Austria Walking Holidays
With Heidi
Why choose an Austria walking holiday?
- 24,000km of marked hiking and walking trails
- Suitable for hikers, walkers, and leisurely strollers
- 10+ Austria hiking holidays to choose from
Just breathe in that fresh alpine air! Nestled in the heart of Europe, the green hills and lofty peaks of the Austrian Alps are a mountain of joy.
Choose leisurely strolls or mountainside scrambles - on a Heidi self-guided walking holiday in Austria, the paths are yours to choose and take.
Meander Alpbach’s flower-lined streets, hike Hinterglemm’s panoramic peaks, or ride the gondola to wander Söll’s mountain meadows. Whatever your route, our Austria walking holidays will have you "yodel-ing" for more.
Ready for adventure? Let’s get started...
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How to get around on your trip
How our self-guided Austria walking holidays work:
Our self-guided trips let you set your own pace, from the length of your stay, to how far you walk each day. But if you’re used to group or guided holidays, you might be wondering how you’ll get around? Well, it’s easy…
Getting to resort from the airport:
You can leave this bit to us. When booking, choose either a shared or private transfer and you’ll be whisked from the airport to your resort.
Getting to your walks and hikes:
Most gondolas that work all winter for ski holidays, work all summer too, often well into autumn. So unless you want to, you don’t need to start your walks from the mountain base, you can easily catch a lift to the trailhead.
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Why book a mountain holiday with Heidi?
Choose your Austria adventure
Alpbach
A flower-festooned village, full of mountain magic. Explore trails amid magical forests.
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Ellmau
Nestled in the majestic Wilder Kaiser mountains. Enjoy trails for every age and pace.
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Hinterglemm
Haven for happy hikers. Where world-class trails meet Austrian summer charm.
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Kaprun
Set between glacier, mountain, and lake - this is a high-altitude haven for outdoor explorers.
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Niederau-Wildschönau
Nestled in the Wildschönau mountain valley. This is where rolling meadows meet rugged peaks.
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Pertisau
Top hikes, epic views, and crisp, fresh air - topped off with a dip in glittering turquoise waters. Bliss.
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Saalbach
Over 400km of hiking trails, including ziplines, treetop adventures & family fun.
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Söll
Postcard-worthy mountain vistas await on the sunny side of Austria's Wilder Kaiser mountains.
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St. Anton
Lace up your boots to crunch up glacier-capped summits at this full-blown mountain wonderland.
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St Johann in Tirol
Swap flipflops for hiking boots with riverside rambles and outdoor adventures for all ages.
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Stubaital
Summit peaks, wander wildflower trails, or try a spot of via ferrata in this sunny alpine playground.
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Zell am See
The spot for families, leisurely strollers, and avid hikers. All set against the sparkling Lake Zell.
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Hiking & Walking in the Austrian Alps
Your questions answered by our Austria walking holiday expert
What month is best to book a walking or hiking holiday in the Austrian Alps?
For walking holidays in the Austrian Alps, the best months to visit depend on what you’re after. If you’re seeking long, warm summer days by the lake with kids in tow, then summer holidays in late June, July and August provide the warmest temperatures of the year, perfect for leisurely walks, lido afternoons, and ice creams by the promenade.
If you wish to avoid the crowds and pack in some seriously active days of hiking and exploring, then consider a holiday in late spring or autumn. May, early June, September, and October still offer warm temperatures with the added bonus of fewer people on the trails and better deals on accommodation and flights. A win-win!
Which part of Austria is best for a walking holiday?
- The Tyrol is Austria’s walking heartland — the Zillertal, Stubaital, Ötztal, and Wilder Kaiser each offer a distinct character, from glacier-edged high routes to gentler valley walks around Innsbruck.
- Salzburgerland delivers the Zell am See area, Kaprun, and the Pinzgau Promenade: a high-ridge traverse at around 2,000m with views of 30+ peaks above 3,000m.
- Vorarlberg and St. Anton in the Arlberg in the far west suit walkers who want something quieter and slightly wilder.
What are the most iconic walks and trails in Austria?
- The Adlerweg (Eagle Walk) near Seefeld is Austria’s most celebrated long-distance trail - 413km through all of Tyrol in 33 stages, shaped roughly like a golden eagle on the map.
- The Stubai Rucksack Route (Stubaier Höhenweg) is a 79km hut-to-hut circuit around the Stubai glacier with nearly 6,000m of total ascent — challenging and magnificent.
- The Pinzgau Promenade near Zell am See traverses high ridge pastures above the Salzach valley with panoramic 360-degree views.
- The Kaiserkrone circuit around the Wilder Kaiser near St. Johann takes five days.
How difficult are the walking trails in Austria?
Walking trails in Austria are graded using the Austrian Alpine Club (ÖAV) colour system:
- Blue for easy paths suitable for most fitness levels.
- Red for intermediate routes that may be narrow, steep, or occasionally exposed.
- Black for difficult trails requiring experience, surefootedness, and a head for heights.
Signposts on the trails help show difficulty, walking time, and altitude throughout the trail network.
Can I hire a mountain guide on my Austria walking holiday?
Yes, you can. Guided walking or hiking tours are available at most resorts across the Austrian Alps.
Though these are not currently bookable via the Heidi website, you can enquire and book with your resort's local tourist office upon arrival, or visit their website. What's more, you can even get discounts when using your free Summer Card*. We recommend booking early to ensure availability.
* Summer Card included for free with stays at select hotels and accommodations.
Is a self-guided or guided walking holiday better in Austria?
Austria’s well-marked trails and excellent public transport make self-guided genuinely straightforward here — arguably easier than almost anywhere else in the Alps.
Self-guided suits most walkers - you can set your own pace, pick routes each morning based on how you feel, and stay at locally run guesthouses.
Guided suits those looking to tackle more advanced black routes and via ferrata.
How do I get to the starting point of walks and hikes?
Most resorts have a great network of local buses and trains that can link you up to the starting point of hikes and trails as well as neighbouring resorts, giving you plenty to explore with ease.
We recommend checking out maps and timetables for bus and train routes with the resort’s local tourist office or on their website.
Can I still access lift and gondolas in the summer?
Yes, you can. Lifts and gondolas still operate throughout the summer months, provided conditions are safe and favourable, and many of the mountain bars and eateries you’d find on a skiing holiday still operate during these warmer months.
Even better, with your free Summer Card*, you can get great discounts and even free access to many of these lifts and gondola routes.
* Summer Card included for free with stays at select hotels and accommodations.
Are Austria walking holidays good for beginners?
Austria is a brilliant destination for beginner walking holidays, with gondola networks in almost every resort taking care of the elevation so you can reach high viewpoints without a gruelling ascent.
The ÖAV colour-grading system makes it easy to stick to blue (easy) trails: broad, well-maintained paths clearly marked throughout the valleys.
We recommend checking out resorts like Seefeld, Zell am See, and Alpbach, all of which are well set up for first-timers, with flat lake-side routes and gently rising valley walks.
You don’t need to be fit to have a brilliant walking holiday in Austria. You just need to show up and get stuck in!
Is Austria a good destination for a family walking holiday?
Austria is one of Europe’s best destinations for a family walking holiday. Gondolas give young legs a head start, guest cards cover cable car rides and bus travel for free in most resorts, and the lakes mean a post-walk swim is almost always on the cards.
Many resorts run dedicated kids’ hiking programmes through the summer, and with a trail network extensive enough that you can find flat, short routes for smaller children one day and something more adventurous for older ones the next, there's something for everyone to enjoy.
Is Austria good for advanced hikers?
Austria is outstanding for serious hiking holidays — arguably one of Europe’s best - with over 26,000km of marked trails to explore.
- The black-graded (difficult) trails demand real fitness, a head for heights, and confidence on exposed terrain; with the Stubai Rucksack Route involving nearly 6,000m of ascent across seven stages.
- Via ferrata routes (Klettersteige) are plentiful, ranging from introductory to genuinely technical.
- Multi-day hut routes across the Zillertal, Ötztal, and Hohe Tauern offer high-altitude ridge walking for days on end.
What's included with my Summer Card?
What's a Summer Card? Glad you asked!
Complimentary with most hotel stays, this little pass helps you get more mountain for your money. It includes lift rides, lake and lido swimming, bike rentals, local transportation, guided walks, cycle tours, and much more.
Some activities are free with the card; others are discounted—it depends on the resort. Keep an eye out for the Summer Card symbol to see which hotels offer it and what benefits you can receive.
