Arrive at your charming hotel in the village of Gosau, at the foot of the Dachstein mountain range. Located within the UNESCO World Heritage region of Hallstatt-Dachstein, this region is famed for its beautiful alpine landscape and serves as a popular hub for winter sports and summer activities in Austria, as well as those looking for more leisurely pursuits and relaxation in unspoilt mountain and lake scenery. Depending on your time of arrival, you may like to explore the town and soak in the atmosphere before enjoying dinner at your hotel.

After fuelling up on breakfast this morning, take a local bus or taxi for the short journey to Gosausee, from where you will take the cable car (included) to the ski resort area of the Zweiselalm (1475m). As you ascend the mountainside, you can enjoy the panoramic views of the sparkling lake and forested slopes. Today's walk is wonderful introduction and warm up for your trip, hiking steadily through the gorgeous high alpine pastures with far-reaching views of the surrounding peaks and glaciers, to reach your first mountain hut - the Hofpürgl Hut - at an altitude of 1705m. Staying at this high mountain hut tonight, you can exchange tales of your adventures with fellow hikers over dinner, and perhaps you might like to enjoy the sunset from the terrace with a glass of wine.

Waking up high in the mountains this morning, you can soak in the tranquillity of your surroundings, tuck in to breakfast, and get ready for an awesome day of walking. Your route today follows a high altitude trail beneath majestic limestone peaks, accompanied by endless panoramas of stunning alpine scenery. Your path will take you across green pastures, rocky scree fields, and beneath mighty towering summits including those of Torstein, Mitterspitz, and of course, Hoher Dachstein (2995m). You will descend to the Türlwand and on to your hotel in Ramsau am Dachstein, where you will receive your luggage tonight. Completing a superlative day of walking, you can settle in for a couple of nights in Ramsau and enjoy a well-deserved rest day tomorrow.

Today is yours to enjoy as you please. With the included Schladming-Dachstein Summer Card offering free and discounted entry to many attractions in and around Ramsau, as well as free or discounted local travel, you will have plenty to fill your day as you wish. Alternatively you may simply prefer to take it easy and rest your legs, perhaps making use of the hotel sauna.

Feeling rested and raring to go this morning, you will take the cable car to the Dachstein Glacier (one journey included with your Summer Card) at an altitude of 2700m. From the lofty position of the Skywalk viewing platform, you will gain panoramic views over the peaks of Austria, and on a clear day even as far as the Czech Republic and Slovenia. You might also choose to brave the breathtaking suspension bridge, Austria's highest, with an amazing view across the mountains and down the rock face. At the bottom of the "stairway to nothingness" you will find a vertiginous glass platform seemingly floating above the void, perfect for those exciting and jealousy-inducing selfies to send home! Setting off on your walk today, you will first cross the ski area on the Dachstein glacier - this is a short and straightforward section of snow but it can occasionally be icy, in which case micro spikes and trekking poles are highly recommended. Once across, you will track across the high plateau of the Dachstein massif, losing height over the course of the day. A short and steep final descent will take you to your overnight stop at the cosy and welcoming Guttenberg Hut (2146m). Should the weather conditions today be unsuitable for this high-level route, an alternative hike is available from Ramsau, walking along the valley and climbing steadily to reach the Guttenberg Hut. 7km / 1035m ascent / 54m descent / 4-5 hours walking

Setting off from the mountain hut after breakfast, you will first tackle some switchbacks up a short and steep climb to reach the high plateau of Am Stein. From here the path takes you past high mountain lakes, across alpine meadows and through verdant forest to reach the Steiner Haus (1845m), your home for the evening. Sitting at the foot of the Stoderzinken (2048m), this charming family-run guesthouse has an inviting terrace offering awesome vistas; a perfect spot to soak in the surroundings with a glass in hand to toast the satisfaction of reaching the halfway point of your trek. The Stoderzinken is frequented by local adventurers from Gröbming; you may well come across harnessed and helmeted climbers who have tackled the exciting via ferrata (known in Austria as klettersteig) routes on the rocky flanks of this mountain. If you're still feeling energetic, you can hike to the summit of Stoderzinken for breathtaking 360° views, encompassing the Dachstein, its glaciers, and the stark limestone karst of Am Stein that you had crossed earlier today. Also perched on the side of the cliff face and a short distance from the guesthouse is the Friedenskirchel, a little wooden chapel only accessible by a narrow balcony path with spectacular views over the valley.

Striking out bright and early this morning, you will walk through swathes of larch and pine, and take a turn off to the Notgasse gorge. This gorge trail is only accessible by foot, with walls up to 60m high and historical engravings on the rock faces thought to be up to 2000 years old. Following the path through the gorge, you will soon reach a forest track taking you past the rustic mountain cabins at the pastures of Viehbergalm. The route crosses the summit of Hochmühleck (1725m) and descends through verdant forest to finally reach Bad Mitterndorf where you can rest your legs and tuck in to a hearty meal at your hotel. After a long but satisfying day, you've earned that second helping of apfelstrudel tonight. Your accommodation this evening may be in Bad Mitterndorf or in Pichl-Kainisch, a nearby hamlet in the same valley.

You will begin your day with a train ride (included) through enchanting landscapes surrounded by soaring peaks to reach your starting point of Bad Aussee. Your undulating walk today is a gentler affair after your efforts the day before, meandering alongside the Koppentraun river, through the beautiful forested slopes of the Koppen valley. You also have an included entry and guided tour of the Koppenbrüller Cave for an insight into the underground waterways within the Dachstein mountain range. Finishing your guided tour, it's not much further to reach the pretty village of Obertraun, on the shores of the sparkling Hallstatt lake. The spectacular views of the lake hemmed in by steep cliffs cannot fail to take your breath away; you will also enjoy a ferry ride (included) across the lake and appreciate this stunning location from a new angle. Arriving at the UNESCO town of Hallstatt, you will see for yourself why many consider this to be one of the most beautiful lakeside towns in the world. Check in to your hotel and settle in for the next two nights in this village rich in history.

The town of Hallstatt has been thriving from salt production from as early as 1000 BC, indeed its name means "City of Salt". Rock salt in the middle ages was known as white gold and was highly valued, as such the abundance of this natural resource in the nearby mountains attracted people from all over Europe to partake in the prosperous salt trade. Some of the mines in the area are still used today for salt production. From your ideal base here in Hallstatt, you have a free day today to explore the town, and to make use of your all-inclusive Dachstein Adventure World ticket to discover the UNESCO-listed landscapes of the Salzkammergut. With your Dachstein Adventure World ticket, you will have unlimited use of all three parts of the Krippenstein cable car, giving you access to the attractions including the Five Fingers Viewing Platform, the Dachstein Giant Ice Cave and the Mammoth Cave. In this natural playground you can enjoy hiking on some of the well-established walking trails, or simply relax and drink in the stunning views perhaps from one of the cosy huts and restaurants on the mountain.

Taking the ferry across the Hallstatt lake this morning, you will pick up the trail at Hallstatt train station where you left off two days ago. Your day begins with a delightful low-level walk along the right bank of Hallstattersee to reach Bad Goisern, located north of the lake. From Bad Goisern your route starts a steady ascent along the valley, following the alpine stream of the Schüttbach before the going becomes steeper. The trail follows switchbacks as you ascend the wide cirque of the mountain to reach the Goiserer Mountain Hut at an altitude of 1592m, positioned in the saddle between the peaks of Hoher Kalmberg and Sonnenwendkogel. This is your home for the night, and with elevated views out to the east and west, you can savour both the sunset and the sunrise over distant peaks from this incredible position. This is your final night in a mountain hut; be sure to raise a beer to toast your penultimate day of trekking, you've earned it!

With a short day today, you might like to have a leisurely start and drink in your majestic surroundings in the peace of the morning, before setting off on your final descent back to Gosau. Tracking through montane forests of pine and larch, you may sneak glimpses through the trees of Gosau in the valley below. Arriving back to this now-familiar town, check in to your hotel and enjoy a celebratory dinner and reflect on your achievement of completing this classic trek, circumnavigating the majestic Hoher Dachstein, under your own steam.

Enjoy a relaxed breakfast and a final stroll around Gosau before checking out of your accommodation and making your onward journey.