10 Days & 9 Nights

4.9

The Complete Lech River Trail

Follow the entire trail from the source to the falls of the Lech River
Hike through Austria's Arlberg and Tyrol to the Bavarian town of Füssen
Enjoy dramatic mountain views in the Tyroler-Lech Nature Park
Explore the Romantic fairy-tale castle of Neuschwanstein
Relax in the hotel spa and feast on delicious Apfelstrudel and Weisswurst

Follow the ‘Lechweg’, one of the last wild alpine river landscapes, from the azure blue waters of Formarinsee to the roaring Lech falls in Füssen. The Lech River Trail has been designated the very first ‘Leading Quality Trail’ by the European Ramblers Association and is already a firm favourite long distance hike with Germans and Austrians alike. Wander well-maintained paths through the Lech valley and take in grandiose mountain and river views. Experience traditional alpine farming towns and villages and enjoy the peace and quiet of this lesser-known trail. Refuel at the end of the day with hearty local Austrian specialities like apple strudel, locally made cheeses, sausage and a refreshing beer.

From £1,240.00

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Itinerary

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Day 1 Arrive in Lech Day 2: Bus to Formarinsee and walk to Lech 10 miles / 15.5 km Day 3 Hike to Warth 7 miles / 11 km Day 4: Walk to Holzgau 14 miles / 22 km Day 5: Walk to Elbigenalp 9 miles / 15 km Day 6: Walk to Stanzach 14 miles / 22.5 km Day 7 Walk to Höfen 14 miles / 22 km Day 8 Walk to Füssen 15 miles / 24 km Day 9 Free Day Füssen Day 10: Onward Travel

THIS TRIP'S CARBON SCORE

This trip has a carbon score of 13kg per person per night, meaning it’s one of our best trips! For comparison, a carbon count of 13kg is equivalent to 3 full English breakfasts. Here at Macs, we pride ourselves on being a responsible travel company and continue to adopt, develop and innovate ways to positively impact the environment. Find out more information on how we've carbon counted our trips.

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Other Information

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Is it for me?

This inn to inn walking holiday is perfect for those looking to complete one of Europe’s best long distance trails. Despite the dramatic scenery, no Alpine experience is necessary and the overall trip is rated moderate with walks being between 14-24km with manageable ascents. Stay in comfortable and welcoming 3 and 4* hotels and guesthouses, most complete with small spas and saunas; the perfect end to a day on the trails.

Trip Type:

Classic Routes | If you’re the active, outdoorsy type, who’s interested in taking on the great routes of the world or looking for a challenge, then our Classic Routes are for you. We’re talking the West Highland Way, Tour Du Mont Blanc and the Passau to Vienna Danube Cycle Path, to name but a few!

Activity:

Inn to Inn Walking | Walk from place-to-place changing accommodations each night. Generally staying in B&Bs, inns, and guesthouses.

This trip is suitable for:

Solo Travellers

The minimum age for this tour is: 12 Years

Ideal if you have an interest in:

Long-Distance Trails

Alpine Walking

Grade & Terrain

This trip is graded ‘moderate’ overall, as some days are easy, others can be more difficult in terms of distance and ascent/descent. You spend most of the time at elevations between 800 and 1,800 meters. The trail builders have created a beautiful, perfectly signposted long-distance hike on which you can discover a fascinating mountain world along close-to-nature paths. Although the route itself leads downhill, each daily stage still includes frequent smaller and larger climbs. There are no significant technical challenges on this tour.

Experience & Fitness

You can walk the Lech River Trail even as an inexperienced walker, but you should have a basic level of fitness, as four of the walking days include stages of more than 20 km in addition to the elevation changes. Walking times range between 4 and 8 hours, and the daily elevation differences between +80/+830 m and –200/–1000 m. However, you do not need any alpine experience. The character of the Lech River Trail “easy long-distance hiking through an Alpine region” guarantees a wonderful experience and has earned it recognition as a Quality Trail, a Top Trail of Austria, and a Leading Quality Trail of Europe. The final day, at 25 km, is the longest and most strenuous stage, but it can be shortened or made easier.

Accommodation & Meals

Accommodation Information

Stay in high-quality, friendly 3 and 4* hotels and guesthouses. Most come complete with a small ‘wellness’ area with pools and various kinds of sauna. A list of our preferred/usual accommodation choices is given below, however, these are subject to availability and particularly in peak season can be very much in demand. If unavailable then we will book you into accommodation of the same or a higher standard. Due to high demand, you can stay at alternative locations or at the same location for two nights during the summer months. Please be aware that twin & double rooms in Austria (Doppelzimmer in German) are typically 2 single mattresses side by side in one double bed frame with two separate duvet covers and pillows.

Single Rooms & Solo Walkers

This trip is available to solo walkers, and a supplement is payable as some of the costs are not shared. Single rooms are available should some of your party wish to have their own room and a single supplement is again then payable.

Meals

Continental breakfasts are included. This is usually in buffet form and there are many filling breakfast items available which are perfect for hikers; e.g. boiled eggs, ham, cheese, fresh bread and muesli. Lunch and dinner are not included so you are free to choose from the available options each day. Lunch can be picked up at local supermarkets or ‘Backerei’ along the way. Most accommodations will also be able to provide you with a packed lunch for the day, ask upon arrival (payable locally). Food in Austria and Bavaria is hearty and traditional, with meat and cheese being some of the dominant ingredients! Tiroler specialities include ‘Tiroler Gröstl’, a bacon, onion and potato fry-up topped with a fried egg, or ‘Kiachl’ a fried yeast dough pastry that can be served sweet or savoury. In Bavaria, sausage is king so be sure to try one of their specialities like ‘Weisswurst’. ’Käsespätzle’ is a kind of eggy pasta topped with melted cheese and sometimes crispy fried onion– it’s the ultimate comfort food! If you have any dietary requirements, please let us know at the time of booking.

Navigation What's Included

Included

9 nights in 3 and 4* hotels and guesthouses, most with sauna/spa
9 Breakfasts
Daily door to door luggage transfers
Route notes, maps, info pack, GPX tracks and access to our GPS smartphone app
24/7 telephone support from our German and UK offices

Excluded

Flights and travel to Lech and from Füssen
Lunches, dinners, drinks and snacks
Bus from Lech to Formarinsee on day 2
Travel Insurance
Taxi transfers or public transportation if you wish to shorten a walk
Personal expenses such as drinks, phone calls, extra transfers, tips, etc
Any items not specifically mentioned in the program

Extras

Additional nights during the holiday

When to go Travel & Transfers

Getting to the Start

Fly into Innsbruck or Zurich airport and then take a train to Langen am Arlberg (duration 1hr 20 and 2hr 15), then a bus to Lech am Arlberg (duration appr. 25 minutes). We can also organise direct transfers from Innsbruck airport to Lech (1 hr 30mins) upon request.

Getting from the End

In Füssen there is a train station and there are many connections to various other stations in South Germany, such as Munich (duration approx. 2 hrs) or Augsburg (duration 1h40) where you can continue your journey throughout Europe or to Munich Airport. Check the German Rail site for more info on trains: www.bahn.de.

Baggage Transfer

Your bag will be collected from your accommodation each day and moved onto your next accommodation. Please limit your luggage to one bag of up to 20kg per person. On this tour the baggage limit must be strictly adhered to. Overweight and additional pieces of luggage MUST be registered and paid for in advance (€10 per transfer per bag). Otherwise the luggage will not be transported by our supplier and will get left behind, and no one wants to get to the end of a long walk and find out their bags still back where they started from. If you would like to book an additional bag or extra weight then just let us know and we can assist you in aranging this.

At Macs Adventure, we work in partnership with many luggage transfer providers who set a limit on how many bags/suitcases they will transfer per person, and also the weight of the bag/suitcase. Your booking includes the transfer of 1 bag per person and the weight of your luggage allowed is specific to the destination you will be travelling to. This is why it’s very important that you read the luggage information specific to your tour before departure. This limitation can be a challenge, especially as airlines generally have limits that are higher. However, our luggage providers have reasons for these limits (usually due to the Health and Safety of their employees), which we must respect.

Info & FAQ

Travel Insurance

It is a requirement of booking this tour with Macs Adventure that you have suitable travel insurance which covers you for the activity and emergency evacuation and hospital care.