How to plan your first hut-to-hut hike

Planning your first hut-to-hut hike starts with understanding the route, the stages, and where you will sleep each night.

Good planning removes uncertainty and allows you to enjoy the hike itself.

Step 1: Choose the right route

Start by selecting a route that matches your fitness level and experience. Shorter routes with moderate elevation gain are ideal for beginners.

Look at how the route is divided into daily stages. Pay attention to distance, elevation gain and expected hiking time per day.

Identify huts, cabins or campsites along each stage. Make sure you know where each day ends and what type of accommodation is available.

Understand how to reach the starting point of the route and how to return from the endpoint. This is often overlooked but essential.

TrailHuts shows routes broken down into stages with linked accommodations, making it easier to see the full plan at a glance.