Become a medium mountain or territory guide

A mid-mountain guide is a person who performs the following activities by profession, even on a non-exclusive and non-continuous basis

a) accompanying people on excursions in mountain environments, through paths and areas of particular naturalistic value, with the exclusion of snow-covered terrain and those involving difficulties requiring the use of the four limbs and related mountaineering techniques and materials, such as rope, ice axe and crampons, providing cognitive elements and information regarding the places crossed

b) accompanying people on visits to naturalistic and ethnological environments or structures.

The profession of medium mountain guide is divided into two grades

• medium-mountain companion, without altitude limits;
• territory guide, up to an altitude of 1,800 metres (with no altitude limits for accompanying people visiting naturalistic and ethnological environments or structures).

The qualification to exercise the profession of mountain guide is obtained by passing a selection test, attending a training course and passing the relevant examinations. The course to obtain the qualification is divided into the following phases:

1) Aptitude tests: the aptitude tests are announced by a notice approved by resolution of the Provincial Council and consist of: technical-practical examinations aimed at ascertaining the candidate's technical ability and aptitude to carry out the specific activity of the profession of mountain/mountain guide; a written examination consisting of questions with short or multiple answers, covering the following subjects 1) tourism, with particular reference to provincial tourism legislation; 2) geography and environment of the province of Trento; 3) local history; 4) flora and fauna in the territory of the province of Trento; 5) meteorology and topography; 6) first aid.
An application must be submitted for the aptitude test attached to the notice, approved by resolution of the Provincial Council, announcing the selection of mountain guides.
The application must be submitted exclusively online using the appropriate digital platform by authenticating the applicant with SPID, CIE, CPS/CNS.

2) ENABLEMENT COURSES: the training courses for obtaining the qualification, to which access is gained by passing the aptitude test, are organised and managed by the College of Alpine Guides of the Province of Trento and are divided into technical-practical activities, aimed at developing the technical skills of proceeding in mountain terrain, and didactic activities comprising lessons and exercises on the methodologies of accompanying and group management in hiking activities; theoretical activities on subjects related to the profession of mountain/mountain guide, aimed at acquiring both specific knowledge of the mountain environment and the knowledge for first aid interventions. The courses include both classroom lessons and exercises in a mountain environment and have a total duration of no less than 200 hours.

3) EVALUATION EXAMINATION: at theend of the courses the candidate takes the relevant examination on the subjects taught. The examinations at the end of the course are conducted by a special commission appointed by the Provincial Council

4) ENROLLMENT IN THE SPECIAL LIST OF MUNTAIN/TERRITORIAL Mountaineering ACCOMPANIMATORS held by the College of Mountain Guides of the Province of Trento (special list), under the supervision of the Tourism Service of the Autonomous Province of Trento, divided into two sections:

• Special list of territory guides
• Special list of medium mountain guides.

The requirements for access to the profession are established from time to time by the notice, approved by resolution of the Provincial Council, by which the selection process for mountain guides is announced

In any case, in order to participate in the selection, it is necessary to possess the following requisites

• secondary school diploma; for the recognition of qualifications obtained in other states, the regulations in force apply
• psycho-physical fitness attested by a suitable medical certificate
• not having been convicted of a criminal offence entailing a ban, even temporary, on exercising the profession, unless rehabilitation has taken place
• be of legal age.

Italian citizens or citizens of other States belonging to the European Union in possession of the requisites established by the notice approved by resolution of the Provincial Council announcing the selection of mountain or territory guides. Citizens of States not belonging to the European Union who have regularised their position pursuant to current immigration regulations may also apply for admission to the test.

The collection of applications for admission to the aptitude test for medium mountain guide for the year 2025 is now open.

Applications for admission must be submitted by applicants exclusively online by authentication with SPID, CIE, CPS/CNS through the digital channel below by Wednesday, 26 March 2025.

The Autonomous Province of Trento organises examinations reserved for students from second-cycle educational institutions and from professional institutes that have an agreement with the provincial college of mountain guides, who have carried out activities in accordance with a plan that is consistent with the ordinary training provided for the profession. Students who have obtained a diploma are exempt from taking the aptitude tests (which are therefore replaced by the training course at the training institute) and are required to apply for the final examinations.

This system is currently in place for students at the Liceo Don Guetti in Tione di Trento and for students at the Istituto Paritario Ivo De Carneri in Civezzano.

Applications for admission to the aptitude test for mountain guides for the year 2025 must be submitted by Wednesday, 26 March 2025.

The term within which the candidate must attend the courses and pass the relative exams in order to obtain the qualification as a mountain guide is fixed at 7 years from the date of passing the relative aptitude test.

For the training courses realised in second-cycle scholastic institutions or in professional training institutes, the period within which the candidate must pass the exams to obtain the qualification of mountain guide is fixed at 5 years starting from the date of passing the State exam or from the date of obtaining the professional diploma.