Joana Breyton is a videographer, content creator and founder of the video agency frameduo. Her heart beats for hiking and she loves spending time in the mountains. With the experience of several Alpine crossings, she is going on tour with her community in summer 2025. In her report, she takes us on this extraordinary group trip.
What happens when 22 strangers connect via Instagram and decide to do an Alpine crossing from Tegernsee to Sterzing? This is exactly what happened at the beginning of 2025. In July, the time had come: together with 2 guides, we crossed the Alps on foot in two groups. In this article, you can find out what happened during these 7 days, what challenges awaited us and whether strangers can become friends at the end of a tour like this.
Hi, I’m Joana and I’ve been sharing my experiences of hiking — especially crossing the Alps — on Instagram(@joanabreyton) and YouTube(frameduo). After I reported on my own Alpine crossings, I was increasingly asked on Instagram: “Can we do a tour together?” As the requests piled up, I made a decision: to organize a crossing of the Alps for everyone who had always wanted to do it but didn’t dare to do it alone.
The interest was huge, so my friend and business partner Jannes and I turned to Feuer und Eis as professional organizers. The idea for a community tour was born. After a few emails, the route was set and the accommodation was booked. We have now been able to open registration for interested parties. But Jannes and I didn’t just want to share a link. Instead, we had a special idea: we wrote the words “Will you cross the Alps with me?” on a simple cardboard sign and recorded a short video of it, which we then shared on Instagram. We were pretty nervous just before that. Would that even work? The reaction surprised us. The video was really well received. Some of the participants even told me later that they had only signed up because of this cardboard sign. Hard to believe, isn’t it?
Our Route
Together we decided to take the beginners’ route from Tegernsee to Sterzing. A total of 20 women and men of different ages registered. The youngest participant was 20 years old, the oldest 62, so the groups were a colorful mix. The tour started in two groups, each accompanied by a guide.
The route took us from Bavaria via Tyrol through the Zillertal Alps to beautiful Sterzing in South Tyrol. We hiked along Lake Achensee, crossed the main Alpine ridge at the Pfitscherjoch and finally crossed the border into Italy. In good weather, this section offers breathtaking views — I’ll tell you below whether we were lucky with the weather.
The daily stages were between 10 and 20 kilometers each and led through a varied landscape – sometimes idyllic, sometimes challenging, but always impressive.
The Start of Our Tour
The Group Feeling
So much happens in seven days that sometimes we didn’t even know which day it was. Sure, the landscape was impressive, but what made it special was the group. Every day we grew closer together, laughed together, cursed together and pulled each other up. On paper, the destination was Sterzing — but on the way we realized that it was much more about the route. And if we lacked motivation in the morning, a joke or a quick glance around was often enough to get us going again. After the first few kilometers at the latest, we were right back in the middle of the adventure.
Challenges Along the Way
We knew in advance that sooner or later the first challenges would arise. We were therefore not surprised that it was already on the second morning: one participant felt ill.
A major advantage of the route from Tegernsee to Sterzing is its flexibility. There are always opportunities along the way to shorten stages or skip them altogether. This is exactly what the participant used for herself. She ran the first part of the second stage, but then decided to descend earlier, giving her more time in the hotel to rest and regain her strength.
Highlights Along the Way
We particularly remember the Gaisalmsteig on Lake Achensee and the stages through the Zillertal Alps. In good weather, the view from there extended as far as impressive mountain ranges such as the Karwendel.
On the sixth day, we finally crossed the main Alpine ridge at the Pfitscherjoch and reached Italy — and thus South Tyrol. We have already mentioned the magnificent views on this stage above. But the truth is that some things are simply beyond our control. For example, the weather.
It rained continuously that day and visibility was often limited to just a few meters. We got really wet, but that didn’t dampen the group’s spirits. It is precisely at moments like these that you realize how much a strong community can achieve.
It was a wonderful feeling when we all finally arrived in Sterzing in good health. At the same time, there was also a bit of melancholy, as our time together was coming to an end.
Why Feuer und Eis was a decisive partner
It was the first hike with a group for both of us — and certainly the first tour organized for other people. This made it all the more important to leave the organization to the professionals. Accommodation, luggage transport, the two hiking guides — Feuer und Eis took care of it all. Especially in difficult moments, such as rain or thunderstorms, it became clear how valuable the safety of experienced guides was. This allowed us to concentrate fully on the adventure and enjoy our time together.
Our Conclusion
This community tour showed very clearly that adventures and shared experiences bring people together and can turn strangers into friends within seven days. Our personal highlight: We were able to show that social media also has positive sides in today’s world. So many different people with the same passion found each other via Instagram and experienced this journey together. The feedback from the participants confirms that for many it was a real “once in a lifetime” moment.
Our Tour Documentary
Booking Information
Whether with your own group of friends or alone — let us guide you across the Alps and hike with a guide from Tegernsee to Sterzing!