Folgaria – Kaltern
Mountain Passes: Passo del Sommo, Kaiserjägerweg, Manghen Pass, Passo San Lugano
Level: 5/5
Day five is also rich in variety. Here the cool plateau with alpine meadows and fields, there the warm Adige Valley with apple orchards along the river and vines on the sunny slopes. The quick way from Folgaria to Caldaro would be to simply roll down into the Adige Valley and along the valley cycle path to Lake Kaltern. But it can also be much more spectacular - as on this stage. The Kaiserjägerweg, once carved into the rock by soldiers, leads from the Alpe Cimbra in narrow bends down into the Valsugana. This is a wild and demanding descent that demands full concentration. If you want to enjoy the view of Lago di Caldonazzo and Lago di Levico to the fullest, you'd better stop there for a moment. At Levico Terme, the Valsugana is crossed and soon the climb to the Manghen Pass begins, the longest and most demanding of this year's Transalp. Shortly after Levico, the road climbs again on the northern slopes of this wide valley. But only after a short descent, during which you lose about 200 metres in altitude, does the road finally branch off completely from the valley and lead into the world of the Lagorai, the mountain range that separates the Valsugana from the Val di Fiemme. It is now 1400 metres in altitude up to one of the most beautiful passes of this year's Transalp. The last, narrow turns up to the summit are particularly spectacular. The descent into Val di Fiemme is full of bends and once again requires full concentration because the road is particularly narrow at the top after the pass. Only in Molina di Fiemme, down at the bottom of the valley, do the roads widen. The route now descends on main roads over the small Passo San Lugano into the broad Adige Valley. On the way to Lake Kaltern, vines soon line the road, an unmistakable sign that the destination, one of South Tyrol's renowned wine towns, will soon be reached. But be careful! You should not underestimate the 300-metre final climb from Kalterer See up to the St. Anton sports centre.
