The new year 2026 has already begun. Many people have already summed up the past year and planned new trips.
I don't have any plans for the summer yet, but I want to tell you about the most memorable event of 2026.
It is etched in my memory and gave me a lot of pleasure — participating in the “Via Ferrata in the Dolomites” tour.
I came across the Kuluar website in the spring when I started planning my summer vacation. This unusual type of vacation, “VIA Ferrata in the Dolomites,” caught my attention.
I read the tour description and realized that it was something very interesting, but one that required advance preparation.
To avoid disappointment, I booked the tour back in May and, despite being 64 years old, decided to go to Italy and definitely try this type of vacation.
I used to go mountaineering and rock climbing when I was a student, and I was curious to try this new experience.
Communicating with the consultant was very comfortable, and I received all the necessary answers to my questions quickly and comprehensively. I found a suitable backpack, sleeping bag, and sneakers at home.
I agreed to rent the rest of the equipment from Kuluar. I also learned about the very interesting history of this type of recreation, which only increased my desire to participate in the tour.
And now I am in the resort town of Cortina d'Ampezzo, the heart of the Dolomites. We are greeted by the best team leader, Olya Vasana, and we head to the campsite, which is located on the banks of a mountain river among centuries-old fir trees.
Despite the rainy weather—it rained practically every day and sometimes even at night—we discovered new routes every day.
When we returned to camp, we cooked borscht and solyanka, enjoyed a delicious dinner, shared our impressions, and prepared for the next day.
The tents and the awning over the large table – our mess hall – held up!
And so, the penultimate day of our tour arrived—we set off for the Tre Cime di Lavaredo mountain range, considered the hallmark of the Dolomites and a mecca for climbers.
As usual, the weather was gloomy and rainy, but it didn't stop us from reaching the start of our route.
Then we waited for the rain to stop and the rocks to dry a little, because you can't climb wet rocks, it's dangerous.
And then the rain stopped for a while (as usual, we were lucky) and we set off on a route of the third category of difficulty.
The group confidently climbed along the fixed ropes, as they already had experience of climbing rocks and working with safety equipment.
And then something unexpected happened. Oleg, who was walking behind me, saw that the sole of my sneaker had almost fallen off.
To be honest, I was very scared, because not only was there an ascent ahead, but also a descent, but I didn't lose my head and tied the sole together with the sneaker to my foot with a shoelace. Luckily, it was long enough.
As soon as we reached the top, Olya assessed the situation and, with a magical movement, took some extra-strong gray tape out of her backpack and wrapped it tightly around my foot and sneaker.
After that, we safely completed the route and reached the camp.
On the last day of the tour, not having the right shoes, I couldn't go with the group on the next route and went to the town of Cortina d'Ampezzo, where a town festival was taking place. I thoroughly enjoyed the variety of folk music, walking among the locals dressed in traditional clothing.
But the most interesting thing for me on that day was the cable car ride to the top of Mount Tofano, which towers 2,000 meters above the resort and has an altitude of 3,246 meters above sea level.
It offers a breathtaking 360° view of the mountain ranges and majestic peaks of the Alps, which is unforgettable. I was very lucky that the day was sunny and almost cloudless!
In the evening, we were together again, team leader Olya treated us to delicious pizza, each participant received a certificate for gaining a life-changing experience, and we spent time reminiscing and making plans for the future.
My advice:
Kuluar offers first-class equipment for rent — I recommend using it.
Pay special attention to footwear — it should meet the recommendations, not be new, but also not too “grown-up,” because any footwear also has its own lifespan, regardless of how much you wear it.
P.S. Despite the fact that all the participants in the group were almost twice my age, I felt very comfortable with them, as if I were the same age.
I am proud of our youth: independent, purposeful, responsible, eager for new knowledge and experience, who in our difficult times know how to work and relax 100%.
Thank you to all the members of my group and to Olia for the time we spent together and the unforgettable photos. It was really “cool”!
I recommend everyone to try Kuluar!
