Photography - Excursion to the Three Peaks - Hike to the Three Peaks Hut

My absolute highlight 2023, I had to wait half a year for this moment. On 19 August, the time had finally come - the photography trip to the Three Peaks began.

Everything was perfect. We were lucky to get a room just for the three of us, it was the day around the new moon and the setting couldn't have been better. But what exactly were the stars ideal for? Our plan was to photograph the Milky Way above the Three Peaks and the only thing that could go wrong was the weather. I'll tell you in this blog post whether all the factors played a part in our photography trip to the Three Peaks and what it was like.

Arrival and parking facilities

Our journey started at around 4.30 am. We had an almost five-hour drive ahead of us and only had to use the motorway for a short stretch. It was definitely an exhausting journey for Eli, who had agreed to be the driver. Starting as soon as possible was still the best decision to get a good parking space.

You will definitely have plenty of parking options here. How far away you want to park your car and whether you want to carry your heavy rucksack before the hike begins is another question. There would also be the option of taking a shuttle bus. Of course, we only realised the day before that we were a little too late for this option, as all the buses were already fully booked. So our plan was to start as soon as possible and park as far forward as possible. 

My two tips for the photography excursion to the Three Peaks. Firstly, check the shuttle service early enough and think about where you want to park and whether you need a bus. And secondly, we used the mobile phone app „Easy Park“ to park and pay. It worked really well, just enter the number of the car park, from when to when you're parking and you're ready to go. If you return earlier than expected, no problem - you only pay for as long as you really need.

Daily programme and route description for the photography excursion to the Three Peaks

As all three of us had a 10-kilo rucksack with us thanks to the camera equipment, we took the bus from the car park to just before the Auronzo hut. A bus ticket to the top costs €10 per person. Start of the hike - top car park. Here you start with a small climb up to the Auronzo hut and hike for a good two kilometres along the Three Peaks on a gravel path. At the halfway point, you walk past the Capella degli Alpini, a small chapel. The first two kilometres are done and with a heavy pack, you have already earned a short rest at the Lavaredo hut. 

The steepest part of this tour is now ahead of you. Without the weight on my shoulders, I would say that it's actually only half as tough. But all the equipment made it a bit difficult for me. But after the view that awaits you at the top, right next to the Three Peaks, I can promise you that it was all worth it. Once you have completed this passage, it's half time. From here you can already see the hut we had to get to. A bit downhill, another 2 kilometres or so on a gravel path and the final ascent. You've made it, you've reached the hut and the view of the Three Peaks from the terrace is indescribable.

Brief key data

✅Highest point 2452 m

✅approx. 4.2 km

✅approx. 215 metres in altitude

✅Duration about 1.5 hours (pure walking time)

✅No grazing cattle

✅Rest stops (Drei Zinnen hut, Lavaredo hut)

Suitable for children and dogs

⚠️Festes Footwear

⚠️Trittsicherheit

⛔Large crowds of people

⛔not possible with a pushchair

⚠️ ATTENTION: We expressly point out that we accept no liability for accidents or possibly closed trails. Before hiking, check the availability of the trail and reflect on your own fitness.

Camera equipment and other equipment

Let's talk briefly about what I took with me and why my rucksack was so heavy. First of all, my priority was clearly photography and I took more with me than I needed for my final photo. I wanted to try something called an interval shot to capture the course of the Milky Way. For this reason, I took my old camera with me along with a small travelling tripod. Briefly listed here.

Camera equipment

• Nikon D7500
• Tokina 11-16mm f2.8
• Rollei tripod
• Nikon D5300
• Tamron 18-400mm f4.0
• Travelling tripod
• Extra battery
• Torch

General information

• Sleeping bag
• Slippers
• long thermal underwear
• Jumper
• Headgear
• Sports towel
• Soap
• Toothbrush and toothpaste
• 1 litre water bottle

Refreshment stops and our accommodation - the Drei Zinnen Hütte

Let's start with our accommodation. We were lucky and were able to book a triple room for Eli, Jasmin and me about half a year ago at the Three Peaks Hut get hold of. You should make a reservation as soon as possible. Not only your own room, but also the dormitory is booked out very quickly. The Drei Zinnen Hütte has 30 beds in smaller rooms, there are only 4 twin rooms, the remaining sleeping places are mattress dormitories in shared dormitories with 8 - 24 beds, mostly bunk beds. 

It was a really pleasant stay for me. The staff were very friendly and attentive and the rooms were very clean. The food was just as I always imagine it to be in a mountain hut - simply unbelievably delicious. Not just for the meat lovers among us, no, there was also a great selection for the veggies. Very important: only cash payment possible.

Opening hours

open from 24.06. - 24.09.2023 from approx. 07:00 - 22:00 and invites you to enjoy cold drinks and hot food.

Breakfast is served from 07:00 - 08:30 and dinner for the room guests from 18:00 to 19:15. 

Prices

• Half board in a dormitory - 60€
• Half board in smaller rooms - 72€
• Overnight stay in a dormitory - 17,50€
• Overnight stay in smaller rooms - 31€

Refreshment stops

The Lavaredo Hut is open for you from 15 July to 24 September and also offers 24 beds.

My conclusion on the photography excursion to the Three Peaks

I don't think I need to say much more about it. Let's start with the only negative thing, which for me personally isn't too bad in this case. As you can take the buses to the Auronzo hut, you'll be walking the 2-3 kilometres with crowds of people. I saw the whole thing as a photography excursion with the main focus on the Milky Way and so, for once, I was one of those typical tourists. But apart from that, it was simply marvellous.

The route was mostly easy, with only two steeper sections to complete. The Drei Zinnen Hütte was great, which is exactly how I imagine a stay in the mountains. Very friendly staff, great food, clean rooms and a fantastic view on top. Now to the photography - was it worth it? Absolutely for me. Of course I'm not a professional photographer and many people would tell me what I could improve on the photo, but for me it turned out exactly as I had imagined. Whether it's a photography trip to the Three Peaks or a hike, I can only recommend this tour to you.

If you are just as enthusiastic about hiking and enjoy being out in nature as I am, then you could the hike from Mondsee to the Eisenaueralm could be just the thing for you.