The Sellaronda is the most famous ski circuit in the Dolomites, Italy (Europe). Stretching over about 40 to 44 km, the route circles the majestic Sella massif, a striking mountain group with a width of about 6-8 km. Along the ski route, visitors can enjoy breathtaking views of the Sella peaks rising up to 3,100 meters, as well as the surrounding mountains of the Dolomites, a panorama that makes this ski route an unforgettable experience.
Its also called Sella Ronda and along the way, the Sellaronda connects 4 renowned ski areas in Italy: Val Gardena and Alta Badia in South Tyrol, Arabba in the Province of Belluno and Val di Fassa in Trentino. Skiers can enjoy the ski slopes, breathtaking alpine views and one of the most iconic ski tours in the Dolomites.
We are located in a unique ski carousel with well-connected lifts and ski slopes, in the middle of an extraordinary ensemble of forests, rocky peaks and snow-covered landscapes in the heart of the Dolomites, a Unesco World Heritage Site, in the provinces Trentino, South Tyrol and Belluno in the Italian Alps.
Which direction should I ski the Sellaronda?
This ski circuit can be skied in 2 directions: ↻ clockwise - Orange route or Green route - ↺ counter-clockwise. What is the best route for the Sellaronda? Which direction of the Sellaronda should I choose? Answers and detailed route descriptions can be found here:
- All about the Sellaronda Orange, ↻ clockwise ski circuit.
- All about the Sellaronda Green, ↺ counter clockwise ski circuit.
Information: Opening for the winter season 2026/2027 is scheduled on December 4th, 2026 until April 4th, 2027. Note: The dates of the start and end of the season may vary in some valleys. We cannot guarantee that all lifts will be functioning during the specified period and until the end of the season.
Ideal starting points for the Sellaronda
Joining the Sellaronda ski route is easy: simply follow the roads to one of the five charming villages and ski resorts around the Sella mountain.
Which valleys does the Sellaronda pass through? The ski resorts and valleys that the Sellaronda route connects are Val Gardena, Alta Badia, Arabba and Val di Fassa.
These 5 villages are located directly on the Sellaronda and making them the perfect starting points for the ski tour:
- Selva di Val Gardena ( Val Gardena )
- Colfosco and Corvara ( Alta Badia )
- Lupo Bianco above Canazei ( Val di Fassa )
- Arabba di Livinallongo
Discover the interactive Sellaronda ski map with animated ski slopes and the lifts, as well as the accommodations, restaurants, pizzerias and alpine huts.
A good place to stay for the Sellaronda
There are many hotels and accommodation options in all the villages and ski resorts around the Sella Massif in the Dolomites. Find the accommodation and hotels in the Sellaronda that best suit your needs.
Lenght and duration of the ski route
The length of the route, including ski lifts and slopes, is a little less than 44 km and it takes about 5-6 hours to ski the Sellaronda. The time spent on chairlifts, gondola lifts, cable cars and aerial tramways is about two hours altogether, without counting the time spent queuing for them or having a break in one of the many refuges or in the viewpoints dotted along the route. All runs together take about one and a half to 2 hours, depending on how well you can ski.
Some more instructions and info: you are advised to start the ski circuit Sellaronda no later than 10.00 in the morning, although it is a good idea to start even earlier, especially if it is the first time you have tried it. Another word of warning: you must reach the last pass by 15.30 otherwise you will miss the last chairlifts, cable cars or gondolas (in order to return to the starting point in time); they close between 16.00 and 16.30. In bad weather (snowdrift and strong wind), some lifts may be closed.
But, because it is high up in the Dolomiti mountains, you need to check the weather forecast in order to avoid running into snowfalls or high winds which can turn what is supposed to be an enjoyable day out into an unpleasant and risky enterprise, with the danger of getting stranded.
Ski pass for the Sellaronda
For the Sellaronda ski tour you need the Dolomiti Superski ski pass, which allows you to use all the lifts around the Sella massif.
Difficulty of the Sellaronda
Any skier interested in doing the Sellaronda ski circuit must be fit, even if the runs themselves are of middling difficulty rather than advanced.
The Sellaronda by mountain bike or race bike
In summer, the 4 Dolomite passes can be ridden by mountain bike along forest, hiking and MTB trails, on foot on hiking trails and by bike, racing bike, car or motorbike on the paved mountain roads.
Worth mentioning are the Sellaronda Bikedays in June and September, during which the Dolomite road around the Sella group is reserved for cyclists.
The history and development of the ski tour
The Sella Ronda is the route across the 4 mountain passes, Passo Gardena, Sella, Pordoi and Campolongo, which the Ladins used in order to keep in contact with the other inhabitants in the area. The Ladins have always called it this, from the time when there were a few mud tracks and no ski-lifts. Nowadays, the name still means the skiing route around the Gruppo Sella.
The Ladin language, a cultural distinction that connects these regions
Ladin or Rhaeto-Romance is a Romance language based on Latin; it is therefore related to French, Italian, Portuguese, and other Romance languages.
Ladin developed when, during the Roman conquest of the Alpine region in 15 BC, the local population adopted the Vulgar Latin of Roman officials, soldiers, and merchants.
In the Dolomites, Ladin has been preserved in five valleys around the Sella Massif: in Val Gardena, Val Badia, Val di Fassa, Livinallongo, and Cortina d’Ampezzo. Each valley speaks its own Dolomite Ladin variety.
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