Hiking is one of the Germans’ favorite sports. In 2025, some exciting hiking trends promise variety. The variety of options and suitable routes sometimes makes it difficult to find the right one for you. Whether in combination with enjoying regional delicacies, hiking with your faithful four-legged companion, as an extreme sport or to relax: We have taken a look at the major hiking trends of 2025 and also present the most suitable routes directly from the Feuer und Eis Touristik portfolio. So, get your hiking boots on and pack your rucksack: 2025 awaits with unforgettable experiences.
Trend 1) Culinary hikes: Wine, beer and more
Who says that hiking always has to be associated with exertion and physical challenges? Culinary hikes combine the experience of nature with enjoyment and offer a completely new hiking experience. Wine hikes and beer trails in particular are becoming increasingly popular. These tours take hikers through idyllic wine and beer landscapes, where each region has its own special wines waiting to be discovered.
In addition, more and more tours are being created that focus on regional specialties and traditional dishes. Whether cheese, chocolate or even a culinary picnic with regional delicacies — in 2025, hikers can look forward to sensory experiences that satisfy their hunger for nature as well as filling their stomachs.
Our 8‑day hiking tour “Piedmont The Langhe — More than wine, truffles and cheese” takes you to the home of gourmets. Here, the picturesque hilly landscapes of the Langhe UNESCO World Heritage Site alternate with culinary highlights. Famous wines such as Barolo and Barbaresco or Italian sparkling wine and a truffle hunt are on the program. The accommodation is also something special: located just outside the historic town of Barbaresco, it is the perfect starting point for numerous day trips in the region, which naturally combines tradition and modernity and offers more than enough opportunities to sample the delicious Piedmontese cuisine and fine local wines.
Click here for the tour: https://www.feuer-eis-touristik.de/wandern-piemont
Trend 2) Dog walks: Adventures with your four-legged friend
Planning a vacation with your beloved four-legged friend is always a challenge: air travel is difficult and many accommodations do not allow dogs. Hiking is a leisure activity that is perfect with a dog. Dog walks are a great way to spend your vacation with your four-legged friend and get your money’s worth at the same time. In 2025, this trend will continue to grow in importance and hiking regions that take this into account will enjoy particular popularity.
- Dog-friendly hiking trails: There are now numerous hiking trails that are designed to be dog-friendly, with sufficient drinking facilities, dog toilets and practical rest areas. In addition, dog transportation options such as special dog buses or trains are increasingly being offered to make it easier to get to the starting point of the hike.
Feuer und Eis Touristik has been offering hikes with dogs for a long time. A particularly unique experience for hikers and their faithful companions is offered by the 5‑day tour “In the footsteps of the poacher Jennerwein” through the Tegernsee-Schliersee-Spitzingsee Alpine region. In addition to the enchanting landscape and picturesque lakes, you will also gain an insight into the life of the poacher. This exciting experience requires good basic fitness, the individual stages are between 14 and 18 kilometers long and there are altitude differences of between 550 and 1100 meters to cover. Two- and four-legged friends can recharge their batteries in selected, dog-friendly quality accommodation.
Click here for the tour: https://www.feuer-eis-touristik.de/auf-den-spuren-des-wildschuetzen-jennerwein
Trend 3) Extreme hiking: Long distances, 24 hours at a time or at night
2025 is the year of the ultimate hiking adventure! Long-distance hikes, 24-hour hikes and night hikes are not just trends, but real challenges where you get to know your own physical and mental limits.
- Long-distance hiking: Long-distance hikes over several days or weeks are becoming increasingly popular.
- 24-hour hike: If you really want to challenge yourself, go on a hike that lasts 24 hours. Hiking through the night without interruption is a very special experience.
- Night hikes: Especially in summer, night hikes are a fantastic way to experience nature in completely different conditions. With a headlamp and in the silence of the night, you can develop a new understanding of the forest or mountain massif at night. These tours are not only adventurous, but also an opportunity to get away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.
If you want to take on a long-distance hike in 2025, book the Alpine crossing “Am Puls der Alpen” from Tegernsee in Germany to the Three Peaks in Italy. This long but rewarding tour takes you through three countries over two weeks. The first section leads past the enchanting Tegernsee to the pretty town of Kufstein. The route continues along the Wilder Kaiser to Ellmau and on to fashionable Kitzbühel. Part two starts there and leads over the Felbertauern to East Tyrol, over the Gsieser Törl and finally to the imposing Dolomite cliffs of the Three Peaks. The total distance is 146 kilometers.
Click here for the tour: https://www.feuer-eis-touristik.de/tegernsee-drei-zinnen
Trend 4) Soft hiking: slowing down in nature
The counter-trend to our Trend 3 is soft hiking, which focuses on hiking as a gentle, relaxing activity. This type of hiking is aimed at people who want to experience nature at a more leisurely pace without having to achieve peak physical performance. Soft hiking often goes hand in hand with the growing trend of mindfulness. Hikers enjoy sharpening their senses, taking a deep breath and slowing down while experiencing nature. This type of hiking not only promotes physical health, but also mental well-being.
The “Ammergau Alps Meditation Trail” tour offers a particularly suitable opportunity to experience this trend. On this 7‑day pilgrimage to yourself, you hike through the lovely Ammertal valley in the south of Bavaria. There are 15 varied stations to discover, leading to buildings, secluded chapels and unique natural monuments. Through the regularity of walking on the meditation trail, you will find inner peace, switch off from everyday life and get to know yourself better.
Click here for the tour: https://www.feuer-eis-touristik.de/meditationsweg-ammergauer-alpen
