Beginner Hut-To-Hut Hiking Trails You Need To Try
Does hut-to-hut hiking sound daunting? You’ve seen the incredible photos on social media and wonder if you can also attempt a trip like that someday. You might consider yourself a beginner if you have not tried it before. However I am sure that once you go on your first trip, there is no turning back. You will crave for more and keep searching for your next hut-to-hut hike.
If you are looking for beginner hut-to-hut hiking ideas, here are some tips and ideas of great hikes to try.
What is hut-to-hut hiking?
Hut-to-hut hikes are essentially multi-day hikes where you get to spend your nights in the comfort of a built up hut. For these beginner hikes, you can expect to be hiking for around 5 to 8 hours each day at a comfortable pace (depending on the terrain). The ideal hut-to-hut hike is one where you can enjoy the scenery while taking on a challenge of a longer distance trail. You can also train for it by jogging, climbing stairs, and doing leg exercises like squats.
Hut-to-hut hiking is suitable for beginner hikers because you do not need to carry a backpack with a ton of camping gear. Although the huts vary in terms of amenities, some of them provide food, shower facilities and even beds. It is also a great option for saving money and getting to know like-minded hiking enthusiasts. It is important to make reservations for the huts you intend to stay in early, and you can usually do so on the hut’s website.
Meanwhile, check out some of my tips on how to take great hiking photos of yourself.
Preparing for your first time hut-to-hut hiking
Being prepared for the rain
There are a few things that will make or break your hut-to-hut hiking experience as a beginner. It is important to be well prepared in terms of your choice of clothing. There’s a saying that “there’s never bad weather, only bad clothes”. It can rain at any time during your hike, and being cold and wet is worst thing to experience. You should always bring along a rain jacket and rain pants, and these should be waterproof instead of water resistant. Make sure to waterproof the inside of your backpack with a dry-bag or ziplock bags to protect your clothes and other belongings.
Choosing a backpack
Multi-day hikes will require a larger backpack compared to day hikes in order to fit more clothes, shower supplies, and a sleeping bag among other things. Depending on the duration of your trail, you will need a backpack with around 30 litres of capacity. It is also important to pack light so that you avoid weighing yourself down unnecessarily. If you are looking to invest in a backpack, you should go for something that is lightweight and durable. You can go on some practice hikes while carrying your backpack so that you can get used it.
If you’re on a tighter and want to look for something that offers great value for money, check out these hiking backpacks under $100.
Don’t rush your hut-to-hut hiking journey
One of the reasons people love hut-to-hut hiking is because it encourages them to get out of their comfort zone. However if you don’t feel confident going on a hut-to-hut hike independently, you should sign up for a guided hike. They will be able to gauge your physical capabilities and advise you on the appropriate hikes as you get started.
Alternatively, go on more day hikes or overnight hikes to get used to walking 5 to 8 hours straight. I had my first experiences overnight hiking in Catalina Island in California and across the Tiger Leaping Gorge in China. They were a lot of fun and I wanted to experience more hikes after that.
Faster is not always better, and altitude sickness is another thing to be mindful of. If you are going anywhere with an altitude above 2,500m, make sure to acclimatise sufficiently before progressing on the hike. You can bring along some altitude sickness medication for a better hiking experience.
3 to 7-day hut-to-hut hiking trails
Short Alta Via 1 Hike (Dolomites, Italy)
The Dolomites mountain ranges in north-eastern Italy are a dream for any hiker to take on. The peaks offer a dramatic backdrop to any hiking route. It’s no doubt the Alta Via 1 is a popular trek for many.
Although the full hike across the whole Alta Via 1 takes 10 days, you can take a shorter version of it from Lago di Braies to Cortina d’Ampezzo. It takes you along the northern part of the Alta Via 1 where you get to see the stunning Cinque Torri and stay overnight in huts, also known as rifugios. Finally you will come back to Cortina d’Ampezzo to round up the 4-day hike.
Many of the rifugios have their own homemade wine which you can look forward to after a day of walking. You can check the various huts along Alta Via 1 and make a reservation at each place. This section of the trek is very popular, so do make your bookings in advance.
- Duration: 4 days
- Best time to go: July to September
Short Via Alpina Hike from First to Oeschinensee (Bernese Oberland, Switzerland)
Switzerland has the perfect trails for an introductory hut-to-hut hiking experience. The trails in Bernese Oberland are well maintained and you sometimes hear about how families go hiking together here. This hut-to-hut hike takes you through a section of the Via Alpina cross country trail that some claim is the most rewarding.
Starting off in First, this hike takes you to a glaciers, epic mountain faces and high passes before arriving in the gorgeous Oeschinensee lake. Over the 4 nights you will get to watch the sunset and stargaze in different places. You might even see some ibex wandering in the morning. It must be so amazing to sleep in a hut where there is nothing else around you other than the mountains.
This modified version of the Via Alpina hike also takes you through the towns of Wengen, Lauterbrunnen and Murren, so that you don’t miss out on these must-see places in Switzerland. You can have a meal there, visit a nearby waterfall, and check out various viewpoints of the valleys. If you feel like you need a break, you can check into a hotel and break the hut-to-hut hike up into 2 parts. You should inform the huts about your change of plans so that they know you did not get lost in the mountains.
- Duration: 5 days
- Best time to go: June to October
W Trek (Torres del Paine, Chile)
The W Trek takes about 5 days and takes you through Chilean Patagonia. The trail covers around 60km and it is on a lower altitude relative to most other hikes in South America. It has been very popular among all kinds of hikers and the routes are well-trekked.
The W Trek is actually named after the W shape you see when marking it out on a map. It brings you on an adventure to views of granite towers, mountain lakes and glaciers. For example, you will get to see the Grey Glacier and hike a scenic route to the French Valley. You will also get up close to the iconic Las Torres and enjoy your evenings in huts (refugios).
- Duration: 5 days
- Best time to go: November to February
Val Gardena to Alpe di Siusi (Dolomites, Italy)
This hut-to-hut hike takes you from Val Gardena in South Tyrol to Alpe di Siusi, the largest alpine plateau in Europe. You will find a sea of flowers in the meadows during summer, and the morning sun’s glow makes the entire view feel so serene. There are farms in the distance and you might also see some cows and horses roaming around. On this hike, you also get to enjoy a backdrop of the mountains around you, such as Sassolungo and the Sciliar Range.
Alpe di Siusi is famous for its accessibility and trails are well-marked. There are hundreds of kilometres of trails around this region and you can extend this hut-to-hut hike to include more day hikes. The nearby huts are the perfect place to rest as you make the mountains your home for the night.
- Duration: 3 to 5 days
- Best time to go: June to October
2-week hut-to-hut hiking trails
Everest Base Camp (Nepal)
The famous Everest Base Camp hike is one of the best long distance trails. It is great for anyone looking to take their hiking game to the next level. You will spend 8 days of hiking to the base camp, and 4 days to come back down. Although there is no technical hiking involved, you need to be in good physical shape in order to enjoy this journey.
You will be gaining elevation gradually and will need time to acclimatise in order to make it to 5,346m at the base camp. There are many local teahouses or hostels along the way where you can stay overnight. They can give you a glimpse into the local culture even though these are not the typical huts you see in the mountains of Europe or South America. You will also get to meet other hikers who are on the Everest Base Camp trek.
Longer hikes like this are great training for building hiking stamina. Not only do you get the satisfaction of arriving at the famous Mount Everest base camp, you also realise that you are capable of more than you initially thought. The Everest Base Camp hike definitely deserves a spot on everyone’s bucket list.
- Duration: 12 days
- Best time to go: September to November / February to May
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