German & Austrian Alps Home Base Hiking & Walking Tour
Couples, Friends & Solos
5 days
4 nights
Activity Levels 2-4
Premiere Hotels
German & Austrian Alps Home Base Hiking & Walking Tour
Couples, Friends & Solos
5 days
4 nights
Activity Levels 2-4
Premiere Hotels
2026: May-Sep
A Singular Hotel Experience in Bavaria's Elmau Valley
The Alps are awe-inspiring, yet somehow sheltering. The sound of that church bell; the light in that tavern window seems to beckon. So unpack your bags. Stay a while. This is some home away from home.
Highlights
- Hop between countries for hikes in Bavaria and Tyrol—a cable car hanging above Germany’s highest peak makes for an unforgettable border crossing!
- Swim turquoise mountain lakes and traverse boardwalks in a sheer-walled river canyon
- Visit the Disney-like turrets of world-famous Neuschwanstein Castle
- Bavarian culture shines through in mountain hut meals and colorful medieval towns
- At our luxe retreat, spend the week relaxing like royalty
Start Innsbruck, Austria
End Munich, Germany
* Start/End locations may vary. Do not book flights until your trip details are confirmed.
Itinerary
Day 1
Begin your adventure in Austria’s imperial Innsbruck • Take a gondola high up the mountain and hike a sweeping ridge trail with views of the Inn River Valley • Lunch awaits at a cozy trailside mountain hut • Arrive at our luxury hideaway for the week, nestled in the green pastures of the Elmau Valley beneath rocky peaks.
Nights 1-4
Relaxation comes easy at this elegant hideaway in the Bavarian Alps. Built in 1916 as an eccentric castle-like manor, the property boasts its own library, bookstore, concert hall and hammam—as well as less tangible bragging rights, such as being the only venue ever to host the G7 Summit twice. A Leading Hotels of the World member. (pool, spa)
Day 2
Check out the Olympic stadium where 1936 Winter Olympic ski jumpers took flight • Make your way to Partnach Gorge, home to a series of walkways and tunnels through a deep narrow crevasse in the mountain • Marvel as the other side of the gorge opens up to a beautiful landscape of alpine meadows and jagged peaks • Enjoy lunch on the trail and an optional afternoon hike • Stroll the village center of historic Garmisch-Partenkirchen with a local guide, then sit down to a Stammtisch (cultural round table) before a cozy tavern dinner.
Nights 1-4
Relaxation comes easy at this elegant hideaway in the Bavarian Alps. Built in 1916 as an eccentric castle-like manor, the property boasts its own library, bookstore, concert hall and hammam—as well as less tangible bragging rights, such as being the only venue ever to host the G7 Summit twice. A Leading Hotels of the World member. (pool, spa)
Day 3
Get sky-high in a cable car on Germany’s highest peak, the Zugspitze (weather permitting) • Take in majestic 360-degree views and put a toe into Austria at the countries’ highest border crossing • A lakeside hike around turquoise Eibsee leads to enticing swimming spots • Explore Schloss Elmau’s wonderland of saunas and spa facilities • Relax over dinner at your leisure in one of the castle’s several dining rooms.
Nights 1-4
Relaxation comes easy at this elegant hideaway in the Bavarian Alps. Built in 1916 as an eccentric castle-like manor, the property boasts its own library, bookstore, concert hall and hammam—as well as less tangible bragging rights, such as being the only venue ever to host the G7 Summit twice. A Leading Hotels of the World member. (pool, spa)
Days 4-5
Explore Mittenwald, considered by many to be the prettiest town in Bavaria with its well-preserved 18th-century buildings and frescos • Hike between the narrow walls of the Leutasch Gorge • Feel part of a fairy tale when you set sights on iconic Neuschwanstein Castle, famed as the inspiration for Walt Disney’s Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty castles • End your trip in welcoming Munich, with its green parks and festive biergartens.
Nights 1-4
Relaxation comes easy at this elegant hideaway in the Bavarian Alps. Built in 1916 as an eccentric castle-like manor, the property boasts its own library, bookstore, concert hall and hammam—as well as less tangible bragging rights, such as being the only venue ever to host the G7 Summit twice. A Leading Hotels of the World member. (pool, spa)
What's Included
See moreStraight Talk
We want to make sure you're on the trip that's right for you. Every Backroads trip is unique and this one is no exception.
Schloss Elmau’s Retreat wing, where we stay on this trip, is a Premiere accommodation with outstanding service and amenities. However, please note that its rooms are equipped with an eco-friendly air cooling system, which won’t manage the region’s rare periods of hot temperatures as aggressively as the air-conditioning you may be used to.
Hotels
Backroads Home Base
One luxurious Premiere hotel. A world of adventure right outside your door.
Nights 1-4
Premiere Hotel
Relaxation comes easy at this elegant hideaway in the Bavarian Alps. Built in 1916 as an eccentric castle-like manor, the property boasts its own library, bookstore, concert hall and hammam—as well as less tangible bragging rights, such as being the only venue ever to host the G7 Summit twice. A Leading Hotels of the World member. (pool, spa)
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Dates & Prices
Dates & Prices
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