Overview
The Drei Schwestern — Three Sisters — is a ridge of three summits sitting above Vaduz at roughly 2,050 m. The traverse is Liechtenstein’s signature hike: exposed in places, consistently scenic, and demanding enough to feel earned.
Start from the Gaflei area (bus from Vaduz or drive to the car park at 1,450 m). The trail climbs steadily through forest before breaking onto the open ridge. From Schwesternspitz, the middle summit, you can see across the Rhine Valley to the Swiss plateau on clear days.
The Route
Gaflei → Kuhgrat: A 45-minute climb on well-marked trail through mixed forest. The path steepens after the first junction — stay left at the fork marked Grats.
Kuhgrat → First Summit (Schwarzkopf): The first exposed section. A fixed cable assists the final 30m to the summit. Don’t rush this in wet conditions.
Ridge Traverse: The connecting ridge between the three summits is narrow but the trail is clear. Allow 1.5–2 hours for the traverse. Some scrambling required on the middle section — hands needed on rock at two points.
Descent via Masescha: The descent to Masescha is steep and loose in places. Trekking poles are strongly recommended. From Masescha, a bus returns to Vaduz (or retrace to Gaflei).
Conditions & Season
- Best months: June–October
- Snow possible above 1,800m until late May; check conditions before June
- Do not attempt in poor visibility — ridge navigation is non-trivial in cloud
How to Get There
By bus: Liechtenstein Bus line 21 from Vaduz to Gaflei. Runs hourly in season; check liemobil.li for timetables.
By car: Park at Gaflei car park (47.0798° N, 9.5591° E). Free parking. Drive 20 minutes from Vaduz via Triesenberg.
Return: Bus from Masescha (line 21) or arrange pickup at the lower trailhead.