Field Journal

Austria Uncovered: Zillertal
Written by Daniel Neilson and Alex Roddie
Produced in Partnership with Visit Austria

To visit Zillertal is to step out of everyday life and to immerse yourself in the wonders of nature. With its four regions and the High Mountain Nature Park Zillertal Alps, the Zillertal promises countless experiences for the senses.

Four regions – Fügen-Kaltenbach, Zell-Gerlos, Mayrhofen-Hippach, and Tux-Finkenberg – five valleys and 25 communities make up the Zillertal. Ten cable cars zip you up to summits for mountain experiences, including hiking, mountain biking, and climbing. Speckled around the mountains are also 150 mountain huts serving the region’s finest specialities.

From the inside: Alex Roddie, write and editor

‘One of the things that always surprises me about the Alps is how every region, and often every valley, retains a distinct sense of identity. In the case of Zillertal and its surrounding mountains, I think it hits an attractive sweet spot. This is a popular area, and it has genuinely retained a special something from before the era of mass Alpine tourism.

‘This sense of heritage extends to the region’s huts. Many of them were constructed from the 1870s onwards, in a period after the exploratory Golden Age of Alpinism now known as the Silver Age. In this period, mountaineers were still summiting unclimbed peaks, but the Alps were also just starting to be developed for hikers. The Berliner Höhenweg – Zillertal’s best long-distance trail – dates in its earliest form from this period.

‘You can still sense very real echoes from that time period today when you hike the Berliner Höhenweg. Although the mountains sadly look different now, thanks to glacial retreat, many of the huts date from the 1870s or ’80s and were constructed specifically to serve hikers. For example, the Berliner Hütte, situated high in the Zillertal Alps, dates back to 1879 – it even has chandeliers! Words like “cosy” and “authentic” are used a lot when it comes to Alpine huts, but they genuinely fit here. It’s a place with real presence. There’s nothing affected about the vibe. And the mountains themselves are exquisite.

Experience Lebensgefühl in Zillertal

In the Zillertal, the saying goes that good things don’t come in threes but in fours. For starters, there are four regions, each offering spectacular mountain scenery and countless Alpine adventures: Fügen-Kaltenbach, Zell-Gerlos, Mayrhofen-Hippach, and Tux-Finkenberg.

We spoke to Zillertal tourism experts about how to live the Austrian life in the Zillertal.
‘In spring and summer, lush Alpine meadows, fairy-tale forests, and spectacular summit panoramas lure visitors into the mountains. In autumn, magnificent hiking and biking trails lead through a colourful paradise.

‘This perfect Alpine setting for Alpine adventures has earned the Zillertal its reputation as one of the “most active valleys in the world”.

‘Yet it’s a region where tradition remains tradition. Whether art, culture, or centuries-old crafts (such as the famous slippers called Doggln), whether music or unique traditional costumes, in the four regions, the five valleys, and 25 communities of the Zillertal, living customs are always an experience.’

Facts about the region

1,400km of hiking trails
The Zillertal is home to an astonishing 72 peaks that top 3,000m. Signposted routes cross-cross the region, linking the many huts where you can eat and stay. Whether hiking to the spiky peaks or the gentle meadows, there are trails for everyone.

1,300km of bike trails
This vast region could be tailor-made for cyclists, whether it’s technical singletrack or high road passes. The single trails alone add up to 2,773 vertical metres. What goes up…

10 cable cars
Ten cable cars operate through the summer, whisking you to the summit stations to start your adventures along the ridges. Seven of them accept bikes for endless downhill fun.

150 gourmet huts
Even by Austrian standards, there are a lot of huts in this region. Each serves local cuisine; sometimes hearty and warming, while some offer a fine dining experience. All, however, offer that unique Austrian welcome.

20 activity providers
More than 20 activity providers exist across the Zillertal, whether water based or high in the mountains, in the air or on two wheels.

32 climbing opportunities
The Zillertal really is where to come if you’re a climber, even a newbie. There are 15 via ferratas, 13 climbing and bouldering areas, an outdoor climbing tower, a climbing hall, and two high ropes courses, among other options.

Zillertal Activcard
The Zillertal Activcard is the key to unlocking the region’s best adventures. It offers one return cable-car trip a day, free entry to all six outdoor swimming pools, free travel on most of the region’s public transport, and at least a 10 per cent discount with partners around Zillertal.

Mountain Experiences

Hintertux Glacier
Visitors can enjoy 365 days of snow on the Hintertux Glacier. The Panorama Terrace at 3,250m offers the best views in the region, but you can also explore the glacial cave system with ice stalactites, frozen waterfalls, and a lake by boat. You’ll also find Luis’ Glacier Bug Park for snowy fun, even in the middle of summer.

High Mountain Nature Park Zillertal Alps
The High Mountain Nature Park Zillertal Alps extends 422km2 from the mountaineering village of Ginzling to the Hochfeilerm. It is home to more than 9,000 animal species and 500 butterfly species alone; more than 1,300 plant varieties thrive here. The best way to experience the diversity is with a guided tour with one of the park guides.

Öxltal Show Mine
Austria’s highest show mine is a 40-minute walk from the Spieljochbahn mountain station via the Knappensteig trail. Alongside the vast panoramic views of the high Alps, a guide can take you into the mountain to learn about 400 years of mining history.

Spannagelhöhle cave
This adventure takes place inside the mountain, deep below the Hintertux Glacier. With a guide, you can explore the 12.5km-long cave, following narrow shafts, small passages, and large halls.

Mountain Huts

Whether on a leisurely hike, mountaineering adventure, or mountain-bike tour, more than 150 Zillertal huts and mountain inns offer food, panoramic views of the snow-covered 3,000m peaks – and the legendary Austrian welcome.

Zillertal hut cuisine draws on a long tradition. The innkeepers prepare specialities such as brown trout, game, and home-smoked bacon according to family recipes. Cheese is made from pure hay milk Meat is from the local butcher or their own farms, and it’s usually seasoned with foraged forest fruits and meadow herbs. Many of the gourmet huts can be reached with the summer mountain lifts.

Many of the huts serve the famous Zillertal doughnuts – a savoury delight filled with potatoes, cheese, curds, and chives. The delicate flour and milk dough is cooked in hot clarified butter until golden brown.

Hiking Routes

Berliner Höhenweg
The Berliner Höhenweg is a customisable, multi-day tour that threads through the High Mountain Nature Park Zillertal Alps. The Höhenweg is a challenging path for experienced mountain hikers. Anyone who takes on the entire route will cover more than 85km – an adventure taking up to a week and climbing 6,605m in elevation. All the huts have descents into the valley.

Peter Habeler Route
Named after the famed Austrian mountaineer, this 56km circular hike has an elevation gain of 4,230m and weaves together six huts on the main ridge of the Alps. Each segment is divided into walking times of 2.5 to eight hours with different levels of difficulty, and leads over easy terrain such as Alpine meadows and gravel as well as boulders, moraine, and scree.

Yodelling Hike Königsleiten
Yep, you read that right. At eight interactive stations along this short family favourite walk, there are simple, traditional yodels to sing along to. The trail begins at Dorfbahn Königsleiten top station.

Cycling Trails

Everyone can find their perfect route in the Zillertal, from family tours on the valley floor to wide Alpine paths and spectacular trails with challenging altitude differences. Several of the summer cable cars will take you and your bike to the summit – so you can set off on the most panoramic rides with ease.

Zillertaler Höhenstrasse High Road
This challenging road route offers breathtaking views over the Zillertal Valley. It runs along the western slope of the valley trough, with long sections located above the treeline.

Zillertal Cycle Route
The Zillertal Valley Cycle Route is a family-friendly route along the Ziller river. There are playgrounds, outdoor swimming pools, and adventure parks to break up the route. If the little ones get tired, you can hop on the Zillertalbahn at one of the stops between Strass and Mayrhofen and travel the rest of the route by train.

Wiesenalm Singletrack Trail
This 5.2km-long trail is graded ‘easy to intermediate’ and begins at the mid-terminal of the Rosenalmbahn cable car at an elevation of 1,310m. It then snakes back down 700m into the valley. There are dedicated gondolas for carrying mountain bikes, bike washing stations, and a bike rental shop.

Höllensteinhütte-Grieralm
This bike route starts at an altitude of 1,300m in Tux-Lanersbach. The 12.5km route first follows a forest road, rising until you get clear views of the Junsberg, Madseitberg, and Grübelspitze peaks across the valley. After a break at the Höllensteinhütte, go on towards Grieralm and then take the forest road back to Tux-Lanersbach.

For more information, visit www.austria.info and follow @zillertal.at
Produced in Partnership with Visit Austria // @visitaustria