Unlock the Hidden Thrills of Hochtennbodensteig: Innsbruck’s High-Altitude Gem That Will Push Your Limits and Energize Your Soul

Ever tried convincing your older kids that a family vacation doesn’t have to be a total drag? It’s a fine line between thrilling adventure and sheer exhaustion, isn’t it? Well, Innsbruck might just be the secret weapon in the arsenal of any parent desperate to keep the holiday spirit alive without turning into a human puddle of fatigue. Our little jackpot? Tackling the Hochtennbodensteig trail in Axamer Lizum — a place where the scenery is majestic, wildlife encounters effortlessly charming, and mountain hospitality truly top-notch. If the South Tyrol is on your radar, this high-altitude hike is a must-add to your itinerary. Come along as I recount our day: from early morning buses cutting through the crisp alpine air, to a blissful sunlit lunch far above the clouds, this journey has all the ingredients for a memorable family adventure. LEARN MORE

Travelling with older children can be a bit of a balancing act. You want to find an itinerary that offers genuine adventure, and keeps them wanting to holiday with Mum and Dad, without it being an exhausting slog. Innsbruck ticks all the boxes for and, with a high-altitude hike of the Hochtennbodensteig trail in the Axamer Lizum region to the south-west of the city, we hit the absolute jackpot.

It had everything. Majestic landscapes, charming wildlife encounters and top-tier mountain hospitality. If you are haeding to the South Tyrol, make sure you look this one up! Here’s an account of how day unfolded, from catching the early morning buses, to enjoying a sunlit mountain lunch above the cloud line.

Getting there

One of the wonderful things about Innsbruck is how effortless it is to transfer from the city to rugged alpine terrain. Armed with our Welcome Card — which conveniently covers local public transport — we started bright and early from Innsbruck, catching the 404 bus to Axams Terminal Kögele before transferring to the dedicated Wanderbus 411 bound directly for Axamer Lizum.

This took us to the base station there where we were greeted by a cow that come down from the hills to drink from puddles on the car park. The ride had been a treat and the views, even from this level, were mesmerising.

Starting at Birgitzköpfl

From this point, we took the Birgitzköpfl button lift (chairlift) to gain quick elevation. Riding up through the cool morning breeze gave us a bird’s-eye view of the terrain below. As the lift gently pulled us up toward 2,000 meters, we could feel the temperature drop and watched the valley floor shrink away behind us.

The Hochtennbodensteig is known as a demanding, high-altitude trail with technical alpine stretches, so sturdy hiking boots with a decent tread are recommended, along with enough layers to keep you warm. It’s best to be prepared because the weather can change at short notice. For us, the weather stayed mostly favourable, but you’ll notice from tome of the other photographs that the cloud did come in from time to time.

On the trail

Stepping off at the top station around 2,055 meters above sea level, we began our hike enjoying magnificent views from the trail.

We’re remindeed of how conditions can be very different in winter as we pass a plaque commerorating a photographer who tragically died in the area in the early 1970s, at the age of just 41.

There are multiple avalanche defence constructions in place along this section of the walk.

The weather played a captivating game with us all morning. For much of the walk, conditions were crisp, dry, and wonderfully pleasant. However, every so often, atmospheric clouds would drift upward from the valley below, sweeping across the trail and temporarily enveloping the jagged limestone peaks around us in a quiet, white mist.

Just as quickly, a gentle breeze would clear the skies, suddenly revealing bathed-in-sunlight mountain vistas.

As we navigated the rocky paths and gentle undulating contours of the trail, we were treated to a delightful parade of alpine livestock. First, we had to give a wide berth to cows that were also enjoying the trail (to be fair, they were grazing peacefully and unfased by passing hikers), and then later we encountered some goats.

We condinued to navigate the somewhat demanding – but perfectly-manageable – ridge-line terrain of the Hochtennbodensteig, and here is a series of photographs to give you an idea of what you can expect in terms of terrain, changeable weather and flora.

Finally our path led us to our final destination: the iconic Hoadl-Haus restaurant, perched proudly at 2,340 meters above sea level.

Reaching the summit

Toward the higher stretch of our route, we had the magical experience of meeting a group of rugged alpine horses roaming free across the high plateau. Watching these majestic animals stand stoic against the backdrop of drifting mountain clouds was quite a highlight.

Sitting at over 2,300 meters, Hoadl-Haus boasts one of the most remarkable panoramic settings in the Tyrolean Alps. This was certainly a lunch with a view!

From our table, we soaked in sweeping views of the Inn Valley and Innsbruck, as well as the Kalkkögel Range that towered right beside us, sometimes called the “Dolomites of North Tyrol”.

We fueled up on rich, traditional Austrian mountain fare before sinking into the comfortable wellness loungers and sunbeds spread across the outdoor terrace, basking in the high-altitude sunshine and crisp mountain air.

Descending via the Hoadlbahn cable car

We were tempted to take the steep descent on foot down the Damenabfahrt, for no other reason than there was the possibility of spotting chamois or marmots on the way down, but instead opted to enjoy the experience of the Hoadlbahn cable car, taking in one last panoramic view as we glided smoothly down to the base station at Axamer Lizum.

Once at the bottom, it was a simple matter of catching the same two buses back to Innsbruck. .Whether you’re traveling with family, adult children, or solo, the Hochtennbodensteig trail delivers an ideal mix of alpine challenge, dramatic mist-and-sun scenery, friendly mountain animals, and world-class scenery. Add it to your Innsbruck itinerary — you won’t regret it!

Disclosure: Our trip was sponsored by Innsbruck Tourism.

Paul Johnson

Paul Johnson is Editor of A Luxury Travel Blog and has worked in the travel industry for more than 30 years. He is Winner of the Innovations in Travel ‘Best Travel Influencer’ Award from WIRED magazine. In addition to other awards, the blog has also been voted “one of the world’s best travel blogs” and “best for luxury” by The Telegraph.

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