Are the rhododendrons already blooming?

This is the standard question of the connoisseur when summer is approaching. Kühtai lies in the middle of a botanical garden at an altitude of over 2,000 metres. From the middle of June to the middle of July, this alpine flower species, also known as alpine rose, blossoms and then covers the mountain slopes with its red splendour. This coincides perfectly with the hiking season in Kühtai. Numerous hiking trails lead very closely past the colourful alpine flowers, which are not only pleasing to the eye – the scent of alpine roses lies in the already spicy mountain air!

Along the slopes strewn with pink and rust-coloured flowers, you can choose between leisurely short walks and longer 1 to 3-hour tours: High-altitude panoramic hikes, hikes to the Finstertaler Reservoir, the DreiSeen-Hut and the Plenderlesseen, to the Hirschebensee or the Längentaler Reservoir with subsequent visit to the storage power plant …

Rust leafed alpine rose (Rhododendron ferrugineum)
The rust-red or rust-leaved alpine rose belongs to the heather family (Ericaceae). It does not occur everywhere in the Alps, if at all, then mostly in large stands together with the Swiss stone pine, the blueberry or the cranberry at altitudes between 1,400 and 2,400 m. The term “rust-red” refers to the underside of the leathery leaves.