Runcation Travel -

Ali Williams

I’m so glad Runcation Travel exists! My partner and I wanted to run the Tour du Mont Blanc and had no idea where to start planning, and all of the guide services were for backpacking or a group. We stumbled across Runcation and booked within a day. Liz and her team were great and thorough. We were completely set, and the MAGICAL trip went smoothly and without issue. I’ll definitely use them again next time we head out for an adventure.

Cindy Gallant

What an incredible experience with a tour organization I fully recommend! I did the Italian Dolomites Hut-to-Hut tour and it was perfect. The organization from Runcation itself was great. Liz, the founder was very responsive via email in the weeks leading up to providing us with a detailed itinerary of what to expect each day and what to pack.

GUIDES: Liz turned out to be the second guide on our trip so it was lovely to meet her in person and have her share her passion for the area & her company. The other guide, Dario, a native of Italy was witty, patient, fun, and worked extra hard to make sure we all had incredible photos for the day.

LOCATION & ROUTE: The scenery along the route we covered was unreal. It very much felt off the beaten track (despite it being a well-traversed route in the Dolomites). Lots of single track and very technical terrain. Prioritize ankle strength…you will thank me later! The climbs were no joke…lots of hiking on those (yet some more experienced folks were able to run parts of it) and some very steep downhills that weren’t very runnable. Be prepared to not be running this entire route…I’d say 50/50 run/hike…maybe 65/35 if you can run some of the climbs.

LEVEL: This trip was rated as level 3. I was not an experienced trail runner coming into this - I pretty much live at sea level and the most I can get out in trail runs in the area is 200-400m of gain. But I have run a few road marathons and done some multi-day trekking trips previously and I felt perfectly fit for this trip. I was one of the ‘slowest’ at climbing but easily caught up with the group during the flatter sections. Our pace range was fairly large, a big fast group up front and a slower climbing group in the back. If you’re really fast I would expect some more waiting time as you’ll have to stop at some junctions for the group to get back together.

ACCOMMODATION & MEALS: All Rifugio’s were clean and had comfortable beds with sheets and showers. Only 1 location had paid showers. Sometimes we were 4 to a room, and sometimes 14 which was a lot, but added to the adventure in a sense! As for meals, breakfast & dinner was plenty with many options. The one thing I didn’t realize is that we would stop for lunch every day whereas I thought we’d run through lunch and then if people wanted to eat lunch at the Rifugio we could. I brought many snacks to take me up to dinner time but ended up not eating many of them since we were eating a good lunch after all and too much time would go by with the full stop so I had to eat anyway. Lunch was not included.

OVERALL: I really enjoyed my experience and will not hesitate to book another one with this company. The main thing is to keep an open mind and appreciate how lucky you are to be doing what you love (running) in one of the most incredible landscapes you’ll see!

colin pennington

My wife and I used this service for our honeymoon/1st anniversary trip and we couldn’t have been happier with the service provided. Everything went smooth and the planning process was made very easy. All the logistics of hotels/huts, buses, etc. were taken care of so all we had to do was show up. We will definitely be using their service again in the future.

Mitchell Kenney

Where to begin?!

This trip was as advertised then some!

Liz was approachable, friendly, knowledgeable and for others. She brought on another running buddy Ben to help (who does tour guiding professionally) and as a team they led us well and provided a space for hard work, seeing beauty in the world and in the others in our group.

They treated us by showing us the best that Mammoth Lakes and Yosemite had to offer. I felt like a local rather than a tourist with them. Even though both of them were beasts at trail running they were able to serve all levels of runners there no matter the level of skill. But yes you do need to train to be able to be strong enough to complete the mission.

And as I reflect on the trip, the experience is more than just the few days there. It’s also the training that led to it that made it all the more special.

The routes were challenging but well thought out! I mean, some of the most beautiful trails I’ve been on… photos for days! And they took a pulse of the group to see how we were feeling physically and were quick with contingency plans / alternate routes.

One of them would lead the group and the other would sweep to ensure no one would get lost or left behind.

I could write about every detail of the trip, but you just need to experience it for yourself. I’m already looking to doing it again and maybe even exploring some of the other trips.

Some of the chillest and real cats I’ve ever met!

Infinity stars out of 5. Can’t recommend this enough if you love exploring, running, and being outside. This business needs to blow up because the quality and service is JUST THAT GOOD!

Bravo. Standing Ovation. Runcation forever.

Shelby Leland

Dolomites Runcation 2019: The Dolomites Runcation was a dream vacation. It was the perfect mix of challenging yet rewarding running and hiking. We experienced endless breathtaking views and a spectacular scenery, we enjoyed plenty of cappuccinos, wine, delicious food, and restful afternoons, and made new friends to top it all off! If you are a runner who loves trails and beautiful mountains, I strongly encourage you to go on this trip!

Patagonia Runcation 2024: Wow. The Patagonia Runcation was absolute perfection. We explored the Perito Moreno glacier together before heading up to El Chaltén for arguably the most beautiful running scenery in the world. Every day was designed to challenge us on the trails but each run was accompanied by rewarding views that seemed almost too beautiful for reality. I particularly appreciated the balance of trail running with other non-running activities, including the glacier viewing and the Estancia lunch and activities. The entire trip was expertly designed and organized and I would do this Runcation again in a heartbeat. To top it all off, everyone in the group bonded quickly over our love of running and adventure and we all now have 13 new friends from around the world!

Amanda H

I'm still riding a high from this trip. I'm so thankful for our organizer, Liz, who is a logistical genius. Because everything was planned and ready to go long before we began our trek, I was able to be entirely present for the duration of our journey. When you're hiking or running through the Dolomites and staying in unique, culture-rich refugios every night, the ability to "take it all in" is of utmost importance. In addition to gaining new perspectives on both culture and adventure, I gained something much more valuable--a new appreciation for the beauty of friendship and community. You just can't put a price on that!

Marne Pike

my trail running trip in the Italian dolomites and into Slovenia was AMAZING. guides were knowledgable, group was supportive, and the views were breathtaking. ill certainly be doing another Runcation

Dave Meyer

Runcation was awesome. We had a fantastic time. The entire week was run really smoothly, Liz and the other guides did such a great job planning a variety of runs and all the logistics. Each day had an incredible run and lots of time to hang out with the other people on the trip. Would recommend a trip like this to any runner.