Parco delle Orobie
The Parco delle Orobie extends for about 60 kilometers and contains 14 valleys. Its the perfect point of departure for enjoying many nature excursions, being an exceptional environment with unique fauna. The territory is extraordinarily diverse, with several distinct ecosystems: crags, rock screes and snow-filled bowls at the top, alpine meadows that slope down into coniferous forest, then deciduous as well, crossed by streams and graced by small lakes and bogs. It contains a good number of valleys, and peaks that reach over 3000 m; the main trail through the park is called the Gran Via delle Orobie, and there is a dense network of paths that tourists and excursionists can follow, immersed in a lush and uncontaminated natural environment.
The protected area features trails for people of every level, even for families with small children, and there are longer and more challenging routes for those with more experience. A few kilometers from Sondrio, inside the park, it is possible to visit the Osservatorio Eco Faunistico Alpino [Alpine Eco-Faunistic Observatory], in Aprica. This didactic-naturalistic open-air laboratory extends over a surface area of 25 hectares, which can easily be explored by the whole family, with residents including chamois, birds of prey and a brown bear.