‘Most beautiful country in all time’ an old folk song claims and this quote truly applies to the Austrian Salzkammergut. Mountains, lakes and picturesque places belong to one of the most beautiful treasures of the world. This uniqueness has been recognized by UNESCO and the region Hallstatt has been declared a UNESCO Heritage and culture area.
Moderate Walking
This tour combines pleasant walking with culture and places of interest. The walking paths are good, there are just some short ascents on smaller serpentine paths. We can recommend this tour for families.
By train or plane to Salzburg, by bus to Wolfgangsee (approx. 1 hour). Or by train to Bad Ischl and by bus to Wolfgangsee (approx. 30 min). Pick up service from the bus stop by the hotel.
Day 1 Details.
Arrival at lake Wolfgangsee
Take the boat to St. Wolfgang. On your walk along a walking trail to Falkenstein rock wall you enjoy beautiful views of the lake. An idyllic path along the lake takes you into Mozart village St. Gilgen. Return journey by boat.
From St. Wolfgang on Saddle walk to lake Schwarzensee. Here the lake cabin of Lore is worth a break with its delicious homemade snacks. Via Wirer gorge into the valley and around Bürglstein to the lake promenade of Strobl. By coach to the old Imperial summer residence Bad Ischl.
Surrounded by sunny vineyards and green forests the mighty gothic parish church of Weißenkirchen is a remarkable sight. Wine growing villages such as Joching, Wösendorf and St. Michael form together with Weißenkirchen the biggest wine grower community of the Wachau region. Visit museums, seize beautiful walking trails or take a boat tour on the Danube. Enjoy a glass of Wachauer wine in one of the wine taverns.
Salt always has been an important source of income in the Salzkammergut. The oldest brine pipeline of the world leads from Hallstatt’s salt mine to the salt works in Bad Ischl. Walk along the promenade into Kaltenbachau, a site of Imperial amusements such as horse races, picnics and rendezvous. On the brine pipeline trail to Bad Goisern, the gateway to UNESCO heritage Hallstatt. If you want to walk a little higher, you can hike on the spectacular mountain trail of the “Eternal Wall”.
Continue on the brine pipeline trail to the salt mountain in Hallstatt (salt mine dates back to Celtic times). Here you enjoy a scenic view of the lake and Dachstein massif. Plan a visit of the salt mine, enjoy the views from the top of Rudolf’s tower and visit the excavation sites. A boat ride takes you across the lake back to Bad Goisern.
Go by train to Bad Ischl. Along the romantic Sissi-Path you walk to the tiny lake Nussensee then along river Ischl back to lake Wolfgangsee. Through the nature reserve Blinklingmoos along the lake back to today’s stop-over.
Departure or extension
We require a 20% deposit to start booking all the individual elements of your trip, which is payable over the phone or online (the full balance is due 6 weeks prior to departure, so if you book less than 6 weeks in advance your deposit will be the full tour cost). Every trip is tailor made just for you, so we confirm availability individually and book all your accommodation and options, then send you final confirmation as soon as everything is confirmed (usually max 5 working days).
It really depends on the trip. We offer quite a variety of holiday grades to help you select the right level of activity. Always be honest with yourself about your abilities, and always do some training in the run up to your trip. You'd be surprised at what you can achieve, especially going at your own pace on one of our independent adventures. Your specialist is the best person to ask for advice on a specific trip. The active kind of holiday offers rewards like no other.
Many of our trips come with baggage transfer included (some have optional baggage transfer, and on very few remote trips baggage transfer is unavailable, but do check the exact tour inclusions). You will drop overnight bags (one per person) by an allotted time each morning in a designated area in your hotel or B&B. This leaves you free to walk unencumbered, with only your day pack of essentials. Your baggage will be transferred to your next night's accommodation, and will usually arrive before you do!
