Hiking in the Zillertal region

The mountains loom large in the Zillertal. For those who love peace and action, this location offers many possibilities for spending the holiday during the summer months. The best way of exploring this “mountain world” is on foot. There are hiking routes with a total length of over 1000 km, ranging from easy hikes in the valley to challenging hikes in the higher mountain areas. Experienced climbers can travel around without a guide but fortunately there are several alpine schools that offer to take the less experienced walker on hiking trails. With a guide, you can walk along safe, yet challenging trails. There are various themed trails, trails that will teach you about nature, beautiful routes through nature reserves and a lovely mountaineering area for climbers in Ginzling near Mayrhofen.
The mountain and water world of Zillertal also attracts many people who love to canoe. More and more people are being attracted to climbing and hiking through crevices and along and through fast moving rivers and waterfalls. Instructors and guides who are active in the Zillertal region will gladly assist those who have never experienced these adventures before. There are various possibilities for easy walks, hiking through trails in the high mountains and hut-to-hut short walking holidays, starting from all locations.

Excursions in the Zillertal region
The Zillertal is one of the most diverse hiking destinations in the world. In the summer the Zillertal Arena transforms into the Walking Arena. Below is a small selection of enjoyable excursions. The Zillertal is a wide valley and further exploring it using the cable car is just the right solution.

Excursions without a guide
Krimml
From Krimml to the Krimmler Tauernhaus
o Moderate hike
o Starting point: Krimml
o Duration: Approx. 3 hours

Gerlos
Walk around the reservoir (lake)
o Moderate hike
o Starting point: the dam near Gerlos
o Duration: ca. 2 hours
o Difference in altitude: ca. 180 m

Gerlos
Hike to the Zittauer Hütte (2329 m)
o Moderate hike
o Starting point: Alpengasthof Finkau
o Duration: ca. 5 hours
o Difference in altitude: ca. 910 m

Zell am Ziller (Hainzenberg)
Hike to the Gerlossteinwand (2166 m)
o Moderate hike
o Starting point: The valley station of the Gerlossteinseilbahn in Hainzenberg
o Duration: ca. 2 hours
o Difference in altitude: ca. 550 m

• Would you like to know more about the hiking possibilities in the Zillertal region?

Spending the night in mountain huts
In addition to going for short walks, you can also go on several-day hiking tours, spending the night in mountain huts. The Zillertal Alps high mountains are great for hiking and just right for mountain several-day hiking tours.

Mountain huts provide simple accommodation and meals. You can reach the mountain huts in one day or you can go on a several-day hiking tour of the huts. There are approximately 10000 mountain huts in the Alps, of which approximately 1600 are controlled by large alpinist associations. Austria has both simple (dormitory, no showers) and luxurious mountain huts (shower, bedrooms). In the course of the years, mountain huts have been modernised and updated. In Austria and Germany, much larger and often more luxurious mountain huts have been built. The rates for these mountain huts are generally higher and they are visited more often. Overnight bookings for Alps mountain huts run in the tens of millions and we strongly recommend that you book in advance.

The mountain huts have blankets as standard. You should bring a sleeping bag and a sheet sleeping bag yourself.
The following rules apply to using the mountain huts:
• Remove your shoes upon entering the hut
• Leave your equipment (backpacks, picks, ropes, etc.) at the entrance or in the designated areas.
• We recommend that you make reservations.

Members of a mountaineering association normally receive a discount when they wish to stay in mountain huts of the Austrian mountaineering association. This discount does not usually apply to privately owned huts.

Several-day hiking tours in the Zillertal region
As mentioned above, there are various hiking trails. There are various possibilities to go on several-day hiking tours that will take you from hut to hut starting from various locations in the Zillertal. Below information is provided about these hiking tours:

Several-day hiking tours without a guide
Krimml
From the Krimmler Tauernhaus to the Warnsdorfer Hut
o Gentle walk
o Starting point: Krimmler Tauernhaus
o Duration: Approx. 3,5 hours
o Difference in altitude: 703 m

Krimml
From the Krimmler Tauernhaus to the Richterhütte (Richter Hut)
o Gentle walk
o Starting point: Krimmler Tauernhaus
o Duration: Approx. 2,5 hours
o Difference in altitude: 736 m
o You can extend this tour by continuing from the Richterhütte (Richter Hut) to the Zittauer hütte (Zittauer Hut) on day 2

Several-day hiking tours with a guide
Großvenediger
Climbing the Großvenediger, Austria’s most romantic mountain top, and with its 3674 m still one of the highest mountains in the country, will literally and figuratively be the summit of your holiday. The Großvenediger is the most important mountain top of the Venediger Group in the Hohe Tauern National Park. It is the third highest mountain of Austria and is on the border of Eastern Tyrol and the Salzburg state. This is a glaciated mountain and inexperienced climbers should only climb this mountain if accompanied by a guide. Various organisations offer this tour, including the “Tourismusverband Neukirchen” (Neukirchen Tourist Information Office). There are several possibilities for reaching the top. The easiest route is via the Kursingerhütte (Kursinger Hut).

Großglockner
The Großglockner is the highest mountain in Austria. It is every mountain hiker’s dream to have stood on this summit once. The Großglockner was first climbed by a group of scientists and various pioneers and mountain guides in 1800.
Experience with walking on ice grippers on steep terrain is required with regard to this tour. You also need to be familiar with this tour. This means the best thing you can do is to book a guided tour. This tour can also be booked via the “Tourismusverband Neukirchen” (Neukirchen Tourist Information Office).