Walking in the Bavarian Alps

If you are looking for glorious, panoramic hiking through a culturally and historically rich, mountainous region, then look no further. Walk from welcoming 3 to 4* hotel to hotel, and enjoy optional loop hikes in between, allowing you to relax on a rest day and get to know each town along the way, before moving on to the next exciting location. Graded moderate, there are some significant ascents and descents involved, perfect for working up an appetite for some hearty local cuisine! This trip is suitable for experienced hikers, alpine experience is not required,

Classic Routes | If you’re the active, outdoorsy type, who’s interested in taking on the great routes of the world or looking for a challenge, then our Classic Routes are for you. We’re talking the West Highland Way, Tour Du Mont Blanc and the Passau to Vienna Danube Cycle Path, to name but a few!

Inn to Inn Walking | Walk from place-to-place changing accommodations each night. Generally staying in B&B’s, inns, and guesthouses.

Solo Travellers, Families with Teens

The minimum age for this tour is: 12 Years

This tour is rated moderate. The grade is determined on the basis of the entire trip. Individual days may vary in terms of difficulty, i.e. some walks may be slightly more difficult or easier than the overall grade. The terrain is alpine, and paths are a mixture of woodland trails, rocky mountain paths, gravel tracks, boulder strewn-paths and faint grassy trails. The highest point of this tour is 1,850m.

Distances vary from 11– 20km, and the ascent/descent is considerable, ranging between 280 and 1,280m daily. To get the most from this tour, you should be in good physical shape, be sure-footed and comfortable using cable cars.  

Stay in 3 and 4* hotels and guesthouses. All of our accommodations are hand-picked and offer a warm welcome to walkers. You will find an example of the accommodation we normally use below. If these accommodations are not available we will use a hotel of a similar of better standard than those described. Upgraded accommodation is also available, please contact us for more information. Please be aware that twin & double rooms in Austria and Germany (Doppelzimmer in German) are typically 2 single mattresses side by side in one double bed frame with two separate duvet covers and pillows.

Single Rooms & Solo Walkers

This trip is available to solo walkers but a solo walker supplement is payable. We recommend that solo walkers be experienced Alpine hikers. Single rooms and double rooms for single occupancy are available should someone in your party wish to have their own room, again a supplement is payable.

Meals

All breakfasts are included in the cost of your trip.Breakfast is always buffet-style with various options available. Expect a continental  breakfast with bread, jams, pastries, yoghurt and muesli available. Usually there are also local meats and cheeses, eggs and fruit on offer. Dinners and all lunches are not included so you have the freedom to choose from what’s on offer each day. You may be able to order a packed lunch at your accommodation for the following day, or you can find bakeries and shops in each town to stock up on food for your hikes. There are plenty of options for dinner each night, either at your hotel or in nearby restaurants. Dinner is included at the mountain hut. Food in Austria and Bavaria is hearty and traditional, with meat and cheese being some of the dominant ingredients! Tiroler specialities include ‘Tiroler Gröstl’, a bacon, onion and potato fry-up topped with a fried egg. In Bavaria, sausage is king so be sure to try one of their specialities like ‘Weisswurst’. ’Käsespätzle’ is a kind of eggy pasta topped with melted cheese and sometimes crispy fried onion– it’s the ultimate comfort food. Bavarian beer is world-famous and for good reason! Enjoy a refreshing ‘stein’ after a day of walking– delicious.

All walks are well-waymarked and easy to follow. Navigation is straightforward as you can use the Macs Adventure Smartphone App which has maps, GPS tracks, and daily route information. Simply download the GPS tracks for offline use and follow the route on your phone with the assurance that navigation will be simple, and you can’t get lost. You will find more information on downloading the app in your Macs Adventure Account.

Recommended Reading

Although not essential, if you would like more information on the route please see our recommendation below:

• KOMPASS map: Wettersteingebirge Zugspitzgebiet Nr. 5, 1:50.000, ISBN 978-3850266925

You can start your Bavarian adventure on any day between the middle of May and the end of September.  Any time during this period is ideal for walking, mid-July to mid- August is high season and the towns along the way will be busy with local holiday makers. June and July is the ideal time to catch the Alpine wildflowers in full bloom.

Please remember that the weather can be changeable at high altitudes, and cold fronts can occur even in the summer (snowfall in the Alps at the height of summer is not unheard of). Storms can develop rapidly in the Alps, and hiking trail becomes prone to landslides or floods due to the swelling of nearby water sources. If rain is forecast, ensure that you are prepared with extra gear and footwear that is mud-friendly. Always be prepared and carry waterproofs and a warm layer with you in case of any changes. Always check the weather forecast before setting out, and if in any doubt ask your accommodation, or us, for advice

By Air: Fly into Munich airport from where you can take a train to Oberammergau (approx. 3 hours with one change). Train times and more info can be found in English at www.bahn.de/en. Alternatively, our Adventure Specialists can book a private airport transfer for you (additional costs apply).

From Ehrwald, take the train back to Munich airport (approx. 3 hours with one change). Train times and more info can be found in English at www.bahn.de/en. Alternatively, our Adventure Specialists can book a private airport transfer for you (additional costs apply).

Your bags will be collected from your accommodation each day and moved onto your overnight accommodation. We ask you to limit your luggage to one bag of up to 20kg per person.

At Macs Adventure, we work in partnership with many luggage transfer providers who set a limit on how many bags/suitcases they will transfer per person, and also the weight of the bag/suitcase.  Your booking includes transfer of 1 bag per person.  It is very important that you read the luggage information specific to your tour before departure. If you do not adhere to these limits, there is a great possibility that you will be charged locally both for extra bags or if they are too heavy. This limitation can be a challenge, especially as airlines generally have limits that are higher. However, our luggage providers have reasons for these limits (usually due to the Health and Safety of their employees), which we must respect.