Sellrain Multi-Day-Trek – Discover untouched nature in Austrian Alps

Sometimes it’s nice to hit the mute button and just switch to a real-life, improvised documentary that is the nature around us. Just imagine the lonely landscape without lifts, cars, and noise. Busy modern life briefly in our rear-view mirror, and silence and pure relaxation in front of us – this is what it’s all about here at Mountain Moments. We always have something on our mind, and this time it’s a 50+kilometer hiking route with Sellrain Valley as one of the stops. Are you in? You are welcomed to join us!

Here, in the Sellrain Valley, you hike with pleasure in up to ten-day stages from hut to hut, enjoying the lonely mountain world and coming to rest. You can watch the water flowing in the natural mountain streams, hear the wind around the rugged mountain flanks and marmots whistling. Here and there a cow moos or a horse neighs. Maybe you meet a handful of other hikers during the main holiday season. That’s about it in terms of excitement, and that is exactly what makes the Sellrainer Hüttenrunde (Sellrain Hut Circuit) an enjoyable mountain hike. 

Here we find peace, freedom from stress and nature – and also enough time to occupy ourselves with it or simply let our thoughts wander. As a mountain hiker, you explore the lonely peaks and hike the area in several days from hut to hut. Clear mountain streams, small lakes and picturesque high alpine terraces adorned with many mountain flowers invite us to pause, to look or even to explore. 

Directions! This is how your Sellrain Valley adventure looks like on a map

The main variant described here can be extended or shortened as desired and serves as a rough guide. Depending on the conditions, you can vary it as you like. For navigation please use the GPS track.

The main trail starts in the “Kühtai Skigebiet”, “Kühtai Ort” stop. A few meters back to the east along the main road and immediately left up a road. Follow this road a bit and in the further course take the hiking trail towards Finstertaler Speichersee/Schweinfurter Hütte (hut). Always stay on the hiking trail, up the dam wall, past the Finstertal reservoir on the left and finally to the Finstertaler Scharte (2777m). Here always downhill to the Schweinfurter Hütte (2015m).

From the Schweinfurter Hütte follow the road into the valley, take the hiking trail to the left uphill to the Geirschjöchl (2751m). From the Jöchl always downhill to the Pforzheimer Hütte (2305m). From the Pforzheimer hut down into the valley and down to the Gleirschbach stream. Once at the stream, follow it into the valley to the Zischgenscharte/Schöntalspitze (3002m) and downhill to the Westfalenhaus (2255m).

Downhill to Lüsens and on the right-hand side long uphill to the Roter Kogel (2832m). Continue following the signs to the Potsdamer Hütte(hut) (2005m). Via the Schwarzhorn (2812m) to the Adolf Pichler hut (1980m). Here uphill in the direction of Hoadlsattel and via Widdersbergsattel and Lizumer Kar as well as via Halsl to Birgitzköpflhaus. Here now cross to the mountain station of the Mutterer Almbahn and go down to the valley or continue to the valley station. From the valley station take the bus or a little downhill in the town center the streetcar back to Innsbruck center.

Photo tips  that will make your Instagram pop – wide-angle lens and macro shots

The photo opportunities on this multi-day hike are many and varied. There is no particularly outstanding photo location. If you like, you can still take the detour over the Nockspitze on the last day and capture the low view to Innsbruck. 

The special thing about this loop is that, except at the beginning and end and the mountain huts and hiking trails, you don’t see or experience any human intervention in nature. 

Often counter-slope perspectives are possible with a telephoto lens, but also wide-angle shots with the wonderful individual valleys – partly with the lonely mountain huts – are a worthwhile motif. Macro shots of flora and fauna as well as hiking pictures round off the photographic part.

Mountain Moments Photo Workshops provide Photo Tours for everybody, Alpine Experience for beginners and intermediate-level photographers with 3 to 6-hour routes, as well as Summit Experience for more advanced photographers and hikers. We have private workshops and group classes.

More information for Sellrain Multi-Day Hike

How to get there by car: From Innsbruck in the direction of Axams and further into the Sellrain valley to Kühtai.

How to get there by public transport: By Post bus 4166 from Innsbruck Zentrum/Hbf to Kühtai Ort; runs from about the beginning of July to the end of September. Return by bus or Stubaitalbahn streetcar (runs continuously).

Hike difficulty level: medium-difficult

Duration/distance: 28h (approx. 4-5 days), 57km   

Ascent/descent: 5355hm/5765m   

Highest/lowest point: 3002m/1605m  

Refreshment stop: various

Start/finish: Kühtai village (coordinates: geogr. 47.213504,11.022873)  

Best time: July-September

Tips: Book huts in advance during peak season and weekends.

The best Summer Adventures in and around Innsbruck – Hiking, Mountainbiking, Trekking, Climbing and more

Fancy more Summer Adventures in Tyrol and around Innsbruck? We got you covered! The best outdoor sports activities for Summer Enthusiasts as eBook: Innsbruck Summer Outdoor Guide.

Here we have compiled the most beautiful locations and photo opportunities. 30 activities with numerous photo spots are selected and described in such a way that you can easily experience these wonderful adventures around Innsbruck for yourself – including track infos, and maps and all other information that you need.

You can take a closer look at the Innsbruck travel guide ebook here – why not share it with your adventure partner?