My first self-guided high mountain tour

The program at a glance

Day 1: Individual travel to Tyrol
Travel to St. Jodok am Brenner in Tyrol. We recommend traveling by public transportation (the S-Bahn from Innsbruck is included in the Wipptal Card). From the train station, it’s about a 5-minute walk to the inn.
You can find information about public transportation online at www.vvt.at or download the VVT’s SmartRide app to your phone.
Dinner and overnight stay at your inn in St. Jodok.

Day 2: St. Jodok (1,130 m) - Vals Touristenrast (1,345 m) - Geraer Hütte (2,324 m)
Walking time: approx. 5.5 hours, distance: 14 km, 1,200 m difference in altitude ↑
Breakfast at the inn. If you would like a packed lunch (extra charge), please let the innkeepers know the evening before.
To the right of the Raiffeisenbank Wipptal in the center of St. Jodok, follow the Vals hiking trail (no. 82, later no. 85) to the end of the Valsertal valley. This trail leads on a moderate incline on the right-hand side of the valley through meadows and forests. From the middle of the valley you are in a nature reserve or Natura 2000 area. After approx. 2 hours of walking, you will reach the tourist rest stop, which is open daily except Mondays from 11.00 am. From here, follow farm track no. 502 to the Geraer Hütte material cable car. If you require backpack transportation, please contact the Geraer Hütte innkeeper the day before at the latest.
Your trail (no. 502) now leads in numerous and well laid out hairpin bends first through forest and later over open terrain up to the Geraer Hütte (2,324 m). Dinner and overnight stay in the camp.

Further tips:
From Mon. to Sat. you can also take the public bus 4144 to the tourist stop (guest card = ticket) - departure at 07.45 am (Mon.-Fri.) or 07.37 am (Sat.) from St. Jodok parish hall. This shortens the route by approx. 7 km or 200 m difference in altitude.

Day 3: Geraer Hütte (2,324 m) - Tuxerjochhaus (2,313 m)
Walking time: 5 hours, distance: 10 km, 850 m ↑, 865 m ↓ altitude difference
After breakfast in a hut in spectacular surroundings, trail no. 527 leads you north with a slight incline to the Steinernes Lamm (2,528 m). You are on a stage of the Peter Habeler Tour and now hike below the Olperer Glacier through the Vordere Höllwand and on to the Kleegrubenscharte. From there, you descend approx. 480 m to the Kaserer Winkl and then via the Kaserer Schartl and the Frauenwand in a few steeper hairpin bends up to the Tuxerjochhaus. Especially on the last part of the stage, the path is lined with rare alpine flowers such as edelweiss, gentian and brunella and offers fantastic views of the surrounding peaks and the Schmirntal valley.
Dinner and overnight stay in the camp.

Day 4: Tuxerjochhaus (2,314 m) - Schmirn Kasern (1,625 m) - Schmirn Toldern (1,400 m)
Walking time: 4 hours, distance: 11 km, 70 m ↑, 920 m ↓
After breakfast in the hut, hike eastwards on trail no. 324 past the reservoir to the Tuxer Joch. From here, a shared trail leads down into the picturesque Kaserer Winkl in numerous well-designed hairpin bends. The last section of the trail takes about 45 minutes to walk out of the valley to the Alpengasthaus Kasern, which is open daily (hot meals all day, homemade cakes are particularly recommended).
100 m behind the alpine inn at the three farmhouses, a path (no. 33 A) starts, which leads out of the valley on the left side of the valley in the forest. After approx. 30 minutes, the trail joins a forest path, which climbs briefly in places. This takes you to Schmirn-Toldern in approx. 45 minutes, from here take the bus to St. Jodok: Bus route 4144 (guest card = ticket).

Further tips:
You can take the bus from Schmirn-Kasern to Schmirn-Toldern, which shortens the route by approx. 3 km or about an hour's walk.
Of course, you can also walk the last section from Schmirn Toldern to St. Jodok. However, you will have to cover a longer distance on the (less busy) country road.
Walking time approx. 2 hours, approx. 300 m difference in altitude ↓

Day 5: Individual departure
Breakfast and farewell to Tyrol or start your individual extension program.
From the inn you walk 5 minutes to the train station, from here you take the train (S-Bahn) to Innsbruck or the Brenner Pass (included in your guest card).