Walking Holidays in Austria

MACS Adventure has been running self-guided walking holidays in Austria since 2008. Working closely with our German sister company, we’ve spent years researching and developing new routes—helping more and more people discover Austria’s stunning scenery, vibrant culture, and unforgettable landscapes by foot.

From humble beginnings, we now send almost 400 walkers and cyclists to Austria every year, each choosing the route that excites them most. Whether it’s hiking through the Tyrolean Alps, exploring the sparkling lakes of the Salzkammergut or crossing the Alps from Germany, through Austria and into Italy, we give you the freedom to enjoy walking holidays in Austria at your own pace, with your chosen travel companions, on the itinerary that suits you best.

We understand that setting off on a self-guided walking tour or cycling trip can feel a little daunting. That’s why we’ve built strong partnerships on the ground in Austria to support you every step of the way. We’re proud to work closely with our accommodation providers and luggage transfer teams—who will go above and beyond should anything come up. Our MACS Adventure team is also available 24/7 for support in case of any issues or emergencies.

Our flexible walking holidays in Austria include carefully selected B&Bs and guesthouses, digital route guidance via our award-winning app, and luggage transfers—so you can travel light and focus on enjoying the journey. No hostels, no camping, no carrying your own bags. Just a relaxed, active adventure with all the logistics taken care of.

We’re here to support you from start to finish. Our free destination guides, expert team, and detailed route information help you choose the trip that is perfect for you and plan with confidence. On the trail, our high-quality travel app keeps all your trip details and mapped routes at your fingertips.

We love the alpine scenery of walking in Austria and we want to make sure you do too!

There are some wonderful Alpine Crossing which take you through Austria. These unique tours allow you to complete each crossing while enjoying the comfort of private rooms in high standard accommodations, as well as bag transfers to help lighten the load. Here are some of our most popular ones:

The E5 Alpine Crossing (Grade 5) Starting in Oberstdorf, embark on this classic Alpine crossing, finishing in Meran. Experience three countries in one legendary trek; Germany, Austria and Italy. This is one of our tougher alpine crossings with long days and sizeable ascents and descents and terrain that covers scree, rocky and exposed paths with sections of rope to aid ascents/descents. We only recommend this walk to experienced alpine walkers or novices with a good level of fitness and a head for heights. It is ideal for those who don’t want to sacrifice comfort and enjoy hiking away from the crowds. Stay in 3* hotels/guesthouses and spend one night in a mountain hut (private room).

Across the Alps: Bavaria to South Tyrol (Grade 3) This tour takes you through the Eastern Alps from German Bavaria to Italy’s South Tyrol via Austria on this moderate inn to inn walking tour. This unique route has been designed by us with the Alpine novice in mind, or for those who are simply looking for a comparatively easy-going Alpine experience. Rated moderate, no Alpine experience is required to complete this tour, just a good level of fitness. You should be happy walking 13-19km and 500-1000m of ascents/descents a day. However, almost all the walks can be shortened if required. Stay in high-quality 3 and 4* hotels, and your bag will be transferred each day, giving you the freedom to walk with just a small day pack

Tyrolean Alps: Garmisch to Innsbruck (Grade 5) Walk from Germany to Austria through the Bavarian and Tyrolean Alps, Explore the historical old town of Tyrol’s capital - spend a night in the heart of the Tyrolean Alps in a traditional hut. This trip involves a mixture of moderate to strenuous hikes, whilst staying in lively cultural hubs such as Garmisch and Innsbruck. Graded moderate, there are some significant ascents and descents involved, perfect for working up an appetite for some of the hearty local cuisines! Optional walks allow a rest day if preferred. If you are looking for the best of both worlds, then this is the tour for you!

Kaiserschmarren

This dish is a favourite in the office and we have to admit that “Kaiserschmarren” is an icon of Austrian cuisine, not especially of Tyrol but is so delicious it needs to be mentioned. Kaiserschmarren is a fluffy shredded pancake, which has its name from the Austrian Emperor, Kaiser Franz Joseph I, who was very fond of this kind of dish. Made from a sweet batter using flour, eggs, sugar, salt, and milk, Kaiserschmarren is baked in butter, torn with forks and served with stewed plums.

Speckknödel

A real staple, which you will find at most local restaurants. It is a large round boiled bread dumpling with bacon mixed through it. The dish is most commonly served with sauerkraut and salad as sides.

Gröstl

Known as Gröstl, which is grated potatoes fried with bacon and onions which is usually served with a fried egg, a real Alpine filler after a long of day of hiking.

Kasspatzln

The direct translation of this dish is  ‘cheese sparrows’, “Kasspatzln” are a thick type of egg noodle cut into small piece with grated cheese, oven-baked and sprinkled with fried onion. A savoury delight!