Itinerary

Day 1 :   Neustift - Trip Orientation and Welcome Dinner

We greet you at 11:00 a.m. at the Innsbruck Airport and transfer to Neustift by private van.

Our first hike begins in Neustift where we ride the Elfer Chairlift to access its 5,886’ top station. We take a trail to Autenalm, through the forest where we are treated to many wildflowers. We’ll stop for lunch, or Kaffee und Kuchen (coffee and cake), or both, at a convivial Austrian hut.  We'll hike back to town in time to enjoy our lovely 4-star hotel’s spa facilities. We’ll begin to get to know each other over a welcome drink and a gourmet dinner in the hotel.

Day 2 :  Jochdohle – Bsuchalm – Nurnberger Hut

After our morning coffee, a hearty breakfast, and a discussion of today’s adventures, we travel by van to the end of the Stubai Valley.  It the weather allows, we enjoy a gondola ride up to the top of the glacier at Jochdohle --the “Top of Tyrol” -- at over 9,000 feet.  We’ll feel like we have been transported forward to winter, minus the cold weather, as skiers zoom by.  Depending upon conditions, we may venture onto the glacier for a short walk before riding the lift back down.

After lunch, we transfer to the hamlet of Fulpmes and the hike up to the Bsuchalm, another in the seemingly endless series of beautifully-sited restaurants and cafés.  There is an option to extend with a hike to the rustic Nurnberger Hut.

Day 3 :  Oberberg Valley – Franz Senn Hut

We travel up the wonderfully remote Oberberg Valley to the start of our hike at the Oberriss Hut, driving at a sedate pace so as to avoid the cows that also share the road at times.  We hike up to the classic Franz Senn Hut.  Those who wish to can then spend the afternoon exploring a number of trails from the Franz Senn Hut, perhaps hiking up to the Rinnen Lake and back.  Alternatively, some may wish to spend the afternoon enjoying the view, writing post cards, and eating pastry.  We’ll hike back to the Oberriss Hut for the return to the hotel.

After relaxing in the hotel's spa facilities and pool, and enjoying the hotel's gourmet spread, we venture out to a Gasthof that is a favorite of locals and features zither music.

Day 4:  Ettal – Linderhof – Wieskirche - Hohenschwangau

We board our van for a drive through the mountains on the Deutsche Alpenstrasse (German Alpine Road) to Bavaria via the violin-making town of Mittenwald to Linderhof Castle.  Linderhof is arguably Ludwig’s most beautiful castle and we’ll have a chance to tour it before continuing by van to Hohenschwangau via the Wieskirche (church), an 18th century Rococo Church that is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.   We’ll then check in to our 4-star hotel with views of both Neuschwannstein and Hohenschwangau Castles and go for a walk around the idyllic Alpsee.

Day 5 :  Tegelberg – Bleckenau - Neuschwannstein

Today is a high point of a trip that is full of high points.  We’ll have views of mountain peaks and castles for much of the day, and, just to top it off, we’ll hike through a beautiful gorge.  Our hike today starts with a cable car ride to the top of Tegelberg, a hike through Pollat Gorge and then a tour of Neuschwannstein, Ludwig II’s most fanciful castle, an 19th century knight’s fortress based on German sagas and Ludwig’s obsession with the music of Richard Wagner.  We’ll stop for a break during the hike at the Bleckenau, a former hunting lodge of Bavarian royalty.   Dinner tonight will be on your own, giving you the opportunity to explore the medieval town of neighboring Fuessen, with its Benedictine Abbey, the Lech River cascading down through town, and its own high castle.

Day 6:  Schachen

We’ll depart from Hohenschwangau and drive through Garmisch-Partenkirchen, site of the fourth winter Olympics, to Elmau for our hike to Ludwig’s little known hunting lodge Schachen, first checking into our cozy and historic farmhouse hotel.  It was at Schachen that Ludwig got away from it all in a both geographic and historical sense.  Hidden on the second story of this typically timber-framed Alpine house is a secret Turkish room where Ludwig’s servants would wait on him in Oriental attire.  Our hike will take us through the woods at first, after which we’ll emerge to a view of the lodge beneath the Zugspitze, Germany’s highest mountain.  We’ll tour the lodge, and perhaps, as time permits, visit the nearby Alpine garden.

Day 7:  Innsbruck  

Today we’ll leave Bavaria and return to Innsbruck in Tyrol where we’ll have the afternoon free to explore the Altstadt (Old Town) of this beautiful city on foot.  For the diehard walkers in the group we’ll offer an optional hike in the hills surrounding Innsbruck.  Our farewell dinner tonight will be in the roof top restaurant of our charming 4 star hotel.

Day 8:  Farewell to Austria and Bavaria

After breakfast we transfer to the Innsbruck airport by 9:00 for departure to the U.S. or other destinations.

 

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