Overview
Traverse the entire Tyrolean Alps from Garmisch Partenkirchen in Germany across Wetterstein and Karwendel massifs to Innsbruck in Austria and then reach South Tyrol (Alto Adige) in Italy. You will walk through impressive gorges and balcony trails and following ancient pilgrimage and smuggler trails you will pass by stunning glaciers and cross the valleys of Stubaital, Wipptal and Pflerschtal.
This 14-day trek is quite demanding and requires a good level of experience in alpine terrain, although no climbing skills are required, and no scrambling is involved.
- Garmisch–Partenkirchen
- Höllental gorge
- Karwendel
- Leutasch Valley
- Innsbruck – the capital of Tyrol
- Tyrol
- Fulpmes
- Lake Obernberg
- Gossensaß
- Sterzing
Click to view map
Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival Garmisch Partenkirchen
Welcome to Garmisch!
- Accommodation: Atlas Grand Hotel, Garmischerhof or similar in Garmisch Partenkirchen
Day 2: Garmisch – Balcony path into Höllentalklamm (Hell Valley Gorge) – Garmisch | 11km
A non-demanding hike to the impressive Höllental gorge. Walk up into the gorge and the beautifully located mountain cabin Höllentalangerhütte offering spectacular views to Germany’s highest peak, Zugspitze. Take a rest for the final walk up to Mount Kreuzeck following a high trail above the gorge. Return to Garmisch by cable car.
- Walking for the day: 11km, 5-6h, ↑950m ↓0m (return by cable car)
- Accommodation: Atlas Grand Hotel, Garmischerhof or similar in Garmisch Partenkirchen
Day 3: Garmisch – Wetterstein Massif – Schachenalm Hut | 15km
At the beginning of the day, you walk through another gorge to the foot of Wetterstein Massif. Make a steep ascent until you reach the “Kings Path” to Schachen Castle. The last stage to the mountain cabin offers spectacular views of the surrounding mountains. No luggage transfer included on this day, your main luggage will be transported directly to Scharnitz!
- Walking for the day: 15km, 4h, ↑250m ↓350m
- Accommodation: Schachenhaus mountain cabin or similar (dormitory rooms)
Day 4: Schachenalm Hut – Scharnitz | 18km
In the morning, walk upwards to a mountain pass where you will reach the Meilerhütte (hut) next to the German-Austrian border. Then walk downwards through an impressive rocky landscape to the green Leutasch Valley. Then ascend through a gorge and walk to Scharnitz at the edge of the national park of Karwendel.
Day 5: Scharnitz – Karwendel Valley – Hallerangeralm Hut | 19km
Walk into Karwendel valley (or an optional car transfer to the valley, included). Then a moderate hike will bring you to Halleranger alpine pasture. Enjoy the day, relax or walk up to Mount Sunntiger Spitze. No luggage transfer included on this day, your main luggage will be transported directly to Innsbruck!
- Walking for the day: 19km, 6-7h, ↑850m (6km, 3-4h, ↑550m if using the car transfer)
- Accommodation: The comfortable Halleranger Alm mountain cabin or similar (en-suite facilities)
Day 6: Hallerangeralm Hut – Karwendel – Innsbruck | 13km
A marvellous balcony path brings you across several ridges and passes to the famous Nordkette of Innsbruck. A short but steep ascent requires sure-footedness and stamina. After that, you can walk light-hearted – but better not light-headed – to the summit station of Hafelekar cable car, and you will be carried downhill to Innsbruck.
- Walking for the day: 13km, 6-7h, ↑1,150m ↓700m
- Accommodation: Hotel Sailer, Hotel Café Central or similar in Innsbruck
Day 7: Rest Day Innsbruck
Enjoy Innsbruck with its beautiful multi-coloured houses. Spend the day relaxing in this Alpine town, and between sightseeing, enjoy a plate of fluffy pancakes with home-made jam.
- Accommodation: Hotel Sailer, Hotel Café Central or similar in Innsbruck
Day 8: Innsbruck – Mutters – Pfarrachalm – Fulpmes | 15km
Using the tram, you will leave Innsbruck and reach Mutters. Afterwards, you will take the cable car up the mountain pastures of Muttereralm, where you will start your walk along the Innsbrucker Almentour trail. It is an easy trail mainly passing along a mountain road with wonderful views to the Alps. There is an optional alternative tour down in the valley if you prefer even easier walking or in case of bad weather. Spend the night in Fulpmes, a popular winter sports resort.
- Walking for the day: 15km, 6h, ↑350m ↓1,000m
- Accommodation: Alphof Hotel or similar in Fulpmes
Day 9: Fulpmes – Maria Waldrast – Blaserhütte – Trins | 15-18km
You will start walking uphill along a long-distance trail to Sonnstein, offering great views down to the valley. Afterwards, you will follow the pilgrimage trail to Maria Waldrast Abbey, the highest monastery in Europe. Maria Waldrast is one of Tyrol’s oldest Virgin Mary’s pilgrimage sites – and it has a nice restaurant where you can have lunch. You will cross over from one valley to another over a high mountain pass, and then you have two alternative routes to reach Trins, a little village located in a side valley.
- Walking for the day: 18km, 8h, ↑930m ↓1,415m (longer route) or 15km, 6h, ↑650m ↓1,130m (shorter route)
- Accommodation: Wienerhof Pension or similar in Trins
Day 10: Rest Day / Optional Hikes Trins
Spend the day exploring the surroundings of Trins. Trins offers a great natural landscape. A popular hiking destination is the Padasterjochhaus refuge above Trins, representing an amazing viewpoint in the Stubai Alps. If you seek refreshment on hot summer days, we recommend you a hike to the Sarnthein waterfall. Reachable within half an hour only, this natural monument is in the heart of an enchanting forest.
- Accommodation: Wienerhof Pension or similar in Trins
Day 11: Trins – Obernberg | 11km
Today you will follow the Romediusweg pilgrimage trail to the next valley. The trail will lead you then through a high mountain pass. Expect a lovely landscape with mountain pastures, summits with glaciers and little mountain lakes. A mountain road or a steep zigzag trail will lead you downwards to Obernberg, a small mountain village.
- Walking for the day: 11km, 6h, ↑970m ↓800m
- Accommodation: Almi’s Berghotel or similar in Obernberg
Day 12: Obernberg – Sandjöchl – Gossensaß | 13-16km
You may walk or take the local bus into the valley where you start your walking tour to Lake Obernberg. Right after the lake, the ascent to the mountain pass of Sandjöchl will start, and you will again enjoy a wonderful landscape with summits around. In the mountain pass, you will reach the Italian border, and along a military road, you will walk downwards to Gossensaß. It will be a steep descent but rewarded with great views to the Dolomites.
- Walking for the day: 16km, 7-8h, ↑840m ↓1,130m (13km, 6h, if using the optional bus transfer)
- Accommodation: Hotel Alpin or similar in Gossensaß
Day 13: Gossensaß – Ladurns – Rosskopf – Sterzing (Vipiteno) | 17-21km
Using the local bus, you will get to the starting point in Innerpflersch. You will then walk uphill passing by cabins with great views to the valley. When you reach Ladurns cable car station, you will follow the high trail slightly up and down passing by mountain pastures. Take a rest at a mountain cabin and enjoy the view to the Alps and Dolomites. The walk ends at the cable car station of Rosskopf from where you will walk downhill to Sterzing. Sterzing (its Italian name is Vipiteno) is Italy’s northernmost town with a long history and a very nice city centre. Enjoy the combination of Alpine and Mediterranean flair.
- Walking for the day: 17-21km, 6-7h, ↑700m ↓1,200m
- Accommodation: Hotel Mondschein or similar in Sterzing
Day 14: Departure or Onward Travel
Departure by public transport or individual stay extension.
What to expect
Accommodations
11 nights in a mix of country inns, 3 or 4-star hotels and 2 nights in mountain cabins – one basic and the other – more comfortable. We have carefully hand-picked all places and regularly monitor their quality. We have tried to choose accommodations that offer friendly service, clean and comfortable rooms and local flavour.
Click to view hotels for this trip
*Hotels are subject to availability. In case a particular hotel is fully booked for your desired dates, we will replace it with a hotel of equal value and quality level. We will provide exact accommodation details to you upon booking confirmation.
Meals
Breakfast is included. When no restaurant location is available on route lunches and snacks should either be bought from local shops, or packed lunch can be pre-ordered from your hotel the night before. Dinner is available either from the restaurant in your accommodation or restaurants in the village near your hotel.
Difficulty and terrain
This holiday is appropriate for very experienced mountain walkers and requires a sound level of fitness. Total walking is 76km, on average 15km (6-7h) per walking day (read more about difficulty grades). We strongly advise you to follow only marked trails and never try to shorten the path through the unknown and unmarked terrain. We will provide you with detailed road notes and maps, and you can call our 24/7 local assistance phone number anytime.
When to go
This trip is available to start on Sundays and Mondays from mid-June until mid-September. The climate in the region is continental, cold and temperate. Depending on location and altitude, temperatures vary, but, in the June-September period, the daily averages are 15 – 25C. Spring and autumn are cooler with occasional rain. Expect the weather to change rapidly during the day.
Getting there
FCO up-to-date travel advice on Austria, Germany and Italy.
Our recommended airport for this tour is Innsbruck. Garmisch is 1.5h from Innsbruck Airport and 2.5h from Munich Airport by train. Airport transfers by train are recommended for this trip, as they are much cheaper and take less time than car transfers. Visit the OBB website for up-to-date timetables and fares, or check the Omio planner below.
Click to view travel options
By plane
By train or bus
Inclusions
Included
- 11 nights in 3 or 4-star hotels or guesthouses
- 2 nights in mountain cabins
- 11 breakfasts
- Luggage transfers – 1 piece per person, up to 20 kg (note: on Days 3 and 5 your main luggage will be directly transferred to the Day 4 and Day 6 accommodations respectively)
- Cable car Garmisch Partenkirchen
- Cable car Muttereralm
- Transfer Karwendel valley
- 24h Innsbruck Card (free tram, cable cars)
- Detailed holiday information pack including GPS-checked and regularly updated route descriptions, road notes and maps (electronic copy + one printed copy per party)
- GPS tracks
- 24/7 phone assistance by our local office/representative
Excluded
- Airfare and connecting land transfers
- Optional bus rides to shorten the walks
- Lunches and dinners
- Luggage transfers on days 3 and 5 (private transfers to mountain cabins not possible, your main luggage will be directly transferred to the next accommodation)
- Entrance fees into gorges (reduced fees available with local card)
- Mountain cabin sleeping pack
- Cable car Nordkette Innsbruck (Euro 20+ pp)
- Cable car mount Rosskopf (EUR 8.50 – 10.50)
- Bus Innerpflersch (c. EUR 1.50)
- Travel insurance (required – get a quote online)
- Personal expenses
- Local tourist taxes and attractions’ entry fees (payable on-site)
- Any items not specifically mentioned as included in the programme
Options, extras and supplements
- Where individual members of a group require a single room, a supplement is applicable – available in hotels and guesthouses (11 nights), not in mountain cabins (2 nights)
- This holiday is NOT available for solo travellers
- Extra nights in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Innsbruck or Sterzing are available upon request
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