MoaAlm is lucky enough to be located in the stunning Kals Valley at the heart of the Austrian Alps. Not only do we have incredible, panoramic views from our guest house, we also have hiking and walking trails that lead from our back door into Austria's oldest and largest National Park. The Hohe Tauern National Park is a vast mountainous region that you can escape the crowds and lose yourself within its natural beauty.
A hiking and yoga summer holiday at MoaAlm Mountain Retreat gives you a unique opportunity to explore the Austrian Alps on your own two feet. We work with a fantastic hiking guides and National Park Rangers to ensure our guests feel confident challenging themselves to reach the most beautiful places in the park. All our guides speak English and are very knowledgeable on the wildlife that can be found within the region.
The following is a selection of our favorite trails from our base at MoaAlm:
Located at the heart of the Kalser valley and nestled alongside the Kalserbach is a beautiful trail taking in the old ‘stockmühlen’ (watermills) of Kals. The trail leads from the traditional village of Grossdorf where hikers can observe traditional farming methods and enjoy the bright flower box displays. Following the Kalserbach the trail is signposted with historical descriptions of the mills. At one point there were 56 flour mills in the small valley. Now only three remain, with Kera Mühle still baking fresh bread for village residents every Thursday. The trail is a perfect place to bring children who can splash in the water and to take shade on a hot sunny day.
The jewel in the crown of the Kals valley is the hidden Dorfer Tal. Only accessible in summer through a steep sided gorge this magical hidden valley is suitable for easy walking alongside the river, or for accessing more difficult trails higher in the mountains. 8km from the village of Taurer is the stunning Dorfer See. A crystal clear lake surrounded by steep sided mountains. If you are brave enough it is perfect for a dip on a hot sunny day, but most people satisfy themselves with dipping their toes in and taking in the views. On the way back, the mountain restaurants Kalser Tauernhaus and Berger Alm invite you to stop for some delicious East Tyrolean specialties.The valley itself used to be an old smuggling route for traders avoiding the tax man on the way from Tirol to Salzburg. Originally local people farmed pigs in the valley, but since the fifties cattle farming has taken over. The trail from MoaAlm into the valley is lined with redcurrant bushes - if you bring some back we will bake them in a delicious vegan cake for you!
Figerhorn is a short, but satisfying climb, suitable for people who want to reach their first Alpine summit (2743m). The summit can be achieved as part of a loop walk from the village of Burg. Following signs to the ‘Felsenkapelle’ walkers will first come to an unusual church built under a huge rock. The church is significant in the Kals valley as during the excavations, prehistoric bones and artefacts were found. From the cave church you cross a small river and ascend a forest track and eventually narrow ,steep footpath which zig zags through the pine and larch forest. Emerging from the forest there is an excellent place to rest with breathtaking views before you enter the Alpine meadows that rise steeply towards the summit. Towards the summit ridge the path narrows with a steep drop to the left. At the cross you are rewarded with fantastic views of Grossglockner and up to sixty other 3000m peaks. The descent is steady and finishes at the excellent Lucknerhaus mountain restaurant where you can sample traditional Austrian food such as Kaiserschmarrn
If you continue the loop path ‘Talrundweg’ after the cave chapel, you reach a suspension bridge anchored into the rock. The 55 m long and 30 m high bridge crosses a wide gorge and a roaring mountain stream, which is fed by the Glockner massif. Cross the bridge and test your head for heights! From here you can walk down through Glor and look at splendid, old farmhouses. We often end our hike with an ice coffee or local beer at the restaurant Ködnitzhof, opposite the tourist office in Kals.
Directly after the bridge on the MoaAlm street, a forest path branches off to the left and leads through a larch forest up to the Teischnitz Plateau. Here you have an impressive view of the Teischnitz glacier and the Großglockner, Austria's highest mountain. At the entrance to the high valley a trail which requires surefootedness leads up the right side of the slope to the Stüdl hut (2802 m). There are hardly any other hikers in the remote Teischnitz valley and you can experience nature and wilderness almost untouched. Once the hut is reached (after about 5 hours), it gets busier. Stüdlhütte was named after Johann Stüdl, a mountain-loving business man from Prague, who built the first small hut on Fanatscharte in 1868. The new hut looks like a landed UFO with its contemporary, cylindrical architecture. It serves as an important base for an ascent of the Großglockner from the Kals side. Enjoy some delicious spinach dumplings while watching the eager mountaineers preparing for their climb. The way down via the Lucknerhütte in the Ködnitztal valley and to the Lucknerhaus offers a varied round-tour.
These were just a few of the many fantastic hikes our guides take our guests on. The diversity and panoramas of the mountain ranges and trails around MoaAlm are limitless! Depending on the weather and the group, we plan our tours the evening before. In case we don't want to walk from our front door, we also offer shuttles to different starting points nearby.
Whether you are hiking in the Alps for the first time, or are an experienced walker, our holidays are a perfect mix of activity in the mountains and relaxing at our beautiful mountain retreat. Would you like more information about our hike and yoga holidays or the Hohe Tauern National Park? Send us an email.
This Blog was updated in August 2023..