Travel Story: Trails, lakes in the Salzkammergut

The Crème de la Crème of Salzkammergut tours

We offer 17 different tour variations in the Salzkammergut, so there’s a tour for everybody. My plan: one of each please! If you choose this tour you don’t need to choose between cute Alpine meadows and rugged peaks, imperial towns and alpine huts, farmers fields and rocky moorland. The overnight locations and the daily tours could not be more different.

Away from the tourist crowds

The well-known tourist hotspot of Hallstatt and the surrounding region has intentionally been excluded from this tour. So there is more time for the unknown, more remote, but by no means less breathtaking parts of the Salzkammergut. If you want to get to know all sides of the Salzkammergut and to collect many memories, this tour is the best option.

Hiking paradise between lakes and mountains

Despite it being high season in the Salzkammergut, we have the hiking trails to ourselves. We ask ourselves where the tourists are. We suppose they are at the many bathing lakes due to the warm temperatures. The Salzkammergut has an international reputation and attracts guests from all over the world with its many sights. It is even more fascinating that there are still such beautiful spots to enjoy in peace and quiet. Every exercise-hungry, sporty mountain lover will get their money's worth on the daily hikes. On all days, however, there are also shorter options or easier trails to choose from. This makes the trip the perfect all-rounder! In addition to the many daily variations, the individual hiking days are also fundamentally different. No two days are the same.

View from the Feuerkogel mountain station

Hikers with a far-reaching view on the Feuerkogel

Alpine flowers on the Feuerkogel with hikers in the background

Feuerkogel, Kaiserstadt and the Wolfgangsee

Framed by mountains sits the deepest lake in Austria and at the same time the start of our tour – the Traunsee. Until now we have no idea which breathtaking landscapes and varied hiking trails await us. We travel with the cable car up the Feuerkogel. Suddenly we find ourselves amid rocks and scree. Colourful mountain flowers sprout along the way and panoramic views over the whole region whet our appetite for the coming days. Then we return to civilisation and Bad Ischl!

After this mountain day we look forward to an evening in the imperial town. The next morning, we again head out of the town and towards what is probably the greenest and darkest mountain lake in the middle of a forest. By early morning we reach the Nussensee, in which the trees are mystically reflected. Over bridges, pastures and streams we finally reach the Wolfgangsee, which is perfect for cooling off in the evening and the next morning with its sparkling turquoise water.

Alpine hut delights and Austrian ‘Schmäh’

Step by step we head away from the Wolfgangsee. Our path directly crosses a gorge with rock faces to the left and right. We turn around a few times and look at the ever-shrinking Wolfgangsee. We already meet the first grazing alpine cows and look forward to a cosy evening in the hut. We are welcomed warmly and with open arms at the Postalm. With typical Kaiserschmarrn, a joke from the hut host is included and we can't refuse the obligatory schnapps after the meal either. The hospitality of the hut keepers in the Salzkammergut will probably remain in our memories for a long time.

The crowning glory: the Dachstein glacier

Descending from the Postalm and continuing along alpine paths, it doesn’t take long before we see it: the Dachstein Glacier. Many kilometres, metres of altitude and friendly conversations later we reach our destination. The striking peaks of the Dachstein can already be seen from afar. However, a few last highlights still await us: the Gosau valley with the two crystal-clear Gosau lakes and the impressive Gosaukamm ridge, which is freed from the dense fog on our last stage and presents itself in full splendour.

Hiker on a hiking trail on the Gosaukamm ridge

My conclusion

So far, my choice for my team member on tour trips has always been for something new, for regions I didn't know yet. In 2017, I hiked the World Heritage Trail Wachau, in 2020 I explored the hiking tour Piedmont - Liguria. I would never have thought that a holiday in my home Salzkammergut could be as exciting and inspire me so much.