Hike the Vogelbergsteig in the Wachau Valley
The Hike
The Wachau Valley Hike Tour starts in the medieval town of Dürnstein where we head west to the entrance of the Talgraben at “In der Went“. From there we climb on the backside of the Biratalwand up to the nose on the so called Vogelbergsteig before we continue towards the top of the Vogelberg first northeast and then northwest on the ridge formed by the western wall of the Talgraben and the eastern wall of the Kummerstal.
The Vogelbergsteig is at it’s beginning a narrow path through the moist woods that goes up in serpentines on the backside of the west facing Biratalwand that rises steeply from the Danube. The moisture that comes from the stream that flows down through the valley ditch gives rise to an abundant vegetation along this stretch of the Vogelbergsteig while higher up, plants that thrive on dry soil such es sessile oak and black pine predominate.
The Vogelbergsteig higher up runs on the rock of the ridge, which is formed by the elevation between Talgraben and Kummerstal and which leads to the summit of the Vogelberg. The rock consists of Gföhler Gneis that was formed about 490 million years before. Gföhler gneiss is a migmatitic granite gneiss. Migmatite is a partially melted, coarsely mixed rock and granite gneiss is granite that is metamorphosed by intense heat and pressure into a banded rock.
Oaks like mineral-rich soils and are extremely frugal in terms of their location. Their roots reach deep into the ground and can thus survive drought. Sessile oaks, Quercus petraea, are solitary because they need a lot of light.
The sessile oak prefers hilly and low mountainous areas on dry, deep, stony soils. The scientific species name Quercus ( oaks ) petraea ( rocks ), rock oak, refers to the occurrence on stony soils.
Beside oaks pine trees grow in the rocky environment that is found on the way up the Vogelberg. The Austrian, or black, pine (P. nigra) derives its name from the sombre aspect of its dark green, sharp, rigid, rather long leaves. The tree displays a deeply fissured bark and light brown branches. Pinus nigra is a light-demanding species, intolerant of shade but resistant to wind and drought.
The Vogelberg, birds mountain, in Dürnstein in the Wachau Valley refers to it’s steep slopes interspersed with scrub and dry forest, which have always been used as nesting sites by birds.
From the Vogelberg we hike in a curve to the east to a hut in the forest which was built by the Fessl family about a hundred years ago to serve hikers to the nearby Starhembergwarte. We take a brake in the Fessl hut to have some local food with a glas of Wachau wine together.
After the stop in the Fessl hut we start our descent to Dürnstein on the eastern wall of the Talgraben. On a rock 150 m above the old town of Dürnstein we come by Dürnstein castle which was built in the 12th century by the Kuenringers, an Austrian ministerial family of the Babenbergs, who held the bailiwick of Dürnstein at that time. The deputies appointed by the sovereigns from the 13th century onwards to take care of the administrative business on site were known as bailiff. The bailif was responsible for the judiciary, the administration, the preparation of the military draft and financial matters.
The English king, Richard the 1st, on his way back from the 3rd Crusade, was captured as a hostage in Vienna Erdberg on 22 December 1192 and taken to the castle of Dürnstein until he was handed over to Henry VI, who held him prisoner at Trifels Castle in the Palatinate until the ransom was brought by his mother, Eleanor of Aquitaine, to the Court Day in Mainz on 2 February 1194. Part of the ransom was used to build Dürnstein.
From Dürnstein castle we take the donkey path down to the old town of Dürnstein. A donkey path is a path in the vicinity of hilltop castles that usually led hidden to side entrances of the castle. Donkey paths were often characterised by a very narrow, steep route to make it difficult for armoured enemies to use them and, as long as the castle did not yet have a reliable well, they were mainly used to supply water, which was transported on donkeys in barrels.
Dürnstein is located on a rock above the banks of the Danube in the Wachau Valley of Lower Austria. The baroque blue white bell tower of the Dürnstein Abbey church is a landmark. In 1372, a chapel was built in Dürnstein and in 1410 a monastery was founded around the chapel and Augustinian Canons were brought from Bohemia.
The canons of Dürnstein built the church, priory and cloister. In the seventeenth century the Abbey complex was renovated in the baroque style while retaining the gothic structure by Joseph Munggenast, a nephew of Jakob Prandtauer, an Austrian Baroque architect who also built Melk Abbey.
The Hiking Route
The map below shows the hiking route. As can be seen from Dürnstein we head north to the nose and from there the Vogelberg upwards. On the way back we stop for some local food and a glas of Wachau wine at the Fesslhütte.
Tour Details
Duration: approximately 4 – 5 hours
Hiking distance: 4,8 km
Ascent: 338 m
Descent: 338 m
Highest point: 548 m
Lowest point: 204 m
This offer is for a private tour for 2, 4 or 6 persons respectively.
Hotel pick up and drop-off (locations in the Wachau Valley)
Transportation by car to and from Dürnstein
Hike guided by 2 locals from Dürnstein on the Vogelberg trail up to the top of the Schloßberg and down again to Dürnstein
A 2 course meal with a glas of Wachau wine in a forest hut on top of the Schloßberg, castle mountain, before the descent to Dürnstein again
- Ascent to the Schloßberg on an alpine path. Stop at a hut for hikers. Enjoy a local dish.
- Descent to the ruins of Dürnstein. Very beautiful view of Dürnstein, the Danube and the Wachau valley.
Departure details
- Traveler pick up is offered.
- We pick up guests from all Wachau valley accommodations, from train stations in Melk and Krems and from cruise ships that dock in the Wachau valley.
- If hotel or cruise pier is inaccessible by car due to restrictions, pickup will be held from a nearby location within short walking distance.
Return details
- Returns to original departure point
Not wheelchair accessible.
For this hike guests need footwear that allows them to walk on an alpine path.
- Booking is done by phone +43 680 301 7720 or email office@radler-rast.com.
- Bookings are confirmed after a non-refundable 150 € deposit has been transferred to our PayPal business account using the link PayPal.Me/radlerrast.
The balance is due at the end of the tour and can be paid in cash or by card. - This tour is a private tour for 2, 4 or travelers.
- 2 people per booking is required.
- Minimum age is 16 years.
- Exact pick up times will be agreed when booking.
- Most travelers can participate.
- Duration 4 hours approx. The exact duration may vary including pick up and drop off.
- Hiking the Vogelbergsteig requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date.
The private Wachau Valley Hiking Tour for 2 travelers is € 732,20, for 4 travelers € 845,88 and for 6 travelers € 959,56.
- After transferring a non-refundable 150 Euro deposit to our PayPal business account using the link PayPal.Me/radlerrast to confirm the booking the balance is due at the end of the tour and can be paid in cash or by card.