The best of two worlds: My top 5 Bike&Hike tours around Seefeld

There are many legendary duos in the history of our world. Bud Spencer & Terence Hill, Asterix & Obelix and, depending on your taste, even Gin & Tonic. For me, another dynamic duo belongs on this list: The two natural jewels called Drachensee and Seebensee. The two crystal-clear mountain lakes have a lot in common. Both impress with their turquoise-blue colouring, both radiate genuine natural magic and neither of them can be reached without breaking a sweat or two. You cycle around 13 km and 420 metres uphill until you park your bike at the Seebenalm. Then it's about 2 km and 300 metres uphill to the Seebensee, which was voted the most beautiful place in Tyrol in 2017. If you still have some energy left and want to make Columbus proud, take the steep adventure up to Drachensee lake. It takes about 40 minutes to walk up to the Coburger Hütte, from where you can admire both lakes. I promise: This is a sight you won't forget. Ever.

Route description: Bike & Hike Seebensee & Drachensee

Difficulty: moderate

Total time: 04:45h

Distance: 31 km / 820 metres in altitude

Highlights: Gaistal, Mountainlakes, views for days

Huts on the way: Coburger Hütte, Seebenalm, Gaistalalm, Tillfussalm

Even if they are in the same valley, tour number 2 and 1 definitely don't come from the same egg. The route to the Gehrenspitze is shorter (21 km), steeper (1,150 metres in altitude) and has a completely different destination: a mountain peak. A well-travelled gravel road takes you uphill, let's say ‘moderately steep’, until you are carried over hill and dale 100 metres below the alpine huts by the smell of Kaiserschmarrn. Because we are talking about the Gaistal valley here, at over 1700 metres you are still spoilt for choice as to where to stop for a bite to eat. Separated by only 34 metres in altitude, you will find all the alpine delights you can imagine at the Wettersteinhütte and Wangalm. But don't stay too long in the alpine pasture feeling, because the trail is not yet finished! Your calves still have to have a little over 600 metres of altitude in the tank to reach the Gehrenspitze. However, the wonderful views towards Hohe Munde and Leutasch Valley are worth every single step. The other option ist to book yourself a room in the cozy huts on the way.

Route description: Bike & Hike Gehrenspitze

Difficulty: hard

Total time: 7 hours

Distance: 21 km / 1150 meters in altitude

Highlights: soft forest trails, great food, views

Huts on the way: Wangalm, Wettersteinhütte

The third tour in this list is definitely the most challenging. The Birkkarspitze would probably not be called the ‘King of the Karwendel’ if it were easy to conquer. 1,800 metres in altitude have to be covered across the Karwendel. What begins in the Scharnitz plain develops into a picturesque bike tour through the Karwendel valley, which ends at the historic Karwendelhaus. You'll gain 850 metres in altitude on the 18 km bike route - your calves will be screaming ‘Stop!’ as soon as you get off your bike. But then comes the finishing touch: after a rustic rest at the Karwendelhaus, which opened in 1908, a three-hour ascent to the summit through the Schlauchkar, which requires surefootedness and a head for heights. The reward: a panorama to kneel down for and the pride of having conquered the highest peak in the Karwendel.

Route description: Bike & Hike Birkkarspitze

Difficulty: hard

Total time: 9 hours

Distance: 41 km / 1800 meters in Altitude

Highlights: highest peak in the Karwendel, easy climbing passages, breathtaking views

Huts on the way: Karwendelhaus

A much more relaxed but still challenging bike & hike tour through the Karwendel takes us to the Halleranger. This unspoilt alpine pasture in the high mountains looks like a green jewel between the rugged rock faces and dark coniferous forests. Starting again from Scharnitz, this time we pass the source of the Isar and head through the other Karwendel valley towards the Kastenalm. After 14 km and a relaxed 300 metres in altitude, you can stop here for refreshments or put on your hiking boots straight away. This is followed by a 5-km hike with 530 metres of altitude difference over alpine meadows and partly steep passages to the Hallerangerhaus or on to the Hallerangeralm. Once again, you're spoilt for choice! These videos could help you make your decision: Hallerangerhaus, Hallerangeralm

Route description: Bike & Hike Hallerangerhaus-Hallerangeralm

Difficulty: moderate

Total time: 6 hours

Distance: 38 km / 832 meters in Altitude

Highlights: three huts, unspoilt pastures, Isar river source

Huts on the way: Kastenalm, Hallerangeralm, Hallerangerhaus

Anyone who has read carefully will have noticed: This is already the third Gaistal tour in this list. Well, what can I say, the title of alpine paradise doesn't just come from anywhere. On this challenging but comparatively short tour, you pass the Gaistalalm and optionally one of my favourite mountain pastures of all time: The Rotmoosalm. That's already two XL arguments in favour of an adventure on an (e-)bike. After a steep start and a longer breather section, two right-hand bends indicate that you are now heading uphill. Whether you take a detour to the Gaistalalm beforehand is up to you. That is, if you can resist the hypnoticing smell, of course. The steep, winding ascent towards the Rotmoosalm follows. At the Predigtstuhl junction, you can decide whether you want to go to the summit first and then to the alpine pasture, or vice versa.

Route description: Bike & Hike Predigtstuhl

Difficulty: hard

Total time: 04:30 hours

Distance: 19,00 km / 1.015 meters in Altitude

Highlights: Gaistal, huts, views

Huts on the way: Gaistalalm, optional Rotmoosalm