Austria Alpine Splendour Walking amongst stunning alpine scenery Austria s Lake District - Salzkammergut Hike in a World Heritage area

Transcription

1 Austria Alpine Splendour Walking amongst stunning alpine scenery Austria s Lake District - Salzkammergut Hike in a World Heritage area SELF-GUIDED Departures for a minimum of 2 persons travelling together Tour Grade B/C Tour Code - TASP For dates and prices visit:

2 Introduction Salzkammergut is known as Austria s Lake District, packed full of a stunning mix of dramatic mountain peaks, deep blue lakes and pockets of charming spa towns. It is a storybook landscape. This superb itinerary leads you between various traditional alpine villages, across meadows and plateaux and down to the panoramic lakeshore scenery this area is so renowned for. Walking days are longer, allowing you to explore deeper into the mountains, yet invariably following waymarked trails. A particular delight is encountering wonderful, remote mountain restaurants along the way, always scenically located and always with tasty food refreshments. Charming, welcoming accommodation in traditional towns and villages along the route ensures overnight halts are a delight. This is a great way to discover Austria s Lake District on foot and will appeal to those that prefer scenic, but lengthier walks and see more of this beautiful region. The Holiday Routine As this is a self-guided holiday you can of course dictate your own schedule. In general you ll usually walk from your overnight accommodation (your main baggage will be transferred to your next accommodation) for 2-3 hours in the morning and stop for a picnic lunch obtainable from your overnight accommodation, or at a mountain café en route. After lunch you will usually carry on walking for 3-4 more hours, enjoying the sights along the way to reach your next overnight halt. Walking conditions Throughout you ll be following waymarked mountain trails and backroads with good conditions underfoot. These will vary in terms of the amount of effort required, as well as their duration. Some will involve challenging sections of steep and sustained ascent and descent, whilst others will be more moderate in comparison. During the course of this holiday daily walking times are between 6-8 hours each day (although shortcuts using the option of public transport are available most days). A full explanation of the trip grading can be found online at You should ensure you are comfortable walking at this level of grading and are physically prepared for the trip. Self-Guided Holiday As the name suggests, self-guided holidays are for those that prefer to be independent. Within reason you are able to dictate your own schedule, as well as walk at your own pace with the aid of route notes and maps. All your accommodation has been reserved in advance and unless otherwise stated within this trip dossier, your main baggage is transferred between each accommodation along the way, so there s no need to worry about carrying heavy loads and having to back pack. This means you only need to walk each day and carry your usual lightweight daypack. However, it is important that you are entirely comfortable with being independent whilst on a walking holiday. For detailed information as to what a selfguided holiday entails please read the selfguided walking holidays section at Types of Trip on walksworldwide.com before booking your self-guided walking holiday. Route Notes- Help keep them up to date Things can and do change along the routes that self-guided walking holidays follow. A sign may have been changed, or even removed, a path may have been obstructed, even rerouted, a landmark the route notes refer to may simply no longer exist. It is clearly impossible to keep track of all the changes that may occur outside the local tour operators control and knowledge. It may be the route notes translation can be improved (they are translated into several languages by the local operator after all) too. Clearly a case of last person to walk the route has the most up to date information. In the spirit of camaraderie amongst walkers and in an effort to constantly keep route notes updated and improved upon, the local operator (contact details in your final joining instructions) will always welcome notification of any changes along the way/recommendations for improvement if you would care to forward any useful and specific information to them. Alternatively, send to Walks Worldwide and we will forward accordingly. What you need to provide Your personal equipment as detailed in the clothing and equipment list later in this trip dossier. What you need to provide Your personal equipment as detailed in the clothing and equipment list later in this trip dossier. Austria-Alpine Splendour 2

3 IMPORTANT-Due to the specialist nature of our holidays, day to day itineraries should be taken as a guide only, and as statements of intent and not contractual obligations. We regularly update our trip dossiers to take into account changes to trekking routes, accommodation, local transport etc. Such changes are a factor of this type of holiday and when made are out of necessity. Other factors such as adverse weather, unforeseen circumstances and other matters entirely out of our control etc can also lead to enforced changes during the course of the holiday. It is not possible to guarantee that any of our holidays will operate exactly as per the anticipated itinerary. The most current trip dossier will be made available on our website. We will also send you the most up to date trip dossier with your Final Joining Instructions approx. 2 weeks before departure and you should carefully check this for any changes that may affect your plans. Before booking you should read our Types of Trip and Essential and Useful information sections on including our Important Warning. Outline Itinerary B Breakfast, L Lunch, D Dinner. Day Your 'at-a-glance' Itinerary Overnight Accn. Meal plan 1 Travel to Bad Ischl Bad Ischl Pension Hike Ruschbach Schwarzensee Eisenau Burgau 2 Unterach - 17km/7 hours Unterach Pension B 3 Walk Unterach Eisenau Krottensee St. Gilgen Abersee. - 20km/7 hours Abersee Pension B 4 Abersee - St. Wolfgang Postalm Strobl - 19km/8 hours Strobl Pension B Strobl Baerepfad Weisenbach Bad Goisern 5 19km/8 hours Bad Goisern Pension B 6 Bad Goisern Lake Hallstattersee Obertraun - Bad Aussee - 20km/7 hours Bad Aussee Pension B Bad Aussee Altaussee Blaa Alm Rettenbachtal 7 20km/8 hours Bad Ischl Pension B 8 Depart Bad Ischl B Austria-Alpine Splendour 3

4 Day 1 Arrive at Bad Ischl. (See Joining Arrangements and Transfers section later in this trip dossier). Here you ll pay a visit to the Bad Ischl office of our representatives in the Salzkammergut region where you ll be able to enjoy a welcome Schnapserl, as well as receive all the necessary maps and information you ll need for your week s walking (make sure you arrive before 7pm). The village of Bad Ischl is ideally located to explore the Alpine Mountains, valleys and villages of the Salzkammergut region. This spa resort town has an inviting selection of charming cafes, convivial bars and fine restaurants, which all help to create a perfect Alpine ambience. Pension, Bad Ischl the shoreline of Attersee to Unterach. Walking distance approx. 17km, walking time approx. 7 hours. Pension, Unterach Day 3 Initially following the Attersee Ostwanderweg between the pretty lakes of Mondsee and Attersee to reach Buchbergűtte (1015m). Taking the Karrenweg over the Scharfling Pass brings you to Lake Krottensee. It s then a steady hike over Brunnwinkel and down to St. Gilgen where you then follow the lakeside promenade to Abersee, with the option of taking a bus from St.Gilgen to Abersee instead. Walking distance approx. 20km, walking time approx. 7 hours. Pension, Abersee Day 2 Walking from Bad Ischl you ll be heading up through the forests to reach the Schwarzensee (715m), where a refreshing dip in the cool mountain waters is possible. Perhaps also taking refreshment at the Gasthof here, you then walk to the highland moor known as Moosbach. Following the Valerieweg you pass through a gorge where a wooden ladder (secured with cabling) takes you up a rock face to reach an old retreat. Now taking the Burggrabenweg you begin to descend towards Attersee where upon reaching Burgau a short bus ride (optional) takes you to Unterach, or alternatively you can continue walking along Day 4 Today s walk takes you to the Postalm. First you ll take the ferry to St.Wolfgang. This is the largest alpine area (alm) in the whole of Austria and the second largest high plateau in Europe (circa 1300m). Lying between the impressive peaks of Sparber and Bleckwand the Zäpfensteig is an 800m ascent up to the Postalm (although it also possible to reach here by bus from Strobl). Reaching the Wiesler Mountain Hut you can enjoy the surroundings whilst taking lunch, as well as visit authentic alpine huts to sample traditional cheeses and other alpine dairy products. The descent Austria-Alpine Splendour 4

5 follows the mountain stream of Weissenbach down to the valley floor. Walking distance approx. 19km, walking time approx. 8 hours. Pension, Strobl Day 5 Ascending a forest road initially a trail then climbs up to the Bärenpfad. The trail then becomes less distinct although waymarked with symbols on trees as it steeply climbs to the summit of Bärenkogel (1333m). Here your efforts are rewarded with fine views from this vantage point. Onwards to the Goiserer Weissenbach where a further 10km of walking following this mountain stream brings you back down into a valley where you then follow the Traunuferweg to Bad Goisern. Walking distance approx. 19km, walking time approx. 8 hours. Pension, Bad Goisern Pension, Bad Aussee Day 7 Leaving Bad Aussee the route follows the course of the river to Altausseer Traun, steadily rising to the village of Altaussee by yet another picturesque lake. You then head away from the village to walk between the mountains and over to the Rettenbach Valley which then descends steadily to Bad Ischl. Walking distance approx. 20km, walking time approx. 8 hours. Pension, Bad Ischl Day 8 Depart Bad Ischl after breakfast. Alternatively, if you would like to extend your stay in Bad Ischl for a day or more or visit Salzburg please see our Austria extensions later in this trip dossier. Practical Information Joining Arrangements and Transfers You should join this trip in Bad Ischl no later than day 1 of the trip itinerary. You should aim to arrive in Bad Ischl no later than 1730hrs. The nearest airport is at Salzburg. It is also feasible to fly to Munich Airport and easily join this holiday too. Salzburg to Bad Ischl From Salzburg Airport it is very straightforward and inexpensive to reach Bad Ischl using public transport. From Salzburg Airport there is a regular shuttle service to Salzburg Hauptbahnhof, or take a taxi (approx. 12) to the Hauptbahnhof, where the almost hourly 150 Postbus service departs for the 1hr 30min scenic journey to Bad Ischl. Tickets cost approx. 9 Day 6 Today is the longest walk of the entire holiday, although there is the option to shorten the length by taking the train from either Obertraun or Koppen to Bad Aussee. A lot of today s walk is fairly level as you initially walk along the valley floor from Bad Goisern along the Solewanderweg and then follow the lake shoreline to the exceptionally pretty village of Hallstatt. The route continues to the far end of the lake and onto Obertraun. Here you then head into the scenic Koppental Valley, ascending over the Koppen Pass to remain above the valley floor until a slight descent to Bad Aussee. Walking distance approx. 20km, walking time approx. 7 hours. Full details of schedules can be found on the Austrian Public Transport website below. There is the option to translate the site into English Munich to Bad Ischl From Munich Airport you would take the train to Munich Hauptbahnhof, followed by an onward train to Salzburg Hauptbahnhof (journey time approx 120 mins). From Salzburg you would travel by bus to Bad Ischl. See for further information on train travel from Munich to Salzburg. Austria-Alpine Splendour 5

6 International Travel Salzburg Airport is the nearest International Airport for arrival and to make your way to the joining point. It is also possible to fly to Munich Airport, which although further away may often have more flight options. For total flexibility and choice, the price of our holidays often excludes flights. However, as an ATOL bonded agent we are able to arrange competitively priced tickets with the majority of international airlines. Where low cost airlines offer a better option, we are also able to arrange these, subject to a small booking fee. Only by arranging your flights with us can we offer you the peace of mind and 100% financial protection that booking with a licensed tour operator brings. Contact us to discuss your regional flight options for this holiday. If you would prefer to make your own International travel arrangements you can book this holiday as Land Only. You will need to book flights that enable you to arrive in Salzburg or Munich and subsequently Bad Ischl for no later than 1730 hrs on Day 1 of the trip itinerary. Return flights should be booked to depart no sooner than the afternoon of Day 8 of the trip itinerary. Please note if you are booking Land Only it is your sole responsibility to ensure you arrive at the joining point for the contracted arrangements in good time before these commence. No refunds will be provided in respect of any unused services contracted as a result. Similarly our contractual obligations cease at the end of your contracted arrangements. IMPORTANT- MAKE SURE YOUR CHOSEN HOLIDAY IS GUARANTEED TO RUN BEFORE YOU PURCHASE AIR TICKETS AND MAKING ANY OTHER TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS. Please contact the Walks Worldwide office to check the status of your chosen holiday BEFORE purchasing your International Air ticket. You should not book your International flight tickets or other travel arrangements until your chosen holiday is guaranteed to run. If you are purchasing your own air ticket, you should be aware that most of the cheaper airline tickets available for sale on the Internet or from low cost carriers are non-refundable in the case of cancellation. For this reason we strongly advise you check the rules of the ticket when you make a flight booking, and check the limitations of any cancellation insurance policy you have. We cannot be held liable, for losses incurred relating to any flight bookings or subsequent travel arrangements you have made yourself. Travel by Train If you would prefer to travel by train provides an online booking service for European rail services, including Eurostar. You should not book your International rail tickets or make any other travel arrangements until your chosen holiday is guaranteed to run. Baggage Please make sure that your baggage is clearly marked with your name, inside as well as outside, in case the labels get detached. As your main baggage will be transported by vehicle a normal suitcase can be used for your main baggage. Your main baggage will be transferred each day (maximum one piece of main baggage per person) to your next night s accommodation. Passports and Visas British passport holders (and other EU passport holders) do not require a visa to visit Austria for stays up to three months (please ensure your passport has at least 6 months validity). Accommodation Accommodation will be reserved for you on a twin share basis unless you have already requested a single room. Throughout the trip you will be staying in small, friendly Pensions (all en-suite). Food All breakfasts are included in the Land Only trip price, which will be taken at your Pension. Breakfasts will be continental buffet style. Many of the walking routes pass through villages or mountain restaurants where you can take lunch. Refreshment opportunities are included in your route notes. Alternatively you can always obtain picnic style lunches to carry with you in your daypack. Note-on day 5 there are no refreshment opportunities, so you will need to purchase a picnic before the walk. Evening meals can be taken at your overnight accommodation or at a number of restaurants and cafes in each village along the way. Climate It is of course impossible to predict the precise weather conditions you will encounter during Austria-Alpine Splendour 6

7 the course of your holiday. However, we do schedule our holidays to coincide with what should be the most suitable weather periods for walking. Dependent upon when you travel temperatures may be between 15ºC-28ºC+. Mountains are notorious for creating their own, localised weather conditions, so you should always be prepared for inclement weather conditions. For climate statistics visit Roughly speaking temperatures decrease by approx. 1ºC for every 200 metre increase in altitude. Altitude The altitudes on this trip are modest and you should not anticipate any problems. Local transport The Salzkammergut region has an excellent Postbus service, which you can use on the majority of walking days if you wish to shorten any particular walk. With the exception of the ferry on Wolfgangsee (day 4), public transport is not included in the land only trip price. Vaccinations and medical precautions We always recommend visiting your doctor and dentist for a check up before travelling. Your doctor will also have access to the most up to date information on vaccinations and medical precautions for the country you are about to visit. In general, no vaccinations are necessary for Austria. A useful travel health online resource is Please make sure that you obtain form EHIC either online or from your local post office you will need to produce this if you have to see a doctor. First Aid You should always carry your own small, personal first aid kit. This should consist of the following: A general anti-biotic, throat lozenges, painkillers, plasters (band-aids), blister treatment, insect repellent (DEET), rehydration salts, antiseptic cream, diarrhoea treatment (e.g. Imodium). Currency. The Austrian currency is the Euro ( ). Please refer to for up to date rates. ATM machines are widely available in Salzburg as well as at Bad Ischl and several other villages along the way. recommend you take along a phrase book and also try to learn some simple German phrases and greetings. The local people will of course especially appreciate any attempt to speak their language and is all part of the fun. Tipping This is rarely necessary as by law hotels, restaurants, bars (even taxis) have a 15% service charge included. Travel Insurance It is a condition of booking any of our holidays that you have comprehensive travel insurance. It is your to responsibility to ensure you are covered for medical and personal accident risks for the part of the world you intend to travel and the activities involved. This cover should include repatriation costs, air ambulance and helicopter rescue. It is also advisable to take out cancellation insurance as all deposits paid are non-refundable. You may arrange either single-trip or annual multi-trip travel insurance through Walks Worldwide. Please call us on or us- sales@walksworldwide.com for a quotation. Inclusions All breakfasts All accommodation Route notes and maps Local assistance and advice Main Baggage Transfers 1 x Wolfgangsee Ferry crossing on day 4 Exclusions Drinks Souvenirs and personal items Insurance Lunches and Dinners Airport transfers International Flights Public transport Language In Austria the language is German. Although you will find that English is widely spoken, we Austria-Alpine Splendour 7

8 Austria Extensions Stay longer in Bad Ischl Birthplace of composer Franz Lehar and the summer retreat of Franz Josef, the spa town of Bad Ischl is a great place to spend extra time at the end of your walking. If you are still in the mood for more walking then our local representatives based in the town are always on hand to offer expert advice and assistance. Special events are held throughout the summer (see ) too as well as twice daily free open air concerts by the Kongresshaus. We can book extra nights for you in Bad Ischl at the following hotels on a room and breakfast basis. 3* Hotel Stadt Salzburg: Seasonal prices upon request To end your time in Bad Ischl In Style we recommend the: 4* Villa Seilern Spa Resort: Seasonal prices upon request This luxurious 4* resort hotel is in the heart of Bad Ischl and combines both modernity and neo-classical style. The Spa and Wellness area offers a 80 m² indoor pool, massage lounges, massage jets, whirlpool, generous sauna area with sauna court, infrared cabin, steam baths, rest and relaxation area etc. Why not take a tour of the Emperors summer residence, the Kaiservilla or visit the former residence of Franz Lehar, now a museum. There are also many wonderful cafes in Bad Ischl, where you can simply relax and soak up the atmosphere and indulge yourself in tantalisingly wicked cakes and pastries. Austria-Alpine Splendour 8

9 Salzburg Mozarts baptism and dates back to the 17 th Century To many Salzburg is synonomous with both The Sound of Music and as the birthplace of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. The old part of Salzburg is quite small and it s dreamy spires and narrow streets can easily be explored on foot. An elevator whisks you to the top of the Monchberg from where you can enjoy amazing panoramas of the city and to the mountains beyond whilst enjoying a Latte from a trendy café. The impressive castle of Hohensalzburg also commands superb views and is easily reached by means of a funicular railway. Needless to say there are countless restaurants and bars, as well as classy shops to visit too. Other places well worth a visit are the Nonnberg Abbey, a Benedictine Monastery, Mozart s Birthplace at No.9 Getreidegasse (look out for the puppet woman) and the Palace of Mirabell If you would like to spend time either before or at the end of your main walking holiday in the beautiful baroque city of Salzburg we can book extra nights for you at the following hotels on a room and breakfast basis. 3* Hotel Haunspergerhof Seasonal prices upon request Located in a quieter part of the city between the Hauptbahnhof and Altstadt Indeed Altstadt is now listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site and contains much of interest to the visitor beyond The Sound of Music, which although many locations within the city (e.g. Mirabell Gardens) were used, many locals are still a little puzzled by all the fuss surrounding the film as it has never been popular in Austria. The impressive baroque cathedral of Salzburger Dom is the site of 4* Ramada Hotel Seasonal prices upon request Located next to the Hauptbahnhoff Austria-Alpine Splendour 9

10 Clothing and Equipment Lists At least one set of casual / non-walking clothes will be useful for wearing in hotels on this holiday. Whilst walking you must not worry about how you look: comfort and protection against bad weather are of prime importance. Because mountain weather is so very variable, we recommend a number of thin layers rather than a few thick ones. The following list is our suggested guide to help you with your packing based upon our many years of travelling/walking. Using your own judgment for packing is of course important, especially with regard to casual clothing etc but please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions about packing for your holiday, or are uncertain as to the suitability of your clothing and equipment. CLOTHING Walking boots and spare laces Trainers/approach shoes Socks 3+ pairs (Walking and Casual) Underwear 3+ T-shirts 3+ L/S Thermal Baselayer 1+ Trekking Pants Short trousers 1+ Light fleece 1-2 Thick fleece 1 Swimwear (for the Lake) Waterproof jacket with hood Waterproof trousers Sun Hat Warm hat and warm gloves EQUIPMENT Daypack/rucksack (25-35 litre) 2 Large water bottles (1 litre each) Torch (and spare bulb and batteries) Camera & accessories Binoculars (optional) A variety of dry bag/plastic bags (kitbags are not waterproof) Sunglasses Trekking poles (highly recommended) Reading material (optional) Washing/Shaving kit Insect Repellent Small personal First Aid kit (see section above) Anti-Bacterial Handwash Water purifying tablets Sun Cream & lip salve Blister plasters i.e. Compeed Tickets/E tickets Passport Money The Heart of Austria Printed on 4/15/2014

11 The following items should also considered as being useful on a walking holiday Penknife/small scissors (DO NOT PACK IN HAND LUGGAGE) Moisturising cream Baby wipes Snacks/Energy bars Safety pins (DO NOT PACK IN HAND LUGGAGE) Padlock for your kitbag Small sewing/repair kit (DO NOT PACK IN HAND LUGGAGE) Small mirror Nail clippers (DO NOT PACK IN HAND LUGGAGE) Spare glasses/contact lenses Earplugs (against snorers) Cold water Travel Wash (preferably biodegradable) Travel adaptor Austria-Alpine Splendour 11