Three years ago, when I moved to Germany, I had a giant bucket list of places that I wanted to visit in and around Europe. As the years went by, the list got shorter and I, being a Type A explorer, was after new experiences to add to my already memory logged brain. One such experience particularly stood out and in this blog post, I am letting you in on one of the most instagrammable spots of Austria, a.k.a., Olpererhütte …
…and everything you need to know to get there and enjoy the view to yourself!
If you are new to the world of hiking, I highly recommend reading my beginner’s guide to alpine hiking before attempting this hike. If you would rather hike an easier trail, I highly recommend Rotwand, Jochberg or Seealpsee to kickstart your outdoor journey.
Contents
- Where is Olpererhütte?
- How to get to Olpererhütte?
- Public Transportation
- Car/Motorbike
- Hike to Olpererhütte
- When is the best time to visit Olpererhütte?
- Where to Stay for the best view?
- Things to do in Olpererhütte
- Costs
- Transportation
- Accommodation
- Food
- Ready, Set, Go!
Where is Olpererhütte?
Austria is simply stunning! There are so many corners that exude beauty in ways that I have never imagined before. Mountains, glacier lakes, forests, culture. This country has it all! Although I can’t really claim that this spot is the most beautiful one this country can offer, a few snaps from here that I came across on Instagram was all it took to convince myself that I needed to go there!
Having said that, finding this place was a lot harder than I anticipated it to be. A heartfelt ‘thank you’ is in order to most of the instagrammers for geotagging their viral posts from this location as ‘My Happy Place’, ‘The Mountains’, ‘Does it matter?’ and all the other extremely useful location tags. Afterall, the kitty photos from ‘Does it matter?’ definitely eased my worries going into a wormhole of endless reverse image searches.
When I finally managed to pin this spot, nestled deep in between the beautiful Zillertal Alps in Tirol, Austria, the joy (and mostly relief) was truly boundless! This view was just a few meters away from a mountain cabin called Olpererhütte. Located at an altitude of 2388m above sea level, it did require a bit of hiking to get there but provided you are fit, it will be no trouble! Besides the view towards the lake, Schlegeis Stausee, and the glacier that feeds it is absolutely worth every sweat and cramp!
How to get to Olpererhütte?
Getting to Olpererhütte is a two-step process. First, you have to find a way to get to the beginning of the hike (i.e., the banks of the reservoir, Schlegeis Stausee). Then, there is a short (can also be long!) hike to the beautiful viewpoint! Thus, I have divided this part into two sub-sections covering each of these aspects.
Step 1: Getting to starting point of the hike
With Public Transportation from Innsbruck
The closest airport to Olpererhütte is in Innsbruck (Flughafen Innsbruck). If you are traveling from Innsbruck airport, the first step would be to take the local bus ‘F’ from Innsbruck Airport to Innsbruck Central Bus Station (or Innsbruck Hauptbahnof). The bus runs every 1 hour, and the trip takes around 20 minutes. From Innsbruck Central Bus Station, get on the local train to Jenbach Hauptbahnof. Depending on the train, it can take anywhere between 15 to 30 minutes to reach Jenbach. From Jenbach, take the Zillertal bahn to Mayrhofen and finally bus number 4102 from Mayrhofen to Schlegeis Stausee.
The entire trip takes around 3 hours. The exact schedules of the trains and the buses can be found here (The departure stations must be mentioned as ‘Innsbruck Flughafen’ for the airport or ‘Innsbruck Hauptbahnof’ for the central station and arrival station must be mentioned as ‘Mayrhofen’). The bus schedule from Mayrhofen to Schlegeis Stausee are not integrated into this website and can be separately checked here.
With Public Transportation from Munich
As Innsbruck Airport caters mostly to inter European flights, if you are flying in from outside Europe, consider flying to Munich Airport (Flughafen München). Munich Airport provides flight connections to almost everywhere in the world! However, from Munich Airport, the journey to Olpererhütte is slightly longer! You will have to first get to the Munich Central Train Station (München Hauptbahnof) from the airport (München Flughafen) by taking the regional train, S1 or S8. They run once every 10-20 minutes from the airport and the journey takes approximately 45 minutes. Once you are in the central train station, hop onto the train heading to Jenbach. These trains are typically Eurocity Trains (EC) running between Munich and Bologna, once every 2 hours and takes approximately 90 minutes to reach Jenbach. From Jenbach, take the Zillertal bahn to Mayrhofen and finally bus number 4102 from Mayrhofen to Schlegeis Stausee.
The entire trip takes at least 4 hours! The schedules can be found here (The departure stations must be mentioned as ‘München Flughafen’ for the airport or ‘München HBF’ for the central station and arrival station must be mentioned as ‘Mayrhofen’). The bus schedule from Mayrhofen to Schlegeis Stausee are not integrated into this website and can be separately checked here.
By Car/Motorbike
If you would rather drive to Schlegeis Stausee, put this location in your navigation device and you are good to go! The drive time from Munich using the national highways (Autobahn) should be under three hours. The road connecting Schlegeis Stausee and Mayrhofen is an alpine toll road called Schlegeis Alpenstrasse and costs 14 EUR for a day (assuming you are driving a car).
Step 2: Hike to Olpererhütte
Alpine hikes in Germany and Austria are usually classified into three categories:This information can be found on ‘tiny yellow boards’ in the beginning of any hike.
- Blue (or Easy): flat or slightly inclined terrain, no exposed sections
- Red (or Medium): mountain hiking with some steep, rocky, partially exposed sections and a considerable elevation gain
- Black (or Difficult): challenging terrain with plenty of steep rocky slopes and mostly exposed alpine terrain
There are several hiking trails to Olpererhütte. The shortest one starts at Schlegeisspeicher parking lot. The hike is very well sign-posted and is classified as a red hike, which means that the terrain could be rocky and steep. Hence, I recommend very sturdy hiking shoes! It can get particularly slippery in case of rain or snow.
If you are a seasoned hiker, the ascent with an altitude gain of 600m would take about 90 minutes. But, if you would rather stop for photos on the way or simply aren’t used to hiking, then take that into account and add an extra hour to your hiking time.
Alternatively, you can choose to descent via Frisenberghaus from Olpererhütte. It takes about 3 to 4 hours and the views are stunning all through the hike!
When is the best time to visit Olpererhütte?
The winding toll road that connects Mayrhofen and Schlegeis Stausee is only open from the end of May till the mid of October. Thus, accessing Olpererhütte with any form of transportation is only possible in the summer months! Further, if there is snow on the road and you are driving with your own car, you will not be allowed to use the road without having snow chains on the tyres.
I visited Olpererhütte towards the end of September and it was already very cold! So, if you are visiting in the beginning of fall or the end of Spring, carrying an extra jacket could be a good idea!
Thus, your best bet would be to stick to the sunny summer months from June to August!
Where to Stay for the Best View?
Overnight at Olpererhütte
There is honestly no better place to stay than at Olpererhütte itself! The view from the cabin is one of the most magical views I have EVER woken up to.
However, since this a mountain hut for hikers, the hut has limited places to sleep and is not exactly a luxurious stay with jacuzzies and spas! The sleeping arrangement is dormitory style which means that you will be sharing the room with other hikers.
Also, due to its popularity, this hut has to be booked well in advance (3 or 4 months). I got really lucky with the bookings due to a cancellation! But, this is extremely rare and it is almost always fully booked!!
More details on the booking process can be found here.
On the banks of Schlegeis Stausee
Another attractive option is to stay by the banks of Schlegeis Stausee! There are two ways you can do this,
- Stay overnight at Dominikushütte. Although this is a cheap option, this hut is also fully booked out most of the time. So, if you really want to do this option, book VERY early!
- Sleep in your car and hike up early in the morning (I would have totally done this if Olpererhütte and Dominikushütte were booked out)
Hotels in Mayrhofen and Jenbach
If you are more of a last-minute person, there are plenty of accommodation options in Mayrhofen and Jenbach. Almost all of them also have Austrian breakfast (lots of bread, ham, cheese, eggs, yoghurt, cereal, juices, coffee and tea) included in their rates. However, staying will definitely be more expensive than the first two options!
From here, Olpererhütte can be easily done as a day trip.
Budget Options in Innsbruck
As Mayrhofen and Jenbach does not really offer budget accommodation options, for cheap hostels, your best bet will be Innsbruck. However, I do not recommend this as Olpererhütte is quite far from Innsbruck. You would end up spending almost 5 hours traveling and 3-4 hours hiking! It would be a very long day. But, if this your jam, you can find hostel options here.
Things to do in Olpererhütte
Dine with the perfect view
Olpererhütte is first and foremost, a mountain cabin providing shelter to hikers. If you have hiked in the Alps, you will know that fueling up with the food served at mountain huts is the best way to break up your hikes! Moreover, this hut is extra special as the view is simply outstanding! If you are stopping by, be sure to indulge in some Kaiserschmarrn (chunks of pancake with apple sauce), and Austria’s very own Schnitzel (breaded pork meat served with fries). Wash it all down with an Almdudler (a blend of various alpine herbs and sugar) or a glass of beer!
Roundtrip Hike via Friesenberghaus
From Olpererhütte, there is a longer trail via a second hut called, Friesenberghaus that leads to the reservoir, Schlegeis Stausee. This hike is a bit longer and can take anywhere between three to four hours (especially with photo stops). There is also a small lake called, Friesenbergsee which has perfect reflections of the neighboring mountains on a calm day!
Via Ferrata: Schlegeis Stausee
If you are into climbing, there is a via ferrata that goes all the way from the bottom till the top of the dam wall. The via ferrata is graded as an easy one and is suitable for beginners. Further, if you want to know more about the dam and see how electricity is generated, there is also a guided tour that runs all through summer!
Zip Lining/ Abseiling
If you fancy floating in the alps and a boost of adrenaline rush, then you will love this activity! There is also an abseiling station nearby where you can pefect your skills with experienced mountaineers.
Costs
This section is tricky because it will heavily depend on what kind of options you go for. Regardless, here is a general overview of the costs you’ll encounter during your trip to Olpererhütte.
Transportation
The following are the costs per person (unless mentioned otherwise) for the bus and train routes mentioned in this blog!
- Munich to Mayrhofen
- With early booking: 18,90 EUR
- Last Minute Price: 46,90 EUR
- Mayrhofen to Munich
- With early booking: 18,90 EUR
- Last Minute Price: 46,90 EUR
- Innsbruck to Mayrhofen: 16,60 EUR
(early booking not required)
- Mayrhofen to Innsbruck: 16,60 EUR
(early booking not required)
- Day Trip from Innsbruck: 34 EUR for 2 people
(early Booking not required)
- Mayrhofen to Schegeisstausee: 9,20 EUR (including Toll)
- Schegeisstausee to Mayrhofen: 9,20 EUR (including Toll)
Thus, if you are traveling from Munich, you will end up paying at least 57 EUR if opting for public transportation for the whole trip. I ended up paying a bit more because I did not book early enough (oops)!
Accommodation
There is no hard and fast rule when it comes to accommodation because It really depends on the type of accommodation that you choose! However, for the accommodation options mentioned in this blog, the prices can be summarized as follows,
- Olpererhütte
This mountain cabin is cheap and provides three different booking options. However, all of them require an early booking (at least three months before). All the rates provided are per person and night.- Normal Rate without extras: 27 EUR
- Rate with breakfast: 39 EUR
- Rate with breakfast and dinner: 57 EUR
- Dominikushütte
This hut is the one located right at the banks of the lake, Schlegeis Stausee. Although the daily rates are quite cheap, booking has to be done at least three months before as they are normally very busy! All the rates provided are per person and night- Rate with breakfast: 31 EUR
- Rate with breakfast and dinner: 45 EUR
- Mayrhofen/ Jenbach Hotels
The exact rate would depend on the hotel. But, expect least 100 EUR for 2 people. - Innsbruck Hostels
This would be the cheapest out of all the options! The exact rate would again depend on the hostel. But, generally hostels in this area charge between 25 to 40 EUR per person and night.
I stayed overnight in Olpererhütte and opted for the option with breakfast. They serve a very good Austrian breakfast (bread rolls, cheese, butter, ham, sausages, yoghurt, muesli etc.) and it was absolutely worth every penny!
Food
Breakfast is almost always included in the hotel rates! If not, coffee and a sandwich at a café in Mayrhofen or Jenbach will cost between 5 – 10 EUR.
For lunch and dinner, expect to pay 15 – 20 EUR per meal with a drink of choice (pretty standard Austrian rates). Alternatively, you can get carry some snacks (or a light lunch / dinner). A grocery trip to buy some bread, sausages, cheese and some fruits would cost around 10 – 15 EUR but this would cover at least two meals!
Thus, to sum up, my trip to Olpererhütte from Munich with an overnight stay at the hut itself cost around 120 EUR!
Ready, Set, Go!
It is highly likely that Olpererhütte has never been on your travel list! But, now that I served as your personal guinea pig, explored the area for you, and wrote the most insightful blogpost answering all the questions that you may have, I highly recommend you squeeze in a quiet, quick getaway to this stunning place! Trust me, the views are absolutely worth every missed train connection, cramp and language barrier you will encounter!
Before you embark on your hiking adventure, I highly recommend skimming through my mountain hiking guide for an unparalleled overview on alpine hiking. Moreover, this blog post also lists all the equipment required to conquer an alpine hike.
If you are looking for another hiking experience, I cannot recommend the following hikes enough:
- Schrecksee – The highest mountain lake in the German Alps
- Archenkanzel – Hidden viewpoint over lake Königssee
- Rubihorn – A complete Allgäu Experience with postcard views
- Seealpsee – An easy beginner appropriate hike in Switzerland
- Olpererhütte – Austria’s best kept secret view
- Kramerspitz – The perfect day hike from Munich
Have any questions about traveling to Olpererhütte? Leave them in the comments below!
All the photos featured in this blog are taken by my friend, @doyouflash
Akshaya, so glad that I found you on IG. I just landed on your blog, the pictures and your writing is so engaging. My wishes that you always explore, dream and discover and not necessqeilyin that order.
The pictures are absolutely stunning!! I look forward to visiting Europe and visiting all the beautiful locations you have shared with us through this post and others! Thank you for the super detailed post.