Explore the dramatic heart of Austria’s Hohe Tauern National Park, a vast alpine landscape of soaring peaks, glacier valleys and classic hut-to-hut walking terrain in the Eastern Alps. This extraordinary region includes the Reichen, Venediger and Grossglockner mountain groups, offering varied multi-day treks through pristine high-mountain scenery.

Trekking in Austria’s Hohe Tauern, written by experienced guidebook author Allan Hartley, is your essential companion to four outstanding multi-day hut-to-hut treks: the Reichen Group Rucksack Route (61km), the Venediger Group Rucksack Route (68km), the Venediger Glacier Tour (78km), and the Glockner Rucksack Route (99km). Each trek is presented in clear stages, enabling you to plan confidently and experience the very best of this iconic Austrian mountain region.

• The guidebook provides detailed stage-by-stage route descriptions for all four treks in Hohe Tauern, helping you organise each day efficiently and navigate complex alpine terrain with confidence
• 1:50,000 scale mapping and clear elevation profiles are included throughout, giving you reliable navigational support in high-mountain environments
• A comprehensive hut directory and practical information on overnight stops allow you to plan accommodation smoothly and enjoy the traditional Austrian hut-to-hut experience
• Practical advice on access and transport, including getting to the start points from Munich, Innsbruck and Salzburg, helps you tailor each trek to your available time, experience and fitness level
• Optional link stages allow experienced trekkers to extend their journey into a longer traverse of the National Park, with the opportunity to ascend Grossglockner, Austria’s highest peak

From glacier viewpoints beneath towering summits to welcoming alpine huts perched high above sweeping valleys, the Hohe Tauern offers some of Austria’s most memorable trekking. With expert guidance and detailed planning support, this guidebook allows you to immerse yourself in one of the Eastern Alps’ great hut-to-hut journeys — or combine them for an even bigger alpine adventure

Hohe Tauern – Key Facts

Trail/Destination name: Hohe Tauern National Park    
Location: Eastern Alps, Austria    
Distance: 

• Reichen Group Rucksack Route – 61km  
• Venediger Group Rucksack Route – 68km   
• Venediger Glacier Tour – 78km  
• Glockner-Rucksack-Route – 99km 

Typical duration: Approximately 7–9 days per trek, depending on route and pace   
Start points: Reichen Group – Zillergrund Stausee; Venediger Group – Streden; Venediger Glacier Tour – Krimml; Glockner Route – Lucknerhaus 
Trail type: Multi-day hut-to-hut alpine trekking; high-level rucksack routes   
Difficulty: Moderate to strenuous; suitable for experienced mountain walkers   
Terrain: High mountain passes, glacier approaches, alpine ridges, rocky trails and valley sections   
Navigation: Step-by-step route descriptions with 1:50,000 mapping and elevation profiles   
Best season: Summer months (typically June–September, depending on snow conditions)   
Accommodation: Mountain huts along each route, using the traditional Austrian Alpine Club hut system

Author Highlight

“Whatever your aspirations, the Hohe Tauern provides opportunities for all mountain enthusiasts. It is ideal for first-time visitors to the Alps, particularly family groups with adventurous children, and, perhaps more so, for aspiring alpinists, who should not prejudge the Hohe Tauern to be a tame area in comparison with the higher mountains of the Western Alps, as these mountains can challenge even the most experienced.”

- Allan Hartley, author of Trekking in Austria's Hohe Tauern 

CONTENTS

Overview map

Map key

Route summary tables

Introduction

The Hohe Tauern National Park

When to go

Getting there and back

Places to stay

Local services

Professional mountain guides (Bergführer)

Children

The Austrian Alpine Club (ÖAV)

Huts

Hut meals and menus

Kit list

Route finding

Maps and guidebooks

Alpine walking skills

Glaciers and glacier travel

Health and safety

Electronic devices

Using this guide

Reichen Group

Trek 1: Reichen Group Hut-to-Hut Rucksack Route

Stage 1 Zillergründl Stausee reservoir to Plauener Hut

Excursion Ascent of Reichenspitze (3303m)

Stage 2 Plauener Hut to Birnlücken Hut

Stage 3 Birnlücken Hut to Warnsdorfer Hut

Stage 4 Warnsdorfer Hut to Krimmler Tauernhaus

Stage 5 Krimmler Tauernhaus to Zittauer Hut

Stage 6 Zittauer Hut to Richter Hut

Stage 7 Richter Hut to Plauener Hut via the Zillerplattenscharte

Stage 7A Richter Hut to Plauener Hut via the Gamsscharte

Venediger Group

Trek 2: Venediger Group Hut-to-Hut Rucksack Route

Stage 1 Streden to Essener-Rostocker Hut

Excursion Ascent of Rostocker Egge (2749m)

Excursion To visit Simonysee

Stage 2 Essener-Rostocker Hut to Johannis Hut

Stage 3 Johannis Hut to Bonn-Matreier Hut

Stage 4 Bonn-Matreier Hut to Badener Hut

Stage 5 Badener Hut to Neue Prager Hut

Stage 6 Neue Prager Hut to St Pöltner Hut

Stage 7 St Pöltner Hut to Matreier Tauernhaus

Trek 3: Venediger Glacier Tour

Stage 1 Krimml to Warnsdorfer Hut

Stage 2 Warnsdorfer Hut to Essener-Rostocker Hut

Excursion Ascent of the Östlicher Simonyspitze south-east ridge (3488m)

Stages 3–6 See Venediger Group Hut-to-Hut Rucksack Route

Stage 7 Neue Prager Hut to Kürsinger Hut via the Grossvenediger

Excursion Ascent of the Keeskogel (3291m)

Stage 8 Kürsinger Hut to Warnsdorfer Hut

Grossglockner Group

Trek 4: Glockner Rucksack Route

Stage 1 Kals, Lucknerhaus to Stüdl Hut

Stage 1A Kals, Lucknerhaus to Salm Hut

Excursion Ascent of the Grossglockner (3798m)

Variant Alternative descent from the Grossglockner to Glocknerhaus

Variant Alternative descent from the Grossglockner to Salm Hut

Excursion Ascent of Romariswandkopf (3511m)

Stage 2 Stüdl Hut to Salm Hut

Stage 3 Salm Hut to Glocknerhaus

Stage 4 Glocknerhaus to the village of Fusch

Stage 5 Fusch to Gleiwitzer Hut

Stage 6 Gleiwitzer Hut to Heinrich Schwaiger Haus

Excursion Ascent of Grosses Wiesbachhorn (3564m)

Stage 6A Gleiwitzer Hut to Kaprun

Stage 7 Heinrich Schwaiger Haus to Rudolf’s Hut

Excursion Ascent of the Stubacher Sonnblick (3088m) and Granatspitze (3086m)

Excursion Gletscher Panoramaweg: Round of the Weisssee

Stage 8 Rudolf’s Hut to Sudetendeutsche Hut

Excursion Ascent of Grosser Muntanitz (3232m)

Stage 8A Rudolf’s Hut to Kalser Tauernhaus

Stage 9 Sudetendeutsche Hut to Matrei in Osttirol

Across the Hohe Tauern National Park

Glockner Loop

Hut directory

Badener Hut (2608m)

Birnlücken Hut (2441m)

Bonn-Matreier Hut (2750m)

Defreggerhaus (2962m)

Eissee Hut (2521m)

Erzherzog Johann Hut (3451m)

Essener-Rostocker Hut (2208m)

The village of Fusch

Fürthermoaralm Gasthof (1803m)

Gleiwitzer Hut (2176m)

Glocknerhaus (2132m)

Glorer Hut (2642m)

Heinrich Schwaiger Haus (2802m)

Hofmann Hut (2444m)

Johannis Hut (2121m)

Kalser Tauernhaus (1755m)

Krimmler Tauernhaus (1631m)

Kürsinger Hut (2558m)

Lucknerhaus (1984m)

Luckner Hut (2241m)

Oberwalder Hut (2973m)

Plauener Hut (2363m)

Prager Hut (Alte) (2489m)

Prager Hut (Neue) (2796m)

Richter Hut (2374m)

Rudolf’s Hut Berg Hotel (2315m)

Neue Sajat Hut (2600m)

Salm Hut (2644m)

St Pöltner Hut (2481m)

Stüdl Hut (2801m)

Sudetendeutsche Hut (2650m)

Venedigerhaus (1691m)

Warnsdorfer Hut (2324m)

Zittauer Hut (2328m)

Appendix A Useful contacts

Appendix B German–English glossary

Appendix C Further reading

Seasons

The summer Alpine season starts when the huts open in mid-June and continues through to the end of September. Early season, snow can linger well into July. July through to August the weather is more settled and warmer, whereas September is cooler.

Centres

The Hohe Tauern is easily accessed from Munich, Innsbruck and Salzburg, with regular local transport links to various trek starting points such as Matrei in Ost Tirol and Kals am Glockner.

Difficulty

All tracks and trails are waymarked and frequently signposted. No special equipment is needed, nor additional climbing skills required unless you plan to cross glaciers or undertake the optional ascents of neighbouring peaks.

Must See

Gross Glockner, Austria's highest peak; Gross Venediger; Rosskar Scharte; the Loebbentorl pass; the Obersulzbachkees glacier; Stocker Scharte; the walk around the head of the Virgental valley; Spitzbrett ridge; Kalser Tauern pass; the welcoming huts of the Austrian Alpine Club

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