The Gran Paradiso National Park has a centuries-old history, but before becoming a protected area, it was mainly the King of Italia who travelled along and maintained its paths while hunting... and we will follow in his footsteps until we reach one of the symbolic places on the Piemonte side of the Park: the former Royal Hunting Lodge of Gran Piano, at 2,222m!

Starting from the hamlet of Balmarossa in Noasca, we will follow the ancient mule tracks along the Ciamousseretto valley, which will take us through ever-changing environments as we climb higher: deciduous forests, ancient villages, grasslands, pastures, scree... until we reach the peat bog, a fragile and precious wetland located right next to the hunting lodge, now home to an unmanaged refuge and the park rangers' hut.

A journey through the mountains, rich in majestic views and stories to tell!

The excursion is part of the CleanALP project, conceived and implemented by the European Research Institute, the first in the world to document and study plastic pollution in the mountains, on trails and in wilderness areas, and to show its impact.

During the excursion, participants will have the opportunity to collaborate directly in scientific research (by collecting any rubbish found along the route) and discover some of the most spectacular and rich natural sites in the entire Alpine arc.

Elevation gain 900m; duration approximately 6h excluding breaks; distance approximately 10km; packed lunch.