How to book a hut-to-hut hiking tour in Europe
It’s probably already on your adventure list: a hut-to-hut hiking tour through the Alps or Pyrenees. And for good reason! Trekking from one mountain hut to the next, high above the treeline, is one of the most rewarding ways to explore Europe’s mountains. Whether you're planning a short overnight hike or a multi-day alpine route, booking a hut-to-hut hiking tour lets you travel light, sleep comfortably, and soak in the scenery without heading back to the valley each night.
In this guide, you’ll learn how to book your tour, what to expect from mountain hut accommodation, and how to prepare for your journey.
Types of Mountain Accommodation on Hut-to-Hut Hikes
What to expect from a Mountain Hut
European mountain huts offer a unique blend of comfort and simplicity—perfect for hikers looking to stay high in the mountains without carrying heavy gear. These staffed shelters provide everything you need after a long day on the trail: a warm bed, hot meals, and a cozy atmosphere. Most huts feature dormitory-style sleeping arrangements, though some offer private rooms and even showers if you're lucky.
Meals are served at set times, and while the menus are usually simple, many huts do their best to accommodate dietary needs. Italy, for example, is known for offering flexible meal options. Common areas are social and inviting, with tables for dining, board games, and books left behind by fellow hikers. Whether you're staying in a basic dorm or enjoying a gourmet dinner with a view, mountain huts make hut-to-hut hiking in the Alps both accessible and memorable. This type of hiking lets you explore the mountains without descending to the valleys each day with only a lightweight backpack to carry your essentials.
What Is a Bivouac Shelter?
Bivouac shelters are more rugged and solitary experiences than mountain huts. These are small, often unstaffed shelters that are usually found in more remote locations. Bivouacs are usually just simple structures with a roof and walls, so you’ll have a place to rest without setting up a tent. However, you do still need to bring a sleeping bag, food, and sometimes even water. This setup is ideal for hikers seeking solitude and flexibility who don’t mind less comfort. A bigger, yet lightweight backpack is more convenient in this case, like Paragon for men and Maven for women.
Accommodation options during winter
Many mountain huts have winter rooms where you can sleep for the night when the hut is closed in the off-season. These are similar in theory to bivouacs because you’ll need to bring all of your food, a sleeping bag, and water. They’re a nice alternative when you’re in the mountains too early or too late in the season for the huts to be manned.
Where to Go Hut-to-Hut Hiking in Europe
The Alps and Pyrenees are home to thousands of mountain huts, making them perfect for hut-to-hut hiking adventures. You can design your own route or follow famous trails like the Palaronda Trek, Tour du Mont Blanc, or GR20. These long-distance hiking routes cater to all skill levels, from beginner-friendly paths to advanced trails with scrambling or via ferrata sections.
Most huts are located in regions like France, Italy, Switzerland, Austria, Slovenia, and Norway. Each country often has its own online portal for finding and booking huts. A good starting point is to choose a region, gather maps, and explore local tourism websites. For official multi-day trails, you’ll find plenty of resources listing available huts and route details.
Dolomites UNESCO Geotrail, Italy
Via Alpina 1, Switzerland
Lofoten Crossing, Norway
How to Choose the Right Hut-to-Hut Hiking Tour
Hut-to-hut hiking trails are available for all skill levels. If you’re just starting out, you can find easy trails, while more experienced hikers can tackle challenging routes that need a more advanced background and a good head for heights. Family-friendly trails are also an option, as hut-to-hut hiking is a popular activity for families of all ages. Research your chosen hike thoroughly and check with local tourism boards if you're unsure about the difficulty.
When deciding on which tour is right for you, you’ll want to consider your hiking background and preferences. Have you hiked in the high alpine before? Are you comfortable with exposed sections, or do you prefer wider paths? Do you like ridge walks or difficult days of ascending more? There are hut-to-hut tours for all preferences and skill levels. Even if this is your first time in the mountains, some trails are easy to follow and not too technically challenging. And if you’re ready to up the difficulty, you can try a trail with via ferrata options for more of an adrenaline rush.
How to pack for a hut-to-hut tour
Mountain huts are pretty comfortable places for the night, so you won’t need to pack much, a 30-35L backpack should do the trick. It’s mandatory to bring a sleeping bag liner, as the huts will provide a blanket and pillow, but they don’t have time to wash all of them every day. You’ll also want to bring a change of clothes and the appropriate layers for the weather you’re hiking in. Discover which backpack is ideal for a hut-to-hut tour and how you should pack.
Most huts have the option to buy a packed lunch or snacks, so if you don’t want to carry your own, you won’t have to! However, most huts don’t have potable drinking water, so you’ll need to either bring a filter for running water sources you find while you hike, or you can buy bottled water at the huts. It’s worth checking out our hydration reservoirs that can stock up to 3 liters.
Finally, you’ll want to take cash with you. While most huts now have systems to accept credit card payments, the wifi doesn’t always work, which means the systems are often down. Cash remains king in these situations!
How to reserve mountain huts
Booking in advance is wise as mountain huts are becoming more and more popular every year. Most huts have websites with contact details for reservations. Alpine Association huts can often be booked through centralized systems like Alpenvereinshütten. French Alps huts can be reserved via the Fédération Française des Clubs Alpins et de Montagne. Travel companies also offer packages that include hut reservations.
Book as early as possible, especially for high season and popular routes. Huts can fill up quickly once booking systems open. If you're flexible, consider hiking in the opposite direction of popular routes or checking reservation systems regularly for cancellations.
Members of Alpine Associations like DAV, OEAV, and SAC get up to a 40% discount at participating huts. Always check if the hut offers member discounts and bring your membership card, as the hut warden will verify your membership before payment.
Hut-to-hut tours in Europe are one of the best ways to experience the mountains from a fresh perspective. You’ll move lightly on the trails, make new friends in the evenings, and enjoy a new kind of mountain holiday.
Why Hut-to-Hut Hiking Is the Ultimate Alpine Experience
Hut-to-hut tours in Europe offer a fresh way to experience the mountains. You’ll hike light, sleep high, and connect with fellow adventurers along the way. Whether you're chasing views, solitude, or camaraderie, this style of hiking blends nature, culture, and comfort in a way that’s hard to beat. We love it and we think you’ll do too!
About the writer
Elmar Teegelbeckers
Passionate thru-hiker Elmar spends months of his time on the trail. He’s usually on the lookout for hidden gems in one of his favourite countries such as Slovenia, Switzerland and Japan. He founded hiking-trails.com and thru-hiking.com in need of a community and detailed information about the long-distance trails in Europe. Before this, he worked for the Alpine association in the Netherlands (NKBV) but lost his heart to the trails which he wrote two books about. His motto: hike slow, go far!
