Italy's Alta Via 1, a 180km trail through the Italian Alps following the northern flank of the Aosta Valley, boasts magnificent views of the Alpine giants: Mont Blanc, the Matterhorn, the Grand Combin and Monte Rosa. Indeed, it is sometimes known as the Giants' Trail and can be combined with a sister-route, the Alta Via 2 (covered in a separate Cicerone guide), which runs along the southern flank of the valley, to form the Tor des Géants. Stretching from Donnas to Courmayeur, the Alta Via 1 offers fantastic alpine walking, with welcoming refuges and small hotels providing overnight accommodation (and great food) along the way. The guide presents the route in two sections, for the advantage of those who can't spare the full fortnight-plus needed to walk the entire AV1. The trail is described in 16 stages, with alternative stages covering some popular variants, including an optional detour to visit the famed monastery at the Great St Bernard Pass. Each stage includes clear route description and mapping, plus notes on local points of interest and accommodation options. An alternative itinerary, list of useful contacts, kitlist and glossary can be found in the appendices. The AV1 crosses cols of nearly 3000m as it traverses the side-valleys of the main Aosta Valley. Suited to those with some of experience of alpine trekking, the walking is demanding but without technical difficulty. And the rewards are many: quieter huts, breathtaking vistas and a chance to immerse yourself in fabulous mountain landscapes overlooked by soaring, snow-clad giants.

The Alta Via 1 is one of Italy's most famous and most popular long-distance routes and is the easiest of six Alta Via routes that traverse the magnificent Dolomites. The hut-to-hut trail extends 115km from Lago di Braies to La Pissa, boasting spectacular alpine vistas. Although it demands a moderate level of fitness, it is well waymarked and follows clear well-trodden paths, making for an ideal introduction to trekking in the Dolomites. Welcoming refuges offer meals and accommodation along the way, though camping is also possible on the middle stages (restrictions apply elsewhere). The route is presented in 11 stages, each with overview statistics, a brief summary of the day's walking and detailed route description illustrated with clear mapping. There are also comprehensive notes on the huts the route passes, with contact details and tips on facilities available. The intro includes advice on transport, accommodation and equipment, plus suggestions for creating shorter itineraries should time be limited, and there are facts about local points of interest and background information on the region's geology, plants and wildlife. A handy map booklet is also included, showing the full route of AV1 on 1:25,000 Kompass mapping, so you don't have to carry paper maps. Famed for their striking jagged peaks and sheer rock faces, the Dolomites also bear stark reminders of the turbulent World War I years in the shape of trenches and barracks. The AV1 is a wonderful way to experience the celebrated scenery: (weather permitting) an estimated 80% of the Dolomites can be seen from the trail, with highlights including fantastic views of the Tofane, Pelmo and Civetta and the iconic Marmolada with its glacier. If this is your first visit to the region, you'll soon see why so many fall under its spell!

Guidebook describing Alta Via 2, a challenging hut-to-hut trek through the Italian Dolomites. Stretching 174km from Bressanone (Brixen) to Feltre, the route involves some aided and exposed sections (although several can be bypassed) calling for a sure foot and a good head for heights. It can be walked in under a fortnight - although it is also possible to walk shorter chunks should you only have limited time, and the guide highlights potential exit routes and transport options. Also included are summaries of Alte Vie 3-6, which are more demanding and include remote terrain and stretches of via ferrata for which climbing experience is essential. On Alte Vie 3-6 some nights will be spent in unmanned bivouac huts, meaning trekkers must carry their own kit, although it is possible to walk shorter hut-to-hut sections. The easiest of the Alta Via routes, Alta Via 1, is covered in a separate Cicerone guide. An overview diagram is provided for each trek, showing times between huts. Alta Via 2 is presented in 13 stages, each with clear route description illustrated with 1:75,000 mapping. There are overview statistics for each stage and contact details and notes about mountain huts encountered en route. The guide also includes a wealth of information about the region's geology, plants and wildlife to enhance your appreciation of the landscapes traversed. Useful contacts and an Italian-English glossary can be found in the appendices. A handy pocket-sized map booklet showing the full route of Alta Via 2 on 1:25,000 Kompass maps is included with the guide. Alta Via 2 visits the Plose massif, the jagged Puez-Odle, fortress-like Sella, the majestic Marmolada, spectacular Pale di San Martino and the rugged Alpi Feltrine group as it journeys from the baroque town of Bressanone to Renaissance-style Feltre. On all of the Alta Via routes you can expect breathtaking mountain vistas and a truly memorable trekking experience.

A guidebook to the 809km Grande Traversata Delle Alpi trek through the western Italian Alps traversing the Lepontine, Pennine, Graian, Cottian and Maritime Alps to finish near Monte Rosa. The guide splits the route into 3 sections with 55 day stages. A good level of fitness is required to tackle the route as it contains nearly 60,000m of ascent.

A guidebook to trekking the Slovene Mountain Trail, crossing Slovenia from Austria to the Adriatic. The 550km route is presented in a series of 12 3 to 6-day treks of all levels of difficulty, all featuring start and finish points that can be accessed by public transport. They can be completed as single sections or linked to create a longer trip. Each day is graded: low-grade walking is mostly on tracks or lanes with no steep ascents, whereas the most difficult stages may involve steep and technical terrain including fixed protection or sections of via ferrata, for which a helmet, self-belaying equipment and the appropriate experience are required. In addition to clear route description and mapping, the guide provides all the practical information you will need to plan your trip, covering transport, accommodation and safety, as well as background notes on geology, plants and wildlife. From Maribor, close by the Austrian border in the north-east, to Ankaran on the Adriatic coast in the south-west, the route covers outstanding mountain and upland walking: the vast forested plateau of Pohorje, the sheer limestone peaks of the Julian and Kamnik-Savinja Alps with their via ferrata protected routes, the traditional alpine pastures and flower-strewn ridges of the Karavanke, and the forested hills and olive groves of the limestone karst country that stretch towards the coast.

Guidebook to trekking in the Everest region of the Himalaya in Nepal, including Thame Valley, Lukla to Namche, Everest Base Camp from Namche and Gokyo (the Cho la and Phortse route), plus one route in Tibet (the Kharta Valley). Also describes the Three Passes trek (Dingboche to Namche via Kongma La, Cho La, Renjo La).

Guidebook to cycling the Rhone Cycle Route, an 895km ride through France and Switzerland from the Swiss Alps to the Mediterranean Sea. Divided into 20 stages, each approximately 45km long, the route can be completed by most cyclists in 10 to 14 days. Includes information on preparation, navigation, accommodation and amenities on route.