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Across the Alps: Bavaria to South Tyrol

8 Days & 7 Nights 4.5 Read 2 reviews
  • Discover this unique, less demanding trans-Alpine route from Füssen to Merano
  • Take in beautiful mountain views of the Ötztal, Lechtal and Tyrolean Alps
  • Explore three countries in one tour - Germany, Austria and Italy
  • Walk on well-built, straightforward paths - no high mountain passes or tricky terrain
  • Stay in carefully selected 3 and 4 * hotels, and benefit from daily bag transfer
Walk across the Eastern Alps from German Bavaria to Italy’s South Tyrol via Austria on this moderate inn to inn walking tour. This unique route has been designed by us with the Alpine novice in mind, or for those who are simply looking for a comparatively easy-going Alpine experience. Begin your adventure in the Bavarian town of Füssen, home to the fairy-tale Neuschwanstein castle. From here, follow sections of the Lech River Trail, the Ötztal Way and Panoramic trails, making use of public transport to miss out the trickier sections. Walk through alpine meadows, alongside turquoise-blue rivers, through verdant forests and on high trails with views of the surrounding peaks. Take a local bus over the scenic Timmelsjoch pass at 2,474m before joining the legendary E5 trail for the final stage of the tour. Arrive in Merano, a charming Italian town with a distinctive South-Tyrolean flair, the perfect place to relax and reflect on your Alpine Crossing!
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This Alpine crossing is perfect for those new to Alpine walking. Rated moderate, no Alpine experience is required to complete this tour, just a good level of fitness. You should be happy walking 13-19km and 500-1000m of ascent/descent a day. However, almost all the walks can be shortened if required. Stay in high-quality 3 and 4* hotels, and your bag will be transferred each day, giving you the freedom to walk with just a small day pack.

Tour Type:

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!

Activity:

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

This trip is suitable for:

Solo Travellers, Groups > 10

As a guide, we would suggest that the minimum age of traveler this tour would be suitable for is: 5 Years

Ideal if you have an interest in:

  • Long-Distance Trails
  • Alpine Walking

Activity Level & Terrain

This tour is rated moderate and is suitable for hikers with little to no Alpine experience. The trails are mainly on well-developed and marked paths, as well as on non-technical mountain trails. There are no steep Alpine passes to cross, so the tour is suitable for those who are not keen on heights or exposure, but still want to experience the Alps. However, you should have a good level of fitness to manage the daily distances and ascents/descents (13-19km distances and 500-1,000m ascent/descent a day).

Navigation

All of the walks are way-marked and we also provide you with turn-by-turn instructions for each walk, maps and access to our GPS smartphone navigation app, so you will have no problem finding your way.

Experience & Fitness

A good level of fitness is required to get the most from this tour, while there are no technical demands, there is still significant ascent and descent each day.

Accommodations

Spend 7 nights in 3 & 4* hotels. 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 or better standard than those described. 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. You should have previous Alpine experience to undertake this trip solo. 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

7 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, yogurt and muesli available. Usually, there are also local meats and cheeses, eggs and fruit on offer. You also have 1 dinner included in your overnight stay in Obergurgl. Outside of this dinner and 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. Food in this part of the Alps  is hearty and traditional, with meat and cheese being some of the dominant ingredients! Tyrolean specialties include ‘Tiroler Gröstl’, a bacon, onion and potato fry-up topped with a fried egg, or ‘Kiachl’ a fried yeast dough pastry that can be served sweet or savory. Kaiserschmarrn (translates as Emperor’s mess, named after Franz Joesph the first) is another ubiquitous Tyrolean dish. If you have any dietary requirements please let us know at the time of booking.

Included
  • 7 nights accommodation in 3 & 4* hotels
  • 7 breakfasts (and 1 dinner in Obergurgl)
  • Daily bag transfers
  • Detailed information pack, route notes, maps and access to our navigation app
  • 24/7 support from our German and UK office
  • Transfer from Obergurgl over the Timmelsjoch Pass
Excluded
  • Travel insurance (required)
  • Travel to Füssen and from Merano
  • Public transport costs
  • Dinners & Lunches
  • Drinks and snacks
  • Personal equipment
Extras
  • Additional nights before, during or after the holiday.

When To Go

This walk is available to start on Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from the middle of June to the middle of September.

On the 9th of July 2023, the Otztal Cycle Marathon takes place which involves road closures, limited public transport and in-demand accommodation. For this reason, we are unable to confirm any bookings starting between the  2nd to the 6th of July Merano is a very popular and in-demand holiday destination, particularly from August to October.

Hotels are often full or rooms are only available for higher than normal prices. While we will always try our best to accommodate you as per the itinerary, you could be accommodated just outside Merano, or there may be a supplement payable.

Weather and Climate

The Alps have generally warm and sunny summers and cold and snowy winters. However, weather in the Alps can change very quickly, particularly at altitude. You should be prepared for all weather eventualities as even snow can fall in the summer in the mountains, regardless of the time of year.

Getting to the Start

Fly into Munich airport from where you can take a train to Füssen (3 hours) We can also organize private transfers from the airport to the start point, just ask us for more information. Information on trains in Germany can be found in English here: www.bahn.de/en.

Getting from the End

From Merano, you can travel by train to any other Italian destination, or to Venice or Milan airports (both about 5 hours). You can also travel to Munich airport by train which takes about 5 hours in total. The national railway of Italy is Trenitalia and information can be found in English on their website.

Luggage Transfer

Bag transfer is included in the cost of this tour. Your bags will be transferred between your accommodation as per your itinerary. We ask you to limit your luggage to one bag of up to 20kg per person.

General Information

The distances and ascents/descents are approximations of the recommended routes. 

Travel During the Trip

Some walks can be started directly at your hotel, and some require short transfers by public transport. These journeys are not included in the cost of the trip and are payable locally. Tickets can be bought in the bus (price varies depending on journey; from 4-9 euros). Additional costs for public transport come to about 35 euros per person. You will receive all the information you will need regarding public transport connections in your information pack.

Equipment

In your information pack, you will find a detailed packing list which includes walking boots, walking poles and waterproof clothes amongst other things.

What happens if I can’t walk a stage?
What equipment do I need?
How do the baggage transfers work?
How fit do I need to be?
How far in advance do I need to book?

Itinerary

Day 1 Arrive Füssen Day 2 Walk to Reutte, train to Ehrwald 13 miles / 20 km Day 3 The Five Lakes Trail to Fernsteinsee 11 miles / 17 km Day 4 Transfer to Nassereith, Walk to Imst 10 miles / 16 km Day 5 Walk the Ötztal Way 13 miles / 20 km Day 6 Walk to Obergurgl 10 miles / 15 km Day 7 Transfer over Timmelsjoch, walk to St. Leonhard 12 miles / 18 km Day 8 Onward Travel

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