Next departure: 8th June 2024
A tour that gives you the opportunity to experience a journey of the highest quality naturalistic landscape and environment. The paths that characterize this trek cross a mountainous territory, full of luxuriant nature of woods and pastures. Important to understanding Molise, are the historical and cultural testimonies that we encounter.
Duration: 4 walking days, 5 nights, 6 days overall.
Destination: from Colle Arso (Carovilli) to Agnone.
Trail type: medium level mountain trails.
Features: itinerant; cultural and historical; experiential; natural; food and wine.
Accommodation: 1800s cottage, bed-and-breakfasts, and hostel.
Where to eat: 1800s cottage, farmhouse, and restaurants.
Group size: 8-14 people. Extra charge for small group until to 4 people.
Difficulty: medium
The trail contains a mix of steep uphill and plateau walks. Elevation changes often exceed 500 meters (1600 ft) per day, both uphill and downhill. This itinerary is suitable to everybody who is used to hiking. Individual trails, including the Tratturello Castel del Giudice-Sprondasino trail, are not technical and do not have specific challenges. The journey is on foot and is itinerant. Short transfers are by motorized vehicle. The overnight stays are comfortable.
Length of the itinerary: 64.5 km (40.1 mi)
Total elevation gain: +3290 m (+10793 ft)
Total elevation loss: -2910 m (-9547 ft)
The villages we encounter along our journey add to the experience. Soaked in high-profile landscape contexts, each one offers remarkable architecture: Castiglione di Carovilli and its church (XV century); the nice village of Carovilli; Vastogirardi and its Angevin castle (XIII century), with the annexed church of Santa Maria Assunta; Capracotta and its center full of palaces and churches; Pescopennataro, its cliff and its architectural heritage made up of churches and fountains; Agnone and its rich historical-cultural heritage, a real gem of Molise.
To mountain-climbing lovers, you will climb three of the most important peaks of alto Molise: Monte Cavallerizzo (1524 meters (5000 ft) above sea level), Monte Capraro (1730 meters (5675 ft) above sea level) and Monte Campo (1746 meters (5728 ft) above sea level). All the three peaks are characterized by extremely rocky environments and lush beech forests, that you will cross along while climbing and descending. In addition, these mountains contain long ridges and rocky balconies from which you can enjoy sensational views.
During our breaks we meet many local people. They tell stories and traditions of the rural and pastoral culture of Molise. Then, we meet a family that has a riding school where they have been providing responsible tourism opportunities since 2000; you can visit a biological farm, a stoneworker, and the Campane Marinelli – Pontifical Bells Foundry.
Traces of Samnites, with the system of defense around Monte Cavallerrizzo’s peak (1524 m (5000 ft) a.s.l.) and Vastogirardi’s doric temple. Hermitages of San Luca, carved into the rock and places of meditation since the Middle Ages, and of San Giovanni Battista, on Monte Capraro’s peak (1730 m (5675 ft) a.s.l.). The different and fascinating pastoral trulli, where countless generations of transhumant shepherds used to take rest. The fortified Medieval village of Macla Strinata on Monte San Nicola’s peak (1517 m (4977 ft) a.s.l.). The place where Regio Tratturo Celano-Foggia and Tratturello Castel del Giudice-Sprondasino meet, both places of centuries of transhumance and priceless historical-cultural heritage.
Your journey will be enriched by the delicious traditional cuisine of Molise and its excellent drinks. Traditional products and dishes, often handmade and old-fashioned, brighten the evenings of walkers. You can taste cheeses such as caciocavallo, pecorino, burrata, and manteca and try cured meats like soppressata, ventricina, capicollo, and rolled up ventresca. You can eat local seasonal vegetables and legumes and can drink Moscato white wine and Tintilia red wine.
Outstanding landscapes that you can admire step by step. You will have many chances to contemplate mountain ranges of Molise and Abruzzo, hills of central and western Molise and southern Chieti, valleys of Sangro’s River and Verrino’s creek (tributary of the Trigno), getting to see the Adriatic sea on the horizon. The Abeti Sovrani woods further set this tour apart, an extensive beech forest with large isolated white firs. A forest that is truly unique throughout the central Apennines.
Day 1
Arrival at Isernia and meeting with Professional Nature and Interpretive Guide.
Transfer by motorized vehicle to Colle Arso district (Carovilli).
Accommodation and explanation of the journey.
Dinner in a 1800s cottage.
The night will be in the same structure, in multiple rooms with shared bathroom.
If needed, there is the possibility to sleep in the nearby village, in a bed-and-breakfast, in twin rooms with private bathroom.
Day 2
After breakfast, we start the hike from Colle Arso (Carovilli) to Vastogirardi.
Packed lunch.
Dinner at farmhouse.
Night in bed-and-breakfast, in twin rooms with private bathroom.
If needed, in farmhouse, in twin rooms with private bathroom.
From Colle Arso’s district (Carovilli) we go through the forest of Selva di Castiglione, to get to la frazione di Castiglione di Carovilli, and its fortress. Once we visit the small center, we head to Carovilli. After, we hike up the mount of Coste Ingotta (1035 m (3402 ft) a.s.l.), then we walk on the slopes of Monte Ingotta (1185 m (3887 ft) a.s.l.) to the Guado della Mala Cavuta, between Carovilluccio hills (1076 m (3530 ft) a.s.l.) and Macchia Pelata (1126 m (3694 ft) a.s.l.). On Colle Riposi (1098 m (3602 ft) a.s.l.) we cross the Regio Tratturo Celano-Foggia and enter the woods of Santa Maria and La Selva, along Monte Pizzi (1372 m (4501 ft) a.s.l.). Then, after crossing Trigno River, we stop in Vastogirardi.
Technical Information
Duration: 4.5 hours (rest-times not included)
Length of the trek: 15 km (9.3 mi)
Total elevation gain: +700 m (+2296 ft)
Total elevation loss: -500 m (-1640 ft)
Difficulty: easy
Day 3
After breakfast, we start the hike from Vastogirardi to Capracotta.
Packed lunch.
Dinner at restaurant.
Night in different bed-and-breakfasts, in twin rooms with private bathroom.
From Vastogirardi we reach Piano Sant’Angelo and visit the doric Samnite Temple. Then, we go up towards Crocetta and Monte Cavallerizzo (1524 m (5000 ft) a.s.l.), whose peaks on which we are able to visit one of the most beautiful Cyclopean walls of Sannio pentro. Going around the gorgeous mountain, we climb up Monte Capraro (1730 m (5675 ft) a.s.l.), from which we are able to admire a beautiful view of Molise mountains and southern Abruzzo. Once down from Monte Capraro, we reach Capracotta.
Technical Information
Duration: 5 hours (rest-times not included)
Length of the trek: 14.5 km (9 mi)
Total elevation gain: +930 m (+3051 ft)
Total elevation loss: -700 m (-2296 ft)
Difficulty: challenging
Day 4
After breakfast, we start the hike from Capracotta to Pescopennataro.
Packed lunch.
Dinner at restaurant.
Night in hostel, in twin rooms with private bathroom.
We climb Monte Campo (1746 m (5728 ft) a.s.l.), the highest peak of Molise, from which we are able to admire a panorama that sweeps up to the Adriatic Sea. Along the path there are several pastoral trulli – dry stone enclosures for the shelter of shepherds and peasants on rainy and cold days. Once you get to the top, the long rocky ridge of this mountain, with jumps and rocky spurs overhanging the valley below is quite characteristic. Afterwards, we descend to Prato Gentile, a modest but notable circular grassy plateau. Next, we visit the hermitage of San Luca, set on the rock face of the San Luca mountain, cross the beautiful Bosco Abeti Soprani, an ecological rarity of central Apennines, and we arrive at Pescopennataro.
Technical Information
Duration: 6 hours (rest-times not included).
Length of the trek: 19 km (11.8 mi)
Total elevation gain: +800 m (+2624 ft)
Total elevation loss: -900 m (-2952 ft)
Difficulty: medium
Day 5
After breakfast, we start the hike from Pescopennataro to Agnone.
Packed lunch.
Dinner at restaurant.
Night in different bed-and-breakfasts, in twin rooms with private bathroom.
We cross through another portion of the beautiful Bosco Abeti Soprani until we reach Guado della Cannavina. From here we return to admire the valley of the Verrino stream. We arrive at Guado Liscia, we climb Mount Sant’Onofrio (1386 meters (4547 ft) above sea level), and then we descend, among rural environments, to the major center of upper Molise: Agnone. This town is remarkable and rich in art.
Technical Information
Duration: 6 hours and half (rest-times not included).
Length of the trek: 21 km (13 mi)
Total difference in height (up): +800 m (+2624 ft)
Total difference in height (down): -900 m (-2952 ft)
Difficulty: medium
Day 6
Time to say goodbye and go back.
After breakfast, we visit Agnone and its Campane Marinelli – Pontifical Bells Foundry: considered to be the oldest foundry in the world, an incredible spectacular artisan attraction.
Then, we transfer by motorized vehicle to the station of Isernia to get the train or bus.
For groups of 8 to 14 people.
| Start | Finish | Availability |
| 08/06/24 | 13/06/24 | Available |
What’s included
What’s not included:
Notice: This program may be to change, before and during the journey. Changes are based on the climate, the needs of travelers and the people that host the group of travelers.
