Hiking in Hohe Tauern in Austria: Venediger, Glockner and Reichen Groups

ByTravesía Pirenaica
Pasterze Glacier, Austria / Photo: karsten wurth karsten wuerth (unsplash)
Pasterze Glacier, Austria / Photo: karsten wurth karsten wuerth (unsplash)

Situated in the heart of Austria and the Eastern Alps, the Hohe Tauern National Park has international World Heritage Site status.

The Hohe Tauern offers opportunities for all mountain enthusiasts, whatever their aspirations. Its breathtaking valleys are topped by dozens of peaks that are home to some of the best huts in the Alps.

It is ideal for first-time visitors to the Alps, particularly for family groups with adventurous children, but even more so for aspiring mountaineers, who would be wrong to see the Hohe Tauern as tame.

Practical guide

When to go?

The summer alpine season runs from mid-June to late September; snow can last through June and early July; mid-July to mid-September is warmer and more settled.

Cities & Services

  • Matrei in Osttirol for the Venediger Group
  • Kals for the Gross Glockner
  • Mayrhofen for the Reichen Group.

Difficulty

The trails are marked. Unless you intend to venture onto the glaciers, no special equipment is needed, nor are additional climbing skills required.

Not to be missed

  • Some of the best alpine scenery in the Eastern Alps.
  • Gross Glockner, Gross Venediger and Reichen Group containing the highest concentration of 3000m peaks in the Eastern Alps.

Routes

This guide concentrates on three areas: the Reichen, Venediger and Gross Glockner groups. Any of the areas would be an ideal introduction to the pleasures of alpine trekking.

An alternative trekking route is the 10-day trek across the entire region from Mayrhofen, through the Reichen Group and across the Venediger to finish with a climb on the Gross Glockner.

The route Reichen Group Runde Tour and that of the Venediger HohenwegThe trails vary from traditional mountain trails to trails that cross waterfalls and rough terrain. There is also steep terrain, snow in late summer and fixed steel cables here and there to aid stability.

Reichen Group

  • Hut-to-hut trekking in the Reichen Group // Stage 1 Mayrhofen to Plauener Hut (Excursion: Reichen Spitze ascent, 3303m) / Stage 2 Hut Plauener to Hut Birnlucken / Stage 3 Hut Birnlucken to Hut Warnsdorfer / Stage 4 Hut Warnsdorfer to Krimmler Tauern Haus / Stage 5 Krimmler Tauern Haus to Hut Zittauer / Leg 6 Hut Zittauer to Hut Richter / Leg 7A Hut Richter to Hut Plauener via Zillerplatten Scharte / Leg 7B Hut Richter to Hut Plauener via Gams Scharte /

Venediger Group

  • Hut to hut trekking in the Venediger Group // Stage 1 Matrei in Ost Tyrol to Essener Hut Rostocker / Stage 2 Essener Hut Rostocker to Johannis Hut via Turmljoch. / Leg 3 Johannis Hut to Hut Bonn Matreier via Zopat Scharte and Hut Eissee / Leg 4 Bonn Matreier Hut to Hut Badener via Galten Scharte / Leg 5 Hut Badener to Hut Neue Prager via Loebbentorl 94 / Stage 5A Hut Badener to Venediger Haus (alternative route in case of bad weather) / Stage 6 Hut Neue Prager to Hut Sankt Poltener / Stage 7 Hut Sankt Poltener to Matreier Tauern Haus / Stage 7 Hut Sankt Poltener to Matreier Tauern Haus / Stage 7 Hut Sankt Poltener to Matreier Tauern Haus / Stage 6 Hut Neue Prager to Hut Eissee / Stage 8 Hut Neue Prager to Hut Eissee
  • Venediger Glacier Tour // Stage 1 Mayrhofen to Warnsdorfer Hut / Stage 2 Warnsdorfer Hut to Essener Rostocker Hut via Gams Spitzl and Mauertorl / Stages 3-6 See Venediger Rucksack Route Stages 2-5 / Stage 7 Neue Prager Hut to Kursinger Hut via Gross Venediger / Stage 8 Kursinger Hut to Warnsdorfer Hut via Obersulner / Stages 3-6 See Venediger Rucksack Route Stages 3-6 2-5 / Leg 7 Hut Neue Prager to hut Kursinger via Gross Venediger / Leg 8 Hut Kursinger to hut Warnsdorfer via Obersulzbach Kees glacier and Gams Spitzl /

Gross Glockner Group

  • Hut-to-hut trekking in the Glockner Group // Stage 1 Lucknerhaus to Studl Hut / Stage 2 Studl Hut to Salm Hut via Pfort Scharte / Stage 3 Salm Hut to Glockner Haus / Stage 4 Glockner Haus to Fusch via Phandl Scharte / Stage 5 Fusch to Gleiwitzer Hut / Stage 6 Gleiwitzer Hut to Heinrich Schwaiger Haus / Excursions from Heinrich Schwaiger Haus / Stage 6A Gleiwitzer Hut to Kaprun / Stage 7 Heinrich Schwaiger to Rudolfs Hut / Stage 8 Rudolfs Hut to Sudetendeutsche Hut via Kalser Tauern and Gradetz Sattel / Stage 8A Rudolfs Hut to Kalser Tauern Haus / Stage 9 Sudetendeutsche Hut to Matrei in Ost Tyrol / Stage 8A Rudolfs Hut to Kalser Tauern Haus / Stage 9 Sudetendeutsche Hut to Matrei in Ost Tyrol /