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Classic race for hikers & trail runners!

Karwendelmarsch

Tirol’s event calendar is filled with many exciting sporting events, and one of the highlights is the legendary Karwendelmarsch. Every year on the last Saturday in August, the race offers long-distance hikers and runners the opportunity to take on a physical challenge surrounded by spectacular unspoilt nature of the Nature Park Karwendel.

The Karwendelmarsch has made history, and year after year new exciting stories are written. This is probably the best way to describe the legend: Initiated to raise funds for young Tirolean skiers, the event became Tirol's largest sporting event from 1969 to 1990. In 2009, the event was relaunched by the Achensee Tourist Board and the Olympic Region Seefeld, with the idea to offer participants a unique sporting experience while protecting resources and raising awareness for the nature reserve. Now the legendary hiking and mountain running event will expand its sustainability efforts: In 2023, for the first time in the history of the Karwendelmarsch, part of the entry fee - three euros per starter - will go to the successful project „nature conservation & alpine pasture maintenance“ along the running route and hence directly benefit the Nature Park Karwendel. Thanks to this sustainable concept, the "new" Karwendelmarsch is rightly considered a prime example of how sports, tourism and a protected area can work together to manage human impact on natural environments. The event occurs on 31 August 2024.

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The route

The starting point of the Karwendelmarsch is in Scharnitz, from where participants tackle 35 or 52 kilometres. The route travels via Schafstallboden, Karwendelhaus, Kleiner Ahornboden, Falkenhütte, Eng (finishing point of the 35 km route), Binsalm, Gramai-Hochleger, Gramaialm and Falzturn Alm to Pertisau at Lake Achensee. Characteristic features of the high alpine route are the spectacular mountain ranges, which present themselves in ever-changing formations and perspectives, and the extensive plateaus. The alpine pastures and barns that runners pass time and again lie beautifully nestled in the landscape. Ten refreshment stations along the route offer drinks and regional mid-run snacks. For route details, visit our interactive map at maps.achensee.com or the website karwendelmarsch.info.

The Karwendelmarsch, which leads through the Nature Park Karwendel, is one of Tirol’s top annual sporting events
Registration & information

Visit the official website of the Karwendelmarsch for more information about prices, results or press releases and registration for the event!

Initiatives for a more sustainable event

The organizers are continuously working to improve the environmental impact of the event and are happy to consider ideas from participants. Many have suggested to eliminate plastic cups, and refreshment stations have switched to biodegradable alternatives which can be fully recycled after the race.