Guided Munich to Venice

The starting point. The tour begins in Munich with a morning transfer to Hohenschwangau in the Bavarian foothills. After a guided visit to Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau castles, the afternoon walk winds through the forests and meadows above the Alpsee lake, warming up legs for the days ahead.

Into the limestone Alps. A cable car lifts the group above the valley before the trail descends steeply through forested slopes toward the Kenzenhütte mountain lodge. The terrain shifts from Bavarian farmland to proper alpine rock as the Northern Limestone Alps close in around the path.

Royal Bavaria. A forest crossing leads to Linderhof Palace, the intimate hunting lodge of King Ludwig II set in formal gardens. After a guided visit, the trail continues through the Graswang valley to the Benedictine monastery village of Ettal.

Through the gorge. From Garmisch-Partenkirchen the trail enters the Partnach Gorge, a slot canyon carved 100 m328 ft deep by glacial meltwater, with its rock walls close enough to touch. Emerging into open pasture, the route continues south to Mittenwald on the Austrian border.

Crossing into Austria. The longest ascent of the German section climbs from Mittenwald through the Leutasch valley and over a high saddle before dropping steeply to Innsbruck in the broad Inn valley. The Tyrolean capital spread below the Nordkette is a striking arrival.

Rest and explore. A lighter day in Innsbruck with an optional short walk through the historic Altstadt and up to the Stadtturm for views over the city and the surrounding mountains. The afternoon is free - the guide suggests the best spots for coffee and local food.

The great waterfall. A morning transfer west along the Inn valley reaches Krimml, home of Austria's highest waterfall at 380 m1,247 ft. The trail follows the falls through a series of viewpoint platforms drenched in spray before climbing to the Krimmler Tauernhaus mountain lodge for the night.

The alpine spine. The most demanding day of the tour crosses the Hohe Tauern range with over 1,100 m3,609 ft of ascent and equal descent through glacially sculpted terrain. Views from the high point extend across snowfields to peaks above 3,000 m9,843 ft in every direction.

From Austria to Italy. Crossing an unmarked alpine pass marks the transition from Austria into South Tyrol. The descent into the Italian side takes several hours through remote terrain before reaching the Puster valley and the market town of Brunico, where the language shifts to Italian and German.

The Sennes plateau to the famous lake. A long climb from Brunico reaches the remote Sennes plateau inside the Fanes-Sennes-Braies Nature Park. The traverse crosses open highland meadows before the sudden descent reveals the impossible turquoise of Lago di Braies set in a rocky amphitheatre.

Red rock traverse. Leaving the lake, the trail climbs past the distinctive red limestone flanks of Croda Rossa before reaching the broad highland meadow of Prato Piazza. From here the southern Dolomites stretch out ahead and the first distant profile of Tre Cime di Lavaredo appears on the horizon.

The Dolomites crown. The penultimate walking day begins at Auronzo Refuge and makes the full circuit of Tre Cime di Lavaredo - the most recognisable peaks in the Alps. The north face view at Forcella de Mezzo is the high point of the entire crossing. The trail then descends via Cortina.

Transfer to the lagoon. A 2.5-hour transfer from Cortina through the Belluno valleys and across the Venetian plain arrives in Venice in time for a full afternoon. Check into the hotel and spend the evening exploring the calli and canals - the mountains are a world away.

Journey's end. A final morning in Venice before the group disperses. Take a vaporetto across the lagoon, visit a last campo, or simply sit with a coffee in a quiet courtyard. The crossing from Munich to Venice - through three countries and one of the great mountain ranges in the world - is complete.