The Emperor’s Crown Trail (Kaiserkrone in German) is a 65-km trail that circuits the Wilder Kaiser massif in Tirol, Austria. The route traverses active mountain pastures, beech, birch and spruce forests, and rolling ridges.
The Kaiserkrone Trail is traditionally hiked in 5 stages. Each stage ends at either a mountain hut, or a village with several accommodation options.
This is one of the most enjoyable and leisurely treks we’ve hiked in Austria because of the superb quality of the mountain huts, the comfort of the valley accommodations, and the easy-moderate difficulty of the trails.
The Emperor’s Crown is the best trek to do if you’re new to multi-day hiking in the mountains. The entire circuit follows red trails (intermediate), steering clear of highly-exposed and technically-difficult pathways.
We wrote this Emperor’s Crown trekking guide based on our personal experience. Keep in mind that things can change over time: trail difficulty, accessibility, and routing (due to rock falls, landslides, and avalanches) and hut management (reservation system, hospitality, payment, food quality, etc…). Please do your due diligence before tackling these routes.
Update | We recently received feedback from a few readers that this trail was more difficult than expected. Having personally hiked many hut-to-hut routes in Austria including Karwendel High Trail, Eagle Walk – Lechtal Alps, Berlin High Trail, Venediger High Trail, and the Schladminger Tauern High Trail, we can confidently say that the Kaiserkrone is moderate. It exclusively follows red paths, which are moderate mountain trails, and bypasses high-alpine areas.
However, compared to well-groomed trails like the Tour du Mont Blanc, the Kaiserkrone is more technically difficult (narrow trails, secured paths, some rugged terrain), though not as conditionally demanding. If you have minimal hiking experience in the Alps, consider this trail moderately difficult. If you’re concerned about the trail difficulty, please reach out to the Wilder Kaiser tourist office.
- When to Hike: June – mid-October
- Weather Forecast and Webcam: Bergfex Weather Wilder Kaiser
- Where to Stay: Mountain Huts only. Camping is strictly prohibited in Kaisergebirge Nature Reserve.
- How to Book the Emperor’s Crown Trail: Independently. Instructions below. If you want to book a self-guided trek, check out these alternative trails: 6-Day Hut to Hut Light in the Austrian Alps (kid-friendly), 8 Day Culinary Delight Hut Hiking Tour, and 3 Day Culinary Delight Extended Weekend Hiking.
- Overnight Hut Discounts: Discounts are administered to guests with Alpine Club ID cards on which the logo of the reciprocal rights agreement is printed. Learn more about alpine club membership in Tips for Hiking in the Alps.
- What to Pack: Cash, sleeping bag liner (e.g. Sea to Summit liner). Read our Hut to Hut Hiking Packing List.
- Trail Map: Kompass Kaisergebirge 9, 1:50 000
- Tips for Hut Hiking in Austria: Read Hut to Hut Hiking in Austria: Essential Tips and Visiting Austrian Mountain Huts
- Vocab: German Hiking Vocabulary
- Where to Stay Before/After the Trek: Hotel Kufsteinerhof (midrange), or Boutique Hotel im Auracher Löchl (luxury) in Kufstein
Emperor’s Crown Trekking Map
KAISERKRONE TREK STAGES
Where to Stay
Stage 1
Stage 2
Stage 3
Alternative Stage 4
Stage 4
Stage 5
Emperor’s Crown Trail Itineraries
Traditional Kaiserkrone Route
Stage 1 | Going/Hüttling – Gruttenhütte (8 km, 5 hours)
Stage 2 | Gruttenhütte – Hintersteinersee (12.7 km, 6 hours)
Stage 3 | Hintersteinersee – Stripsenjochhaus (15.5 km, 7:30 hours)
Stage 4 | Stripsenjochhaus – Gasteig (16.1 km, 6 hours)
Stage 5 | Gasteig – Going/Hüttling (11.5 km, 6 hours)
Suggested Kaiserkrone Route if You’re Traveling by Public Transit
Stage 1 | Kufstein – Kaiserlift – Kaindlhütte – Stripsenjochhaus (12.3 km, 5:30 hours)
Stage 2 | Stripsenjochhaus – Gasteig (16.1 km, 6 hours)
Stage 3 | Gasteig – Gruttenhütte (12.8 km, 6 hours)
Stage 4 | Gruttenhütte – Hintersteinersee (12.7 km, 6 hours)
Stage 5 | Hintersteinersee – Kaiserlift – Kufstein (8.9 km, 3:30 hours)
Our Kaiserkrone Route
We started in Kufstein, because of the direct train connection from Vienna. Our intention was to follow the entire circuit, but we had to amend the route because of the weather.
From Gruttenhütte, we hiked to Walleralm via the Jägersteig, instead of descending to Hintersteinersee. We decided to end our trek a day early, because of the weather and the forecast.
Stage 1 | Kufstein – Kaiserlift – Kaindlhütte – Stripsenjochhaus (12.3 km, 5:30 hours)
Stage 2 | Stripsenjochhaus – Gasteig (16.1 km, 6 hours)
Stage 3 | Gasteig – Gruttenhütte (12.8 km, 6 hours)
Stage 4 | Gruttenhütte – Jägersteig – Kaindlhütte – Kaiserlift (16.5 km, 6:30 hours)
How to Book the Emperor’s Crown / Kaiserkrone
All accommodations along the Kaiserkrone must be booked individually.
It’s important to make reservations for huts and accommodations along the Kaiserkrone several months in advance. You may be able to book more short-term, if you have a flexible start date.
You can book the Kaiserkrone mountain huts using the Alpsonline online reservation platform.
For more information about booking huts, read our guide to visiting Austrian Mountain Huts. For information about pricing, hut etiquette, joining the Austrian Alpine Club, helpful German phrases to know for hiking in Austria, read hut to hut hiking in Austria.
Stage 1 | Stripsenjochhaus – Online Reservation via hut-reservation.org.
Stage 2 | Gasteig Village. We stayed at Hotel Gut Kramerhof (midrange). More options: Gasthaus Mitterjager (budget), or Mountain Blast Guesthouse (budget)
Stage 3 | Gruttenhütte – Online Reservation via hut-reservation.org.
Stage 4 | Hintersteiner See. Book Berggasthof Bärnstatt, or Pension Maier (budget). If those accommodations are booked, you can also stay at Haus Colorado am Gaisberg (budget), located off the trail (20 minutes extra) or Das Alpin – Hotel Garni Guesthouse (midrange) in Scheffau am Wilden Kaiser (town, 40 minutes extra).
Stage 5 | Stay in Kufstein: Hotel Gisela (budget), Hotel Kufsteinerhof (midrange), Platzhirsch Kufstein (midrange), arte Hotel Kufstein (midrange), or Boutique Hotel im Auracher Löchl (luxury).
Emperor’s Crown / Kaiserkrone Trail Difficulty
Moderate
This is not a demanding high-alpine trail like the Berlin High Trail, Venediger High Trail, or Karwendel High Trail.
Nonetheless, you need to be acclimated and fit. Some stages involve very long ascents (e.g. 1400 m ascending), which shouldn’t be underestimated.
Much of the route progresses below the tree line. If you’re hiking after rainfall, or while it’s raining, you have to be extra careful because the tree roots get very slippery. Hiking poles are absolutely essential for safely navigating forest paths that are veined with thick ropey roots.
There are some secured sections along the trail.
Hiking Pole Recommendation | Unisex Black Diamond Trail Hiking Poles
Trail Conditions
The Emperor’s Crown Trail is in excellent condition. Any steep or semi-exposed sections are secured with fixed cables, rungs, pegs, and ladders. And, most of these secured sections are relatively easy (for experienced alpine hikers). Often, the cables aren’t even necessary.
Signage and Waymarks
The Kaiserkrone trail is very well signed and waymarked. We never had difficulty navigating.
When in doubt, always follow the “Kaiserkrone” sticker, which is pasted on the trail signs.
Safety
The Kaiserkrone trail crosses many mountain pastures with grazing cattle. Please maintain a safe distance from the animals and do not disturb them in any way. Never get in between a mother cow and her calf.
Also, make sure to always close pasture gates after passing through. For more information about alpine pastures and safety tips, read Summer in the Alps.
Rules for Visiting the Kaisergebirge Nature Reserve (Naturschutzgebiet Kaisergebirge)
- Do not pick flowers.
- Do not play music or make loud noises.
- Do not light fires.
- Do not wild camp.
- Do not litter.
- Stay on marked trails.
- Keep dogs on leashes.
Where to Start the Emperor’s Crown Trail
Going, Hüttling
The traditional Kaiserkrone Trail starts in Going, Hüttling. Please note that you cannot park your car overnight at the trailhead. Read this page about parking and transit.
Kufstein
If you’re traveling to Wilder Kaiser by public transit, we recommend starting in Kufstein instead, as it’s far more accessible.
Here are the approximate train travel times from nearby cities to Kufstein:
- Innsbruck to Kufstein: 36 minutes
- Salzburg to Kufstein: 1:11 hrs
- Munich to Kufstein: 1:21 hrs
- Bolzano to Kufstein: 2:50 hrs
- Vienna to Kufstein: 3:37 hrs
- Zurich to Kufstein: 4:11 hrs
- Frankfurt to Kufstein: 4:40 hrs
Kaiserlift Chairlift (I & II)
To start the Emperor’s Crown Trek, take the Kaiserlift Chairlift up into the Wilder Kaiser mountains.
It’s a 25-30 minute walk from the charming Altstadt of Kufstein to the Kaiserlift valley station.
The Kaiserlift comprises two chairlifts. Purchase a return ticket (ascending and descending) to the Brentenjoch top station (Section I & II). Your descending ticket is valid all summer.
Operating Times | 8:30 am – 4:30 pm
Last Ascent | 4:15 pm
Last Descent | 4:30 pm
Purchase your ticket at the ticket machine directly at the valley station. There’s also a ticket office, but it’s not always open.
Where to Stay in Kufstein
You may want to stay in Kufstein before, or after your hike around Wilder Kaiser. Here are the best accommodations in town:
Midrange | Hotel Kufsteinerhof is a traditional Tyrolean hotel with simple, but spacious and clean rooms set in the center of Kufstein. The hotel has an on-site restaurant and café. Breakfast is included.
Luxury | Boutique Hotel im Auracher Löchl is a 4-star hotel and historic restaurant (dating back to 1428) on the Inn River in the heart of Kufstein. The hotel sports creatively decorated rooms, a cavernous gin bar (Stollen 1930), and river views. Breakfast is included.
Look for accommodation in Kufstein.
Emperor’s Crown Route Overview
Stage 1: Kufstein – Kaiserlift Mountain Station – Stripsenjochhaus
Distance | 12.3 km
Time Needed | 5:30 hours
Elevation Gain | 968 meters
Elevation Loss | 647 meters
Difficulty | Moderate
Minimum Elevation | 832 meters
Maximum Elevation | 1576 meters
Lunch Options | Kaindlhütte, Anton-Karg Haus, or Hans Berger Haus
Tip | Hike up to Stripsenkopf peak above the Stripsenjoch saddle. It takes about 30-40 minutes to hike one-way to the peak from Stripsenjochhaus.
Learn More: Emperor’s Crown Stage 1 Trail Description
Stage 2: Stripsenjochhaus to Gasteig
Distance | 16.1 km
Time Needed | 6 hours
Elevation Gain | 642 meters
Elevation Loss | 1456 meters
Difficulty | Moderate
Minimum Elevation | 722 meters
Maximum Elevation | 1811 meters
Lunch Option | We recommend getting a lunch packet from Stripsenjochhaus. There are no places to eat along the way until Griesenau.
Tip | Stay in Hotel Gut Kramerhof (midrange), a farm situated directly on the trail.
Learn More: Emperor’s Crown Stage 2 Trail Description
Stage 3: Gasteig to Gruttenhütte
Distance | 12.8 km
Time Needed | 6 hours
Elevation Gain | 1459 meters
Elevation Loss | 597 meters
Difficulty | Moderate – Moderately Difficult due to elevation gain.
Minimum Elevation | 760 meters
Maximum Elevation | 1619 meters
Lunch Option | Obere Regalm is open Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays, and Holidays from 8:30 am – 5 pm on dry-weather days (please confirm opening times). Another option is Gaudeamushütte. We packed a sandwich during breakfast at Hotel Gut Kramerhof for this stage.
Learn More: Emperor’s Crown Stage 3 Trail Description
Alternative Stage 4: Gruttenhütte – Jägersteig – Walleralm – Kaiserlift – Kufstein
Distance | 16.5 km
Time Needed | 6:30 hours
Elevation Gain | 635 meters
Elevation Loss | 1000 meters
Difficulty | Moderate
Minimum Elevation | 1131 meters
Maximum Elevation | 1622 meters
Lunch Option | Walleralm or Kaindlhütte
More Hut to Hut Hiking Trails
Switzerland:
Liechtenstein:
Slovenia:
- Hut to Hut Hiking in Slovenia
- Mountain Huts in Slovenia
- Triglav National Park Hut to Hut Hike, Slovenia
- Kamnik Alps Hut to Hut Hike, Slovenia
Italy:
- Hut to Hut Hiking in the Italian Dolomites
- Alta Via 1 Trek, Italian Dolomites
- Tour du Mont Blanc Trek: France, Italy and Switzerland
- Ortler High Trail, Italy
Europe:
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Thanks for the great description of this trek! Back in 2021, I already hiked the “Kaiserkrone Kurz” from Going, but we went back this June to hike your 4-day recommendation, starting in Kufstein. It was amazing and the stay in both mountain huts as well as a hotel in Gasteig made it super relaxing, even though it was only a long weekend away from home.
A tip for fellow hikers who still want to do the trail: our day 4 took somewhat longer than expected, as there were a lot of trees on the paths due to a hailstorm a few days before we started our trek. We finished our lunch at Walleralm at 2pm, and were afraid we would not catch the final chairlift down. So instead of hiking the final part from Walleralm to the Kaiserlift, we opted for the “Wilder Kaiser Steig” (indicated WKS on map + signage) which descents from Walleralm to Kufstein directly in ~2.5hrs. The first hour of descent is quite steep through forest, after that the descent is more gradual and goes over gravel paths mostly. If you go for this option, I recommend eating lunch at the Stöfflhütte, which is located 5 minutes below the Walleralm along the WKS and has better offerings than the Walleralm!
Hi Anouk,
Thrilled to hear that you liked this route around the Wilder Kaiser mountains.
Thank you so much for sharing your experience and insights re: current trail conditions (June 2024).
Kindly,
Sabrina
Thank you so much for this wonderful recommendation, my friend and I hiked the full 5-day itinerary starting and finishing in Kufstein early July 2024, and absolutely loved it! The trail was a lot quieter than we imagined for school holidays and very easy to navigate, the mountain huts were superb, we ate some delicious food & had a great time. We also spent a day in Salzburg before and a long weekend in Vienna afterwards, and loved both!
Just a little tip for anyone in the process of booking this trip – we would strongly recommend staying at Gaudeamushütte rather than Gruttenhütte on day 3 (if hiked from and to Kufstein) if you’re going in July or August and have a high chance of very hot sunny days, which we had on days 3-5. After a sweltering day with considerable elevation gain throughout, we appreciated nothing more than finishing by descending to Gaudeamushütte and avoiding another hour’s climb! We also loved scrambling the section between Gaudeamushütte and Gruttenhütte the next day as the first thing in early morning and we still arrived at Hintersteiner See at around 2pm and were able to spend a few hours swimming & sunbathing.
Some more tips – Anton-Karg Haus on day 1 make amazing Spinatknödel for lunch, the cheese factory near Hotel Gut Kramerhof in Gasteig on day 2 serves delicious cheese & charcuterie boards for afternoon snack, Kaindlhütte on day 1 / 5 serve much-appreciated ice cream!
Hi Zuzana,
Thank you for reading and following our guide to the Kaiserkrone trek. And very grateful for these insights. Thanks for sharing!!
Kindly,
Sabrina