Hochkönig

The mountain villages of Maria Alm, Dienten and Mühlbach make ideal basecamps for those keen to explore Austria’s extraordinary Hochkönig massif.

Hikers and mountaineers come to discover the jagged, rough-hewn mountain peaks of the surrounding Eastern Alps. Walkers love the accessible trails that wind through flower-specked Alpine meadows, stopping to enjoy local delicacies or overnight stays at rustic and comfortable huts. Mountain bikers come to enjoy the trails that flow across the rewarding terrain, and e-bikers will find recharging stations throughout these picturesque valleys.

Crammed with diversions and accessible activities, Hochkönig is a huge hit with families. Complementing its hiking and biking trails is the renowned Herb Hike which links up 16 huts. Between them, they demonstrate nature’s incredible herb garden. Foodies can savour typical regional dishes and Hochkönig is currently Austria’s only certified vegan region. The Bürglalm hut is rumoured to serve Europe’s best Kaiserschmarrn (Emperor’s Mess), a sumptuous shredded pancake dish. Locals hold an annual festival to celebrate their speciality: herby dumplings. On arrival, visitors receive a Hochkönig Card offering free entry or discounts for numerous activities, attractions and excursions.

HIKING

The Hochkönig massif has the highest mountains in the Berchtesgaden Alps, with its namesake peak reaching 2,941 m. This chain of pale limestone giants juts incongruously out of the gentle green land below. Approached from any direction, first impressions of Hochkönig are unforgettable.

Mountains of this magnitude make for incredible walking and mountaineering. There are 340km of hiking trails across these Alps plus 70 welcoming huts, many of which serve food and drink. A great way to experience the pristine beauty of Hochkönig is to trek the Königsweg, a 74 km trail alongside the massif. Accommodation is in traditional huts, with private rooms or dorms available. The four stages take in forest trails, lush meadows, nature paths, mountain tracks and summer lifts, with plenty of refreshment stops en route. Luggage can be transferred from hut to hut for ease.

Children especially enjoy the fun and informative Herb Hikes, where they gather herbs in the meadows to make into dishes, teas and salves. This ancient knowledge has been passed down through the generations and local techniques can be seen in the dozen herb hill farms open for visitors.

For adults, the 6-stage Green Nine long-distance hike connects 16 herb hill farms across the region. It provides fascinating insight into local wild herbs and their preparation, with arguably Europe’s most magnificent scenery as a backdrop. Accommodation options include dorm beds in rustic huts, friendly guest houses or Four Star hotels. The Green Nine is a perfect trail running challenge, too, with early birds saying that sunrise warming Hochkönig’s summit is unmissable.

FAMILY ADVENTURES

There are plenty of activities to occupy children’s enquiring minds alongside the Herb Hikes. Six lifts open in summer to whizz families high into the mountains, and The Alpine Coaster is a summer toboggan run with a dizzying 61 curves and three jumps over its 1.6 km course. The Natrun Adventure Playground in Maria Alm encourages children to climb, bounce, move and have fun, while Toni’s Alpine Meadow Playground encourages learning through its water and sand play stations. A family hike in Karbachalm (whose lift was voted a Best Austrian Summer Lift) is dotted with play equipment and tree houses.

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TOP BIKE TRAILS

Hochkönig has a staggering 545 km of bike trails. There are downhill epics and technical singletrack for mountain bikers, gentle paths and wide-open routes for families, and strenuous mountain passes for road cyclists. With frequent charging stations, leisurely e-bike jaunts are a great way to enjoy the scenery. There are mountain bike and electric mountain bike (eMTB) tours every week, free to join with the Hochkönig Card. Find four favourite trails below.

1/ The Königstour connects the villages of Maria Alm, Dienten and Mühlbach in a most memorable way. It is best attacked in four stages on a mountain bike or eMTB, with recharging stations at huts. Luggage transfers are available. Though charming it is also challenging – part of the Königstour was used in the 2015 Ironman World Championship.

2/ Flow One at Maria Alm is a new, 3.3 km flow trail that runs through forests and over fields. As the name suggests, flow trails are fluid, purpose-built tracks for mountain bikers of all levels. They are created for maximum enjoyment, minimum pedal power. Flow One’s total descent is over 300m.

3/ Flowtrail Hochkönig in Dienten has more than 4km of new trails, with 550m of descent.

4/ The ii-Tour is an adventure designed specifically for eMTB riders. Though an impressive 115 km long, the distance simply melts away on this leisurely hut-to-hut experience, surrounded by legendary views at every turn. Charging stations are frequent and well-sited.

FOOD

The food of Hochkönig is based on the simple use of fresh, locally sourced ingredients. Herbs from the meadows enhance the flavours of traditional dishes. Steinbock Alm in Hinterthal at 1,600 m offers a range of regional dishes in a delightful setting. Tom Alpine cabin is a modern building set against beautiful scenery, whose refined Alpine cooking elevates traditional dishes with ingredients from neighbouring farms. Another must-try is Deantnerin, a sleek modern cabin in a jaw-dropping mountain location whose chefs produce top quality seasonal and regional cuisine with a contemporary twist. As Austria’s only certified vegan region, the menus of certified hill farms, mountain huts and ski huts all serve up at least one vegan dish and drink to keep all visitors fed, watered and happy.

EVENTS

An impressive array of events is staged throughout the year in the villages of Maria Alm, Dienten, Hinterthal and Mühlbach. Hochkönigman is a trail running festival with a variety of challenging and beautiful routes, as well as an obstacle course. These offer the perfect opportunity to run off the excesses of September’s Dumpling Festival! Harvest festivals are also important in the valley, with each village celebrating on different dates in September.

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