Guided Hiking Chiemgauer Alps - Austria

The Chiemgauer Alps occupy the border region between Salzburg, Tyrol and Bavaria. An area of soft mountains, spacious alpine pastures and well known holiday resorts. The views onto intimidating high mountain peaks and across the lovely foothills of the Alps also contribute to this varied walking week. See pretty places on your way as e.g. idyllic Lake Koenigssee, picturesque mountain town Reit im Winkl and finally Lake Chiemsee, the so called “Bavarian Sea”. 
The guided group tours (4-12 persons) start on Saturday Jun 15 and Aug 31.

Trip Highlights:

• Enjoy walking through National Park Berchtesgaden
• When it's warm, take a dip into a natural swimming pool in the Vorderkaser gorge
• Visit holiday resort Reit im Winkl
• Take a nice picture of the idyllic mountain lake, Lake Taubensee

Day 1 Individual journey to Schoenau/Koenigssee 

Day 2 Schoenau/Koenigssee - Weißbach, National Park Berchtesgaden
Walking time: approx. 5.5 hours. Relaxed walking tour past Lake Hintersee penetrating deep into National Park Berchtesgaden. Impressive scenery along the way. To the right you see the summits of Reiter Alpe and to the left mighty Hochkalterer. Cross alpine pastures and pass the border at Hirschbichl, then down through white water gorge Seisenbergklamm into Saalach valley. 

Day 3 Weißbach - Lofer, Gorges and Pilgrim paths
Walking time: approx. 4.5 hours. Follow the Saalachtal valley to Lamprechts cave (longest passage cave of Europe) and continue to Vorderkaser gorge where you find a natural swimming pool. St. Martin with pilgrim church „Maria Kirchtal“ is the objective of today. Walk up to the church in an idyllic branch valley on the walls of Loferer Steinberge. 

Day 4 Lofer - Reit im Winkl, Loferer Alm 
Walking time: approx. 5.5 hours. Take the cable car up to Loferer Alm, where a high altitude path to Steinplatte massif starts. Walk across alpine pastures and a lovely mountain forest to Loferer Steinplatte. The idyllic alpine pasture Winkelmoos Alm is ideal stop for a Bavarian „Brotzeit“. Well sustained you take the coach to Reit im Winkl. 

Day 5 Rest day in Reit im Winkl
Enjoy a tranquil day in well known holiday resort Reit im Winkl. Tip for a walking tour: A classic mountain tour starts in Reit im Winkl up to Fellhorn. The name hints to the fact that the wide summit is free of wood and covered by a “field” of meadows and alpine roses.

Day 6 Reit im Winkl - Marquartstein, Alpine pastures
Walking time: approx. 5.5 hours. The „Eye of Lake Chiemsee“ is the poetic name of Lake Taubensee. This is easily understood when you see this idyllic mountain lake, nestling in a little basin of Rauhe Nadel on 1,138 m. This sight is a reward for an ample walk from alpine pasture to alpine pasture. 

Day 7 Marquartstein - Aschau/Chiemsee, Kampenwand
Walking time: approx. 5 hours. Short uphill fare, afterwards you walk threw the forests up to the alpine pastures on Hochplatte and then to Kampenwand with views over the Lake Chiemsee. Continue on a trail from cabin to cabin along Kampenwand. The summit can be managed easily by anybody who has sure footedness.
Downhill by cable car. 

Day 8 Aschau/Chiemsee
Individual journey home or extra days.

Included:

• 7 nights in pretty, 3-star country hotels (for an image selection, please see Flickr)
  
• Half board: min 3-course menu
• Luggage transfer
• Transfer on 1st day
• Uphill cable car fare Lofer 
• Downhill cable car fare Kampenwand
• Carefully elaborated route
• Experienced walking guide

Not included:

• Flights and public transportation
• Travel insurance
• Any items not mentioned in the program

Optional services (to be booked in advance):

• Additional night(s) at any of the accommodations (please use booking remarks field)
• Airport or train station arrival and/or departure transfers
• Single supplement

Addtional information:
Daily walking tours between 4 to 6 hours with some short but steep climbs. Easier alternatives to the high altitude paths are given. You walk on good walking paths and forest lanes. Sometimes surefootedness required. The guided group tours (4-12 persons) start on Saturday Jun 16 and Sep 1.

How to get there:
Best arrival and departure airport is Vienna. From here, take the train to Salzburg (2.5 hrs) and continue by coach to Wolfgangsee (approx. 45 min).

Take the train to Berchtesgaden then by bus or taxi short ride to Schoenau/Koenigssee (appox. 15 min., according to starting hotel). Return from Aschau am Chiemsee to Koenigssee by train or coach, duration approx. 3 hrs. (2 changes).

Tip: For online rail connections and reservations visit Rail Europe.