This is the third stage of a tour through Germany, Austria, Italy, Slovenia, Croatia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina. The routes have been plotted and driven in 2015 by Marc Telkamp.

You notice it in the morning in your hotel. The breakfast tastes good, the coffee is fine and the people in the hotel are hospitable and friendly, but you are actually quite impatient. Preferably you want to get on your motorcycle and on the road as soon as possible. Not because there are many kilometers to cover, but because you know that something beautiful is waiting for you today.

Today you get to see the best of Tyrol. Via the Ötztal you go up the impressive Timmelsjoch. Once you arrive on the Italian side, you drive through Alto Adige (South Tyrol), with its beautiful mountain roads along small villages. And to complete the day, you will end in the Dolomites, after driving the Niger Pass. Near the Sella Ronda, where you can take a tour the next day. This route therefore gets 5 stars, without any doubt. The quality of the roads is perfect, the surroundings and views breathtaking and the sights diverse.

The departure from Imst starts quietly. You can refuel in the town, after which the first kilometers are on the main road. Ignore the signs indicating Timmelsjoch and Sölden. The route first goes a bit towards the Northeast, so that you can drive up the Silzer Sattel. This mountain pass takes you through a number of beautiful hairpin bends to an altitude of 1690 meters. The road has little traffic and is easy to prepare, but keep in mind that the bends can be tight. Along the way you have beautiful views of the valley below you between the trees.

At the end of the mountain pass, the route turns right towards the Ötztal, which is the run-up to the Timmelsjoch Hochalpenstrasse. The Ötztal is part of the Ötztal Alps. The oldest human mummy in Europe was found in these Alps in 1991, on the border between Austria and Italy. Appropriately, this mummy was given the name Ötzi. After some discussion on which side of the border the mummy was found, the mummy was eventually taken to the South Tyrolean Archeology Museum in Bolzano (RP 20). The route passes this museum later today. It is impressive to be able to admire the mummy and its belongings so close in the museum.

But before you get that far, you can first stop at the Horlachbach or Stuibenfall (RP 6). At 159m, this waterfall is the highest waterfall in the Tyrolean Alps. The special thing about this waterfall is the fine spray that arises around the waterfall in its fall. It is an absolute must to hike to the top of the waterfall. The walk goes through the woods, over a beautiful suspension bridge and 700 steps ... In other words, wearing your motorcycle gear may not be the most convenient option. From the parking lot you have a view of the waterfall in the distance. That is why the waterfall in this route is also exclusively included as a photo stop.

Once back on the B186 the route continues towards the Timmelsjoch. The climb to 2509 meters begins slowly but steadily. Unfortunately you have to pay a toll to drive the Timmelsjoch. With the proceeds, the route is maintained as well as a number of beautiful sights along the way. These are also included in the route.

First you will pass “der Steg” (RP 7). This viewpoint is next to the toll station in Hochgurgl. From here you have a beautiful view of the Ötztal. You can also visit the highest motorcycle museum in Europe here. About 230 classic motorcycles are on display here. After this follows “der Schmuggler” (RP 8). This viewpoint offers more information about the past of smugglers and their routes through the Alps. After this point there are a number of beautiful hairpin bends, which lead to the highest point of the mountain pass. Here you can visit the mountain pass museum, take pictures of the views and possibly have a bite to eat at Rasthaus Timmelsjoch.

After your break, you immediately cross the border and descend deeper into the Italian Alto Adige (South Tyrol). Along the way you will come across two viewpoints, which are part of the Timmelsjoch. First of all, “Fernrohr Scheibkopf” (RP 10). From here you have a magnificent view (180 °) of the Texel mountain ranges, the Granatkogel and learn more about the local mountain goats. The second stop is “der Granat” (RP 11) with a view of the Passeier valley and information about the bunkers of Mussolini (WII).

The next part of your route is the connection between Merano and Bolzano. The most direct routes are in the valley. Marc Telkamp has chosen an alternative route, which goes directly back into the mountains from Merano. These winding roads are a joy. The road is relatively quiet, there is no straight part in this road and along the way you have some appetizing views of the apple orchards in the valley between Merano and Bolzano. There are few real stops along this road for photos, but it's well worth stopping every now and then to enjoy the view. Closer to Bolzano, you end up in the valley where you can visit Ötzi if you have the time and desire.

After the heat and bustle of Bolzano you drive into the Dolomites. These mountains have a very different character from the Alps. You will see this immediately as soon as you enter the Niger Pass. The Niger Pass is not the shortest route to the hotel on the Karersee (Carezza al Lago), but it is a lot quieter, because it is not a through connection. On this pass you will come across the last gas station (RP 21) before arriving at your hotel in Carezza.

Sporthotel Alpenrose is a lovely hotel, centrally located and not too far from the Sella Ronda. This route was not driven by Marc Telkamp during this trip and therefore not included in the route (collections). If you would still like to drive the Sella Ronda, you will find the POIs of the mountain passes that belong to the Sella Ronda (North East of the hotel) in this route. The hotel is certainly not a punishment to stay for two nights.