Has the Val Senales glacier already cast its spell on you? Like a quiet giant, with its scree fields and eternal ice. Appreciated as a hiking, winter sports and retreat, the Val Senales Glacier is much more than a magnet for visitors. It bears the traces of the Stone Age, allows nature to be as it is and is the scene of transhumance, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The Val Senales Glacier, also known as Giogo Alto lies between the Val Senales in South Tyrol and the Venter Valley in the Alpi Venoste (Ötztal Alps). It stretches over 3 kilometres and measures 185 hectares, a small part of which is used as a ski area. Like all other glaciers, it is suffering from the effects of global warming and is being protected as much as possible, especially in summer.
In summer, as the snow melts, the effects of climate change can be clearly seen on the Val Senales Glacier. Like all the ice giants on earth, it is also suffering from the constantly rising temperatures. In order to prevent further decline, the Val Senales Glacier is protected from the sun's rays with a fleece in areas that are particularly exposed.
It was not only Ötzi who made the Val Senales Glacier famous. The centuries-old tradition of transhumance is also a highlight in the annual calendar. The sheep drive is an intangible UNESCO World Heritage Site and is a cause for celebration every late summer. When the shepherds drive thousands of sheep and goats over the Giogo Alto and Giogo Basso from Austria back into the valley, a festival takes place in Maso Corto and Vernago. A must-see!
