Zugspitze Walking Tour

The Zugspitze is a dramatic mountain peak high above the picturesque town of Garmisch Partenkirchen in Southern Bavaria, Germany, on the border with Austria. It is one of the best known summits of the Alps and offers breathtaking 360 degrees panoramic views over countless peaks in Austria, Italy, Switzerland, and Germany – an experience you’ll never forget. Part of the Wetterstein Mountain Range, it belongs to Bavaria (Germany) and Tyrol (Austria). The summit can be reached quite easily by cable car and is a popular European tourist destination. We’ve designed a spectacular walk around the Zugspitze Massive, viewing it from different angles and exploring gorgeous hiking territory. On both sides of the Wetterstein Range you’ll stay in charming inns and hotels for tranquil, relaxing nights. On this beautiful alpine tour there will be adventurous and sensational crossings of gorges with thundering waters that leave unforgettable impressions, but also quiet, idyllic alpine pastures offering time for reflection. Your tour will last 7 days and 6 nights.

Green = Open | Yellow = Limited | Red = Full

2023

Prices are per person in US Dollars

This tour can be guided upon request

Choose your own starting date

Terms and Conditions

DAY 1 – Individual arrival in Garmisch Partenkirchen
Garmisch Partenkirchen is known as one of the most important health resorts in the Bavarian Alps, as well as the “Mecca” for winter sports in Germany – in fact, Garmisch was the site of the 1936 Winter Olympics. The two separate 1,100 year old towns of Partenkirchen and Garmisch were later obliged to unite into one town. The fresco-filled, cobblestoned streets of Partenkirchen offer a glimpse into times past, while Garmisch has a slightly more progressive feel.

DAY 2 – Garmisch – Klais – Mittenwald – 10 miles (15.5 km, 5 hours)
+ 500 meters, – 250 meters

The day’s climb will start from Garmisch Partenkirchen at 700m. From there the route follows through the Partnachklamm, an extraordinary narrow gorge created by the runoff from melted snow off the Zugspitze. Afterward you’ll walk across soft hills and alpine pastures to Klais, then take a train to Mittenwald. Mittenwald is famous for the manufacturing of string instruments and is a popular stop for tourists. The German writer, Goethe, called Mittenwald a “living picture book” and it remains as such today. The most significant landmark in the village is the pink-colored Roman Catholic Church of Saints Peter and Paul, a typical example of the region’s style. The church and many of the surrounding buildings, both businesses and private residences, are decorated with elaborate paintings on the exterior walls. You’ll find many elegant shops and cafes in the center of town. You can visit the church, one of the finest in the Bavarian Alps, or the famous Violin Museum for a demonstration of a violin maker at work.

DAY 3 – Mittenwald – Geisterklamm (Ghost Gorge) – Leutasch Valley – 9 miles (14 km, 4 hours)
+ 200 meters, – 100 meters

To make the gorge passable today’s path was hewn with extreme precision into the rock, and bold bridges cross up to 40 meters above the water. The impressive route also has an equally spectacular steel walkway, clinging to the side of a dramatic gorge high above the teeming Leutascher Ache (don’t worry – you’re fully enclosed and quite safe!). The path crisscrosses the ravine below by a series of footbridges, allowing you to admire not only the scenery but the feat of engineering which made this experience possible. Then you’ll relax on a comfortable stroll into the sunny Leutasch Valley, one of the most picturesque valleys in Tyrol. There are no crowds here: rather, open flower-filled meadows, forest trails, pretty villages, and tiny hamlets which run alongside the river with the Wetterstein Mountain Range forming a stunning backdrop.

DAY 4 – Rest Day or Lake Walk to Seefeld – 7 miles (11.5 km, 4.5 hours)
+ 200 m, – 100 m

Today you will be free to relax or take an optional walk to one of the many lakes in and around Seefeld. You can return to the hotel by public bus.

DAY 5 – Paradise Gaistal Valley – Ehrwald – 9 miles (14 km, 5 hours)
+ 500 meters

Summer in the secluded and totally unspoiled Gaistal Valley is blissful with light brown ponies and grey and brown cattle grazing in the meadows. Breathe the fresh mountain air and soak up the sun while walking through this mountain paradise surrounded by jagged peaks. You’ll certainly agree this is picture book scenery. Your route along the Ganghofer Trail winds through high pastures in the footsteps of Ludwig Ganghofer, a local writer who spent many months here each year. We’ll cross over the Ehrwalder Alm and will descend by cable car to your hotel in Ehrwald.

DAY 6 – Up the Zugspitze to Lake Eibsee – 8 miles (13 km, 4 hours)
+ 520 meters, – 520 meters

Bit by bit, you’ll ascend to the foot of the Zugspitze and its famous scenic view on Lake Eibsee or Lake Eib, at the foot of the Zugspitze. The final walk of your tour is here at this lovely lake with spectacular views over the gorgeous Zugspitze-Garmisch panorama. You will return to Garmisch by train or bus.

DAY 7 – Saturday: Tour Ends
Your tour ends today with departure after breakfast.

What’s Included

• 6 nights of lodging in charming 3 and 4 star hotels with private facilities
• 6 breakfasts
• Luggage transfer
• One tour book per room
• All taxes and gratuities for the hotel and restaurant portions of the tour

Meals

Included in the tour price you’ll receive daily buffet breakfast. For the buffet breakfasts there’s an assortment of cold meats and cheeses, eggs, bread, jams, cereal, yogurt, fruit, coffee, and tea. For lunches you will be in a town so you can find lunch at a restaurant on your own. For the lunches and dinners you can choose one of many delicious restaurant options within easy walking distance from our hotel. 

Not Included

• Airfare
• Tourist Tax (€1.50 – €2 per person will need to be paid upon arrival at each hotel)
• Alcoholic and bar beverages
• Lunches and dinners
• Transportation other than scheduled VGT transfers
• Entrance fees and public bus service
• Extras (approximately €55) – cable car Ehrwald, train/bus Elbsee to Garmisch, train Klaisto Mittenwald

The hotels listed below are examples of those usually used on the tour. Depending on availability, you may be booked in a different hotel of equal quality.

Gästehaus Bichlerhof
The Hotel Bichlerhof is a guesthouse in the heart of Mittenwald. The historic center of Mittenwald offers guests an excellent impression of life in the Alpine region. The rooms at this hotel welcome you with a rustic charm and views of the surrounding mountain peaks. Enjoy the fresh air and crystal clear lake water while walking on numerous hiking paths in the area. There are many interesting things to see in town, as well. The village has a lively past as a hub for violin and instrument making.

Hotel Tirolerhof
The Tirolerhof in Leutasch is a 3rd generation family business and is situated in the idyllic mountain area of Seefeld’s high plateau. Leutasch is a veritable hiker’s paradise, with over 650 km of designated hiking trails available. The beautiful scenery includes lakes where fishing is permitted. After a day of exploration, you can unwind in the hotel’s Finnish sauna or cave-like relaxation room.

Hotel Sonnenspitze
Welcome to the Hotel Sonnenspitze in the Tyrolean Zugspitz area. Are you looking for an exceptional hotel in Ehrwald on the Zugspitze? Then we invite you to get to know our family-friendly, sporty and enjoyable 4-star hotel!

Atlas Grand Hotel
The Atlas Grand Hotel – a piece of Bavarian history in the heart of the arcadian center of Garmisch-Partenkirchen.

Have you been on this tour? Please leave your review here