of the South Tyrol in northeast Italy.
Gardena Pass
Gardena Pass is a high mountain pass connecting Val Gardena and Alta Badia in the Dolomites. Travellers come here for the open road winding beneath the surrounding rock walls and for access to hiking and via ferrata routes that start near the top, rather than for any single sight at the pass itself.
Getting there
The pass sits above the valley towns of Val Gardena (such as Selva or Ortisei) and Corvara in Alta Badia. From either town centre, it's roughly a 20–30 minute drive on the mountain road, or a similar trip by seasonal bus service that runs along the pass road in summer.
How much time to allow
Just stopping at the top for the view takes 15–30 minutes. If you plan to hike or ride a chairlift toward the surrounding peaks, allow at least half a day.
When to go
The pass road is generally accessible only from late spring to autumn, as snow closes it in winter. Midday in July and August brings heavy car and motorcycle traffic, since it's a popular route for road cyclists and drivers touring between valleys; early morning is quieter. In winter the surrounding area functions as a ski region instead.
Combine it with
- Dolomiti Superski (3.8km) – the lift and ski network serving this area.
- Piz Boè (4.7km) – a peak reachable by lift and trail from around the pass.
- Alta Badia (4.9km) – the valley and resort area on the pass's eastern side.
- Campolongo Pass (6km) – another nearby pass, easy to link into the same drive.
Sources: open data from Wikipedia and OpenStreetMap · Updated August 5, 2026 · Edited by the World by City editors
