Meraner Höhenweg — in 8 stages through sunny South Tyrol
Hiking Collection by komoot
8
days
1-7 h
/ day
57.8 mi
13,725 ft
13,850 ft
The Meraner Höhenweg is one of the most beautiful long-distance hiking trails in the Alps—winding you right around the Texel Group, the beautiful mountain massif in the south of the Ötztal Alps. Over eight stages, you'll hike along the sunny slopes of the Vinschgau, climb through the picturesque Pfossental to Eisjöchl and cross the peaceful Pfelderer Tal. And you'll experience the best this region has to offer, including unique nature found nowhere else in the Alps, sleepy mountain villages, ancient Alpine huts and—above all—the friendly South Tyrolean hospitality.
On the eight stages of the circular route, you'll cover a total distance of 55 miles (90 kilometers) and climb about 16,500 feet (5,000 meters) in altitude. The well-kept paths, good hut infrastructure and moderate distances make the Merano Höhenweg a suitable route for anybody in reasonably good shape, although the fourth stage contains a fairly aggressive climb up to the Eisjöchl. If this proves too difficult for you, join the remaining stages together using an alternative route and skip this ascent altogether.
Since the Merano Höhenweg is a circular trail, you can start at any point. We recommend using the first and seventh stages, however, as you can take the cable car up to the mountain path. Thanks to the good bus network in the surrounding area of Merano, you can also choose just one stage and plan a day's hike instead of completing the whole thing. In this case, we recommend any of the stages in the south of the Texel Group, where several cable cars make the ascent easier.
Except for the high Alpine fourth stage, you can walk the entire Merano Höhenweg from the beginning of May until the first snowfalls in November. The trail over the Eisjöchl can be crossed safely and without snow from the end of May to the end of September. Just remember that most of the accommodation options on the Merano Höhenweg only offer a few rooms, so it's worth booking well in advance.
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Last updated: September 27, 2023
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Tours & Highlights
- 03:055.22 mi1.7 mph625 ft1,625 ftExpertExpert Hiking Tour. Good fitness required. Sure-footedness, sturdy shoes and alpine experience required.
The first stage of the Meraner Höhenweg is a wonderful introductory hike. You can comfortably drive from Partschins on the Texelbahn up to Giggelberg. The Meraner Höhenweg leads you here through light mountain forests and over wide meadows - always high up on the steep slopes of the Texel Group. The…
by komoot
- 05:198.07 mi1.5 mph2,525 ft1,150 ftExpertExpert Hiking Tour. Very good fitness required. Sure-footedness, sturdy shoes and alpine experience required.
On your second leg you leave the Vinschgau and climb over the Schnalstal to the lonely Pfossental. You are still on the southern side of the Texelgruppe and so you will be spoiled in the summer with many hours of sunshine. The Meraner Höhenweg follows narrow, but comfortable hiking trails on the second…
by komoot
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- 01:353.03 mi1.9 mph1,250 ft0 ftIntermediateIntermediate Hiking Tour. Good fitness required. Mostly accessible paths. Sure-footedness required.
The third stage is a real pleasure walk. For about five kilometers, you will hike from Alm to Alm through the breathtaking Pfossental. Allow enough time for today's hike to fully enjoy the idyllic valley and picturesque pastures.
The third stage of the Meraner Höhenweg starts at the Vorderkaser Alm. From…
by komoot
- 06:589.97 mi1.4 mph2,650 ft3,925 ftExpertExpert Hiking Tour. Very good fitness required. Sure-footedness, sturdy shoes and alpine experience required.
The fourth stage is by far the most adventurous hike on the entire Meraner Höhenweg. On steep, rocky mountain paths, it goes up to the Eisjöchl. At an altitude of 2,879 meters, you are at the highest point of the Meraner Höhenweg. From there, the mountain trail leads you over the Szczecin Hut and Lazins…
by komoot
- 06:1611.6 mi1.8 mph1,025 ft3,075 ftExpertExpert Hiking Tour. Very good fitness required. Mostly accessible paths. Sure-footedness required.
On the fifth stage of the Meraner Höhenweg you hike from the picturesque Pfelderer Tal to the Passeiertal. It goes most of the time leisurely downhill. So you can recover well from the demanding tour the day before.
Rested, you start your fifth day on the Meraner Höhenweg in the mountain village Zeppichl…
by komoot
- 07:2111.5 mi1.6 mph3,350 ft2,425 ftExpertExpert Hiking Tour. Very good fitness required. Sure-footedness, sturdy shoes and alpine experience required.
On your sixth stage is again a decent height difference on the program. At the same time you reach in the Kalmbachtal the lowest point of the Meraner Höhenweg. All in all, many shorter ascents and descents await you on this stage, and you hike on well-maintained hiking trails.
Your sixth stage on the…
by komoot
- 02:133.27 mi1.5 mph1,650 ft100 ftIntermediateIntermediate Hiking Tour. Good fitness required. Mostly accessible paths. Sure-footedness required.
After the long sixth stage, a short mountain walk awaits you on the seventh day. Just five kilometers are starting point and milestone apart. Nevertheless, on this short distance about 500 vertical meters are covered in the ascent.
Take some time today at breakfast before you start your tour. Well recovered…
by komoot
- 03:135.16 mi1.6 mph700 ft1,575 ftExpertExpert Hiking Tour. Good fitness required. Sure-footedness, sturdy shoes and alpine experience required.
The eighth is also the last stage on the Meraner Höhenweg. Here, the Vinschgau once again shows its best side: Silent mountain forests, fragrant mountain meadows, warm sunshine and always fantastic views of Merano and the surrounding mountains. Since the stage is quite short and only relatively few meters…
by komoot
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Collection Stats
- Tours8
- Distance57.8 mi
- Duration36:00 h
- Elevation13,725 ft13,850 ft
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