Getting away from it all in the Alps can sometimes seem harder than it should. While we love the buzz and activity of popular mountain destinations like Chamonix, there is something to be said for finding a quiet hiking trail in the Alps. If this is what you are looking for, The Gran Paradiso National Park in Italy’s Aosta Valley should be on your list of hiking destinations.

Designated a hunting reserve by King Victor Emmanuel II in 1856 to protect the Alpine Ibex population from extinction (and to ensure a continued supply of Ibex for his hunting excursions!) the area became a national park in 1922 and is Italy’s first and therefore oldest national park. It’s a great destination for wildlife fans.

The park’s mascot is undoubtedly the Alpine Ibex, which lives in abundance here and has done so continuously since the late 19^th Century. Ibex from the park are regularly used to reintroduce ibex in other mountainous areas where they have become extinct. Your chance of catching glimpses of ibex, chamois and marmots while on the trails here is promising.

The park is noticeably free from cable cars and chair lifts, meaning stunning, uninterrupted landscapes and a definite lack of crowds of visitors. The people who do visit here are all looking for the same thing; peaceful and calm hiking in beautiful Alpine scenery combined with unique Valdôtain-Italian culture and food.  

While we're not currently offering any Gran Paradiso National Park hiking tours at Macs Adventure, we have a wide range of exciting options available to explore across the Italian Alps, Europe and the UK! Browse our wide range of tours and start planning your next adventure!