Accessibility: Alpina Antica Trail

On the Alpina Antica Trail, you move as an individual hiker (without the guidance of a mountain hiking guide) on marked mountain trails, often in alpine mountain regions with altitudes of up to 2,650 m above sea level. The Alpina Antica Trail is varied. In the south there are more flat stages, while the crossing of the Alps involves technically and physically demanding stages. As with any hike, it is important that you prepare well and obtain all the necessary information.

For the entire Alpina Antica Trail, especially for the stages in the mountains, you therefore need alpine hiking experience, which, in addition to the correct self-assessment of the technical and fitness requirements listed below, also includes experience in finding your way around the terrain (including reading topographical maps) and how to behave in bad weather – even if many stages are at an altitude of up to 1,800 m.
You are well looked after with us on the Alpina Antica Trail and supported by our organization. However, you are still an independent hiker (unless you book an optional mountain guide). We would like to point out that, despite our tour organization, you are on your own responsibility on the Alpina Antica Trail.

Technical demands: Moderate
Technically speaking, the Alpina Antica Trail is of moderate difficulty: The more challenging stages are on moderately difficult mountain trails with a red dot (classification Alpine Club Austria)
This means:

• Difficult sections of the trail are mostly narrow and often steep.
• There may be short insured walking passages.
• Due to weather conditions or short-term extreme weather events, hiking trails may be in poorer condition (e.g. slippery) or less visible due to fog.

To be able to do this as a mountain hiker without any problems, you need:

• Surefootedness
• A certain degree of head for heights

However, individual stages near the valley and the stages in the Friulian Plain are easier and almost all of them run on easy paths with a blue dot. In the Friulian Plain, the heat is a factor to consider, especially in the summer months. The Alpina Antica Trail Info & Booking Center will be happy to advise you in this regard.

Depending on the stage, the Alpina Antica Trail demands a high level of fitness:

• Ascent of up to 1,300 vertical meters depending on the stage
• Descents of up to 1,400 meters depending on the stage
• Trail length up to 21 km depending on the stage

Even if all three maximum values never come together on one stage, this means pure walking times of between 4 hours and 7 hours. Walking times are calculated using the Outdooractive formula (Outdooractive is one of the world’s largest providers of tour documentation and the market leader in German-speaking countries). This includes fast walking times, which correspond to the average speed of a well-trained mountain hiker.
Important: The information is purely walking time, i.e. breaks must be added.
Appropriate physical preparation is strongly recommended. Our tip: As you are on a multi-day tour, you should have hiked similar physical demands before as a day tour. You can also plan a rest day in between so that you can recover.

Further information:

• The Alpina Antica Trail is suitable for children aged 12 and over in very good physical condition.
• Due to their requirements, long-distance hiking trails and trekking routes are less or not at all suitable for people with reduced mobility. In order to clarify individual cases (degree of reduced mobility), it is recommended that you contact the Trail Info & Booking Center before booking.
• The Alpina Antica Trail is a long-distance hiking trail and is therefore generally not permitted for all types of bikes, unless sections of the trail lead along designated cycle paths, official mountain bike trails or public roads.
• Stages 2 and 3 lead through the Geigelstein nature reserve, where access is prohibited from December 1 to May 31 in order to protect the sensitive high mountain animals.
• The Alpina Antica Trail is generally not permitted for trail riders, unless there is an agreement with the respective trail owners.

It is often difficult to personally assess whether a trail is suitable for you. If you are unsure about this or want to know which stages are best for you, simply contact us. We will be happy to advise you. However, this does not relieve you of the responsibility of self-assessment.

Before setting off on a long-distance hike, we recommend checking whether there are any temporary closures on the respective sections of the trail due to natural phenomena, forestry or road construction work.