Karwendel Loop

Karwendel Loop - Round Trip from Innsbruck

The Karwendel Loop is a stunning cycling route that starts and finishes in Innsbruck and takes you through some of the most beautiful alpine scenery in Austria and Germany. It’s a big loop around the Karwendel National Park, passing through Mittenwald in Germany and back along Achensee as you re-enter Austria.

Innsbruck

We started in Innsbruck and headed North-West along the Inn River cycle path. Nice easy warm-up until Telfes, then turned North-East for a decent climb up to Buchen. The climb wasn’t too bad - steady gradient through some lovely forest sections.

From Buchen we got our reward - an absolutely brilliant descent through the trees down to Ostbach. Proper fun single track that had us bombing the whole way down. After that it was mostly coasting through the valley towards Mittenwald, with one last fun descent into the town with some hairpin bends and great views.

Mittenwald

Mittenwald is a picture-perfect town. We approached from the South, and cycled into the center where we grabed a coffee. There are plenty of bakeries that offer alfresco seating with good cakes.

Wildflusslandschaft Isartal

Once we left Mittelwald, you head north towards Wallgu and then into This is probably the highlight of the route. Wildflusslandschaft Isartal (translating to Wild River Landscape of the Isar Valley) is a spectactular 20km route alongside the Isar. This picturesque part of the ride is the absolute highlight - I did not know such places exist in Germany. You can easily stop at one of the many river beaches and cool off. Would recommend a stop for lunch here!

The Isar opens up into a lake, which is pretty full of tourists.

Achensee

The ride from the end of valley to Achensee is a bit of a slog. We’d run out of water, and found a beautiful spring just before the lake where we grabbed loads of cold, fresh, glorious water. The lake itself is stunning - crystal clear water with mountains reflecting off the surface. Perfect spot for a quick dip (the water’s pretty cold even in summer).

The Final Push

From Achensee, it’s a very steep descent back down to Innsbruck. The descent requires a lot of control, and is very busy with cars. The last 30km along the Inn back to Innsbruck is a slog - didn’t enjoy it. I’ve done it several times before on other cycles, and there’s nothing interesting about it. When I do this route again, I’ll jump on the train at Jenbach and arrive in Innsbruck.

Would I do it again?

Absolutely. Despite the sore arse (seriously, invest in good cycling shorts), this route is spectacular. The mix of challenging climbs, fun descents, and stunning scenery makes it one of the best day rides I’ve done. Plus, you get to cross into Germany and back - always feels like a proper adventure.