Peter Habeler Runde

Trekking through the Alps is more than a journey across mountain passes and valleys. It is an immersive walk through one of Europe’s richest natural environments, where altitude, climate, and geography shape life at every level. As you move through the landscape, the scenery shifts constantly, from fertile valley floors and dense forests to open alpine meadows and rugged, windswept ridgelines. What makes the Alps truly special is the close connection between nature and people. Alpine plants and animals have adapted to extreme conditions, while centuries of farming have shaped the land into a living landscape of pastures, trails, and mountain huts. Together, flora, fauna, and tradition create a dynamic environment that changes with the seasons and makes every day on the trail feel distinct.

Are you looking to complete the famous Peter Habeler Trek, one of the finest examples of hiking holidays in Austria? Also known as the Peter Habeler Runde, this trek is a circular route that starts and ends in Vals, a mountaineering village with 537 inhabitants in Tyrol. This trek was dedicated to the Austrian mountaineer Peter Habeler on his 70th birthday and is one of the most renowned hikes in the region. If this trek is on your to-do list, we can help you! Below you will find all you need to know to complete the Peter Habeler Runde, from a map and itinerary to a recommended packing list, safety measures, guided and self-guided walking holidays in Austria, and more! Peter Habeler was born in Mayrhofen, in Tyrol, and made alpine history when, in 1978, he climbed Mount Everest, together with Reinhold Messner, without carrying any artificial oxygen. The Peter Habeler Trek honors his accomplishments as a mountaineer and celebrates his climbing records all over the world! Will you follow his footsteps?

In Austria, the mountains are never far away. Villages sit in quiet valleys, church bells echo across the slopes, and narrow roads wind past farms that have been here for generations. Life in the Alps has always followed the rhythm of the landscape. But the Austrian Alps are not just scenery for travelers. They are places where communities have built traditions over centuries of living in a mountain environment. The routes you follow while hiking in Austria often pass through valleys and villages where daily life, local customs, and seasonal rhythms are still closely connected to the landscape around them.