Thru-hiking trails

Home / Europa / Trails / Alpe Adria Trail

Alpe Adria Trail

The Alpe Adria trail is a fairly new long-distance hike that starts on the highest mountain of Austria, the Großglockner, and ends in Muggia at the Adriatic Sea. The trail encompasses 750 kilometers and connects the regions of Carinthia, Triglav, and Fruili-Venezia Giulia in 43 stages of approximately 20 kilometers each. The trail is created by connecting already existing hiking trails, making it easy to find places for eating and sleeping along the way. Real alpine areas are avoided and it is, therefore, a suitable hike for most people. You will walk from the glacier to the sea and cross the 3-country point. It is a beautiful trail through mountains, hills, and along the coastline. You can hike the Alpe Adria trail in both directions or in sections depending on your wishes.

Austria 

The trail starts at the Großglockner, which is the highest mountain in Austria with an altitude of 3798 meters. An impressive start to your thru-hike! You continue on the Kaiser-Franz-Josefs-Höhe, where you have an amazing view of the Großglockner. On the first day, you are mainly descending with the first stop in Heiligenblut. After 13.4 kilometers, you complete stage 1 of 43. The next day you hike through the Hohe Tauren National Park and pass the beautiful village of Mallnitz. Here it seems as if time stopped ticking. Enjoy the friendly Austrian hospitality in the mountain huts and continue your hike towards the Millstätersee; a large mountain lake. In the following stages, you will hike towards the Slovenian border where you have two options for the continuation of the trail. You can go right at the Faaker See, this will allow you to hike longer in Austria and enter Italy before continuing into Slovenia towards Kransjka Gora. Or you can turn left at the Faaker See and walk directly towards Krajska Gorga in Slovenia. If you choose the first option, you add another 4-5 days to your hike.

Slovenia

Your first night in Slovenia will be in Kransjka Gora. You have arrived at Triglav National Park, which is the only national park in the country. From Kransjka Gora you pass the crystal clear Jasna lake, where you can take a refreshing swim if you want. The trail continues alongside the spring of the emerald green Soca and you will follow the river until Tolmin. Here you can hike for 2 kilometers in the ravine before turning left into Italy. You will have a constant view of the Slovenian Mountains and Triglav, the highest mountain in the country. Seven stages of the Alpe Adria trail encompass 100 kilometers in this small alpine country.

Italy

The final part of the Alpe Adria Trail is in Italy. You hike through the region of Fruili-Venezia Giulia, which is the far north-eastern part of Italy. The mountain culture is being replaced by Mediterranean vibes and instead of stew, you now can get bruschetta and fresh fish. Even though you start in the mountains, you quickly descend towards Triest. In eleven stages, you walk towards Muggia at the Adriatic Sea, where the trail ends. You will hike in the border region of Italy and Slovenia, where you will pass into Slovenia two more times. After 750 kilometers you have completed the trail! An incredible experience that will make you want to come back to these amazing regions.

Do not forget

You can find our thru-hiking gear list here. Gear you definitely should not forget when hiking the Alpe Adria trail:

– (Sleeping bag) liner for your nights in the mountain huts

– Hiking poles to support your knees during the descents

– Sunscreen & sunglasses to protect yourself against the sun

Best time to hike

If you want to hike the whole trail in one go, summer or autumn are the best seasons. Beware of snow if you are planning on hiking the Alpe Adria trail in early in the summer season or late in the autumn. The lower parts of the trail are easily accessible throughout the year, but make sure to check if the mountain huts are operating. Some only open during the weekend or are completely closed during the low season.

Useful links

Info: Alpe Adria Trail

 

Help us built the community! 🧡

Join us on Instagram 🤝