03 January 2019
Exciting Zillertal: Austria's great adventure playground
Want to enjoy winter sports in summer? Look no further than Zillertal, a natural adventure playground deep in the Austrian Tirol...
Want to enjoy winter sports in summer? Look no further than Zillertal, a natural adventure playground deep in the Austrian Tirol...
If you want to enjoy winter sports at the height of summer, look no further than Zillertal in the Austrian Tirol – home to the Hintertux Glacier, Austria’s only year-round ski resort. Beyond the tempting piste, the region is spot on for a whole host of non-snow action and adventure too, from top notch hiking and biking, through to the delicious local cuisine.
Zillertal’s infrastructure has grown over the years to cater for today’s more demanding and discerning visitors. Much investment has gone in and you will find welcoming hotels and lifts that stay open right through summer, alongside over 150 mountain huts. A whopping network of 1,400km of walking trails have been forged and there are 25 all-round options for climbing. A typically dramatic adventure in the Zillertal Alps kicks off by steering your bike from the Durlassbodenstausee to the Alpengasthaus Finkau restaurant.
Switch to two feet for a five-hour hike to the vaulting Zittauer Hütte at 2,300m, through a landscape alive with waterfalls and glaciers. The hut awaits for an overnight with its taste bud-tingling cooking and homemade bread.
Biking is hugely popular in summer for good reason, with 1,200km of tracks, including over 3km of single track. You can enjoy a bike tour from Juns or Lanersbach to the cosy Höllensteinhütte and visit the mountain farmer museum too. You can push on to the traditional Grieralm, where you can dine and stay surrounded by a panorama of Alpine peaks.
The High Alps Nature Park Zillertal Alps tempts too with its biodiversity. Along with protected areas in North, South and East Tyrol, the park constitutes the largest association of nature reserves in the Alps. Here you will encounter mountain sheep and chamois as you savour a hike or bike ride on what feels like the top of the world.
Photo credits:
Header image: Mayrhofner Bergbahnen
Non-stop action: Mayrhofner Bergbahne
Landscapes bursting with life: Zillertal Tourismus
Pedal the peaks: Zillertal Tourismus/ Mirco Talierco
Nature highs: Zillertal Tourismus/ Becknaphoto
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