huckepack

Alpe-Adria-Trail

Length

About 750 km: the stated length (Alpe-Adria-Trail).

Our map line follows only 89 % of the official track on its weakest stage, so it isn't used as a length; the search sorts this trail by the figure above.

about750km

Ascent · descent

23,750 m up and 26,164 m down: the sum of the 37 main stages (Kärnten Werbung).

23,750m ↑26,164m ↓

Difficulty

How hard a trail is, in three ways: the terrain, the climate in season and the length of the days. Each is rated from Easy to Hard with the same thresholds for every trail, and takes its hardest measure. It describes the trail, not how it will feel to you: that depends on your fitness, experience, pack and the weather you get.

  • Terrain: DemandingClimbing: 34 m per km
  • Climate: Hard in Jun–OctCold: −3 °C at night (October)
  • Effort: DemandingLongest day: 8 h (stage 6)

All measures

Terrain: Demanding; Climate: Hard in Jun–Oct; Effort: Demanding
Suggested
37days

Per stage

The 37 main stages' totals over their number (Kärnten Werbung), so the averages come from one source.

19.1km· 640 m ↑
Season

Landscape

Land cover along the main route, from ESA WorldCover satellite data:

  • Forest: 61%
  • Grassland and shrubs: 28%
  • Farmland and villages: 10%
  • Moss and lichen: 0%
  • Water, snow and ice: 0%
  • Bare rock and sand: 0%

Landscape along the route

Mostly Forest

Location

Country
Austria, Slovenia, Italy
Regions
Carinthia, Upper Carniola, Gorizia, Coastal–Karst, Friuli-Venezia Giulia
Start
Kaiser-Franz-Josefs-Höhe (Grossglockner)
Finish
Muggia
Route type
Point to point
Travel hubs
  • Lienz station54.7 km by road · 65 min
  • Klagenfurt Airport (KLU)179.7 km by road · 159 min
  • Salzburg Airport (SZG)141.9 km by road · 147 min
Protected areas
Hohe Tauern National Park; Nockberge Biosphere Park; Triglav National Park
Managed by
Kärnten Werbung (Carinthia), Slovenian Tourist Board, PromoTurismoFVG (Friuli Venezia Giulia)Official website
Waymarking
The Alpe-Adria-Trail logo on the existing hiking signposts, as stickers and painted along the path; signposted in both directions
  • Trail
  • Variant
  • Start
  • Stage start
  • Finish
  • Contour lines

Difficulty

Terrain

How hard is the ground to walk: the path, the climbing, the steep bits, the ground underfoot? Rated over the whole main route. The rating takes its hardest measure.

Path grade: the trail's SAC grade, stated, converted or estimated.

  1. EasyT1
  2. ModerateT2
  3. DemandingT3
  4. HardT4 to T6

Climbing: ascent of the main stages over their length.

  1. Easyunder 15 m per km
  2. Moderate15–30 m
  3. Demanding30–50 m
  4. Hard50 m or more

Steep stretches: share of the route steeper than 15 %, up or down (terrain model).

  1. Easyunder 5 %
  2. Moderate5–15 %
  3. Demanding15–30 %
  4. Hard30 % or more

Natural ground: share on footpaths and trails (OpenStreetMap); never Hard on its own.

  1. Easyunder a third
  2. Moderatea third to two thirds
  3. Demandingtwo thirds or more

Demanding

  • SAC hiking scale

    Trails rate their difficulty in many local scales, or only describe it in words. We translate each rating into the Swiss Alpine Club's hiking scale, from T1 (easy) to T6 (very hard), so trails can be compared. It stays an estimate: how hard a trail feels depends on your fitness, experience, pack and the weather.

    This trail: T2 (our estimate). The official FAQ rates the trail "easy to moderate": no rope-secured or exposed stretches, but sure-footedness on rocky sections, walking times of up to eight hours, and ascents and descents of up to 1,500 m a day; the stage pages grade single stages from easy to difficult (Outdooractive's scale), mostly for their length and climbing. The alpine stages reach about 2,370 m on mountain paths. That is mountain hiking (T2).

    1. T1 · HikingWell-made paths, mostly flat or gently sloping. No risk of falling; trainers are enough.
    2. T2 · Mountain hikingA continuous path, steep in places, where a fall can't be ruled out. Be sure-footed; wear hiking boots.
    3. T3 · Demanding mountain hikingThe path is not always visible; exposed spots may have chains or ropes, and you may need your hands for balance.
    4. T4 · Alpine hikingOften no path. Hands are needed in places, terrain is exposed, and there can be easy snowfields.
    5. T5 · Demanding alpine hikingMostly pathless, with easy climbing and exposed, demanding terrain. Needs alpine experience.
    6. T6 · Difficult alpine hikingPathless, very exposed, with climbing and glaciers. For experienced mountaineers only.

    The scale at the Swiss Alpine Club

    estimated T2
  • Climbing34 m per km
  • Steep stretches15 % of the way
  • Natural ground32 %

Climate

How hot, cold, wet and windy does it get? Rated for each month from 30 years of weather (ERA5). Without months picked (the search's When filter), the rating is for the trail's best run of at least two months in its season, and each measure shows its hardest month of that run; a pick re-rates it for your months. The rating takes its hardest measure.

Heat: mean daily high at the lowest point.

  1. Easyunder 22 °C
  2. Moderate22–27 °C
  3. Demanding27–32 °C
  4. Hard32 °C or more

Cold: mean nightly low at the highest point.

  1. Easy8 °C or more
  2. Moderate3–8 °C
  3. Demanding−2 to 3 °C
  4. Hardbelow −2 °C

Wet days: days a month with 1 mm of rain or more, the wetter of both points.

  1. Easyunder 10
  2. Moderate10–14
  3. Demanding14–18
  4. Hard18 or more

Snow: days a month with 1 cm of snow or more at the highest point.

  1. Easyunder 1 day
  2. Moderate1–3 days
  3. Demanding3–6 days
  4. Hard6 days or more

Wind: mean of the day's strongest wind (hourly mean, 10 m above ground), the windier of both points.

  1. Easyunder 15 km/h
  2. Moderate15–20 km/h
  3. Demanding20–25 km/h
  4. Hard25 km/h or more

Hard in Jun–Oct

  • Heat · August27 °C by day
  • Cold · October−3 °C at night
  • Wet days · July23 days
  • Snow · October8 days
  • Wind · October20 km/h

Effort

How long are the days? Rated by the longest main stage; a time range counts its upper end. The rating takes its hardest measure.

Longest day: walking time of the longest main stage, stated or by DIN 33466.

  1. Easyup to 4 h
  2. Moderate4–6 h
  3. Demanding6–8 h
  4. Hardmore than 8 h

Demanding

  • Longest day · stage 68 h

Climate

Days in season · lowest point
18–27°C
Nights in season · highest point
−3 to 4°C
Wet days a month
13–23
Daylight
10.8–15.8h
SeasonDay high and night low−20 °C−10 °C0 °C10 °C20 °C30 °CWet days, at the highest point510152025Daylight9.0 h10.3 h11.8 h13.5 h15.0 h15.8 h15.5 h14.2 h12.5 h10.8 h9.3 h8.6 hJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Climate by month, 1995–2024 average
MonthLowest point, day high / night low (°C)Highest point, day high / night low (°C)Wet daysSnow daysFrost nights at the highest pointDaylight (h)
January7.4 / 2.3-7.2 / -13.312.811.1319
February8.8 / 2.7-5.2 / -12.212.110.728.310.3
March12.1 / 5-2.4 / -9.715133111.8
April16 / 8.61 / -6.215.913.329.713.5
May20.4 / 13.25.1 / -2.419.21025.715
June24.6 / 17.49.8 / 1.622.13.78.815.8
July27 / 19.612.5 / 3.823.21.22.815.5
August27.1 / 19.912.6 / 4.121.70.92.114.2
September22.3 / 15.88.4 / 0.315.15.212.912.5
October17.7 / 12.14.9 / -2.912.87.822.510.8
November12.6 / 7.6-1.6 / -8.213.411.729.19.3
December8.5 / 3.5-6.6 / -12.213.511.8318.6

Climate by month

Averages for 1995–2024 from ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, at the trail's lowest and highest point, adjusted to each point's elevation. Bars span the mean night low to the mean day high; wet days have at least 1 mm of rain, snow days at least 1 cm of snow. Daylight runs from sunrise to sunset in the middle of the month. The shaded months are the trail's season.

Stages

RouteDistanceAscentDescentElevationTime
1Kaiser-Franz-Josefs-Höhe Heiligenblut13.9 km106 m ↑1,189 m ↓2,360 → 1,290 m5 h 30
2Heiligenblut Döllach12.5 km424 m ↑712 m ↓1,300 → 1,010 m4 h 45
3Döllach Marterle18.4 km939 m ↑127 m ↓1,010 → 1,840 m7 h 00
4Marterle Stall12.3 km97 m ↑1,098 m ↓1,840 → 840 m4 h 30
5Stall Innerfragant20.2 km1,086 m ↑836 m ↓850 → 1,110 m7 h 45
6Innerfragant Mallnitz23.0 km1,052 m ↑936 m ↓1,070 → 1,190 m8 h 00
7Mallnitz Obervellach18.6 km206 m ↑713 m ↓1,190 → 680 m6 h 00
8Obervellach Kolbnitz17.5 km753 m ↑813 m ↓680 → 620 m5 h 30
9Kolbnitz Hühnersberg16.4 km670 m ↑220 m ↓620 → 1,050 m6 h 15
10Hühnersberg Gmünd12.6 km151 m ↑444 m ↓1,060 → 740 m4 h 30
11Gmünd Seeboden14.9 km217 m ↑450 m ↓740 → 590 m4 h 30
12Seeboden Millstätter Alpe21.5 km1,600 m ↑400 m ↓590 → 1,790 m8 h 00
13Millstätter Alpe Döbriach24.0 km500 m ↑1,700 m ↓1,790 → 590 m7 h 30
14Döbriach Langalmtal17.4 km1,050 m ↑0 m ↓590 → 1,630 m5 h 50
15Langalmtal Falkerthaus/Lärchenhütte14.7 km990 m ↑1,100 m ↓1,640 → 1,540 m6 h 45
16Falkerthaus/Lärchenhütte Bad Kleinkirchheim19.3 km1,170 m ↑1,680 m ↓1,550 → 1,020 m8 h 00
17Bad Kleinkirchheim Arriach19.1 km1,130 m ↑1,270 m ↓1,020 → 880 m7 h 00
18Arriach Gerlitzen Alpe16.0 km1,247 m ↑212 m ↓870 → 1,910 m5 h 00
19Gerlitzen Alpe Ossiach16.9 km93 m ↑1,473 m ↓1,900 → 520 m5 h 45
20Ossiach Velden17.5 km538 m ↑596 m ↓520 → 460 m6 h 00
21Velden Faaker See / Baumgartnerhöhe21.9 km556 m ↑99 m ↓460 → 920 m6 h 45
22Faaker See / Baumgartnerhöhe Kranjska Gora21.6 km1,150 m ↑1,257 m ↓920 → 810 m8 h 00
23Kranjska Gora Trenta22.6 km952 m ↑1,116 m ↓810 → 630 m8 h 00
24Trenta Bovec21.3 km121 m ↑276 m ↓620 → 460 m6 h 30
25Bovec Drežnica22.7 km462 m ↑387 m ↓460 → 550 m7 h 15
26Drežnica Tolmin22.1 km761 m ↑1,105 m ↓540 → 190 m8 h 00
27Tolmin Tribil Superiore19.3 km1,281 m ↑840 m ↓200 → 630 m7 h 30
28Tribil Superiore Cividale23.9 km507 m ↑997 m ↓640 → 140 m7 h 30
29Cividale Breg pri Golem Brdu13.2 km160 m ↑157 m ↓140 → 190 m4 h 15
30Breg pri Golem Brdu Šmartno21.6 km604 m ↑546 m ↓210 → 260 m6 h 20
31Šmartno Cormons16.0 km367 m ↑570 m ↓260 → 60 m5 h 00
32Cormons Gradisca d'Isonzo19.5 km127 m ↑148 m ↓60 → 40 m5 h 15
33Gradisca d'Isonzo Duino27.7 km653 m ↑644 m ↓30 → 40 m7 h 30
34Duino Prosecco23.8 km440 m ↑211 m ↓40 → 250 m6 h 45
35Prosecco Lipica20.6 km377 m ↑229 m ↓260 → 400 m6 h 00
36Lipica Bagnoli della Rosandra17.3 km267 m ↑603 m ↓400 → 70 m6 h 00
37Bagnoli della Rosandra Muggia23.7 km946 m ↑1,010 m ↓70 → 0 m7 h 00
Variants
R1Faaker See / Baumgartnerhöhe Warmbad Villach15.3 km76 m ↑497 m ↓4 h 15
R2Warmbad Villach Nötsch20.6 km190 m ↑132 m ↓6 h 15
R3Nötsch Valbruna23.4 km1,321 m ↑1,055 m ↓7 h 30
R4Valbruna Tarvisio19.5 km1,017 m ↑1,063 m ↓7 h 00
R5Tarvisio Rifugio Zacchi19.7 km884 m ↑228 m ↓7 h 00
R6Rifugio Zacchi Kranjska Gora16.2 km495 m ↑1,082 m ↓6 h 00
R7Kranjska Gora Faaker See / Baumgartnerhöhe21.4 km1,212 m ↑1,090 m ↓8 h 30

Totals and averages count the main stages only. ≈ marks our estimates where the source gives no figure: heights from the terrain model (Copernicus DEM, 30 m grid, sampled every 100 m), to the nearest 10 m.

Terrain

Highest · lowest point
2,358m high1m low

Gradient

The steepest 500 m of the trail in walking direction, uphill and downhill. On this trail the steepest climb is 47 % (25°, 236 m up over 500 m) on stage 20, the steepest descent −39 % (21°, 197 m down) on stage 16.

A gradient is height per distance: 20 % means 20 m up for every 100 m forward. Percent and degrees don't grow alike: 100 % is 45°, not 90°.

GradientAngleFeels like
10 %6°Noticeable on a road
20 %11°A steep path, slow going
30 %17°Very steep, often steps
100 %45°Scrambling

Averages over 500 m from a 30 m terrain model: short pitches within them, such as steps and ladders, are steeper.

47% ↑−39% ↓

Steep stretches

How many kilometres of the main route climb or descend at 15 % or more (9°, 15 m of height per 100 m), measured in 200 m stretches: on this trail 49.2 km up and 54 km down, the darkest parts of the profile. Such stretches are slow going uphill and hard on the knees downhill.

103.2km

Surfaces

  • Natural ground: 32%, 218.6 km. Earth, grass, rock and roots: footpaths and forest trails. Can be muddy after rain.
  • Gravel: 48%, 329.5 km. Gravel, compacted and stony surfaces: mostly forest roads and farm tracks.
  • Paved: 21%, 142.3 km. Asphalt, concrete and cobbles: roads and village streets.

32% natural48% gravel21% paved
200 m600 m1,000 m1,400 m1,800 mTree line ≈ 2,200 m2,358 m124681012141618202224262830323436370 km690.3 km

Terrain along the route

Heights from the Copernicus terrain model (30 m grid, every 100 m along the main route); it measures the treetops in forests, so heights may differ from signposts by some metres.

The profile colours each 200 m by its gradient in walking direction: the steeper, the darker, climbs warm and descents violet, from level ground to ±30 % and beyond.

The strip under the profile shows the ground underfoot, from OpenStreetMap; for the 45% of the route without a surface tag, the type of way decides (footpaths natural, tracks gravel).

The tree line marks the height where trees stop growing in this region, about 2,200 m (BFW (Kilian, Müller, Starlinger)). Above it the route crosses open ground without trees. Pasture and clearing can keep the forest lower than this in places.

Landscape

Forest61%Grassland and shrubs28%Moss and lichen0%Bare rock and sand0%Water, snow and ice0%Farmland and villages10%124681012141618202224262830323436370 km690.3 km

Landscape along the route

Land cover from ESA WorldCover 2021 (10 m satellite map), every 100 m along the main route; each point takes the most common class within 30 m, so the path itself doesn't count as bare ground. Its eleven classes are folded into the six groups shown. It says what the landscape looks like, not which plants grow there.

Sleeping

Wild camping is prohibited. Camping is allowed only at campsites, in all three countries; not every stage has one, so the whole trail can't be walked from campsite to campsite.

20.8 km without a bedCamping61Huts66Hostels18Rooms267124681012141618202224262830323436370 km690.3 km

Places to sleep along the route

One tick per place to sleep along the main route, from OpenStreetMap: 61 campsites, 66 huts, 18 hostels, 267 guest houses within 1 km of the trail or 3 km of a stage's end (stage towns often lie off the trail). Hotels and day shelters are left out. The shaded column is the longest stretch without any, from km 558.4 to 579.2. The map may miss places or list ones that have closed, so book or check locally.

Water & Supply

Clean water

296 fountains, taps and springs marked as drinkable in OpenStreetMap within 500 m of the trail, and 21 places to sleep OpenStreetMap marks as having drinking water. Clean water also counts the 236 huts, hostels, guest houses and campsites within 500 m where hikers usually fill a bottle: guests come first, and many close out of season, so ask, and carry a little more than the gaps need. Places OpenStreetMap marks as without drinking water are left out. The counts include the approach and variant; the chart shows the main route.

Rated by the longest stretch of the main route without clean water: frequent up to 10 km, regular up to 20 km, scarce beyond. Here: from km 35 to 55.3, stages 3–4.

20.3kmScarce

Any water

Clean water, and the 55 springs within 500 m of the trail whose water is of unknown quality: filter, boil or treat it, and expect some springs to run dry in late summer. Here the longest stretch without any water runs from km 35 to 55.3. Rated like clean water: frequent up to 10 km, regular up to 20 km, scarce beyond.

20.3kmScarce

Shops

164 supermarkets, convenience and general stores and petrol stations with a shop in OpenStreetMap, within 1 km of the trail or 3 km of a stage's end (stage towns often lie off the trail). Small village shops are often missing, and opening hours vary: check before relying on one. Here the longest stretch without runs from km 228.4 to 269.1.

40.7km
Water · 20.3 km withoutPublic drinking water · 36.8 km withoutSprings (treat before drinking) · 125.3 km withoutRefills at places to sleep · 27.8 km withoutShops · 40.7 km withoutSupermarkets · 42.8 km withoutConvenience and general stores · 106.8 km withoutPetrol station shops · 339.5 km without124681012141618202224262830323436370 km690.3 km

Water and shops along the route

One tick per place along the main route, from OpenStreetMap: drinking water and springs within 500 m, refills at huts, hostels, guest houses and campsites within 500 m, shops within 1 km or 3 km of a stage's end. The shaded band in each lane is its longest stretch without; "Water" counts every kind, and opens into one lane per kind, each with its own. The map may miss places or list ones that have closed or run dry, so check locally.