Beginner hut to hut hike in Austria: A family-friendly route in Carinthia

The Millstätter Hohensteig in Carinthia is an excellent choice if you’re after a beginner hut to hut hike in Austria; whether you’re hiking with younger kids or just want a gentle first taste of Austria’s hut system. It’s a short three day, two night route with easy access, well marked trails, and the option to cut it short if needed.

This section of trail forms part of the Alpe-Adria long-distance trail, so the route is very well signposted and easy to follow – ideal for first-timers.

We walked it in August 2025 with our kids (11 and 13), but I’d happily have done it when they were much younger. The route is fairly low altitude and includes two very different but equally welcoming mountain huts.

🟢 If you’re not familiar with Alpine mountain huts, “hut” doesn’t really do them justice – they’re more like comfy, rustic lodges, with a full menu for lunch and dinner and a buffet breakfast served daily.

One is a traditional Alpenverein hut, which is very family friendly, with cows, donkeys, pigs and a mud kitchen, and the other more like a small guesthouse, complete with a lovely terrace with ride-on toys outside and a couple of fluffy sheep. You can even find Bohemian garnet along the trail!

It’s a great introduction to multi-day hiking in Austria; especially if you want a taste of the hut experience without taking on big climbs or long days.

Quick route overview

🎬 60-second look at this perfect beginner hut to hut hike in Austria

Get a quick feel for the terrain, huts and views. Full route and booking info below!

Here’s a snapshot of the Millstätter Hohensteig route; a beginner hut to hut hike in Austria which is ideal for beginner adults and families with younger kids who want an easy start to hut to hut hiking in Austria.

• 📅 Days: 3 days, 2 nights
• 🚶‍♀️ Distance: ~23 km total
• ↗️ Total elevation gain: 1,180 m
• ↘️ Total elevation loss: 880 m
• ⏱️ Daily hiking time: 2 – 6 hours
• 🏁 Start & finish: Pichlhütte → Lammersdorferhütte
• 🎒 Difficulty: Easy to moderate – good trails, short stages
• 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Best for: Families with kids aged 6+, first-time hut hikers, cautious beginners
• 📅 When to go: May to October (works well in shoulder season as it’s fairly low altitude, but do check hut opening and closing dates)
• ✨ Highlights:
  • Wonderful views of the Millstätter Lake
  • Garnet collecting along the trail
  • Mud kitchens, animals, and ride-on toys at the huts
  • Option to take in four summit crosses for extra challenge or to skip them for small kids
  • No car needed — use the Nockmobil service (info on this below)

How to get there

One of the best things about this hut to hut route is how easy it is to reach, even without a car. The Millstätter Hohensteig runs above the northern shore of the Millstättersee in Carinthia, with excellent public transport links from across Austria and beyond.

🚆 By train: The nearest major station is Spittal-Millstättersee, which is well connected by regional and long-distance trains from Salzburg, Vienna, and beyond. From the station, take a local bus (number 5140) or book a Nockmobil (more on that below) to reach the lake towns; I recommend spending the night in Seeboden or Millstatt before starting the hike.

✈️ By air: Fly into Klagenfurt (closest) or Salzburg. From either airport, make your way to the train station, and take the train to Spittal-Millstättersee and continue as above.

🚙 By car: It’s easiest to leave your car in the valley; ideally at your accommodation in one of the lake towns. That way, you can park once and return to your base after the hike. We recommend staying overnight before you begin, then taking the Nockmobil (see below) to the start point at Pichlhütte, and booking another pickup from Lammersdorferhütte back to town at the end.

Getting around – the Nockmobil 🚌

The Nockmobil is local on-demand shuttle which works like a mash-up between a bus and a taxi. You book on the app or by phone, choose from fixed pickup points (over 650 of them – see map), and pay a set fee to your driver by card or cash.

We paid around €35 per journey from Seeboden to the Pichlhütte, and then from the Lammersdorferhütte back to Seeboden for a family of four. These huts are fairly off the beaten path, and involved small roads winding up or down the mountains, one of which was a toll road, so it felt like a real bargain and much easier than driving ourselves!

Both our drivers were excellent; careful, friendly (though not much English!), and made the experience feel really smooth. You’ll need to book at least 60 minutes in advance, but it’s a brilliant way to do this route without needing a car.

🛏️ Where to stay before your hike

We recommend spending the night in Seeboden or Millstatt before starting your hike. Both towns sit right on the Millstätter Lake and are well located for accessing the trailhead.

We stayed in Seeboden, which worked brilliantly; easy access to the lake for a swim, plenty of restaurants, and a relaxed, holiday atmosphere.

🍽️ Where to eat in Seeboden

We ate at both of these during our stay and can happily recommend them:

• Pizzeria Habe d’Ehre 🍕
  Friendly, casual, and reliably good pizza — great with kids.
• Bachlwirt 🍖
  Traditional Austrian food done right. Try the fish, schnitzel or Käsespätzle.

Navigation and maps

This is a great route for beginners because it’s well marked, easy to follow, and doesn’t require advanced navigation skills. This stretch is also part of the Alpe-Adria long-distance trail, which means the signage is excellent and frequent. Having said that, it’s always worth having a good map or GPS route downloaded.

On this route, there’s the option to take in four summit crosses for a little extra challenge (this is the route we took, and which is shown on Komoot), or you can skip the summits and take a slightly lower altitude route. A paper map is especially useful if you want to look at both options and make a decision on the day.

📍 Komoot route:

🧭 Trail markings:
The route follows the Alpe-Adria long-distance trail, which is well marked with trail signs and signposts. You’ll often see red-white-red blazes and regular waymarkers with hut names and timings.

📶 Offline access:
Komoot is beginner-friendly and Premium membership lets you download offline maps, which is useful in patchy reception zones. We used it for all three days and found it more than sufficient for this kind of hike.

🗺️ Paper maps:
It’s always good to have a physical backup, especially if you’re new to hut hiking.

Day by day itinerary

🥾 Day 1: Pichlhütte → Sommereggerhütte

🚶 Distance: ~4 km
⏱️ Hiking time: 2 – 3 hours
⬆️ Ascent: ~400 m
⬇️ Descent: Minimal

The hike begins at Pichlhütte, which you’ll reach via the Nockmobil. The route starts gently through forest but does build into a steady climb as you make your way up to the ridge; nothing technical, but definitely a bit of effort – get the haribo ready for the kids!

We actually had lunch at the Pichlhütte before setting off in the heat of the afternoon, which made the climb feel longer than it probably was! If you’re walking with younger kids, it’s worth setting off earlier in the day than we did!

A small snack or a cold drink at the hut is plenty to get you started, and it gives you more time to take it slowly, and to enjoy everything on offer at the Sommereggerhütte once you arrive.

The trail itself is easy to follow, with clear signposts and well-marked paths through open Alm pastures (that’s the Austrian term for summer grazing land. Expect grassy slopes, rustic farm buildings, and cows with bells).

You’ll reach Sommereggerhütte by early afternoon. It’s more charming B&B than mountain hut, with wonderful views from the garden and wooden terrace, a relaxed feel and plenty for kids to enjoy; ride-on toys, a sandpit, and a couple of very fluffy sheep.

We were very well fed here, with generous helpings of proper home-cooked food and a standout dessert selection.

Day 2: Sommereggerhütte → Millstätter Hütte

🚶 Distance: ~11 km
⏱️ Hiking time: 4–6 hours
⬆️ Ascent: ~540 m
⬇️ Descent: ~370 m

Day two is the longest of the three days, but still very doable, especially if you pace it well and take your time over lunch. From the Sommereggerhütte, the trail climbs steadily onto the ridge, with sweeping views and the option to take in several small summit crosses.

We followed the higher route, taking in the Tschiernock, Hochpalfennock, and Tschierwegnock summits. It’s a very easy ridge walk, with a clear path, no exposure, and the views are spectacular, especially if the weather’s clear. If you want to keep it easier, there’s a lower trail that skips the summits and cuts out some distance and ascent.

After about 3 – 4 hours of hiking, we detoured very slightly to the Alexanderhütte for lunch, which I highly recommend. It’s perched above the lake with one of the best views of the Millstätter lake, and the food was excellent. Although it’s quite near the end of the day’s hike, it’s the best (and only) place to break up the day and enjoy a proper rest stop.

Back on the trail, the route leads on for a couple of kilometres towards the Millstätter Hütte, your overnight stop. This is a more traditional Alpenverein (Alpine club) hut – sociable, rustic, and popular with families.

When we visited, there were quite a few other kids staying, and they were all thrilled by the donkeys, cows and pigs living at the hut. Not to mention the best view from a mud kitchen that I think I’ve ever seen!

Dinner was excellent, especially the strudel, and our little room was cosy and warm.

🔁 Bail-out option:
If you need to finish early, you could detour from Alexanderhütte to Schwaigerhütte – a walk of about 30 minutes, and and book a Nockmobil pickup from there. (Nockmobil stop number NM 9123).

Day 3: Millstätter Hütte → Lammersdorferhütte

🚶 Distance: ~8 km
⏱️ Hiking time: 3–5 hours
⬆️ Ascent: ~260 m
⬇️ Descent: ~500 m

The final day begins with the option to take in one last summit — Kamplnock — just above the Millstätter Hütte. It’s a short climb and well worth the effort if you’ve still got energy in the tank. If not, there’s an easier lower-altitude path that skirts around it and continues along the ridge.

The trail then rolls gently onward along the ridge, with wide views over the lake and a steady descent through alpine pasture. The second half of this section feels a little busier than the previous days – because it’s more accessible to day trippers – but it’s still lovely and doesn’t feel overcrowded.

It’s also where we really got into Bohemian garnet hunting – keep an eye on the dusty trail and you’ll likely spot a few tiny, wine-red pebbles (usually partly encased in grey rock) glinting back at you.

Eventually you’ll reach the charming Lammersdorferhütte, complete with it’s own dairy, another playground and rabbits to pet. We had a cracking lunch here before being picked up by the Nockmobil for the ride back to our accommodation in Seeboden.

🛖 Mountain Huts on the Millstätter Hohensteig

One of the things that makes this hut to hut route so special – especially for beginners and young families – is the quality of the overnight huts. Both are well set up for kids, with toys, sandpits, mud kitchens and playgrounds, serve hearty and genuinely excellent food, and have a warm, welcoming atmosphere.

🐑 Sommereggerhütte

Your first night is at the Sommereggerhütte, a charming mountain guesthouse / B&B with super friendly owners and staff, lovely valley views, and fantastic facilities for children. It’s definitely a little more “bed and breakfast” than Alpine club hut, and it’s incredibly well run and peaceful, and in a beautiful location

• They ask that you arrive before 4pm – if you are running late, give them a quick call. Hot meals are only served until 5:30pm, so just plan for an early dinner. If you’d like to eat later, they can prepare a cold platter (bread, meat, cheese etc).
• Inside, there’s a number of clean and cheerful twin / double rooms which open onto the wrap around balcony, with shared bathrooms.
• There’s a sunny deck with ride-on tractors, a sandpit, and loads of space to roam and play.
• A small petting area with animals like sheep and goats adds an extra layer of magic for young hikers.
• Meals here are delicious and homemade — the Kaspressknödel (cheese dumpling fritters) and pancakes with whipped cream and chocolate were highlights!

🪵 Millstätter Hütte

The second night is spent at the Millstätter Hütte, a traditional Alpine Verein hut higher in the hills. It’s more rustic, off the beaten track and atmospheric – the kind of place that feels like a bit of an adventure after a full hiking day.

• Inside, you’ll find wood-clad dorms and comfy shared sleeping rooms with cosy checkered bedding. A total of 24 beds in dorms and private rooms.
• Breakfast was generous and beautifully presented: think platters of cheese and meats, soft-boiled eggs, yoghurt, cereals, and fresh fruit — perfect fuel for a long walk.
• There’s lots of friendly animals around the hut, including donkeys, cows (don’t miss them being milked in the morning!), pigs and goats.
• Of course, a homemade strudel with vanilla sauce on the terrace is not to be missed!

🧾 How to Book Your Hut Stays

Bookings can only be made directly:

🛏️ How to Book Huts for the Millstätter Hohensteig

🛖 Sommereggerhütte

💻 Website: https://www.sommereggeralm.at/

This welcoming Gasthof (mountain guesthouse) offers private twin / double rooms and a full a la carte menu for lunch and dinner, along with a buffet breakfast.

🗓️ To Book: Send them a message on their contact form or email info@sommereggeralm.at. They were super responsive when I booked. Use google translate if you need to to send a message in German (although they also speak great English – I always think it’s great to try in German first though)!

🏔 Millstätter Hütte

💻 Website: https://www.millstaetterhuette.at/

A traditional Austrian mountain hut run by the Österreichischer Alpenverein (Austrian Alpine Club), this is a classic AV hut. Booking ahead in summer is essential. Accommodation is either dormitory-style or private family-friendly rooms, and meals are hearty and delicious.

🗓️ To Book: You can book online here – booking is open over a year in advance. For a private family room, choose a “shared bedroom”. There is still a chance you’ll be sharing with another guest, but if there’s more than two of you, you’re most likely to get your own room.

🔖 Tips:

• If you’re not a member of the Alpenverein, you’ll pay a higher rate at the Millstätter Hütte. Consider joining online: membership offers well discounted overnight stays (around €10 – 15 per person per night) and full worldwide mountain rescue insurance (which is worth the membership in it’s own right). Kids 18 and under are free if parent(s) are members.
• Many huts only accept cash, so plan accordingly.
• Book early: Summer (July–September): Book at least 4 – 6 months in advance, or more, especially if you’re travelling on weekends or school holidays. Spring/Autumn: 2 – 3 months is usually enough, but availability is not guaranteed.

💶 Costs & budgeting

This route is brilliant value; especially for a multi day hike with great food, lovely huts, and minimal logistics. Here’s what we spent in Euros:

🐐 Sommereggerhütte

• €55 per adult per night with breakfast
• €36 per child under 12 with breakfast

🪵 Millstätter Hütte

• €66 total for 4 beds in a private room (Mehrbettzimmer) – this would have been €110 without Alpenverein membership
• Breakfast is not included – we paid €15 per adult, €8 per child

🍽️ Meals

Usually come to around €75—100 for a family of four. We needed 3 lunches and 2 dinners. You could easily pack a lunch on day 1 instead.

🚖 Nockmobil

Expect to pay around €30—40 per journey. That might sound steep, but it’s much cheaper than a taxi, and it gets you right to trailheads that would be tricky to access otherwise.

🛌 Pre/post-hike accommodation

We also stayed two nights in Seeboden, one before and one after we started our hike. This gives you time to sort logistics, start the hike in the morning of the following day, and leave your car parked at your accommodation. There’s lots of accommodation choices here; from budget to luxury.

🎒 Gear & packing for a family hut to hut hike in Austria

You’ll be carrying everything you need except food for the three days – so every gram counts, especially when kids are carrying their own gear.

If you need to kit your kids out before you head out on this hike, have a read of The Best Kids Hiking Gear (Tested on the Trail!), which breaks down everything my own kids wear on our hut hikes (which doesn’t break the bank)!

And if you’d like a printable kids’ hut to hut hiking packing list, pop your email in the form below and I’ll send it through to you.

🧳 Packing essentials for adults

• Backpack (35 – 40L) – large enough for overnight gear, small enough to carry comfortably
• Hiking boots or shoes – worn-in and well-fitting
• Waterproof jacket & trousers – conditions can change fast, even in summer
• Layered clothing – zip off trousers, shorts, base layer, fleece, insulated jacket or jumper
• Sun protection – hat, sunglasses, SPF
• 1–2L water per person
• Snacks – cereal bars, dried fruit, trail mix, haribo
• Reusable water bottle or bladder
• Trekking poles – optional but helpful on descents
• Basic first aid kit
• Headtorch – handy even in huts
• Sleeping bag liner – mandatory in most huts
• Cash – not all huts accept cards

🗓️ When to go

The Millstätter Hohensteig sits at relatively low altitude compared to many Austrian hut hikes, which means a longer season and more flexibility for families or first-timers.

☀️ Summer (late June to mid-September)

This is your prime window for hut to hut hiking. All the huts are open, the trails are clear, and you’ve got the best chance of warm, settled weather.

Having said that, heat can be a factor, especially during a hot spell. We hiked this during a heatwave in August, with temperatures well over 30°C and found it quite intense on exposed sections. Start early, bring plenty of water, and plan shady breaks.

Two weeks before that, however, the weather had been distinctly “British” – around 18°C and drizzly. So be prepared for all eventualities!

🌼 Shoulder season (late May–June & mid September–early October)

With lower elevation and minimal snow risk, this route can work earlier and later than many others in the region. Expect cooler mornings and a bit more unpredictability in the weather — but far fewer people on the trails.

Just check hut opening dates carefully if you’re planning outside the summer holidays, and confirm Nockmobil availability.

❄️ Not suitable in winter

This isn’t a year-round trail. Huts close in the off-season, and snow blankets these mountains in the winter. Save it for the warmer months.

✅ Is this route right for you?

This route is perfect for beginners; especially if you’re hiking with younger kids, new to hut life, or just want to try a shorter, less committing alpine hike before tackling bigger ones.

• 🧒 Perfect for families: our 11- and 13-year-olds loved it, and I’d have done it with them at 6+ too, especially if we chose the easier route which doesn’t take in the summit crosses.
• 🥾 Gentle trails: well-marked and steep sections don’t last too long, though a bit of stamina helps
• 🧗 Optional challenge: detours to summits like Tschiernock and Kamplnock add more height and views if you want them
• 🐾 Animals, toys, and mud kitchens at the huts: both huts had sheep, donkeys or pigs, ride-on toys, sandpits and play areas when we visited. It makes a big difference for younger kids, especially after a few hours on the trail.

It’s an excellent choice if you want a first taste of hut to hut hiking without committing to anything remote or strenuous. Plus: pudding at every hut.

🔁 Alternative options

Not sure about committing to all three days? There are plenty of ways to adapt this hike for younger kids, nervous adults, or those who just want a taster.

• 🐣 Skip the summits: You’ll still get great views without the extra elevation or distance
• 🛌 Do just one night: Hike from Pichlhütte to Sommereggerhütte and finish at Alexanderhütte the next day (great food and views, plus Nockmobil pickup 30 mins walk away at the Schwaigerhütte), or start at Alexanderhütte, hike a short first day to Millstätter Hütte, then continue on to Lammersdorferhütte the next day to finish. Both options give you a great intro to hut hiking without needing to commit to the full route.
• 🧭 Try other beginner-friendly hut hikes: I’ve also written up routes in other parts of Austria, France and the Dolomites, with options for lots of different experience levels.

🧠 Final tips for planning

• 📅 Book huts 6 months ahead (or more if you’re planning a weekend in peak season); especially if you want private rooms
• 🗺️ Download Komoot maps in advance; mobile signal is patchy in places
• 🧃 Carry plenty of water; refills are limited between huts
• 🍰 Order dessert early — they might run out of strudel (and yes, that’s a risk worth planning for)
• 🧳 Bring a travel washing line — great for airing damp socks and sweaty shirts outside the hut

❓ FAQs

👶 Can kids as young as 6 do this?

Yes – if they’re enthusiastic walkers. The terrain is fairly easy (with some climbs!), the distances are manageable, and the huts are full of animals, toys, and distractions. Just skip the summits to keep it mellow.

💳 Do the huts take card?

Sometimes. We were able to pay by card at one but brought cash for everything, just in case – especially for drinks and food.

🗣️ What languages are spoken?

Mostly German, but you’ll find some English spoken at all the huts. Booking is easy in either language.

🌧️ What if the weather’s bad?

This is a lower elevation route with short stages and well maintained trails; so it’s still walkable in imperfect weather. If the weather turns truly bad (you generally want to avoid thunderstorms when you’re up in the mountains), you can bail out via Nockmobil from the Alexanderhütte or Lammersdorferhütte.

🏁 A great first taste of hut hiking

If you’re looking for a first-timer’s hut-to-hut experience; whether you’ve got a six year old or just want a relaxed taste of alpine hiking, this is a brilliant place to start. Gentle trails, excellent food, animals and toys at the huts, and no need to commit to anything too remote or strenuous.

It’s ideal for families, beginners, or anyone who wants to test the waters without jumping in the deep end.

And the best bit? If you love it (you definitely will), you’ve got the whole rest of Austria to explore next.