Dachstein circular hiking trail

the route for explorers
7 days / 6 nights
  • with luggage transfer
  • with overnight stay in a hut
  • daily arrival possible

At 2,995 metres, the main summit of the Dachstein Mountains is one of the highest elevations in the Northern Alps. The Dachstein is extremely formative for the emergence of the Salzkammergut. A large part of the Salzkammergut lakes are former glacial lakes of the Dachstein Glacier. With the first ascent of the Hohe Dachstein on 18.7.1834, the tourist success story of mountaineering in this region began. A little later, Friedrich Simony built the world's first via ferrata here. In the middle of the last century, the cable car was built. The tour described here also uses the cable car as an ascent aid. This tour harmoniously combines scenic highlights and differences in altitude. Look forward to a charming hiking trip through diverse landscapes and the encounter with a true "mountain personality"!

The course of your hiking tour:

Day 1: Individual arrival in Ramsau am Dachstein.

Handover of the travel documents at the hotel.

Overnight stay in Ramsau am Dachstein

Day 2: Hike to the Guttenberghaus via 2 variants

Walk from the hotel over the Ramsau plateau and ascent on trail 616 to Guttenberg lodge. Recommended in cloudy and foggy weather conditions.
~6,5 km, 4-5 hrs, altitude difference ascent 1044 m / descent 69 m

Ascent by cable car to the Dachstein glacier (to be paid on spot). High altitude hike on trail 674 to Guttenberg lodge
~9,5 km, 4-5 hrs, altitude difference ascent 264 m / descent 861 m

Overnight stay at Guttenberg lodge.

Luggage transfer from Ramsau to Groebming where you spend the following night (Overnight backpack and hut sleeping bag’ for the night at the Guttenberg lodge have to be carried by yourself)

ATTENTION: If you decide to take the route via the Dachstein Glacier it is very important to make a reservation for your gondola ride here: www.derdachstein.at/en - at minimum 1 week in advance. Otherwise the gondola could be fully booked.
For the reservation guests are responsible for themselves.

Day 3: High altitude hike from Guttenberg lodge over the plateau “Am Stein” and Grafenbergalm to the Stoderzinken.

~13 km, 6 hrs, altitude difference ascent 552 m / descent 860 m

Overnight stay at the Steiner Haus above Groebming.

Day 4: Hike from the Stoderzinken to Bad Mitterndorf

Hike from the Stoderzinken past the Notgasse (rock gorge with up to 2000 year old chiselled rock art) to the Viehbergalm and further over the Hochmuehleck to the Steinitzenalm.

Descent to Bad Mitterndorf and overnight in Bad Mitterndorf.

~22 km, 7 hrs, altitude difference ascent 627 m / descent 1590 m

Luggage transfer from Groebming to Bad Mitterndorf

Day 5: Through the Koppen valley to Hallstatt

By train from Bad Mitterndorf to Bad Aussee. Hike through the Koppen valley along the Traun River to Obertraun and to the train station of Hallstatt. We recommend a visit of the Koppenbrüller Cave in this area. Ferry ride to Hallstatt.
~15 km, 4-5 hrs, altitude difference ascent 166 m / descent 286 m
Overnight stay in Hallstatt

Luggage transfer from Bad Mitterndorf to Hallstatt

Day 6: Crossing the salt mountain to Gosau

Take the Salzberg funicular railway from Hallstatt Lahn to the entrance of the salt mine “Hallstaetter Salzwelten”, further beneath Mount Plassen to the Rossalm and Gosau
~13 km, 6 h, altitude difference ascent/descent: 817/902 m
Overnight stay in Gosau.

Luggage transport from Hallstatt to Gosau.

Day 7: Individual departure

or transfer from Gosau to Ramsau, the starting point of the tour.

Requirements and General Information

During the tour around the Dachstein you are mostly in high alpine terrain. Appropriate mountain equipment and endurance are therefore a prerequisite. The necessary equipment includes: mountain boots, functional clothing, backpack, water and food, rain and sun protection, warm clothing – even in midsummer temperature drops are possible, hat, warm gloves, first aid package, mobile phone, possibly hiking poles, etc. Your route is immortalized by your entry in every hut book in the Dachstein Mountains. The paths are well signposted, but markings may be obscured by remaining snow. Maps and the Dachstein hiking book must therefore be carried along. Accompanied by an experienced hiking guide on request.

Arrangement

6x
Overnight stay with breakfast
(5 x ***inns/hotel, 1 x in hut – double rooms or communal bunks, hut sleeping bags* mandatory)
1x
welcome video with explanations and information you need for this tour
1x
Schladming-Dachstein Summer Card (for the overnight stay in Ramsau)
1x
Train ticket Bad Mitterndorf/ Pichl Kainisch to Bad Aussee
1x
Ferry from Hallstatt train station to Hallstatt markt
1x
Ascent with the Salt mountain funicular railway
1x
Dachstein hiking guide book + extra tour map (1 x per room)
4x
luggage transfer - max. 2 pcs./person and max. 25 kg/piece of luggage
+
Daily service hotline from 8.00 am to 6.00 pm (also on weekends)
+
A Tree for your booking – for every hiking tour booked with us a tree is planted

Rates per person and arrangement in €:

  15.06. - 02.10.25
***hotel/inn in double room (communal bunks in hut) 830,00
Supplement half board (min. 2 course dinner in inns/hotels and partly also in huts otherwise 1 course hikers-meal in huts) 222,00
Supplement 5 x single room (communal bunks in huts) 185,00
   
Supplement for transfer Gosau – Ramsau / 1-4 persons 270,00
Supplement per additional person 22,00
   
Additional night double room with breakfast 72,00
Additional night double room in Hallstatt with breakfast 82,00
Additional night supplement for half board 25,00
Additional night supplement for single room (except Hallstatt) 22,00
Day of arrival Daily
Mountain guide On request

The local tax, also known as visitor's tax, is payable locally to the landlord; the amount depends on the resort and is between 1,00€ and 4,00€ per person per night. Children up to the age of 15 are usually exempt.

Notes on staying at an Alpine lodge:

  • *Hut sleeping bag: blankets are available in the huts; necessary but mandatory is only a lightweight cotton/silk sleeping bag liner
  • Due to their location, not all huts can offer running water, hot water or showers. In some cases there is also no flushing system in the toilets.
  • On most huts, card payment is not possible. Take enough cash with you for food and drinks.

Become a sponsor of Austrian mountain rescue and enjoy the comprehensive rescue protection: www.bergrettung-ooe.at/en/foerderer-werden

Dogs are welcome - on request. Extra charge on site. In Austria there is a general leash and muzzle obligation!

The standard terms and conditions of the Salzkammergut Touristik GmbH apply in the current version.

Rates and operating hours / timetables are subject to change

Our recommendations:
Get a travel cancellation insurance.

Informationen

For environmental reasons, we recommend arriving and departing by public transport (train/bus). We are happy to help you organise your train journey within Austria. Talk to us!

"A tree for your booking" – Cooperation project with Austrian Federal Forests

For every bike or hiking tour in the region booked with us, a tree is planted in the Weißenbach valley – near Bad Ischl. With this campaign we want to generate awareness for climate-friendly travel and take responsibility for a world worth living in.

The UNESCO World Heritage List currently lists 1,154 natural and cultural sites from 167 countries worldwide. The excellent cultural and natural monuments have an extraordinary universal value that must be preserved in the long term. Austria is represented with 10 World Heritage Sites.

The ‘Dachstein circular hiking trail’ opens up the scenic beauty and diversity of the Dachstein, the "showpiece of the northern limestone Alps", in 8 daily stages. In manageable daily stages, without rope and climbing equipment, with walking times between four and seven hours, the scenic diversity of the mountain range can be experienced hiking.

Level of difficulty
Daily stages with up to 1800 metres of ascent - Ø 8-18 hours walking time - extremely difficult terrain: Trails with very large obstacles. Only for trained hikers.

For questions we are available.

Salzkammergut Touristik GmbH

Götzstraße 12

4820 Bad Ischl


Tel.: 0043 (0)6132 24000-51

office@salzkammergut.co.at