The project “Il sentiero delle grotte” was promoted by the association Sebynica and was funded by Fondazione Comunità Bergamasca ONLUS, municipality of Fonteno, municipality of Endine Gaiano and Legambiente Alto Sebino. The aim is to make the hiker involved in the history of the association “Progetto Sebino” and of its activities of research, maintaining the supeficial and underground ecosystem intact.
During your visit you will be guided by the information boards located at the staging point, reported on the map.
All the stops can be reached from Valmaggiore, from the village of Endine Gaiano or from Fonteno with different difficulty levels and different journey times.
Most of the sections use already existing CAI trails or the “Sentiero Verde”, developing along a mule track that goes through the Valley of Fonteno.
Some simple deviations, reported on site with yellow and blue signs, lead to the different panels.

THE “SENTIERO DELLE GROTTE” (THE CAVE PATH) AND ITS ROUTES
The itinerary “Meteo basso” permits to enjoy the “low entrances” of karstic system, from which began the exploratory adventure of speleologists, and the main characteristics of a territory caracterised by a deep karst, with clues already visible from the surface.
It’s a low difficulty trail, for families and for who wants to spend a nice half day hiking. It’s recommended to leave from the square of Fonteno.
– Low difficulty
– Lenght: 2.5 km
– 1 hour until Bueno Fonteno and 2 hours until Nueva Vida
– The return from Nueva Vida is 1 hour
– Total duration 4/5 hours (with a medium pace)
– Accessible all year long but recommended during summer time

The itinerary “Meteo alto” is suggested for who wants to reach distant entrances of the complex, located on Monte Sicolo, enjoying the wonderful landscapes of lake Iseo and Cavallina Valley.
You can start from the hamlet of Valmaggiore of Endine Gaiano or from Fonteno.
The total travelling time is 6/7 hours (with a medium pace and stops here and there).

From the village of Endine you can walk up the north side of the valley of Fonteno, in the middle of a rough and uncontaminated nature and, passing through massive calacreous outcrops over Cavallina Valley, you can reach the top of the mountain Monte Sicolo (G). In this case the advice is to travel thIs track, that touch the point (I), on the map, on the way there and later come back along the path that arrives at the point (H).
– Medium difficulty
– Lenght: 7 km until the panel (G)
– One way: 3/4 hours; way back: 3 hours (with average gait with stops here and there)
– Accessible all year long but recommended during autumn-winter season.

From Fonteno, instead, we advice to follow the muletrack until the staging point (E)-(F)-(L) and later you can come back from the side until the point (G). However in this case is highly recommended the deviation until the point (H).
– Medium difficulty
– Lenght: 5 km until the panel (G)
– One way: 3/4 hours; way back: 2 hours (with a medium pace and stops here and there) – with deviation until the point (H) 2 supplementary hours
– Accessible all year long but recommended during autumn-winter season

The “Traversata” itinerary is suggested for who has an entire day and wants to cover the most important stages of the speleological research.
With a good pace it is possible to cover the entire circuit in about 14 hours (including stops), both starting from Fonteno and Endine Gaiano. In this case the hike ilvolves exceeding about 1800 m in ascent, but allows you to the chosen starting point. Too demanding? Then it is possible to start from Endine Gaiano and get to Fonteno (and vice versa).

Starting from Endine Gaiano take the section that touches the point (H) of the route and continues to the point (G). Retrais the trail to the junction for the point (H) but now you go down to the mule track (Strada Verde) to reach the entrance to Nueva Vida (C). Then continue downhill touching point (F), the cage with points (E)-(D)-(L) to reach the detour that leads to the entrance of Bueno Fonteno (B). At thi point you go up to the Strada Verde and then you get to Fonteno (A).
– High difficulty
– Lenght: 8.5 km
– Difference in height: 900 m
– Total duration 9 hours

From Fonteno follow the Strada Verde to the cage with points (E)-(D)-(L) take the detour to Bueno Fonteno (B), then back again and continue to the point (F) and then take the detour to Nueva Vida (C). At that point continue upwards to the ridge of Monte Sicolo (G). You go backwards continuing towards the panoramic point (H) and from here to Valmaggiore.
– High difficulty
– Lenght: 8.5 km
– Difference in height: 660 m
– Total duration: 9 hours