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Essentials
Why not try...
Some entrances, tolls and optional extras are payable locally. Reduced prices for children up to 12 yrs incl. Infants who do not require a seat are FREE.Pre-bookable excursions Hintertux Glacier (Sun) £11 Salzburg (Mon) £32 Innsbruck (Tues) £20 Lake Garda, Italy (Tues) £34 Krimml Waterfalls & Kitzbühel (Thurs) £24 Berchtesgaden (Fri) £30 Rattenberg & Achensee (Fri) £20 -
So what's it like?
Walking
There are over 200km of walking routes in the Ziller Valley including many in the heart of the stunning 390km² Zillertal Alps Nature Park. The Ahorn and Penken summer lifts leave directly from Mayrhofen and both access gentle ‘panorama’ trails at 2000m with great views for minimum effort. Alternatively the local bus to the Zillergrund will drop you at the edge of scarcely inhabited valleys and a remote reservoir perfect for rambling.
For serious hikers, routes in the valley can be as challenging as you’d like. From high level hikes along ridges and across boulder fields to 3000m+ peaks waiting to be climbed. The Berliner Höhenweg links 8 mountain huts so consider forgoing your hotel for a night to experience a real night in the mountains. Why not try…- Hiking to Italy! - Follow an old smuggler’s route, the ‘Pfitscher Joch’, past alpine pastures and dramatic waterfalls until you cross the Italian border
- Visiting the Berliner Hütte mountain hut- an impressive wood-panelled historic hut built at the base of a glacier at the end of the 1800s
- Summiting a peak - The Ahornspitze is Mayrhofen’s highest mountain at 2973m. Hike to the peak from the cable car in about 3hrs and record your effort in the ‘Gipfelbuch’ hiker’s log on the summit cross
Culture
The Ziller Valley has always been a farming community and farming is still hugely important in local life. Festivals such as the ‘Sonnwendfeuer’ (midsummer’s night-June) and ‘Almabtrieb’ (bringing down of the cows from the alms-Sep/Oct) are still celebrated enthusiastically and ‘Dorffest’ (village festivals) are usually a great opportunity to see and sample the meats, cheeses and schnapps on offer at a farmer’s market.
Learn about the Ziller valley’s farming tradition, visit a 300yr old farmhouse and see how farmers lived many centuries ago, at the ‘Zillertal Regionalmuseum’ in Zell am Ziller. Then sample true farmers specialties, very local to the Ziller Valley at Mayrhofen’s oldest restaurant the ‘zum Griena’. In high summer, catch a Tyrolean Evening where folk dancers perform dances depicting farming traditions such as the ‘Miller’s dance’. Why not try…- A stroll around the sunny hamlet of Brandberg - pass 300yr old farmhouses and meadows bursting with colourful alpine flowers to the sound of alpine cow bells
- Visiting the mountain dairy ‘Stoankasern’ to watch the traditional way of churning of milk into butter and cheese
- Indulging in a ‘Krapfen’ a local speciality of locally farmed cheese in a pastry casing
Hintertux Glacier (Sun) from £11
Salzburg City Tour (Mon) from £32
At the south of the Tux valley, take a gondola ride up onto the snowy Hintertux Glacier for winter in the middle of summer.
A city made famous by its music, Salzburg is home to Mozart and The Sound of Music. Explore the cobbled old town, the cathedral and medieval fortress before crossing the river to stroll through the pretty gardens of the Mirabell Palace. Innsbruck City Tour (Tues) from £20
Visit the Austrian city of Innsbruck. Includes a guided tour of the city centre passing the Hofburg, the Cathedral the 'Golden Roof' with over 2000 golden tiles. You'll also have free time for shopping and enjoying this splendid city centre. Lake Garda, Italy Away Day (Tues) from £34
Visit the largest of Northern Italy's lakes. Take a short boat ride, sample some wonderful Italian ice cream or just absorb the relaxed Mediterranean atmosphere. Krimml Waterfalls Walk & Kitzbuhel (Thurs) from £24
At the foot of the Gerlos Pass, these waterfalls are the highest in Europe. Enjoy a walk up the footpath to the top where the best views of the falls can be seen. Berchtesgaden Historic Tour (Fri) from £30
A historical trip up to Hitler's famous 'Eagle's Nest' perched high above this pretty Bavarian town. An awe-inspiring journey and astounding views await you. Please note: Some entrances, tolls and optional extras are payable locally. Reduced prices for children up to 12 yrs incl. Infants who do not require a seat are FREE.Active
The Ziller Valley is nature’s best playground. Why spend hours at a gym when you can get your heart racing and challenge yourself in loads of new ways in the great outdoors?
The imposing mountains around Mayrhofen are a climber’s paradise. Try climbing with ropes or scale rock faces ‘via ferrata’ with the aid of strategically placed metal cables and rungs. Choose from beginner routes with easy-to-spot hand and footholds or attempt the physically demanding overhangs and sparse rock faces of the extreme cliffs. Really test your head for heights and venture deep into the forests to master obstacles of balance and strength swinging from the tree tops at the ‘Go Ape’ course. Or take to the skies soaring and spiralling high above the valley with the ultimate thrill of a tandem paragliding flight. If you’re a skier and miss the buzz of flying down a mountain, then mountain biking could be your summer adrenalin fix. In the last few years Mayrhofen has gained a reputation as one of Austria’s premier biking resorts with 800km of trails for all levels and in July the town hosts the 3 day Zillertal Bike Challenge. Even if you can’t leave your running shoes at home then specially marked running and nordic walking routes will guide you through amazing scenery on great terrain whilst keeping you fit. For something totally different, zip into a wetsuit and prepare to get wet and wild! Go canyoning through deep gorges and feel the adrenalin rush as you abseil, jump, swim and slide through waterfalls into clear lagoons. Team up with new friends to conquer the white water rapids rafting on the notorious Inn and Oetz rivers or take it easier on the gentle swells of the local Ziller river. Why not try…- River tubing - Abandon control for brilliant fun and take a ‘lazy river’ ride like never before as you hurtle down the gorge river in a giant rubber ring!
- Feeling the wind in your hair (and the mud on your face!) downhill biking on the Penken mountain’s ‘Heaven & Hell’ trail. Bikes can be taken up in the cable car so you can skip straight to the best bit!
- Via ferrata at Gerlosstein. The exposed rock face means amazing views from the bottom to the top as well as an extra adrenalin kick as you climb ever higher
- Summer Skiing - the Hintertux glacier is open for skiing or snowboarding 365 days a year! For the best conditions visit in May, June or September
*Please note: Price does not include lift pass. Lift pass and transfer can be arranged locally. Insurance: Please check your travel insurance to ensure you are covered before travel if intending to take part in these activities. Mayrhofen offers a superb range of things to do from tennis, minigolf and swimming (indoor and outdoor pools and swimming lakes) to more adventurous activities. You can also explore the valley on horse back with a trekking tour from the local stables. Summer Skiing: Summer skiing and snowboarding is possible on the Hintertux glacier at the head of the Ziller valley (weather and conditions permitting). A bus service runs from Mayrhofen to the Glacier. Lift passes, equipment hire and private tuition available locally (no group tuition). If you intend to ski please check the Glacier opening dates. Mountain biking & Cycling: The area has over 800km of mountain bike routes and you can take your bike on the Penken gondola. A number of activity operators in resort offer guided mountain bike tours (local charge). If you'd prefer to explore a more gentle route, the tourist office organise a weekly guided cycle tour along the Ziller River with a local guide who will tell you more about the area. Bike hire is available locally.Pre-bookable activities White Water Rafting (12yrs+) £51 Extreme White Water Rafting (12yrs+) £104 Ziller River Rafting (13yrs+) £25 Ziller River Rafting (6-12yrs) £17 River Tubing (12yrs+) £30 Tandem Paragliding* (1800m) (13yrs+) £78 Tandem Paragliding* (1800m) (8-12yrs) £70 Blue Lagoon Canyoning (12yrs+) £51 Family Canyoning (13yrs+) £25 Family Canyoning (6-12yrs) £22 White Snake Canyoning (12yrs+) £60 High rope course (6yrs+) £25 Canadian Canoes (12yrs+) £39 Rock Climbing (beginners) (8yrs+) £39