Highlights:

• Dramatic, ever-changing alpine landscapes

• Rolling meadows, rugged mountain passes

• Dense forest, pristine mountain streams and lakes

• Historic villages and towns

Brief:

⏱ Duration: approx 20 days
🗺 Distance: 320 - 420 km
⛰ Difficulty: Challenging
🗓 Best Time: July - September
🛏 Accomm: Mountain huts/hotels

Adlerweg Overview

The Austrian state of Tyrol occupies far western Austria. It lies in the heart of the European Alps, bordered by the Bavarian Alps, the Dolomites and the Swiss Alps.

The Adlerweg traverses Tyrol in an east/west direction, starting from St Johann and finishing in St Anton. The name of the trail translates to “The Eagle’s Way” which stems from the route, as appearing on a map, looking like the profile of an on-coming eagle with Innsbruck as its head.

The trail visits six mountain ranges on its path - Wilder Kaiser mountains, Brandenburg Alps, Karwendel Mountains, Tux Alps, Wetterstein mountains and Lechtal Alps. Innsbruck is about half way along the route and with its medieval old quarter and amenities makes a good rest location.

At around 320 - 420 km in length (there is a main route and various supplementary routes), the Adlerweg is the longest of its peer, classic European Alps walks (such as the Tour du Mont Blanc, the Alta Via 1, the Walkers High Route and the Via Alpina). However, the Adlerweg includes a reasonable number of ‘easy’ kilometres via wide trails along extended valleys, so the total distance doesn’t really differentiate Adlerweg from the others.

In terms of relative overall difficulty levels of the above mentioned walks, the Adlerweg is generally regarded as akin or slightly easier than Tour du Mont Blanc and the Via Alpina with the exception of one section of the Adlerweg which can be avoided (the Eppzirler Scharte pass, with its steep and loose scree slopes). Generally, the Walkers Haute Route and Alta Via 1 would be put a little ahead of those three in terms of overall difficulty.

Assistance and further information:

• For assistance in walking all or part of the Adlerweg, click the button below.

• For information on other walks in Austria, click the button below.