Best Multi-Day Hikes in Austria for Beginners: 5 Hut-to-Hut Routes

The five routes are the Salzburger Almenweg, the Lasörling Höhenweg, the Beginner Gesäuse Trek, the Short Stubaier Höhenweg and the Venediger Höhenweg for beginners: 3 to 6 days, from 245 euros per person for two sharing.

Prices as of October 2026, prices can differ per date. Per person for two people sharing.

1. Salzburger Almenweg around Hochkönig (4 days)

The Salzburger Almenweg suits you if you want a gentle introduction to multi-day hiking with two comfortable hotel nights and one authentic hut night. The hardest moment is day 1 from Pfarrwerfen station to the Arthurhaus: 11.5 km with +1,130 m of ascent. Day 2 is the easiest at only +260 m. On day 3 you descend from the Erichhütte by cable car from the Karbachalm; note that the cable car does not run on Thursdays in high season and on Wednesdays and Thursdays in the shoulder season, so an alternative route applies on those days. The Erichhütte is cash only. Read more in the Salzburger Almenweg route guide or go straight to the Salzburger Almenweg booking page.

2. Lasörling Höhenweg in East Tyrol (3, 5 or 6 days)

The Lasörling Höhenweg runs through the Virgen valley in East Tyrol and comes in three versions. The Beginner Short Lasörling Höhenweg (3 days) from 245 euros is the most affordable option; day 2 (Clarahütte to Neue Reichenberger Hütte, 10.5 km, +730 m) includes a short technical section where you need to be sure-footed. The Short Lasörling Höhenweg (5 days) from 455 euros adds two more days; day 4 at +880 m is the most demanding stage and requires some alpine experience. The Beginner Lasörling Höhenweg (6 days) from 560 euros gives you a more gradual build-up with a short day 5 of only 6.6 km. Half board is included in the huts on all three versions (except dinner at the Bergerseehütte on the 5- and 6-day routes).

3. Beginner Gesäuse Trek (5 days)

The Beginner Gesäuse Trek crosses Gesäuse National Park in Styria from Admont to Hieflau in 5 days, with stages of 6.9 to 10.8 km on the first four days. The hardest day is day 1 from Admont to the Mödlingerhütte: 10.8 km with +1,120 m. Note that the Mödlingerhütte night and half board (approximately 75 euros per person) is paid in cash on site and is not included in the package price; dinner at the Gesäuse Lodge is not included either. See the Beginner Gesäuse Trek page for 2027 departure dates.

4. Short Stubaier Höhenweg (3 days)

The Short Stubaier Höhenweg is compact in distance: only 13.6 km in total over 3 days, averaging 4.5 km a day. Day 1 climbs 3 km with +540 m beneath the cable car to the Dresdner Hütte; day 2 crosses a bridge over the Fernau gorge. Be aware: despite the short distances, the terrain is demanding and exposed in places. The trek page recommends it for families with older children (8 and above) who already have some mountain experience; for younger children, see our family-friendly hut-to-hut hikes in Austria. Half board in the huts is included. See the full Stubaier Höhenweg route description or book the Short Stubaier Höhenweg directly.

5. Venediger Höhenweg for beginners (4 days)

The Venediger Höhenweg runs through Hohe Tauern National Park with views of the glaciers around the Großvenediger. In 4 days you walk 32.7 km with 2,360 m of ascent in total. Day 3 from the Johannishütte to the Eisseehütte is the most technical: only 5.5 km but +800 m with several demanding alpine sections that require sure-footedness and a head for heights. Read the Venediger Höhenweg route blog or go to the beginner Venediger Höhenweg booking page.

3-day hikes in Austria for beginners: the short options

Three of our five hikes take only 3 days. The most affordable is the Beginner Short Lasörling Höhenweg from 245 euros (hardest day: 10.5 km, +730 m with a short technical section). The Short Stubaier Höhenweg from 315 euros has shorter distances but more exposed terrain. If you want longer, the Salzburger Almenweg takes 4 days and the Gesäuse or a 5-day Lasörling gives you more time in the mountains. For a fitter first-time hiker, there are two more options below.

For fitter beginners: Short Adlerweg and Kaiser's Little Crown

If you already have some mountain experience and want a bigger challenge, two further hikes are worth considering. The Short Adlerweg from Innsbruck (3 days, from 280 euros, 38.9 km) starts with a demanding +1,490 m climb on day 1 and includes a steep, loose and unsecured descent from the Stempeljoch on day 2 where sure-footedness is essential. The Kaiser's Little Crown from Going (3 days, from 210 euros) includes T3 mountain paths with cables and handholds on day 2. Both hikes are self-guided, with half board in the huts where possible (at the Kaindlhütte breakfast only; dinner is paid in cash). More detail in the Adlerweg route guide.

For a first hut-to-hut hike, four regions work particularly well.

Salzburg region around the Hochkönig. The Salzburger Almenweg runs around the Hochkönig massif through green alpine meadows, from Pfarrwerfen to the Böndlsee. The mix of hotels and one hut night makes it the softest introduction to multi-day mountain walking.

East Tyrol, Virgen valley and Hohe Tauern National Park. This is the home of both the Lasörling Höhenweg and the Venediger Höhenweg. The Hohe Tauern is Austria's largest national park, and the Venediger Höhenweg gives you views of its glaciers.

Gesäuse National Park, Styria. The Gesäuse is a limestone national park; the beginner trek links huts and a lodge on stages of 6.9 to 10.8 km.

Stubai valley, Tyrol. The Stubai gives you high-alpine terrain and glacier views on very short daily distances. The short trek starts and ends in Neustift, so there is no one-way transfer to arrange.

If you want to compare all Austrian hut-to-hut options side by side, visit the full hut-to-hut hiking in Austria overview.

Where is the best place to stay in Austria for hiking? On a hut-to-hut hike you sleep on the route itself: in mountain huts and, on the Salzburger Almenweg, mountain hotels. For a first trip, the Hochkönig area, East Tyrol, the Gesäuse and the Stubai valley are all excellent starting points. Tyrol's Karwendel and Wilder Kaiser are rewarding too, but better saved for a second trip when you have a clearer sense of your pace and fitness.

Easy hut-to-hut hiking in Austria: which hike is the easiest?

Of our hikes, the Salzburger Almenweg is the easiest hut-to-hut hike: two nights in mountain hotels with private rooms, one night in a dormitory, no technical sections and a beginner tag on the trek page. The longest stage is day 4 at 14.4 km. That said, "easy" in the Alps does not mean flat: expect between +260 m and +1,130 m of ascent on individual days, so basic fitness and broken-in boots still matter.

Mid-June to mid-September is the main hiking season for hut-to-hut routes in Austria. For 2027, our beginner hikes can be booked from 15 June (Salzburger Almenweg, Gesäuse) or 25 June (Lasörling routes, Short Stubaier Höhenweg) or from 1 July (Venediger Höhenweg), until mid- or late September depending on the hike (departure windows as of October 2026; check the booking page for exact dates).

July and August are the busiest months. Huts fill up and you will share dormitories with plenty of fellow hikers. Booking well in advance gives you more choice of dates.

September is quieter. The trails are less crowded, the light is often outstanding and the hut atmosphere is more relaxed. Temperatures can drop faster in the evenings, so pack an extra layer.

Thunderstorms are a fact of alpine summers. They typically build in the early afternoon. Start early, aim to be past the highest points of the day by midday, and do not push on if a storm is developing overhead. On most of our hikes the Bookatrekking app shows the weather forecast for each hut, so you can check conditions for the next stage the evening before.

On the Salzburger Almenweg, pay attention to the cable car schedule: the Karbachalm cable car does not run on Thursdays in high season or on Wednesdays and Thursdays in the shoulder season, which affects the last two stages.

Six weeks of regular walking is enough preparation for most beginners taking on one of these routes. Here is a simple three-block structure.

Weeks 1 and 2: base fitness. Walk three or four times a week for 60 to 90 minutes on varied terrain. Flat is fine to start; the goal is building consistency and getting your feet used to your boots. Wear the exact boots you plan to hike in.

Weeks 3 and 4: ascent and rucksack weight. Add hills or stairs and put 5 to 8 kilograms in your rucksack. Aim for at least one session a week where you climb 400 to 600 m of elevation in a single go. The hardest single climbs on our routes are +1,120 m on the Gesäuse day 1 and +1,130 m on the Salzburger Almenweg day 1; work up toward being comfortable with sustained ascent.

Weeks 5 and 6: back-to-back days with a full pack. Walk two days in a row, carrying everything you plan to take on the trek. This simulates what your legs will feel on days 2 and 3 of the actual hike. Train descents deliberately; knee pain on long downhills is one of the most common issues beginners face, and descents put more load on the joints than climbing does.

Break in new boots completely before you go. Blisters on day 1 can ruin an entire trip.

Common beginner mistakes on a hut-to-hut hike

• New boots: starting in boots you have not broken in means blisters by day 2.
• Too heavy a rucksack: you sleep and eat in huts, so there is no tent or stove to carry; 30 to 40 litres is enough.
• Starting late: summer thunderstorms often build in the afternoon, so set off early.
• No cash: the Erichhütte, the Mödlingerhütte and the Kaindlhütte take cash only.
• Underestimating the descents: going downhill is often harder on your knees than going up; walking poles help.
• Not knowing your hardest day: check the table above before you book to see which day of your hike is the toughest.

Hut-to-hut hiking for beginners: what do you need to be able to do?

You need the fitness to walk 4 to 7 hours a day on mountain terrain, sure-footedness on uneven paths, and on some stages a head for heights on short exposed sections. Individual passages on other hikes can feel more demanding than the overall route suggests, so always read the hardest-day description carefully. For a full explanation of trail difficulty, see the SAC hiking scale. For practical preparation advice, the tips for your first hut-to-hut hike in Austria guide covers what to expect day by day.

A 30 to 40 litre rucksack is sufficient for 3 to 6 days from hut to hut. Because the huts provide your bed and meals, you are not carrying a tent or a full week of food. The essentials:

• Broken-in walking boots with ankle support
• Moisture-wicking base layers, a mid-layer fleece and a waterproof jacket
• A hut sleeping bag liner (compulsory in Austrian Alpine Club huts)
• Head torch
• Small first-aid kit with blister plasters
• Walking poles (particularly useful on steep descents)
• Cash in euros (the Erichhütte, the Mödlingerhütte and the Kaindlhütte take cash only; bring enough to cover nights and meals at those huts)
• ID or passport
• Your phone with the Bookatrekking app downloaded for offline use

The app gives you the route per day on a map with your GPS position and elevation profile, GPX files that work offline, booking details, the itinerary, your accommodation phone numbers and emergency numbers, and on most of our hikes the weather forecast for each hut.

For a full kit list with a downloadable checklist, see the hut-to-hut hiking packing list.

Hut etiquette: the unwritten rules for beginners

Mountain huts have a few rules that first-timers often do not know. Boots stay in the boot room, you sleep in your hut sleeping bag liner in the dormitory, and evenings end early, so pack your rucksack for the morning before you go to bed. Check in with the hut warden when you arrive, ask about dinner time, and pay for drinks and extras the way the hut asks you to, which at some huts means cash only. Take your rubbish back down to the valley.

Safety and weather on your first hut-to-hut hike

Start early every day so you clear the highest terrain before afternoon storms build. If weather deteriorates unexpectedly, turn back or wait at the hut; hut wardens know the local conditions well and are a good source of advice. Your accommodation phone numbers and emergency numbers are stored in the app. Before you travel, check that your travel insurance covers mountain walking and helicopter rescue; this is your own responsibility and not included in the package price.

A beginner hut-to-hut hike in Austria with Bookatrekking.com costs from 245 euros (3 days) to 560 euros (6 days) per person for two people sharing. Solo travellers pay more per person. Prices as of October 2026; prices can differ per date.

What is included: - All accommodation (huts and, on the Salzburger Almenweg, mountain hotels) - Half board in the huts where possible (breakfast and dinner) - The Bookatrekking app with offline GPS navigation, GPX files, itinerary, accommodation details and emergency numbers

What is not included: - Travel to the start point and back home - Local transport (bus, taxi, cable car or gondola) - Lunch (huts sell lunch and snacks; packed lunches can usually be ordered the evening before) - Drinks and personal expenses - Travel insurance - Cash payments at huts that do not accept card (Erichhütte, Mödlingerhütte, Kaindlhütte) - Luggage transfer (you carry your own rucksack)

These are self-guided hikes with no guide included. To book: choose your dates on the trek page, pay a 30 percent deposit and we confirm every hut. Cancellation is free up to eight weeks before departure. Book your flights or trains only after you have received confirmation.

Dormitory or private room on a hut-to-hut hike?

As standard, your booking includes a dormitory bed. Some huts offer a private room for 50 euros extra per room per night, or a smaller shared room for 12.50 euros extra per person per night, subject to availability. On the Salzburger Almenweg, two of the three nights are in mountain hotels where you have a private room as standard; the Erichhütte night is a dormitory. Bring earplugs if you are a light sleeper: dormitory snoring is an alpine tradition.

See all beginner hut-to-hut treks in Austria at a glance if you want to compare more options before deciding.

Which hut-to-hut hikes in Austria are good for beginners?

The five routes we recommend are the Salzburger Almenweg (4 days, from 330 euros), the Lasörling Höhenweg (3, 5 or 6 days, from 245 euros), the Beginner Gesäuse Trek (5 days, from 410 euros), the Short Stubaier Höhenweg (3 days, from 315 euros) and the Venediger Höhenweg for beginners (4 days, from 380 euros). Prices as of October 2026, per person for two sharing.

What is the most beautiful hiking trail in Austria?

That depends on what you value most. If you prefer green meadows and comfortable mountain hotels, the Salzburger Almenweg around the Hochkönig stands out. For glacier views, the Venediger Höhenweg is the one to choose. If quiet, crowd-free valleys appeal to you, the Lasörling Höhenweg in East Tyrol is the answer. For dramatic national park scenery, the Gesäuse in Styria fits best.

Where is the best place to stay in Austria for hiking?

On a hut-to-hut hike you sleep on the route, in mountain huts and, on the Salzburger Almenweg, mountain hotels. For a first trip, the Hochkönig area in the Salzburg region, East Tyrol's Virgen valley, the Gesäuse National Park in Styria and the Stubai valley in Tyrol are good starting regions for our beginner hikes.

What is a good 3-day hike in Austria for beginners?

The Beginner Short Lasörling Höhenweg (from 245 euros) is the most accessible: 34 km over 3 days, hardest day is day 2 at 10.5 km with +730 m including a short technical section. The Short Stubaier Höhenweg (from 315 euros) covers only 13.6 km in total but has exposed terrain; it suits beginners who already have some mountain experience.

Is hut-to-hut hiking suitable for beginners?

Yes, with basic fitness and sure-footedness on mountain paths. The huts take care of your bed and meals, so your rucksack stays light: 30 to 40 litres is enough. Choosing shorter stages and a route tagged "Beginner" on the trek page keeps the experience manageable. The key is picking the right route for your current fitness rather than pushing too far too soon.

Which is the easiest hut-to-hut hike in Austria?

Of our hikes, the Salzburger Almenweg is the easiest: no technical sections, two nights in mountain hotels with private rooms as standard, and a beginner tag on the trek page. The longest stage is day 4 at 14.4 km with +550 m. Expect real Alpine ascents on most days though.

When is the best time for hut-to-hut hiking in Austria?

Mid-June to mid-September is the main season. For 2027, beginner departures open from 15 June (Salzburger Almenweg, Gesäuse) or 25 June (Lasörling routes, Stubaier Höhenweg) or 1 July (Venediger Höhenweg), as of October 2026. September is quieter than July and August. Afternoon thunderstorms are common in summer; starting early keeps you safe.

How much does a beginner hut-to-hut hike in Austria cost?

From 245 euros (3-day Lasörling) to 560 euros (6-day Lasörling) per person for two sharing, prices as of October 2026. Solo travellers pay more per person. On top of the package price, budget for travel to the start, lunches, drinks, and cash for huts that do not accept card (Erichhütte, Mödlingerhütte, Kaindlhütte: approximately 75 euros per person at the Mödlingerhütte for the night and half board).

Do I need a guide for hut-to-hut hiking in Austria?

No. These hikes are self-guided: Bookatrekking.com reserves the huts and the app guides you with an offline GPS map, elevation profiles, GPX files, itinerary and emergency numbers. No guide is included in the price. If you would prefer a guided group experience, look for guided tours from a specialist operator.

Can you pay by card in Austrian mountain huts?

Not always. Several huts on these routes take cash only: the Erichhütte on the Salzburger Almenweg, the Mödlingerhütte on the Gesäuse Trek and the Kaindlhütte on the Kaiser's Little Crown. Bring enough euros in cash for the nights and meals you pay on site, plus drinks.