Hike the Austrian Alps
With Edwin de Bruijn in the Montafon Alps
August 31 to September 8, 2023
Join us for a hiking holiday in Austria in the Montafon alps
This is the second year that our tour leader, Edwin de Bruijn, will lead a group hiking in the lovely Montafon region of western Austria.
Needless to say, there is no place more beautiful than the mountain pastures of Austria, making it a perfect location for a hiking vacation. This hiking trip will bring you to some of the best locations that these mountains offer.
We will meet you at the airport in Zurich where we’ll board the train for Austria, switching onto a smaller valley train line to bring us to Schruns in the Montafon Valley. There we’ll check into our hotel which will be our headquarters for the next eight nights.
Each morning we’ll set out directly on foot, or start with a cable car ride, to explore a new part of the valley. The difficulty of the hiking will be moderate, as we will generally traverse the sides of mountains, rather then climb directly up or down.
We will hike beside alpine lakes, stop at mountain huts, and converse with the cows in the many alpine pastures.
For lunch we’ll picnic or eat at a mountain hut and at the end of the day we’ll return to our hotel for a spell in the hot tub or sauna before settling into a gourmet dinner.
A day to bike:
As an extra feature of this trip, you’ll have the option of taking a day on a bicycle for a different view of the Austrian alps.
Your Trip Leader: Edwin de Bruijn
Edwin, a native of the Netherlands, grew up spending summers hiking and climbing in the alps. He has hiked often in this part of Austria and has personally selected each trail we’ll travel. Here is how he introduces himself:
My first experience with a hut-to-hut hike was when my father took me to the Ratikon area back in my early teens. I gave my daughters the same experience years later, and I still love to share this area with others whenever I can.
The Rätikon Alps are situated on the borders of Austria, Switzerland and Liechtenstein, and has a network of beautiful, well-marked hiking trails. The trails lead through green mountain pastures with cows, wildflowers, mountain animals, and alms (alpine farms) where often you can stop to enjoy a snack or get a taste of local milk or cheese.
Hikers of all ages follow the trails alongside mountain lakes, over passes, and to mountain tops with views to the higher Alps on clear days. The Ratikon area provides a wonderful introduction to being in the Alps and is accessible to nearly everyone.
The interconnecting network of trails, cable cars, chair lifts, trains and bus lines connects the villages and towns in the valleys with the surrounding mountains, and gives multiple ways and routes to explore the area and the many possibilities for adventure it offers. That flexibility of options is why I love this area so much and look forward to returning whenever I can.
Dates: August 31 to September 8, 2023
Cost: $3350
Maximum group size: 10
“I had a great time hiking in the Austrian alps for the first time. The accommodations were great and the food first-rate. It was a super experience, both for the climbs to the huts, the hospitality and crically important trip leadership.”
About the Hiking
As the Montafon valley in Austria is a ski center in the winter, there are a number of major cable cars which we’ll use to climb out of the valley and quickly arrive above tree line. Once there, we’ll be walking through mountain pastures and over an occasional pass. While we won’t be rock climbing or crossing any glaciers, the hiking will be of an intermediate nature and there will be few ways to cut a day’s walk short. The trail surface can be rocky or muddy in sections.
We ask that all hikers on this trip have good hiking equipment, be in moderate to good condition, and be ready to carry oneself on foot throughout the day. If you have any questions about whether this trip is appropriate for you, please contact us so we can talk it over together.
We will leave our bags at the hotel, so you’ll only need to carry a small pack while hiking with additional outerwear, water and a snack.
Take a day to bike:
If you are a cyclist, you’ll have the option of renting a bike for a day for a different view of the Austrian alps.
Is this Trip for Me?
We are offering two hiking vacations in Austria in 2023. This trip is somewhat less demanding. It is a hiking trip and we’ll be in the mountains, but the trip relies more on cable cars to get you to altitude, allowing you to traverse slopes rather than climb straight up them. You should still be fit and accustomed to hiking on trails that can be muddy or rocky, but you don’t need to be an expert mountain climber for this trip.
The second, in the Ziller Valley, will be slightly more demanding but both trips are of moderate difficulty.
Contact Us if you have any questions about the difficulty of this trip and we’re happy to put you in touch with our tour leader who can provide more detailed information.
The Hotel Auhof
We’ll enjoy comfortable rooms in this three-star hotel that measures up to and exceeds Austria’s high standards for hospitality. The rooms each have private bathrooms and comfortable beds.
Spa facilities at the hotel include sauna, steam room and Kneipp pool.
Austrian hotels are known as much for their cuisine as their lodging and we’ll be well fed with a large breakfast buffet and a four-course dinner each night. Vegetarians can be easily accommodated.
Visit the Hotel Auhof Website.
Trip Details
(Click + to expand)
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August 31 to September 8, 2023 (8 nights - 9 Days)
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Total cost of the tour: $3350
Supplement for single occupancy: $375Deposit required to reserve a place on the tour: $350
Cost of optional bike rental for one day: $75
(Places in the tour are limited to 10 and are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. We recommend that you reserve your place early, as the alps are a popular location and so is expected to sell out.)$350 deposit. The deposit is refundable through May 1, 2022.
$1500 initial payment (Due May 1, 2023)
$1500 final payment (Due July 1, 2023)
All payments are refundable if we need to cancel the trip due to government restrictions or unsafe travel conditions.
** Earn a $300 discount when you bring or refer a friend.
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What’s included in the cost of the trip:
You will be met at arrival at designated airport and escorted back to the airport at the close of the trip
Guided walking through the alps with experienced guide
8 nights lodging
8 dinners, lunches and breakfasts
Train transportation as well as cable cars
What’s not included:
Airfare
Alcoholic drinks
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Lodging will be at a traditional Austrian hotel with comfortable single, private rooms with private bathrooms.
Visit The Hotel Auhof’s website to view pictures of rooms and amenities.
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A large breakfast buffet will be available at the hotel each morning. Lunch will be packed by chefs at the hotel each day for us to take to mountain huts or a picnic along the trail. Four-course dinners will be back at hotel each evening.
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At the start or end of the trip, participants may opt to continue hiking in Austria or Switzerland or take a train to visit such cities as Innsbruck, Vienna, Zurich or Munich. Indeed, all of Europe is in striking distance if you wish to arrive early or extend your trip.
We can help you customize an itinerary to expand your trip for an additional cost.