Rätikon High Trail Circuit – Hut to Hut Hiking Itinerary
The Rätikon Alps straddle the border between Austria, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein. This small, but incredibly majestic mountain range might be our favorite hiking destination in Austria to date.
With its limestone peaks and sloping pastureland, Rätikon is a splendid place for day hikes, hut to hut hikes, and serious climbing. We hiked five days around the Rätikon Alps, staying 2 nights in Austrian mountain huts and 2 nights in Swiss mountain huts. This route offers incredible variation in terms of culture, scenery, and terrain.
Our 5-day itinerary follows the Rätikon Höhenweg Nord (North Rätikon High Trail) in Vorarlberg, Austria and the Prättigauer Höhenweg (Prättigau High Trail) in Graubünden, Switzerland.
The first 3 days of this trek are blissfully easy, while the final 2 days are more strenuous. In this guide, we’ve outlined each day of our hiking itinerary. If you have less time, you can easily shorten this itinerary to a 3-day or 4-day hut-to-hut hike. We’ve included these alternative itinerary options at the end of the guide.
Our route begins and ends in Austria. You could also start the circuit in Switzerland.
Rätikon High Trail Circuit Hut to Hut Hiking Route
- Day 1: (Brandnertal) – Douglass Hütte – Lünersee – Lindauer Hütte (4 hours, 10 km)
- Day 2: Lindauer Hütte – Tilisunahütte – Carschinahütte (5 hours, 10.2 km)
- Day 3: Carschinahütte – Schesaplanahütte (6 hours, 15.7 km)
- Day 4: Schesaplanahütte – Schesaplana – Mannheimer Hütte (5:30 hours, 7 km)
- Day 5: Mannheimer Hütte – Südwandsteig – Totalphütte – Lünersee – Douglasshütte (4:30 hours, 8 km)
Important: Due to the ongoing pandemic, Austrian hut visitors must adhere to new safety rules and regulations. Here’s a summary of the current rules.