Home. Morning Soča source walk in Trenta. Drive back.
Sun 24
Drive in. Vienna → Bovec in 5h. Evening walk along the Soča.
Mon 25
Gorge day. Velika Korita + Boka waterfall, 4h loop.
Tue 26
High road. Mangart Saddle (2,072m). Or Kobarid + Hiša Franko if the high road still has snow.
Wed 27
Home. Morning Soča source walk in Trenta. Drive back.
Boka, 144mThe riverEvening
How it feels
Lowest-friction option. One hotel booking, no schedules. If a day's weather sours, swap days around.
Option B · Slovenia · alpine traverse
The Krn Lakes Refuge
Two nights up at a 1,385m mountain lodge, descending across the massif to a village inn.
Sleeping
Hotel + 2× hut + village
Effort
Real hiking
Max altitude
2,182 m
Drive from Wien
~5 h, 470 km
Krn area — forecast loading…
Mon 18
🌤️
14°C
clear AM
mtn —
Tue 19
⛅
17°C
partly cloudy
mtn —
Wed 20
☁️
20°C
cloudy
mtn —
Thu 21
⛅
20°C
mixed
mtn —
Fri 22
☀️
22°C
sunny PM
mtn —
Dashed line = the hiking route. Car shuttles only on Day 2.
Mon 18
Drive in. Vienna → Bovec, hotel night to ease in.
Tue 19
Drop the car, walk up. Drive Bovec → Kobarid (40 min), park for the week. Pre-booked shuttle Kobarid → Lepena (~€35). Hike up to Krn Lakes Lodge (4h, +750m).
Wed 20
Plateau day. Lake Krn, traverse to Gomišček Shelter (2,182m). Back to the lodge.
Thu 21
Down to Kobarid. South via Kuhinja → Drežnica → Kobarid. Hotel + car waiting.
Fri 22
Home. Drive Kobarid → Vienna.
Sun 24
Drive in. Vienna → Kobarid (5h), hotel night, park for the week.
Mon 25
Walk up. Shuttle Kobarid → Lepena (~€35). Hike to Krn Lakes Lodge (4h, +750m).
Tue 26
Plateau day. Lake Krn, traverse to Gomišček Shelter (2,182m). Back to the lodge.
Wed 27
Long day home. Down via Kuhinja → Drežnica → Kobarid, then 5h drive back. Demanding finish.
Lake KrnMangart ridgeUp high
Big caveat — call before counting on this
The PZS listing currently shows the Krn Lakes Lodge as "shut down" with only the 18-bed winter room available. That may just be off-season status, but it needs a phone call to confirm staffed summer opening. Contact PD Nova Gorica: +386 5 8280 300 / krn@sps.eco. Also: snow may linger on the south traverse to Gomišček.
Option C · Austria · limestone wildcard
Gesäuse — Heßhütte base
Styrian limestone walls, Austria's youngest national park, two nights at a real mountain hut at 1,699m. Easy drive, low crowds.
Sleeping
Inn + 2× hut + inn
Effort
Moderate hiking
Max altitude
2,369 m
Drive from Wien
~3 h, 215 km
Gstatterboden + Heßhütte — forecast loading…
Mon 18
🌤️
12°C
clear AM
mtn —
Tue 19
☁️
14°C
overcast
mtn —
Wed 20
☁️
15°C
cloudy, dry
mtn —
Thu 21
🌧️
16°C
wet
mtn —
Fri 22
⛅
18°C
mixed
mtn —
Heßhütte sits on the Ennsecksattel between Hochtor and Hochzinödl.
Mon 18
Drive in. Vienna → Gstatterboden 3h via A2 + Selzthal. Afternoon Enns gorge walk.
Tue 19
Up to the hut. Drive 20 min to Johnsbach (Gasthof Kölbl), hike trail 601 to Heßhütte. 3h, +848m.
Wed 20
Summit day. Best weather window. Hochtor (2,369m) or Hochzinödl (2,191m). Back to hut.
Thu 21
Rain day, descend. Heßhütte → Wasserfallweg → Gstatterboden (3h, exposed in places). Pick up car.
Fri 22
Home via Wachau. Drive home, optional Heuriger lunch.
Sun 24
Drive in. Vienna → Gstatterboden 3h. Afternoon Enns gorge walk.
Mon 25
Up to the hut. Drive 20 min to Johnsbach, hike trail 601 to Heßhütte (3h, +848m).
Tue 26
Summit day. Hochtor (2,369m) or Hochzinödl (2,191m). Back to hut.
Wed 27
Descend & home. Wasserfallweg → Gstatterboden (3h), then 3h home. Easy finish thanks to short drive.
Hochtor + ÖdsteinThe wallsEnnstaler Alpen
Caveats
Heßhütte opens "in May" — phone +43 664 430 80 60 to confirm 2026 start. Hochtor at 2,369m may hold snow on north faces; Johnsbach approach (trail 601) is safer than the Peternpfad. Wasserfallweg descent is T3.
Option D · Austria · road-trip + hut
Hohe Tauern — Krimml & Großglockner
Austria's biggest national park. One mountain-hut night, one Großglockner Hochalpenstraße drive, glacier views, the country's highest peaks.
Long drive in. Vienna → Krimml/Mittersill, ~5h. Afternoon Krimml Falls (380m drop).
Tue 19
Wet-day exploring. WasserWunderWelt indoor, Zell am See lake walk, or thermal bath.
Wed 20
Up the Achental. Krimmler Tauernhaus opens today. Hike up (2.5h, +500m). Sleep at 1,631m.
Thu 21
Drive over to Heiligenblut. Felbertauern south, then Großglockner road. Pasterze viewpoint.
Fri 22
Home. Drive Heiligenblut → Vienna via Tauernautobahn, ~5h.
Sun 24
Long drive in. Vienna → Krimml, ~5h. Afternoon Krimml Falls (380m drop).
Mon 25
Up the Achental. Hike to Krimmler Tauernhaus (2.5h, +500m). Sleep at 1,631m.
Tue 26
Drive over to Heiligenblut. Felbertauern south, Großglockner road, Pasterze viewpoint.
Wed 27
Home. Drive Heiligenblut → Vienna, ~5h. No rest day — densest schedule.
The HochalpenstraßeKrimml FallsHeiligenblut
Verified, plus caveats
Großglockner Hochalpenstraße confirmed open since April 25, 2026 (May hours 06:00–20:00; toll price via the official site). Krimmler Tauernhaus confirmed opens May 20, 2026 (per their website). Matreier Tauernhaus confirmed closed in May. Most high alpine huts (Stüdlhütte, Glorerhütte, etc.) don't open until late June — this is a road-trip with one hut night, not a hut traverse.
Option E · Austria · Tyrolean city + dolomites hut
Lienz & the Lienzer Dolomiten
A small Tyrolean city as base, with a night up at Karlsbader Hütte beside the turquoise Laserzsee.
Sleeping
Lienz inn + 1–2× hut
Effort
Moderate hiking
Max altitude
2,260 m (hut)
Drive from Wien
~5.5 h, 525 km
Lienz + Karlsbader Hütte — forecast loading…
Lienz in the valley, Dolomitenhütte (drive-up), and Karlsbader Hütte at the Laserzsee.
Mon 18
Drive in. Vienna → Lienz, ~5.5h. Evening Hauptplatz walk. Forecast says wet Mon at altitude — good day to be in the valley.
Tue 19
Warm-up walk. Schlossberg + Schloss Bruck loop, or up the Hochstein lift area. Sleep Lienz.
Wed 20
Up to the hut. Drive Mautstraße from Amlach to Dolomitenhütte (1,620m, ~20min). Hike trail to Karlsbader Hütte at Laserzsee (2,260m, 2–2.5h, +650m). Sleep at the lake.
Thu 21
Laserzsee day. Walk around the lake, scramble toward Laserzwand or Simonskopf (snow-dependent). Descend to Dolomitenhütte or Lienz.
Fri 22
Home. Drive Lienz → Vienna.
Sun 24
Drive in. Vienna → Lienz, ~5.5h. Pfingstwochenende — book the hut early. Sleep Lienz.
Mon 25
Up to the hut. Mautstraße to Dolomitenhütte, hike to Karlsbader Hütte (2–2.5h, +650m). Sleep at Laserzsee.
Tue 26
Laserzsee day. Walks around the lake. Descend to Dolomitenhütte for night 2.
Wed 27
Down & home. Descend to car, drive Vienna ~5.5h. Long day.
Karlsbader Hütte + LaserzseeSunset over the dolomitesLienz from above
Caveats & bookings
Karlsbader Hütte planned to open May 15, 2026 (the season opener — call to confirm: +43 664 1426303). At 2,260m the summit trails (Laserzwand etc.) can hold snow well into late May. Dolomitenhütte is open year-round (except November). Pfingstwochenende falls on May 23–25, 2026 — if you take Window 2, book Karlsbader Hütte ASAP.
Side by side
A Bovec base
Country
Slovenia
Drive from Wien
~5 h
Effort
Easy day-walks
Sleeping
One hotel × 4
Weather flex
Total — swap days
Risk
Mangart road may be late
B Krn Lakes
Country
Slovenia
Drive from Wien
~5 h
Effort
Hut-to-hut hiking
Sleeping
Hotel + 2× hut + village
Weather flex
Fixed once up
Risk
Hut may not be open yet
C Gesäuse
Country
Austria
Drive from Wien
~3 h
Effort
Day hikes from hut base
Sleeping
Inn + 2× hut + inn
Weather flex
Two flex days
Risk
Hochtor may have snow
D Hohe Tauern
Country
Austria
Drive from Wien
~5 h
Effort
Road-trip + valley walks
Sleeping
3× hotel + 1× hut
Weather flex
Total — re-route freely
Risk
Long drive, wettest forecast
E Lienzer Dolomiten
Country
Austria
Drive from Wien
~5.5 h
Effort
Day hikes + alpine hut
Sleeping
Lienz inn + 1–2× hut
Weather flex
Good — valley fallback
Risk
Hut date marginal, snow above 2,200m
A · Bovec base
B · Krn Lakes
C · Gesäuse
D · Hohe Tauern
E · Lienzer Dolomiten
Country
Slovenia
Slovenia
Austria
Austria
Austria
Drive from Wien
~5 h
~5 h
~3 h
~5 h
~5.5 h
Effort
Easy day-walks
Hut-to-hut, 5–7h
Day hikes from hut base
Mostly road-trip
Day hikes + alpine hut
Max altitude
2,072 m (drive-up)
2,182 m (foot)
2,369 m
2,571 m (drive-up)
2,260 m (hut)
Sleeping
One hotel × 4
Hotel + 2× hut + village
Inn + 2× hut + inn
3× hotel + 1× hut
Lienz inn + 1–2× hut
Weather flex
Total — swap days
Fixed once we're up
Two flex days
Re-route freely
Good — valley fallback
Alpine feel
Drives to viewpoints
Sleep above the treeline
Real limestone hut
3,500m peaks in view
Hut at turquoise alpine lake
Booking pressure
Hotel only
Hut + village + shuttle
Hut + inn (phone only)
Hotel ×3 + Tauernhaus
Hut at Pfingsten = busy
Risk
Mangart road late?
Hut may not be open
Hochtor snow
Long drive, wet forecast
Snow above 2,200m, hut date marginal
My honest read
If you want a holiday: A. Same bed every night, short walks, long breakfasts. Bovec's weather is mixed in both windows but the format absorbs it — swap days as you like.
If you want a trip: B. Sleeping in a Slovenian mountain refuge is the proper alpine memory of the year. Skip this in W1 — it's near-freezing with 100% rain probability Tue. W2 is workable but cool.
If you want Austrian-only and the cleanest pick: C, especially in W2 — short drive, real hut, dramatic limestone, low crowds, and the forecast is drying out mid-week. The discovery-grade pick.
If you want the biggest sights: D. Großglockner, Pasterze, Krimml Falls in one trip. But it's the wettest forecast in both windows and the longest drives — would skip unless the weather shifts.
If you want a postcard alpine lake: E. Karlsbader Hütte at the Laserzsee is one of those iconic Austrian shots. Best in W1 (the hut's only just opened; Pfingsten W2 means competing for beds). Snow may still be on the summit trails — the lake-level walking should be fine.
