Trek from Kufstein to the Emperor Mountains

Intermediate. Between 5 and 6 hours 30 minutes of walking and/or between 600 and 1090m of ascent and between 500 and 1200m of descent per day. Few technical sections, with a mix of tracks and trails. Some high-altitude passes.

Traditional hotels and inns, in rooms for 2, with Austrian standards of comfort and duvets. Showers and toilets are sometimes shared on the same floor, but are generally in the rooms.
Please note: in Austria, few rooms have 2 separate beds. Instead, they usually have centrally positioned beds consisting of 2 twin beds pushed together, with separate mattresses and duvets. Guests booking individually share rooms for 2 people unless they request the single-room supplement.

Hot dinners and breakfasts served by our hosts. Picnic lunches and snacks for the trail, balanced and suited to mountain walking.
Please let us know about any food allergies or special dietary requirements when booking; we will do our best to adapt your meals

No luggage to carry: you only carry a small daypack with your belongings for the day and your picnic lunch. Your luggage will be waiting for you each evening at the end of the day’s walk.

Guiding

A French mountain walking guide with a state-recognised qualification.

From 6 to 14 people.

Private groups
(Friends, works councils, associations, walking clubs or local authorities, etc.) For groups of 7 participants or more, contact Kristiina or Thomas. They are available to advise you on your plans and prepare a tailored quote based on your preferences, group size, dates and length of stay.

Meeting point / End of trip

On Day 1, Sunday, at 17:30 in Kufstein

On Day 6, Saturday, at around 16:00 in Kufstein

By air

Direct flights from Paris to Munich, then a train to Kufstein.
For timetables and tickets:

• Air France or call 0892702654
• Lufthansa or call 0892231690
• Eurowings or call 0892390158
• Vueling or call 0034931518158

Example outbound flight times from Paris to Munich:
Lufthansa flights - Depart Paris CDG at 09:10 > Arrive in Munich at 10:35
Travel from Munich Airport to Munich railway station on the Lufthansa Express Bus.
The journey takes approximately 45 minutes (cost approximately 10,50 €).
For more information, see Lufthansa Express Bus Munich (in English)

Example return flight times from Munich to Paris:
Lufthansa flights - Depart Munich at 18:10 > Arrive at Paris CDG at 19:45

By train

Train from Paris to Kufstein via Mannheim or Stuttgart.
For timetables and tickets:

• OUI.sncf or by phone on 3635
• Deutsche Bahn (German railways) or by phone on 0170385098
• ÖBB (in English) (Austrian railways)

Sample timetables (for guidance only; check on www.oebb.at):

Departing from Paris (times subject to change; check online)

• Outbound:

Paris Est 6:54 – Stuttgart 10:04 / 10:14 – Munich 12:26 / 12:43 – Kufstein 13:58

Paris Est 9:06 – Mannheim 12:17 / 12:30 – Munich 15:13 / 15:34 – Kufstein 16:34

• Return:

Kufstein 15:26 – Munich 16:27 / 16:45 – Mannheim 18:43 / 18:52 – Paris Est 22:06

Departing from Lyon (times subject to change; check online)

• Outbound:

Lyon Part Dieu 10:04 – Mulhouse 12:50 / 13:04 – Zurich 14:26 / 14:40 – Kufstein 18:51

• Return:

We recommend spending 1 extra night in Kufstein and taking the train the following morning:
Kufstein 07:09 – Zurich 11:20 / 11:34 – Mulhouse 12:57 / 13:57 – Lyon Part Dieu 16:56

Bus from Paris to Munich, then a train to Kufstein.
For information on timetables and tickets:

• Flixbus: 0176360412
• Blablabus: 0170968640

Sample timetables for guidance only – check before you travel:

Outbound Paris – Munich:
Flixbus bus: Departs Paris Bercy 07:15 > Arrives Munich 19:10.

Return Munich - Paris:
Flixbus bus: Departs Munich 05:20 > Arrives Bercy 17:25.

You can check your route on ViaMichelin, Mappy or Google Maps.

• Kaiserlift (at the base of the cable car)

Outside the town, along the route of the trip’s first hike (Day 2)
10 minutes by car and 30 minutes on foot from Hotel Gisela

Open-air, unattended car park where you can leave your car free of charge for 1 week, according to information from the Kufstein Tourist Office.

Prices are for guidance only, and Grand Angle cannot be held responsible for them. We do not make parking reservations.

Member of Agir pour un Tourisme Responsable (ATR)

Since 2012, Grand Angle has been a member of ATR, the leading association for more responsible tourism. We design our trips – on foot, by bike and on snow – to invite everyone to discover the world differently: with curiosity, respect and kindness.

As a member of the board of directors since 2018, we actively help the sector develop more meaningful practices. In practical terms, we are committed to:

• Transparency in our practices and prices
• Respect for our partners and local communities
• Protecting the environment on every trip

We also share the values of the Traveller’s Ethical Charter, which encourages everyone to take simple steps to protect the places they visit and enjoy rewarding encounters.

Travelife Partner

Since 2025, Grand Angle has been recognised as a Travelife Partner, an international label that certifies our responsible environmental, ethical and sustainable management practices, both within our company and in our work with partners and the organisation of our trips.

This label, the second level of a rigorous international certification scheme, recognises our practical efforts to promote responsible tourism. We are actively working towards the next level, Travelife Certified, in line with our sustainability policy

In this section, you will find links to products from our partner Alpinstore, a French online retailer specialising in outdoor equipment, based in Annecy.

Carrying your belongings

• A comfortable 30 to 50 L backpack with a hip belt to carry your personal belongings and picnic lunch during the day
• A bag for luggage transfers: a backpack, a travel bag in good condition, or a suitcase that is not too bulky. One bag per person, with a 15 kg weight limit

Find out how to pack your hiking backpack in our magazine.

For hiking

For maximum comfort, choose a layered clothing system: warm base layers (leggings and a top) such as “Carline” or “Capilene” (hollow fibres that wick away perspiration), plus a fleece jumper or jacket, plus a mountain jacket and overtrousers with a waterproof, breathable membrane (such as Gore-Tex or equivalent) for bad weather. In general, except in hot climates and countries, avoid cotton, which traps moisture close to the body and dries slowly, and opt for suitable synthetic fabrics instead.

• Hiking boots with ankle support, a sturdy heel counter, a well-treaded sole and good waterproofing
• Comfortable hiking socks (at least 3 pairs)
• A fleece
• Comfortable walking trousers made from quick-drying technical fabric
• Comfortable shorts made from technical fabric
• T-shirts or technical base layers made from quick-drying fabric
• A long-sleeved shirt
• Walking poles (telescopic), which are very important for making walking easier. Discover all the benefits of hiking poles in our dedicated article, or how to choose your hiking poles

Note: synthetic technical clothing performs very well. New merino wool clothing is also available; it performs very well, is comfortable to wear and has the added benefit of resisting odours from perspiration!

For your picnic lunch

• Your eating kit: a plastic bowl, container or plate, and cutlery (spoon, fork and knife)
• 1 or 2 water bottles (a total capacity of at least 1,5 L) – essential –; an insulated flask for winter

Protection from sun and rain

• Sunscreen (high protection)
• Sunglasses
• A hat, cap or bucket hat
• A rain poncho or a waterproof jacket such as a softshell or Gore-Tex jacket, and optionally waterproof trousers

After your hike

• A pair of running-style trainers for the evening
• Spare clothes and underwear
• Toiletry bag and a small towel
• Swimwear and a towel for wellness facilities (if specified) or swimming
• A small first-aid kit: personal medication, surgical masks, hand sanitiser, plasters, sterile dressings and a bandage, gauze, disinfectant, arnica granules and aspirin, etc. (Please note that this list is not exhaustive and should be adapted to your own medical needs.)

Find these tips in our article “What to take with you on a hike”.

This list is for guidance only and should be adapted to your trip and the season in which you are travelling.

Austrian National Tourist Office
Telephone number: 0800941921. Visit www.austria.info/fr

A valid French, Belgian or Swiss identity card or passport. Canadians must bring their passport but do not need a visa. Since 2012, children have been required to have their own identity card or passport.

Health

Apply for a European Health Insurance Card at your social security office (or through its website), which will send it to you within about two weeks. This is a blue plastic card in the same format as the French Carte Vitale health insurance card. It is valid for one year, free of charge and personal (each family member must have their own, including children). This card confirms your entitlement to health insurance and allows you to receive cover for medically necessary care during a temporary stay in Europe, regardless of the reason for your trip, provided you follow the procedures in force in the country you are visiting. Please note that the card is not valid for care provided in private facilities.

Austria is a country with several different climatic influences: a continental climate in the north, and an alpine climate in the high mountain ranges of the west, with very large temperature variations and heavy snowfall. The east, which borders the Hungarian plain, is characterised by a short spring and a dry, pleasant autumn. In Vienna, temperatures can exceed 35 °C during a heatwave.

The euro
The best option is to withdraw cash from ATMs using an international payment card as you need it. ATMs are widely available. For Swiss and Canadian travellers, currency exchange offices can be found at airports, border crossings and railway stations in major cities. As a rule, there is no longer a commission for withdrawing euros from ATMs if your account is in the eurozone; check with your bank if this is not the case.

The same time as in France

From France to Austria: 00 + 43 + city dialling code + the recipient’s number.
From Germany to France: 00 + 33 + the recipient’s 9-digit number (omit the 0).

Austria

• “The Complete Guide to Austria”, Bibliothèque du Voyageur, Gallimard Editions.
• “Blue Guide”, Austria, Hachette Editions.
• “Impressions of Austria”, Pingin Editions.
• “Austria”, Minerva Guide.

Kufstein, Kaisergebirge, Kitzbühel, Freytag Editions, scale 1:50000