Meeting at 8:00 a.m. at the Barrea Tourist Office, or at 8:15 a.m. in Alfedena. After meeting the guide, we will drive our own cars for about 30 minutes to Pianoro Le Forme, in the municipality of Alfedena.
The trail begins inside a vast beech forest and, as we ascend the valley, we gradually reach the tree line. From here the scenery changes dramatically: the unmistakable profiles of the Gendarme and Monte Meta rise majestically, and among old shepherds’ huts and high-altitude pastures, the path continues through this valley shaped by ancient glaciers until reaching Passo dei Monaci, a crossroads between Abruzzo, Lazio, and Molise, traveled since ancient times by pilgrims, merchants, and brigands.
This unique area is the realm of a historic herd of Apennine chamois, which move like acrobats among ledges, cliffs, and steep grasslands, grazing or resting effortlessly on sheer rock faces. From Passo dei Monaci, a final ascent leads to the summit. From here, the panorama is breathtaking: the view stretches across the main mountain ranges of the Central Apennines and, on particularly clear days, all the way to the sea.
We will enjoy lunch at high altitude before descending across a plateau characterized by small valleys and rolling hills, shaped by the weight of ancient glaciers and the power of the waters produced by their melting. After passing the old fortino, once a stronghold against brigands, we descend back into the beech forest and return to the cars, completing the loop.