Tyrol: The Complete Otztal Trail

This hike is the ideal choice for fit and experienced hikers looking for a rewarding week’s walking on varied trails. Hike a strenuously rated trail which follows well waymarked paths through the scenic Austrian Alps. With some more demanding days you will need a good level of fitness to enjoy this hike and have a head for heights. Stay in carefully selected 3* hotels, one mountain hut and benefit from daily bag transfer

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.

Long-Distance Trails, Accessible by Rail, Alpine Walking

The Ötztaler Urweg is a beautiful, well-signposted long-distance hike, on which you will discover a fascinating mountain scenery.

This tour is rated strenuous with the last two days being the most strenuous,  The trails are mainly on well-developed and marked paths, as well as on non-technical mountain trails.

On your final two days, you will need alpine hiking experience and a head for heights as there are exposed sections with ropes to ensure safe crossings. The trails are mainly on well-developed and marked paths, as well as on non-technical mountain trails. You should have a good level of fitness to manage daily distances and ascents/descents.

Spend 7 nights in good quality 3* standard small hotels and guest houses and 1 night in the Ramolhaus Hut where you will stay in a mixed-sex dorm room. We have chosen properties that we believe give the best insight into the hospitality and culture of the region and give a warm welcome to walkers.

We regularly use the following properties but may accommodate you elsewhere if these are not available. However, they will be of a similar standard.

Meals

8 Breakfasts are included in the cost of your trip & your dinner in the Ramolhut and Niederthai is included. Breakfast is always buffet-style with various options available. Expect a continental breakfast with bread, jams, pastries, yoghurt,  muesli, local meats and cheeses, eggs and fruit on offer.

Dinners 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, or you can find bakeries and shops 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 specialities 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 savoury. If you have any dietary requirements, please let us know at the time of booking.

Solo Walkers & Single Rooms

Due to the remoteness of the area and the nature of the terrain, we regret that this trek is unsuitable for solo walkers. Single rooms are available on request, and again a supplement is payable.

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.

This walking tour is available to start from the beginning of July to the end of September. Please keep in mind 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).

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 around the time of the marathon.

The Alps have generally warm and sunny summers and cold and snowy winters. However, the 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

You can fly into Innsbruck or Munich Airport. From there you can travel by train, bus or shuttle to the Ötztal. We can arrange an airport shuttle if needed (40 min or 2.5h)

You can travel directly to Ötztal Bahnhof by train. From there, buses run frequently to Oetz. For more information visit the Deutsche Bahn and vvt.at website.

With the local bus you can travel from Vent to the Ötztal train station (1.5 h) and from there continue on one of the long-distance trains to Innsbruck (1h), Munich (2.5h) or Zurich(3h)

Your bags will be transferred between your accommodation as per your itinerary. Your baggage can not be delivered to the Ramolhaus Hut due to its remote location, your baggage will be moved directly to your next hotel. We ask you to limit your luggage to one bag of up to 20kg per person.