Meet at the group hotel in Garmisch-Partenkirchen. Airport transfers are not included. In the evening, our guide will brief us on the journey ahead. For many centuries the towns were two separate communities, Partenkirchen and Garmisch, and still retain their own identities. Partenkirchen was on the trade route from Venice to Augsburgh and is mentioned in AD15. Garmisch was first mentioned some 800 years later. However, in 1935 Adolf Hitler forced the mayors to combine the two market towns in anticipation of the 1936 Winter Olympics. Today the town is often referred to as simply Garmisch, much to the dismay of Partenkirchen’s residents!  The holiday begins with the dinner at the hotel.

A truly spectacular first day of hiking. We begin with an ascent of the impressive Höllentalklamm, which translates as ‘Hell Valley Gorge’. The route follows the thundering river via a series of tunnels and walkways hewn from the rockface. In 1900 the local alpine club had the idea to create the route to shorten the walk to the Zugspitze, the highest mountain in Germany, at 2962m. After four years of hard labour it was possible to climb through the gorge. Once out of the Höllentalklamm we reach the Höllentalanger Hütte which has stunning views of the Zugspitze north face. Here we have a true Bavarian lunch before the final ascent along a high balcony trail to the Hupfleitenjoch, a high pass. The trail clings to the mountainside and at times is exposed, but always with a handrail when required. At the end of the day we spend the night on the mountain at Kreuzeck. No access to main luggage.

Today we leave our mountain hut and head out along the Bernadeinsteig trail. This is a lovely path which begins by traversing the eastern slopes of the mighty Alpspitze. The summit of the Alpspitze which sits at 2628m has a distinctive pyramidal peak which is the symbol of Garmisch-Partenkirchen. It is one of the best know and most attractive mountains in this part of the world, and is predominantly formed from Wetterstein limestone. We turn a shoulder just at the treeline and then it's a decent descent as we make our way to the Bockhütte. This hut is in a great position beside the Partnach river, and makes a lovely coffee stop or early lunch. The history of the hut can be traced back 300 years, and is closely linked to the gazing laws of the area which date back to 1408. Once we have refuelled we have a steep climb up through the Oberreintal, which sections of narrow balcony trails and rocky steps. Once above the trees the views are very special, and eventually we pop out at the viewpoint above Castle Schachen. This was King Ludwig II’s mountain cabin which sits just above our accommodation at Schachenhaus. It is no surprise that the King decided to build his cabin on this spot, the views are incredible! No access to main luggage.

To view the sunrise in these mountains is spectacular and we recommend you rise early to witness it! This is a spectacular day, and we begin with a steady climb up the ridge line behind the hut. At all times you are surrounded by limestone spires and peaks as you make your way to the Meilerhütte, at 2366m. The hut sits right on the frontier between Germany and Austria and is great for a coffee stop. From here it’s downhill for the rest of the day as we enter what feels like a remote valley, and descend on trails that are sometimes loose and rocky. At all times we are surrounded by sculpted limestone ridges on the skyline. The descent into Leutasch is sustained, but we are heading for a comfortable hotel and a gorgeous Austrian village which makes up one of the 26 hamlets that create the municipality of Leutasch.

From the Leutasch valley we hike over to the beautiful Bavarian village of Mittenwald as we re-enter German where we will spend the night. Today begins with a steep forest track which certainly stretches the calf muscles, until it levels off at the Hoher Sattel, a gentle pass where various trails meet. Here we start our day proper with a traversing trail which climbs steadily across the mountainside. This trail will definitely keep you focused as there are sections with exposure, and you may find you are also using your hands with some brief scrambling. What we would call a true Alpine hike that will be enjoyed by those who love to feel they are truly in the mountains. We eventually pass the Arnspitzhütte which is a small unstaffed bivouac hut which is useful for a rest or lunch stop. After the hut the trail becomes easier and follows a magnificent ridge line offering views all the way back to the Zugspitze which we saw on the first day. We are then descending to our overnight stop at Mittenwald. The village is know for its colourful painted houses and its violin-making history. It is also know for the pink 18th-century church of St. Peter and St. Paul Church which has beautiful frescoes.

We have an easy ride to begin with today, as we take a taxi up to Isar-Ursprung, the source of the River Isar, and here we begin our hike which takes us first to Kastenalm, a popular lunch destination, which is the end of the public road. We are now on the Adlerweg, the Eagle's Way, as we head deeper into the mountains. The Adlerweg is a new route set up by the local tourism authority to show the best of the region, and we follow it today to the beautifully situation Hallerangeralm hut. On the way we pass meadows with livestock grazing, and overall this is a more mellow day, though the cart track after Kastenalm is steep! We aim to reach our hut around lunchtime and you can then choose to relax on the sun loungers on the terrace or join your guide for an ascent of the Sunntigerspitze with a summit at 2321m which offers spectacular views of the Karwandel range. If the weather is good this is well worth the extra effort knowing that you will return to this gorgeous hut for good food and perhaps a beer! The statistics below include the summit of the Sunntigerspitze, otherwise the day has 547m less of ascent and descent, and 5km less in terms of distance. No access to main luggage.

Today is our final day of hiking and early morning we leave the lovely meadows of the Hallngeralm as we head for our first pass, or joch, at Lafatscher at 2081m. Once over the pass its down and around to a high traversing line across rocky terrain on a balcony trail to the spectacular Stempeljoch. Once through the pass we continue not the Adlerweg towards the Pfeishütte where we will aim to have a break. The terrain today feels wild, rough and rocky, and you are definitely 'in the mountains'. The Pfeishütte sits on high ground at the end of the Samertal valley in the middle of the southern Karwendel range at 1,922m, and is surrounded by the majestic peaks of Rumer Spitze, Stempeljochspitze, and Bachofenspitze to name just a few. From here we will meet the day hikers coming up from Innsbruck and it is often a shock to suddenly be in amongst the crowds, but you cannot blame them for hiking to this destination because it is simply stunning. After lunch we make our way along the Goetheweg trail to the Top of Innsbruck, and the highest viewing point of the 2300m Hafelekar. Then we literally 'drop' into Innsbruck on the cable car, and we have arrived at our destination. The city of Innsbruck is the capital of the Tirol, and the 5th largest city in Austria. It is a beautiful place to spend some time, and you might want to consider an extra day at the end of your trip to explore.

Your holiday ends after breakfast. Airport transfers are not included.