Holidays in Alpbach

On an Inghams walking holiday, you have the freedom to explore the area at your own pace. Each day, a new adventure, with as much or as little walking as you like.

Why we love walking in Alpbach

The Alpbachtal area has received the Austrian Hiking Seal of Quality, so you know it must be good. There’s over 900 kilometres of marked walking trails to explore in the area that cater for all abilities, whether it’s a leisurely wander to a gourmet mountain hut that takes your fancy, or you’re keen to bag as many of the local summits as possible. From forest trails, and picturesque Alpine meadows, to rugged peaks, gorges and spots that are just perfect for enjoying the sunset, in Alpbach, there’s walking to suit everyone. Best of all, you get free use of the walker’s lifts and buses thanks to the Alpbachtal Card which is given to you by your hotel on arrival.

Guided walks

The Alpbachtal Card is packed with summer benefits, including the opportunity to join guided walks that are hosted by the tourist office and offered either free of charge, or at a discounted rate, to Alpbachtal Card holders. See the “Cards & passes” tab for more information on the Alpbachtal Card’s benefits.

Getting around Alpbachtal is easy thanks to the network of local buses and mountain lifts that are included with your Alpbachtal Card.

Lifts

There are two lifts in the Alpbach valley and two in the neighbouring Wildschönau valley:

• Wiedersbergerhorn, Alpbach (normally open from 7 Jun – 2 Nov)
• Reiterkogel, Reith (normally open 10 May - 28 Sep)(closed on Wednesdays)
• Markbachjoch, Niederau (normally open 10 May - 19 Oct)
• Schatzberg, Auffach (normally open 6 Jun - 5 Oct)

Note that the Wiedersbergerhorn lift is approx. 5 minutes by bus from Alpbach village, and the Reith lift is approx. 15 minutes by bus. The two lifts in the Wildschönau Valley take approx. 2 hours to reach by public transport. 

Buses

Local buses run within the 10 municipalities of Alpbach, Brandenberg, Breitenbach, Brixlegg, Kramsach, Kundl, Münster, Radfeld, Rattenberg and Reith im Alpbachtal. Use of the buses is included with the Alpbachtal Card.

In Brixlegg, you can catch the train to destinations further afield such as Kitzbühel, Innsbruck or Salzburg.

Subject to change.

Wiedersbergerhorn Panorama Path

• Moderate walk
• 4km with 195m of height gain
• The walk takes around one and a half hours (plus stops for lots of pictures)

A great walk for the views, this route circumnavigates the Wiedersbergerhorn peak and can be done in either direction – the views are great the whole way and the path gently undulates. A detour up to the peak itself is a worthy detour.

Alpbach Höhenweg

• Easy walk
• 6.5km with around 240m of height gain
• The walk takes one and a half to two hours

Alpbach is one of Austria’s prettiest villages, and this route takes you past some of the most picturesque farm buildings in the valley – many of them have been in the same family for hundreds of years.

Three-peak-tour

• Moderate walk
• 6.3km with around 540m height gain
• The walk will take around three hours

Starting at Holzalm in Brixlegg, this trail takes in the three peaks of Bischofer Saddle, Hochstrickl and Gratlspitze. Around every bend and at every peak are more amazing views of the Alpbach and Inn Valleys. From the top of the Gratlspitze, you can see 26 church spires and over 800 mountain peaks.

Alpbach Nature and Heritage Trail

• Easy walk
• 5.2km with around 200m height gain
• The walk will take around one and a half hours

On this walk you’ll get an insight into the history of Alpbach, the life of the locals and the wildlife of the valley. It’s follows part of the Path of Contemplation and then loops around the village - a popular route for families but it’s suitable for pushchairs.

Alpbachtal pastures from Reitherkogel

• Moderate walk
• 9.1km with around 530m height gain
• The walk will take around three and a half hours (plus stops for snacks and photos)

This route starts at the top of the Reiterkogel lift and follows a trail past mountain huts and pastures, through forests and meadows to the top of the Wiedersbergerhorn lift which you can take down. Along the way, the views are spectacular over the mountains and valleys.

Recommended equipment

Comfy walking boots, sun cream, insect repellent, waterproofs, rucksacks and walking poles are useful for hiking around Alpbach and the surrounding area. There's a few places in Alpbach to buy walking equipment.

Walking maps

We recommend Mayr Map 428 for Alpbach and the surrounding area, which has a scale of 1:25,000. The maps show the hiking routes which are numbered and match the yellow signposts around the area. They will have a key which will help you understand the nature of the hiking trail before you set out on your walk.

The tourist office can also provide local maps and information on walking routes.

Walking guidelines

The mountains are a natural paradise, with lots to explore and discover. To help it stay that way, and remain an enjoyable and safe place for everyone, we recommend following our little list of do's and don'ts:

• Plan your route well and don't overestimate yourself
• Check the weather forecast
• Tell someone where you're planning to walk and what time you're expecting to be back
• Take all the recommended equipment
• Make a note of emergency numbers:
  • Austrian Emergency Services: 112
  • Mountain Rescue: 140
• Don't leave the marked trails or go onto a glacier without a guide
• Let nature stay wild by not picking alpine flowers (it's illegal in some places) or getting close to/making contact with wild animals
• Always leave gates as you found them
• Leave no trace

Take a dip in outdoor pools and bathing lakes

Cool down from the summer sun in one of the many swimming areas in Alpbachtal. Lake Reintal is the warmest and largest in the area and is also the starting point for several beautiful walks. Children will love the bathing lake at Reith, which has a spacious lawn and play area. Discover the hidden gem of Lake Berglstein, in the middle of the forest – its idyllic location is perfect for enjoying nature, peace and quiet, and the picturesque wooden hut on the shore makes the perfect photo. There’s also outdoor pools in Münster and Brixlegg.

Gorges and canyons

Get a unique experience in nature in one of the impressive gorges of the Teifenbach, Kaiser or Kundl. Turquoise green waters cascade over unusual rock formations in the Tiefenbach Gorge, while the Kaiser Gorge is popular with families, with picnic areas and imposing bridges and tunnels. For an adrenaline kick, you can also get involved in water sports in the gorges too, from white water swimming and tube riding, to rafting or kayaking.

Visit Rattenberg

The medieval town of glass, Rattenberg sits on the bank of the River Inn and only has around 500 inhabitants – despite its small size, it’s packed with culture and is famous for glass-blowing. Pop into the Kisslinger shop to see demos of the craft of glass-blowing and marvel at some of the works of art that have been created there. Wander the river path or the colourful cobbled street, tuck into an apple strudel from Hacker,  enjoy the view from the Schlossberg or see historical art treasures in the Augustinian museum.

Tyrolean Farmhouse Museum in Kramsach

Take a step back in time at the Tyrolean Farmhouse Museum, where historic buildings have been painstakingly reconstructed to give a glimpse into the Tyrol’s farming past. Each building is unique and beautiful, and has been painstakingly rebuilt exactly as it was in its original location.

Explore the Alpbachtal by bike

Bike lovers will feel at home in the Alpbachtal, which has trails to suit all two-wheel enthusiasts from gravel trails, mountain bike trail and picturesque mountain roads. It’s location means exploring neighbouring valleys is easy too, and there’s battery charging points for topping up the power in your e-bike – plus rental is available often with discounts thanks to your Alpbachtal Card.

Activities in the Alpbachtal

You’ll not be short of things to do in the Alpbachtal – along side the hundreds of kilometres of walking and biking trails, you can try some via feratta, or practice your navigation with some geocaching. Or, why not get up higher for the very best view of the valley on a paraglide.

Family friendly walks

There’s plenty of walks that will interest the children, and you can usually reward them with a playground at the end. Try the panorama path, or walk to the top of the Wiedersbergerhorn mountain – the ascent is only 300 metres so it’s manageable for keen adventurers. Or head to the pushchair-friendly Kundl gorge, see what discoveries you can make on the path of contemplation or head to Juppi’s enchanted forest.

Lauserland adventure playground and coaster

At the top of the Wiedersbergerhorn gondola, Lauserland is a mountain-top adventure world with enough play areas to keep the children entertained for hours – from rope courses and climbing frames to rolling ball tracks and water games, even a jumping pillow. For adults, there’s shaded rest areas and hammocks to enjoy the view. Feeling brave? Whizz down the mountain on the Lauser-Sauser summer toboggan – a top attraction for all ages.

Juppi’s enchanted forest

Make mud pies in the forest kitchen, balance on the wobbly bridge and complete challenges like swing bowling. Juppi’s enchanted forest is hidden away at the top of the Reither Kogel, and is full of surprises – grab a treasure map and hunt out the best play areas and viewing spots, and make sure your family hike is full of fun – the kids can collect stamps along the way and get a small present from the bottom station of the lift.

Alpbachtal family programme

With the family program you can get closer to nature and enjoy some family time in the mountains. It runs Monday to Friday, from the start of July to the end of August and is included in the Alpbachtal Summer Card – every day is a different adventure to share with your children (parental supervision is required at all times).

Alpbachtal treasure map

The treasure map shows all the fun things going on around the area for families to get involved with, from Juppi’s enchanted forest and Lauserland, to adventures a little further afield, there’s plenty to keep little ones entertained and the Alpbachtal Card makes exploring the area easy.