Hut to hut hiking is one of the best ways to explore Europe’s mountains: you hike all day, sleep high in the mountains, and someone else cooks dinner. It’s the Alps’ answer to “what if the view came with a three-course meal?”
I love hut to hut hikes, not just because I love hiking less travelled routes. Mountain huts, especially in Europe, give you a charming experience that’s unique to the mountains, and a front-row seat to sunrise without setting an alarm for a 3 a.m. drive.
From two-day hut hikes in Germany to celebrate New Year’s Eve to multi-day hut to hut hiking on the Alta Via 1 in the Dolomites, the Tour du Mont Blanc, the Haute Route, Gran Paradiso and the Peaks of the Balkans, my nights in mountain huts are some of my favourite hiking memories.
Hut to Hut Hiking in Europe: 8 of the Best Hut to Hut Hikes
TL;DR: Hut to Hut Hiking in Europe
Hut to hut hiking in Europe means hiking from one mountain hut to the next and sleeping and eating in each one, so you carry a light pack instead of a tent and stove. The Tour du Mont Blanc and the Alta Via 1 are the famous ones, and their mountain huts fill nine to twelve months ahead. Our two shorter Dolomites tours, Gran Paradiso, the Haute Route, Slovenia’s Julian Alps and the Peaks of the Balkans round out the best hut to hut hikes in Europe to plan for 2027.
Expect the rush to keep growing: the 2027 travel trends for hikers all point to more active trips in nature.
Most famous hut to hut hike in Europe:
The Tour du Mont Blanc, around Mont Blanc through France, Italy and Switzerland.
Classic hut to hut hike in the Dolomites:
The Alta Via 1, with mountain huts below the limestone spires of the Italian Dolomites.
Best short hut to hut hike in the Dolomites for sunsets:
Seiser Alm to the Rosengarten, 5 days with 2 nights in mountain huts.
Best first hut to hut hike in the Dolomites:
Val Gardena and Alpe di Siusi, our easiest Dolomites tour.
Quieter hut to hut hike in the Italian Alps:
Gran Paradiso, Italy’s first national park, with more ibex than hikers.
Most challenging of our hut to hut tours:
The Haute Route from Chamonix to Zermatt, through the French and Swiss Alps.
Best hut to hut hike in Slovenia:
The Julian Alps hut to hut tour, with three nights in mountain huts in Triglav National Park.
Best multi-country hike in the Balkans:
The Peaks of the Balkans, through Albania, Kosovo and Montenegro.
What is Hut to Hut Hiking?
Mountain huts are traditional refuges on mountain treks that give hikers and mountaineers a bed and a hot meal. Surrounded by breathtaking alpine landscapes, they’re often secluded and can only be reached on foot.
On a hut to hut hike, you hike through the mountains and stop each night at a mountain hut where you eat and sleep. Think of it as backpacking without the tent, the stove or the freeze-dried chili. Because you don’t have to hike back to your car, you can explore far more terrain than you can on a day hike.
Most mountain huts follow the same happy rhythm: hike in, kick off your boots, eat well and sleep well. Some offer more than others, though. On the Peaks of the Balkans, for instance, most nights are in family-run guesthouses in remote mountain villages, which gives the trail a feel all of its own.
On other routes, you may find unstaffed huts that offer a place to sleep but no meals. Whichever you choose, they’ll add something special to your hiking adventure.
Related Reading: Hiking for Beginners: What You Need to Know To Start Hiking
What to Expect on a Hut to Hut Hike
Mountain huts are all about simple, cozy comfort in spectacular places. What they skip in hotel frills, they make up for in charm, views and a dining room full of hikers swapping trail stories.
You can expect a warm, hearty meal, a hot shower if the mountain hut offers one, and a bed before you move on to your next mountain hut. If it’s your first time staying in a mountain refuge, here are the things you should know to have the best experience.
One of my favourite things about mountain huts is where they are: nestled into the mountainside with spectacular views of alpine meadows or towering peaks. The commute from your bed to the view is about ten steps.
On our Haute Route hiking tour, for instance, you can stay at the Cabane de Prafleuri, high on a ridge surrounded by jagged peaks.
Related Reading: 11 Of The Best Mountaineering and Hiking Watches
Famous hut to hut trails like the Alta Via 1 in Italy and the Tour du Mont Blanc are well known, but once the day hikers head back down in the afternoon, you’ll often have the trail and the evening light to yourself.
It’s one of the reasons I love these treks. And if you’d rather have company, the mountain hut is where you’ll find it: by dinner, the hikers you’ve been leapfrogging all day are your new friends.
Many alpine mountain huts don’t have wifi, which makes them the perfect off-grid place to get away from the world. Your phone gets a rest day, even when your legs don’t.
If you’d like a mix of mountain huts and private rooms, many of our hiking tours in Europe combine mountain huts with hotels and guesthouses, like the basecamp hotels on our shorter Dolomites tours or the Comfort version of Gran Paradiso.
Related Reading: Pre and Post Hike Recovery Plan to Relieve Muscle Soreness
8 of the Best Hut to Hut Hikes in Europe, From the Tour du Mont Blanc to the Julian Alps
These are the hut to hut hikes in Europe I’d point you to, from the two famous names to three very different Dolomites trips and the quieter ranges where the marmots outnumber the hikers.
Tour du Mont Blanc: The Most Famous Hut to Hut Hike in Europe
The Tour du Mont Blanc loops around Mont Blanc through France, Italy and Switzerland, about 170 km (106 miles) on a well-marked trail. Most hikers take 6 to 10 days, and the full loop climbs around 10,000 m (33,000 ft). You sleep in a mix of mountain huts and village inns.
I hiked the full Tour du Mont Blanc before I started a hiking company, and it was the first hike I’d done that was longer than three days. Three countries, one very photogenic mountain, and more “just one more photo” stops than I’ll ever admit to.
Our Tour du Mont Blanc self-guided tours run 6, 7 or 10 days, and accommodations fill nine to twelve months ahead. The French communes along the route are regulating it from spring 2027, and our Tour du Mont Blanc guide has the details.
Alta Via 1: The Classic Hut to Hut Hike in the Italian Dolomites
The Alta Via 1 runs about 120 to 125 km (75 to 80 miles) from Lago di Braies in the north to Belluno in the south, with 6500 to 7400 m (21,000 to 24,000 ft) of ascent. Most hikers take 8 to 10 days, sleeping in mountain huts below the limestone spires of the Italian Dolomites.
The Dolomites look so dramatic in person that you’ll catch yourself wondering who added a filter to real life. Our Alta Via 1 hiking tour books every mountain hut for you, on the full 11-day route or on the northern or southern 8-day stages. The mountain huts fill nine to twelve months ahead, so if your dates are already gone, see our Alta Via 1 alternatives.
Seiser Alm to the Rosengarten: A Short Hut to Hut Hike in the Dolomites
Short on time but big on Dolomites dreams? Our 5-day Seiser Alm to Rosengarten hiking tour gives you 3 hiking days, 39 km (24 miles) and 2460 m (8070 ft) of ascent, from Europe’s largest high-alpine meadow into the Rosengarten’s towers.
You spend 2 nights in mountain huts and the rest in basecamp hotels, and your main bag moves ahead for you. At dusk, the Rosengarten glows pink and red. The locals call it enrosadira. Everyone else calls it “hold on, I need my camera out again.”
Val Gardena and Alpe di Siusi: The Best First Hut to Hut Hike in the Dolomites
Our Val Gardena and Alpe di Siusi hiking tour is our easiest Dolomites tour, and the one I’d point you to for your first hut to hut hike. It’s 5 days with 3 hiking days, 36 km (22 miles) and 1680 m (5510 ft) of ascent, with no day longer than 13 km (8 miles).
You get 2 nights in mountain huts, the long shared dinners and the Odle spires watching you the whole way. The hardest decision of the day is which meadow to stop in for lunch.
Gran Paradiso: A Quieter Hut to Hut Hike in the Italian Alps
Gran Paradiso is my favourite area for hiking in Italy, and one of my favourites anywhere in Europe. Our 9-day Gran Paradiso hiking tour crosses four valleys of Italy’s first national park from Cogne to Bien: 94 km (58 miles) with 7165 m (23,510 ft) of ascent.
You sleep 6 nights in mountain huts and 2 in a guesthouse or hotel in Bien, and cross passes above 3000 m (9840 ft), including the Col du Lauson at 3296 m (10,814 ft), one of the highest non-glacier mountain passes in all of Italy. The ibex may even greet you right outside the mountain hut when you arrive.
Italian hikers have been enjoying Gran Paradiso for years, so let’s keep it between us. If you’d rather have a private room, the 6-day Gran Paradiso in Comfort has one every night but one.
Haute Route: Hut to Hut From Chamonix to Zermatt in the French and Swiss Alps
The Haute Route starts under Mont Blanc and finishes under the Matterhorn, and you earn some very serious bragging rights in between. Our 10-day tour covers 125.8 km (78 miles) with 10,295 m (33,780 ft) of climbing over 9 hiking days, with 8 dormitory nights, including Swiss mountain huts, and 1 night in a basic hotel.
The 7-day tour takes in the best of the route in 6 hiking days, in a dormitory every night or in Comfort (private double), which mixes one mountain hut night with hotels. Along the way you hike below the Grand Combin, 4314 m (14,154 ft), one of the highest peaks in the Swiss Alps.
It’s our most challenging tour and the natural next step once you’ve hiked the Tour du Mont Blanc, with more rugged and rocky terrain in many places. Plan on booking the 7-day tour 6 to 8 months ahead.
Hut to Hut Hiking in Slovenia’s Julian Alps
Our Mountains & Lakes of Slovenia Hut to Hut Hiking Tour (Self-Guided) is 7 days with 4 hiking days, 50 km (31 miles) and 2835 m (9300 ft) of climbing, from the Pokljuka Plateau across Triglav National Park to Lake Bled.
Three nights are in Slovenian mountain huts in the middle of the high mountains, and they’re a highlight of the trip, a real glimpse into mountain life in the Julian Alps. You hike right under Mt. Triglav, 2864 m (9396 ft), the highest mountain in Slovenia, and past the Seven Triglav Lakes. Slovenians like to say you’re not truly Slovenian until you’ve climbed Triglav. Hiking right under it feels like honorary status to us.
Your main bag goes ahead to Lake Bled, so you carry a light pack for the mountain hut nights. Our Slovenian partner runs this tour and looks after your booking, and you can start any day from late June to late September, while the high mountain huts are open.
Peaks of the Balkans: Hiking Through Albania, Kosovo and Montenegro
The Peaks of the Balkans is a 192 km (119 miles) long-distance trail that loops through the mountains where Albania, Kosovo and Montenegro meet. Most hikers take about 10 days, and your boots and your passport both get a workout.
Our Peaks of the Balkans Trail guide has the full trail map, every stage and the best time to go.
Nights are mostly in family-run guesthouses in remote mountain villages, which gives this trail a feel all of its own. I’ve hiked the Peaks of the Balkans myself, from the high pastures between Doberdol and Milishevc to the crossing from Vusanje in Montenegro to Theth in Albania.
Pros and Cons of Staying in Mountain Huts in Europe
Staying in mountain huts in Europe means someone else cooks your dinner, you meet other hikers, and you can hike deeper into the mountains with a much lighter pack than camping allows. The trade-off is simple, shared accommodations: dorm rooms, shared bathrooms and short showers. Here’s the full checklist, plus my tips for sleeping well.
Pros of Staying in a Mountain Hut
- Someone else cooks your dinner. In Italy, it’s often 3 or 4 courses.
- You meet other hikers. Dinner in a mountain hut is where trail friendships start.
- You sleep higher and go further. Mountain huts let you stay at higher altitudes and hike further into the mountains than a day hike ever could.
- You always stay dry. No soggy tent when a storm rolls in, unlike camping.
- You carry much less. No tent, stove or dinner in your pack, so it’s far lighter than when you’re camping.
Cons of Staying in a Mountain Hut
- Simple accommodations. Mountain huts are cozy, not luxurious.
- Shared rooms. You’re usually sharing a dorm, so someone might be snoring.
- Shared bathrooms. You’ll share them with other hikers.
- Short showers. Showers are often timed to a few minutes, if there’s water at all, depending on the season and the year.
Tips for Staying in Mountain Huts
- Light sleeper? Bring a sleep mask and earplugs. They make a shared dorm far easier.
- Bring a sleeping bag liner. Mountain huts provide blankets, so a liner is all you need.
- Bring a multi-port charger. If you’re charging several devices, a charger that charges them all at once helps, since outlets are often in short supply.
The Advantages of Hut to Hut Hiking
Get to Hard to Reach Places
On hut to hut hikes, you reach places you can’t reach on a day hike. It’s a wonderful way to explore big landscapes like the Peaks of the Balkans, a trail that crosses three countries.
On routes like the Tour du Mont Blanc or the Haute Route, you’d miss many of the best views if you didn’t spend the night in a cozy mountain hut.
Carry Less Gear
Another great perk of staying in mountain huts is that cooking gear, sleeping bags and tents can stay at home. Your shoulders will thank you by day two.
You can get away with the essentials, like a sleeping bag liner. Use our packing list for your hut to hut hike.
Meet Other Hikers
From locals to fellow travellers, you’re sure to meet new people in a mountain hut. Other hikers are usually friendly and happy to share stories over dinner, and by dessert you’ll know who’s hiking which pass tomorrow.
It’s a great way to meet like-minded people and pick up tips about the trail ahead. On my hut to hut hike in the Dolomites, I met several hikers who shared invaluable advice about the region.
Related Reading: Average Hiking Speed: Why it’s Important and How to Calculate it
Stay Dry, Whatever the Weather
In a mountain hut, a solid roof and a warm dining room are yours whatever the weather does overnight. It’s one of the reasons I prefer hut to hut hikes to backpacking.
A Lighter Footprint
Because they’re so remote, many mountain huts rely on solar panels for energy, and many recycle rainwater and source their food locally.
Enjoy Hearty Meals
One thing I love about hut to hut hikes is that you don’t have to plan your meals. Most mountain huts serve a hot, home-cooked dinner and breakfast, and in Italy dinner is often 3 or 4 courses.
The mountain huts on the Alta Via 1 serve some of the best food in Europe. You can tuck into local favourites and filling, protein-rich broths that refuel you for the next pass.
Related Reading: How a Hiking Trip Can Change Your Life And Why You Should Do One
What to Know Before a Hut to Hut Hike in Europe
Dormitories Are the Norm
Some mountain huts have private rooms, but there are only a few and they’re hard to come by, even if you book early. Most mountain huts have shared dormitories that sleep anywhere from 6 to 20 people, depending on the location.
In peak season, expect a full dormitory, so unless you’re travelling in a group, you’ll likely be sleeping near hikers you haven’t met yet. If you’re a sensitive sleeper, bring earplugs and a sleep mask. I’ve had some surprisingly good sleeps in dorm rooms, and I enjoy meeting my fellow hikers.
Sharing a Bathroom
Most mountain huts have separate bathrooms for men and women, which you share with the other hikers.
Some mountain huts have showers that are timed and short, depending on how much water has been collected from snow or rainfall that year. Others only have showers at certain times of the year, or none at all.
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Mountain Huts Set Your Daily Distance
On a hut to hut hike, the mountain huts decide where each day ends. Check each day’s distance and ascent before you book, and pick the itinerary that fits your fitness.
You Have to Book in Advance
You usually have to book mountain huts in advance, and for the most popular ones in peak season, I recommend booking months ahead. Accommodations on the Tour du Mont Blanc and the Alta Via 1 in the Dolomites fill nine to twelve months ahead.
If the dates you want are already gone, our Gran Paradiso hiking tour in the Italian Alps is the hut to hut route I’d point you to instead. It’s Italy’s first national park, you sleep in mountain huts for six nights of the nine-day route, and you’ll see more ibex than hikers. Here’s how it compares with the Dolomites in our guide to Alta Via 1 alternatives.
Booked dates also mean each day has a destination, which is a great reason to keep hiking toward dinner.
Which Hut to Hut Hike in Europe Should You Do First?
Hut to hut hikes are well worth a try, especially in Europe’s most impressive mountain ranges. Pick the one that fits your fitness and the kind of nights you want, not just the most famous name. There’s no wrong answer, only your next hike.
First multi-day hike? Start with Val Gardena and Alpe di Siusi. Short on time? Hike Seiser Alm to the Rosengarten. Want the classics? Choose the Tour du Mont Blanc or the northern or southern 8-day stages of the Alta Via 1. Want quiet trails and ibex? Hike Gran Paradiso. Ready for the step up after the TMB? Take on the Haute Route. Love limestone peaks and alpine lakes? Head to Slovenia’s Julian Alps.
All of our hut to hut tours come with a free personalized training plan (valued at €300), built around where you live and train. See all of our hiking tours in Europe.
Hut to Hut Hiking in Europe FAQs
What is hut to hut hiking in Europe?
Hut to hut hiking in Europe is a multi-day hike where you sleep in mountain huts along the route, with dinner and breakfast served there, so you carry a light pack instead of a tent, stove and food. The best-known hut to hut hikes in Europe are the Tour du Mont Blanc and the Alta Via 1 in the Italian Dolomites.
What are the best hut to hut hikes in Europe?
The best hut to hut hikes in Europe include the Tour du Mont Blanc through France, Italy and Switzerland, three Dolomites hikes (the Alta Via 1, Seiser Alm to the Rosengarten and Val Gardena and Alpe di Siusi), Gran Paradiso in the Italian Alps, the Haute Route from Chamonix to Zermatt, the Julian Alps in Slovenia and the Peaks of the Balkans through Albania, Kosovo and Montenegro.
How far in advance should you book a hut to hut hike in Europe?
How far in advance you should book a hut to hut hike in Europe depends on the route. Accommodations on the Tour du Mont Blanc and the huts on the Alta Via 1 fill nine to twelve months ahead, and the 7-day Haute Route needs 6 to 8 months. On Gran Paradiso, the more possible start dates you can give us, the better our chances of securing every night.
Do you need a sleeping bag for hut to hut hiking in Europe?
You usually don’t need a full sleeping bag for hut to hut hiking in Europe, because the mountain huts supply the bedding. On the Monkeys and Mountains Gran Paradiso hiking tour the mountain huts require a sleeping bag liner, which you bring yourself, and on our Slovenia hut to hut tour the huts provide blankets and single-use paper sheets, though a light liner is still worth packing.
Which hut to hut hike in Europe is best for a first multi-day hike?
The best hut to hut hike in Europe for a first multi-day hike is Val Gardena and Alpe di Siusi in the Dolomites, our easiest Dolomites tour, with 3 hiking days and no day longer than 13 km (8 miles). The 5-day Seiser Alm to Rosengarten tour, graded Moderate, is another great first hut to hut hike. Gran Paradiso is graded Challenging and suits fit hikers with multi-day experience, and the Haute Route is best saved for after your first multi-day hike.