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The Zugspitze Circuit

Circumnavigate Germany's highest peak on the Zugspitze Circuit, a cozy inn-to-inn hike, exploring alpine gorges, crystal-clear lakes, and valleys.

Starting point

Garmisch-Partenkirchen

Finish point

Garmisch-Partenkirchen

Duration

7 days / 6 nights

Season

From May to October

Technical level

2/5

Fitness level

3/5

Tour type

Inn-to-Inn

Number of people

2

Choose your style

Secure your spot with no risk - free cancellation in the next 48 hours
  • Walk through the iconic Partnach Gorge with rushing waterfalls and narrow rock walls
  • Explore the serene Leutasch Valley framed by the towering Wetterstein mountains
  • Cross into Austria on a scenic trail through the dramatic Leutasch Gorge
  • Enjoy panoramic views of Zugspitze from the tranquil shores of Eibsee
  • Indulge in traditional Bavarian cuisine like dumplings, sausages, and fresh mountain cheeses
  • Traverse lush valleys and alpine meadows, tranquil forests and crystal-clear mountain lakes

What’s included in the price?

Self-guided

5 nights in 3-star hotels with breakfast
1 night in a mountain hut with half-board
Digital guidebook with itinerary, route instructions, and practical information
GPS navigation with an easy-to-use app
Tour design and organization
Service and support during your hike

NOT INCLUDED

Tourist tax

What to bring to the tour

  • Hiking shoes/boots
  • 25 to 45-liter backpack
  • Base layer
  • Sports T-shirts
  • Hiking shorts
  • Hiking water-repellent pants
  • Waterproof jacket
  • Midlayer
  • Sports socks and underwear
  • Leisurewear for evenings
  • Down jacket
  • Gloves
  • Shade hat/cap
  • Warm headwear
  • Sunscreen
  • Sunglasses
  • Headlamp
  • Hiking poles
  • ID card or passport
  • Snacks
  • Cash
  • Water bottles or hydration pack
  • Sleeping liner
  • Toiletries
  • Toilet paper
  • Small first aid kit

The Zugspitze Circuit offers a captivating journey around Germany's highest mountain, Zugspitze, combining the serenity of alpine valleys with the thrill of mountain landscapes.

This hike is designed for those looking to enjoy scenic walking without the challenges of steep, technical climbs, as it stays within the lower altitude paths that circle Zugspitze.

The circuit starts and ends in the charming alpine town of Garmisch-Partenkirchen, renowned for its blend of Bavarian history and stunning mountain views. From there, you'll venture on an inn-to-inn adventure, taking you through diverse landscapes such as lush valleys, alpine pastures, mountain gorges, and tranquil lakeshores.

One of the highlights of the journey is the famous Partnach Gorge, where the trail runs through narrow crevices with the sound of rushing water echoing between towering rock walls.

Other key attractions include crossing into Austria to explore the impressive Leutasch Gorge, as well as relaxing in the picturesque Leutasch Valley surrounded by the peaks of the Wetterstein massif.

Despite being a relatively easy hike compared to more rugged hut-to-hut trails, the Zugspitze Circuit still offers breathtaking alpine scenery. With the added option to summit Zugspitze via a gondola ride from Eibsee, hikers can experience panoramic views stretching across Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and Italy.

Accommodations are largely in comfortable valley hotels, with one night spent in a traditional mountain hut, offering a perfect balance between comfort and the rustic alpine experience.

Our services ensure that all logistics are taken care of, from booking accommodations to offering detailed maps, GPS navigation, and customer support. Additionally, we can arrange luggage transfers, making this an ideal choice for hikers looking for a seamless and enjoyable alpine experience.

Map

Frequently Asked Questions

Of course. We aim to make your decision as easy as possible. Therefore, we crafted several selections targeted at particular groups of hikers – Best for Beginners, Best for Advanced Hikers, Mountain Hikes, Pilgrimages, Classic Treks, etc. 


If you remain unsure and overwhelmed, you can fill out this form or book a call with us, and we can help you directly.

Carly Leonard's profile photo

Carly Leonard

Verifed customer

My friend and I went with Triglav Tours for a 3 day, 2 night hike this summer and had the most amazing time!! Our guide, Bine, was awesome and had lots of cool facts to share about the area we were hiking. Additionally, my friend and I had not completed such a technical hike before and the guide and other guests were very patient with us and encouraging, ensuring we felt safe the entire time. The overnights were also such a fun way to get to know Bine, the other guests, and other hikers as well. Cannot recommend Triglav tours enough!!!

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Michael White's profile photo

Michael White

Verifed customer

I arranged a six-day/five-night trip with Hut to Hut Slovenia. It's the first time I've gone with a tour organizer and I can say it went really well. In the past I've arranged huts myself and it is a huge hassle figuring out how to make the bookings, if the bookings actually exist, and what good/viable routes might be. Having this all sort was, at least to me, totally worth it. The routing is via Ride with GPS, which was great. I'd recommend bringing 1:25,000 scale paper maps as a backup, just in case. The huts themselves differ wildly. Some are really rustic with, ahem, interesting toilet facilities. One was accessible by road and thus had showers, a long menu, and even espresso. All will have some sort of food, but you might only have two options for dinner (one with meat, one vegetarian). The cuisine in the Slovenian huts leans strongly to stews and goulashes with minimal fresh vegetables and/or fruit. Certainly good and hearty but pretty much everyone I talked to said the food was better in the Italian and Austrian huts. Some huts are cash only, some take cards (but the card reader might be down). A 1.5 litre bottle of water is about 6 euro, so if you have a beer with dinner and also buy lunch you need to carry about 25-30 euro per day in cash (assuming you have a booking that includes breakfast). Of the six days of hiking, four were ridiculously spectacular, with the highlight being sunrise from Mt Stol. Getting up to the high mountains, though, can be crazy steep, with switchbacks only sparsely used. Descents are similarly tough, and you have to watch every step. For the first time ever I used trekking poles and my knees thank me. Two days were a bit of a slog, but this is probably unavoidable getting up to or down from the high terrain. Would I do something like this again? Yes, absolutely! But next time it will probably be the Dolomites.

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Roman Klymenko's profile photo

Roman Klymenko

Verifed customer

Very beautiful hike. I did not expect that Slovenia is so amazing.

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Dominik Schrotter's profile photo

Dominik Schrotter

Verifed customer

We had a great day with Klemen on this hike, he showed us some lesser known spots/highlights of the southern part of the julian alps with a nice viewpoint at the end. 10/10 would book again

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Birgit Kindler's profile photo

Birgit Kindler

Verifed customer

We had a lovely hike today with our guide Klemen. He personalized the tour on our needs and interests, so that we saw places we wouldn't without his experience. The hike was a little bit slippery after the rain from the last days and it went a lot upwards, but it was totally worth it! Thanks again :)

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Gisela Irion's profile photo

Gisela Irion

Verifed customer

Tina and her team gave me perfect support on my hut hike through the Triglav National Park in July. In particular, they had to cater to my specific needs twice, which they did for me with no problem. I once had to cancel at short notice before the start of the trip because my father was not feeling well, but then we found a solution and I was able to start the hike. Tina and team first canceled the huts immediately and then reserved them again for me. Even when my condition caused a little tour change again, I immediately had suggestions and these were immediately available in the Trip plans app. I liked this app very much because it was easy to handle and the huttohut-team gave a short overview how the daily tour will be and which highlights – mostly beautiful views – I will see“

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Self-guided

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From 1.049 € /person