Discovery Dolomites Mountain Guide Roberto Iacopelli

Our family of 4, ages 59,58,24,22, had a fantastic five days in the Dolomites with Roberto. Roberto made us new via Ferrata fanatics. He was always aware of our safety and physical limitations. He planned fantastic accomodations and helped us navigate the great meal choices. His photos were also amazing. This was an experience of a lifetime and we we’re grateful we found Roberto to guide us.

We originally planned to climb a long via ferrata but had to change plans due to the weather conditions. Roberto proposed another peak and managed to transform our initial disappointment to a great day out in a shorter but similarly exiting climb. We enjoyed also his knowledge about the geology of the region. Grazie mille!

Our group of 3 just completed a 5 day/4 Night tour of the Dolomites with Roberto in August 2022. We originally booked this trip in 2020 but was unable to travel due to covid. He worked with us to rebook for this year. Roberto kept in touch with us and answered any questions that we had before we arrived and stayed connected with us upon our arrival. We met with him the night before our departure to make sure our gear was all in order and that we were ready to go.We left bright and early the next morning, Roberto took care of all the details, including making sure that I was well caffeinated before our climb.Roberto was informative and confident during our climb, letting us know how each day would go and adjusting our climbs to our abilities and energy levels. He even scouted out rock climbing routes for us once we arrived at the Refugios.You could tell that he had good relationships with various guides we met on the trail and is respected at the Refugios.I would definitely recommend booking with Roberto for your tour of the Dolomites. He has a long history and personal investment in keeping the dolomites accessible to all while providing a challenging experience.Thank you Roberto for all that you did and for making our trip an unforgettable experience.

I honestly cannot recommend Roberto and Discovery Dolomites highly enough. I did much research before deciding on Roberto and his company and we were not disappointed. Roberto is incredibly knowledgeable about not only climbing but also the history and geology of the area (bonus!). Even though some of the Via Ferrata climbs felt a bit scary for a newby like myself, I trusted we were in excellent hands and never feared for our safety. The 3 day Via Ferrata hut to hut was a fantastic experience I will never forget. When I return to the Dolomites, I will definitely contact Roberto again!

We did two days of Via Ferrata with Roberto around Bolzano in April (for our first time). Planning the trip, he responded very quickly to my email query and gave us some detailed options, including videos of the suggested routes. Out on the ferrata, he was an excellent guide, giving us clear instructions on the equipment and good pointers throughout. The routes he suggested were a great ramp up for our skills on the first day, a perfectstep up in challenge on the second, and really beautiful views for both! This is the highlight of our trip across Italy so far.

I was a little nervous signing up for a three day via ferrata trip, however, Roberto had been highly recommended to me and he reassured me by e.mail that I would be absolutely fine and would enjoy his home territory in the Dolomites. I booked with my two sons, who are very fit and in their twenties. I walk and ski a lot and have a little previous mountaineering experience, but did work on my fitness before the trip. Roberto aranged everything and was extemely patient when we were on the mountain, getting me to follow him closely at the tricky areas, often with a rope on the via ferratas, so I could enjoy the whole experience. We all loved it. The mountains are beautiful and the history around this very special part of Europe enhanced our visit. Thank you Roberto.

We thoroughly enjoyed our experience with Roberto and the Discovery Dolomites team. It was pretty much seamless from start to finish.We climbed in three different areas of the Dolomites, enjoying the variety, scenery, history and flavour of each region. Roberto has a vast knowledge of each area and shares this freely. He is extremely contentious and takes safety very seriously. He's also a lot of fun!!!The Refugio's he booked for us were excellent, in some locations with fantastic private rooms and our own bathroom. Other Refugio's, we shared bunk rooms and bathrooms with a group - which only added to our experience. The food included at Refugio's was delicious and generous - but watch out for the Grappa!!! The accommodation in Bolzano was excellent, and the old-town of Bolzano was stunning. A great place to wander for the day and get lost in history. Language was never a barrier.We can't speak highly enough of Roberto's entire operation and the stunning beauty of the Dolomite's......just get out there!

My wife Sandra and I just toured (part of) the Dolomites with Roberto. He was simply great. We had to postpone our ski-safari two years in a row, but Roberto honored our deposit, even 2 years later. When we arrived to Bolzano he joined us @ Villa Anita (lovely inn), brought the skis and poles, adjusted the bindings to fit our boots , everything as promised.Skiing the Dolomites surpassed our expectations: it was magic. The runs were long, really long and very pleasant. The scenery defies description; warning: pictures make no justice to the majesty of the Dolomites).It was not crowded (second week of February) and Roberto's knowledge of the area, including an amazing network of lifts, geology and history of the area was impressive.The rifugi were warm, welcoming, more like a 2-3 stars small hotel. People were gracious and the food was delicious.We loved every minute of our ski-safari and are already looking at dates to organize another adventure with Roberto next winter!!

Our group had Roberto as a guide for three days of via ferrata based in the Pasubio area with a base at Refugio Campogrosso. We also stayed in Bolzano one night either side of our hiking. Roberto was great, friendly and hugely experienced having spent many years taking groups to every corner of the Dolomites. I really enjoyed Robertos stories from the mountains, all of the WW1 information and sites (tunnels, positions, etc) we visited and all the other information and anecdotes Roberto gave us which made the place really come alive. We had poor weather for the first two days so did a mix of hiking and a short via ferata, but on the third day enjoyed great views on the exposed via ferrata of Mori, which was brilliant. Bolzano town has a lovely old center with many bars, restaurants and a market. The Otzi Iceman museum was also really interesting after having spent a few days in the mountains ourselves. Thank you Roberto for a memorable time in the Dolomites!

I booked Roberto for 5 days of 1:1 via ferrata and climbing, and although private guiding is never cheap, it was well worth the money, as I learnt a lot and improved my confidence. Roberto was extremely organised and responded to all my questions before and during the trip, preparing a fantastic week of activities and offering plenty of suggestions and tips for my stay. On the days with bad weather, he came up with excellent alternatives and was very adaptable. His website and youtube videos are a mine of useful information. Roberto dealt admirably with all my special needs and concerns, despite having never guided anyone with my various medical conditions and disabilities. He was very patient when I got nervous or was slow to pick things up, and reassured me when I got frustrated with my own failings. Roberto is a true professional with a vast experience of the mountains, and is also full of historical and local information, not to mention funny stories. Always calm, he takes his time to quietly observe and then makes suggestions. He also took many photos and videos for me so that I could concentrate on the climbing technicalities. Highlight of the week was the brand new Via Ferrata delle Aquile on the Paganella, with its stunning panoramic views and a few fun sportive sections such as the double spiral ladder.