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Wildlife after dark in Vicenza
Follow the red deer rut through the Vicenza high country
A sunset wildlife walk in the Vicenza mountains, through alpine pastures and woodland during the autumn red deer rut.
At the end of September, the cowbells disappear from the summer pastures and another sound takes over the Vicenza mountains. Around Malga Val Forbice and Cima Ekar, male red deer call through the woods at dusk during the rut, their autumn mating season. Guided evening walks follow the sound towards one of the best listening areas, beneath the same mountain summit that houses Italy’s largest optical telescope.
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Know before you go
The red deer rut is seasonal and wildlife remains unpredictable. Join a guided outing, dress for a cold mountain evening and expect listening to be as important as seeing the animals. Guide Asiago Guide, professional environmental hiking guides associated with AIGAE. asiagoguide.com Telephone and WhatsApp +39 347 1836825 Email info@asiagoguide.com asiagoguide.com
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→ Wait for the cowbells to stop
Malga Val Forbice is a malga, an alpine dairy pasture where cattle spend the summer grazing at altitude. By late September, the herds have returned downhill. The bells fade from the meadows and the red deer breeding season begins. Male deer advertise their presence with deep calls that can travel across woodland and open pasture after sunset.
→ Follow the sound through the woods
This is an evening built around listening. You leave while the last light is still on the pastures, then continue through dirt roads and mountain paths as visibility falls. A stag may remain beyond the trees while its call moves across the valley, followed by an answer from another part of the woods. The guide explains how to read those sounds and how the animals use the surrounding habitat.
→ Stand below Italy’s largest optical telescope
Cima Ekar adds an extraordinary second story to the walk. At 1,376 metres, the summit hosts the Copernico 1.82 metre telescope, operated by INAF and described by the observatory as the largest optical telescope in Italy. In September 2026 it also received Ekarus, the first adaptive optics instrument mounted on an Italian telescope. Wildlife below, astronomical research above, all on the same Vicenza mountain.
→ An easy introduction to wildlife watching
The 2026 route is rated 2 out of 5, with less than 270 metres of ascent and no exposed sections. It follows mountain tracks and dirt roads, making this a relatively approachable wildlife evening for visitors who want the atmosphere of the mountains after sunset without a demanding hike. Children under 15 join the 2026 guided excursion free of charge.
→ Stargazing
Cima Ekar is worth remembering beyond the deer season. The astronomical station houses both the Copernico telescope and a Schmidt telescope, while public astronomy activities are offered through the Asiago Observatory programme. The wildlife walk and the observatory are separate experiences and require separate arrangements.