Hiking holidays

Exhilarating summits and delight in the alps

In the heart of the biosphere park Nockberge mountains, Bad Kleinkirchheim is tucked away and impresses with a magnificent natural backdrop. The manifold hiking trails invite to discover the region’s secrets. And we are convinced: When you make holidays in Bad Kleinkirchheim, you have to go up the mountain at least once. Whether you take the cable car, or you walk – exhilarating summits and delight in the alps are simply parts of a holiday in Bad Kleinkirchheim.

Summit happiness and alpine pleasure

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Hiking trails

Ambitious hikers appreciate the variety of the wide network of hiking trails of the UNESCO designated biosphere park Nockberge mountains. Whether you reach your personal peak triumph, or you opt for a leisurely mountain pastures hike: we know the right hiking trails for every fitness level. Besides, we know it anyways: the journey is the reward. Pleasure is first priority in the mountains. Simply enjoy the breathtaking landscapes or learn interesting facts about the flora and fauna on educational trails.  In the summer, you escape from the heat in the valley. Can you feel the cool breeze? A true blessing for a heat-afflicted circulation system.

 

 Mountain railways

 

In the winter, skiers call the tune. In the summer, hikers are waiting – hungry for exercise –for the railways to take them up the Nockberge mountains. Float away from the valley in a gondola of the biosphere park Brunnach or the Kaiserburgbahn railway. Having arrived at the top, take a deep breath and marvel at the magnificent view and the scent of the alpine herbs. Venture off onto one of the numerous hiking trails. Or look for a nice spot in the sun and just enjoy the day. Because there are plenty of sunshine hours in the southernmost province of Austria!

Love for the mountains & alps is in our blood

As a member of the Carinthian mountain-lover hosts we share your passion for hiking.  You are in good hands. We are experts for organizing your successful hiking holidays in Bad Kleinkirchheim. With competence and a true passion for the mountains we will make your hiking holiday to a unique experience.

Mountain-lover benefits that fill every hiking fan with enthusiasm

  • Location: The hiking fun starts right in front of the door
  • Service: We inform and advice active explorers, from the casual to the passionate hiker
  • Exercise: We offer guided hikes at the Alpen-Adria trail and in the hiking network Bad Kleinkirchheim
  • Mobility: If a hike does not start in front of the door, a hiking bus takes you to the departure
  • Alpe-Adria cuisine: We offer regional delights and reveal where to find the best alpine huts
  • Alpine wellness: At our place, wellness is regional. After the mountain pasture experience, we spoil you with the “Speick” – an almost forgotten medicinal plant of the Nockberge mountains

Hiking tips – circular hikes

Go out and look for the “Speick”

The “Speik“ or “Speick“ is THE medicinal herb in the Carinthian Nockberge mountains. This rare type of valerian does only grow in the Nockberge mountains and in parts of the mountain group Niedere Tauern. The unique Speick likes calcareous soil and high altitudes between 1,800 and 3,300 meters. There is more to the small, inconspicuous plant than one would think. It has both a calming and stimulating effect on the nervous system and it helps people to relax. The Speick’s superpower occurs especially in the medicinal herb’s root, of which the ethereal valerian oil for healing products is extracted.

Discover the Speick in the Nockberge mountains

When hiking in July and August, Speick scents are guaranteed. The tangy-fresh, strong aromatic experience makes the delicate, small plant the star for hikers. In 11 alpine huts in Bad Kleinkirchheim you can try the Speick’s healing power first-hand. Soothing Speick-foot massages are offered – a true relief after an intensive hike!

Speick hike in the Nockberge mountains

Start from the National Park cable car by following trail 1 up to Mount Mallnock and continue via Mount Klomnock up to Mount Falkert. Beneath the summit of Falkert, turn right and follow the “Tanzboden” downhill, past the hut Lärchenhütte and the Falkerthaus and back to the valley station of the Nation Part railway. Walking time: 5 hours.

Tour in the valley

The circular walk in the valley (nr. 1) starts opposite Hotel Trattlerhof. The path Sonnenweg leads you across sunny meadows up to the creek Owaldbach. Cross the creek and follow the way above Hotel Almrausch for about 100 meters up the stream. Here you will find an old mill well worth seeing. Walk past the church St. Kathrein and continue walking until you reach the farm Gutzingerhof and the Protestant church. Then cross the road Oswaldstraße and walk by the mill Hubermühle and the Catholic church St. Ulrich. The path continues behind the church and leads about half-way up further towards the East. Follow the road for about 100 meters downhill and hike up to the guesthouse Sonnblick.

Behind the guesthouse and after a few turns, you reach a road that leads you past the farm Stampferhof to the stream Zirkitzerbach. Then turn left to the Hotel Felsenhof and follow the secluded forests and meadows until the restaurant Gasthof Drage.

After crossing the national road, the valley path leads you above the golf course and past Franz Klammer’s downhill slope K70 until the sports ground. The last part of the hiking trail runs via meadows alongside the stream Zirkitzerbach for a while up to the farm Ottinger Gehöft and to the cable car Kaserburgbahn. Behind the guesthouse Hubertushof, the path leads you further to the Hotel Kirchheimerhof. Follow the road down to the Hotel Kristall. Then turn left and walk further through the forest to the spa gardens and back to the start along the stream Kirchheimer Bach.

  • Walking time: 4 – 4.5 h (total)
  • Walking time: 1.5 h (Trattlerhof – Pension Sonnblick)
  • Walking time: 40 min (Pension Sonnblick – Gasthof Drage)

Via the mountain path Ploninger to St. Oswald

Start your hike at the spa hotel Ronacher. Walk past the church St. Kathrein, then take the path Sonnenweg until Aigen. Follow the road direction Bad Kleinkirchheim for about 50 meters and turn left into the path Sonnenblumenweg to the farm Tischnerhof. Walk further along the path until you reach the restaurant Ploninger and the fairy tale meadow “Märchenwiese”.

Walking time: about 1.5 hours

Follow the mountain path St. Oswald on the right-hand side further up to the quarry and then turn left through the forest down to Bichlbauer. Follow the water trail direction Bad Kleinkirchheim until the source Oswaldiquelle. Leave the quarry behind you and get your bearings alongside the stream until you reach the restaurant Tschernerwirt. After crossing the national road follow the waiter trail and then take the path Sonnenweg till the farm Trattnighof. Here, you turn left onto the paved road and stroll to the thermal bath St. Kathrein.

Walking time: about 2 hours

From the mountain into the valley: Take the gondola up & hike down

The mountain-valley hiking trail (nr. 8) departs at the mountain station Kaiserburg. Hike down direction Rossalmhütte. Follow the road above the hut. Turn left before the ski slope and continue down the piste until the T-bar bottom station. Follow the path further to the hut Dragehütte, then keep to your right into the forest down to the road.

Walking time: 1.5 hours

Now you have got two possibilities to get to the valley

Option 1 is following the path to the left and hike until the gondola’s mid-station “Waldratte”. You can reach it within 15 minutes. From here, a road continues to Ottingerhof. Continue further down into the valley to the Kaiserburg valley station.

Walking time: 1.5 hours

Option 2 is a bit faster. Follow the path to the right-hand side until the fork. Now walk down the mountain path down into the valley, thereby you cross the road several times and you will also pass Ottingerhof. From here you follow the valley path until you reach the Kaiserburg valley station.

Walking time: 1 hour