THE DACHSTEIN CIRCUIT

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Brendan Cain
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see rock carvings over 2000 years old HOLIDAY CODE DCA Austria, Trek & Walk, 10 Days 1 night guesthouse, 3 nights mountain hut / refuge, 5

1 A walking holiday around Hoher Dachstein (2996m) in Austria Walk a classic alpine circuit in a UNESCO world heritage region Brave the famous 'Sky Walk' to look over the Dachstein Glacier Stay in traditional Austrian mountain lodges Walk through the Notgasse rock gorge and see rock carvings over 2000 years old HOLIDAY CODE DCA Austria, Trek & Walk, 10 Days 1 night guesthouse, 3 nights mountain hut / refuge, 5 nights hotel, 9 breakfasts, 9 dinners, max group size: 15, 8 days trekking, max. altitude m VIEW DATES, PRICES & BOOK YOUR HOLIDAY HERE

2 PAGE 2 Introduction A spectacular 10 day walking holiday around the impressive Hoher Dachstein, situated at the border of Upper Austria and Styria (Parts of the massif also lie in the state of Salzburg and so the mountain is also referred to as the Drei-Länder-Berg "three-state mountain"). We begin our adventure holiday in the idyllic town of Gosau; here the amazing mountain landscape is already apparent. As we make our way around this impressive massif we will experience spectacular views of the Dachstein Glacier from the famous Sky Walk, a magical morning s walk through the Notgasse rock gorge, stunning mountain vistas every day and a wonderful mix of accommodation from family run hotels to traditional mountain huts, this really is a holiday with everything. Is this holiday for you? This walking holiday is a circuit of the Hoher Dachstein, staying in small family run hotels and mountain huts with basic facilities, it involves walking on an established waymarked trail over variety of terrain including forest paths, alpine meadows and over rocky passes. The trails used for the most part offer very good underfoot conditions but there are a few sections where we will cross boulders and others where we may encounter lying winter snow. We average around 6 to 8 hours walking each day. Holiday Itinerary Day 1: Meet at the group hotel in the village of Gosau. Meet at the group hotel in the picturesque village of Gosau. In the evening, we will have an informal chat with our guide about the week ahead. KE land only services begin with dinner and overnight at the hotel. HOTEL MEALS D Day 2: Cable car from Gosausee Lake to Zwieselalm, walk to the Hofpuergl Hut (1705m). After breakfast at our hotel we begin with a short and gentle walk to the cable car station at Gosausee Lake, where we take the Gosaukammbahn cable car up to Zwieselalm; we enjoy stunning views from the gondola - all the way through to Hoher Dachstein itself. From here we enjoy an awesome introduction to the area, with the high level walk to the Hofpurgl mountain hut - rewarding us with views back down to the Gosausee Lake and of idyllic alpine pastures. We should arrive at the Hofpuergl hut (1705m) in the mid to late afternoon - possibly even in time for a beer on the terrace before dinner. MOUNTAIN HUT / REFUGE ASCENT 750M TIME 3 HRS Day 3: Walk from the Hofpuergl Hut (1705m) to the Sudwand mountain hut and then descend to Ramsau. This morning set out walking across green pastures but with a slow and gradual increase in gradient, it becomes a little rockier underfoot until we reach the scree fields below the Gosaustein. As we approach the Sudwand Hut we are greeted by incredible views of the surrounding peaks; we might just have time to stop here for a quick drink to soak up the views a little more, before descending to hotel on the outskirts of Ramsau. HOTEL DESCENT 882M ASCENT 895M TIME 5 HRS DISTANCE 13KM

3 PAGE 3 Day 4: Cable car up to the Hunerkogel mountain station and 'Sky Walk' (2700m) walk down to the Guttenberg Hut (2147m). A little less walking today, however a very unique day all the same. We start the day with a fantastic gondola ride up to the Hunerkogel mountain station (2700m), over looking the Dachstein Glacier - truly an awesome sight. We'll have time here for all those very important photos - especially for those brave enough for the 'Sky Walk' viewing platform. From here we continue on our way along the high alpine route, making our way slowly down the opposite side of the glacier. After the height gain in the gondola this morning our afternoon's walk is nearly all downhill, with a very slight incline to reach the charming Guttenberghaus; our mountain hut for the night - at over 100 years old it has a very traditional feel and charm. MOUNTAIN HUT / REFUGE ASCENT 264M DISTANCE 10KM DESCENT 861M TIME 4-5 HRS Day 5: Walk over the 'Am Stein' plateau and down to Groebming. A day of simply stunning mountain views today. After a relatively early breakfast (possibly about 7am) we head up and onto the beautiful 'Am Stein' plateau - with characteristically alpine views. If time allows we can make a quick stop at the small (and very rustic looking) alpine hut at Grafenbergalm - a truly idyllic location. In the afternoon we head into the forest and past vast rhododrendron bushes, before heading up the slopes of Stoderzinken and finally down to our guesthouse above Groebming. GUESTHOUSE DESCENT 860M ASCENT 552M TIME 6 HOURS DISTANCE 13KM Day 6: Walk through the 'Notgasse' gorge, to the summit of Hochmühleck and down to Bad Mitterndorf. A little break from the alpine vistas this morning as we head into the impressive 'Notgasse' rock gorge, which boasts chiselled rock carvings of up to 2000 years old and rock walls as high as 60 meters. As a beautiful contrast, in the afternoon we head up to the summit of Hochmühleck (1731m), the approach is mainly through the forest on easy paths with a wonderful clearing at the top, allowing for those all-important views. From here it is a steady, but quite steep descent to Bad Mitterndorf. HOTEL DESCENT 1654M ASCENT 627M TIME 6-7 HOURS DISTANCE 22KM Day 7: Train from Bad Mitterndorf to Bad Aussee (659m), walk through the Koppen valley, ferry ride to Hallstatt. We begin our day by taking the train from Bad Mitterndorf to Bad Aussee, (a journey of about 30 minutes). We then have a gentle, undulating walk through the lush, peaceful (almost magical) valley of Koppen, all the way through to Obertraun. In Obertraun we catch the ferry across to Hallstatt, where we only have a short walk through the village to our hotel, which is situated only a five minute walk from the centre and a couple of minutes from the lake - a perfect location from which to explore the area further in the late afternoon.

4 PAGE 4 HOTEL ASCENT 341M DISTANCE 16KM DESCENT 454M TIME 5 HOURS Day 8: Funicular railway to Hallstätter Salzwelten, walk along the brine pipeline hiking trail to the Goiserer mountain hut (1592m). First thing this morning we take the funicular railway from Hallstatt to Hallstätter Salzwelten (at the entrance to the salt mine), we need to make a good start today as it is a relatively long day. From the top of the funicular we follow the 'brine pipeline hiking trail' towards Bad Goisern. In the afternoon we start the long and steady ascent up to our accommodation, the Goiserer mountain hut; a beautiful old building which was renovated in MOUNTAIN HUT / REFUGE ASCENT 1628M DISTANCE 18KM DESCENT 885M TIME 7 HOURS Day 9: Descend to Gosau (700m). Free time in the afternoon. A shorter day and we take our time, making sure we fully take in our surroundings and the wonderful mountain views. We descend from the Goiserer hut down to Gosau. With some free time in the afternoon to relax for explore. HOTEL DESCENT 873M ASCENT 50M TIME 3 HOURS DISTANCE 7KM Day 10: Departure Day. KE land only services end after breakfast. MEALS B Holiday Information What's Included An English-speaking qualified guide All accommodation as described All meals except lunches All land transport and transfers required by the itinerary What's Not Included Travel insurance Lunches and snacks Miscellaneous personal expenses

5 PAGE 5 Airport transfers Entrance fees and costs involved in any optional activities Meal Plan All meals except lunches are included, from dinner on Day 1 to breakfast on Day 10. Joining Arrangements & Transfers You must join the group at the group hotel in Gosau on the evening of Day 1 of the trip itinerary. There will be a briefing held at approximately 18:00 and you should aim to be there for this time. For clients arriving by air, the easiest way to get to Gosau is to fly to Munich Airport and travel by train or bus from there. You should allow up to 4 hours for this journey and it will cost approximately 60 Euros each way Accommodation During this trip the group will spend 2 nights at a hotel in Gosau with en-suite facilities. Whilst on trek, there are 8 nights spent in village hotels, mountain huts or similar accommodation (gites). Most of the accommodation away from Gosau is on a non-segregated, dormitory-style basis. In some high mountain huts, washing facilities are limited. Single rooms are not available. Group Leader & Support Staff The group will be led by an English-speaking local mountain guide. Altitude This holiday involves going to moderately high altitude. During the course of your trip you will reach altitudes in excess of 2500 metres. Most people will have no difficulty with this level of altitude but before coming on the holiday, we recommend you read the advice on trekking at high altitude. You can also talk to one of our trekking experts if you have any concerns about altitude. Guidance On Tipping Tipping for good service has become the norm. However, it is important to remember that tipping is voluntary and should be seen as a 'thank you' for a job well done. There are no set rules as to how much to tip but we do recommend that the group as a whole decide on the level of tips rather than individually. Free KE Gift We give you a free gift as a way to thank all our clients who book a KE holiday. Choose from KE T-shirts, buffs, KE trek bags* (where applicable) plus many more. Alternatively you can choose to make a 10 donation to the Juniper Trust Charity. You can make your selection in your My KE account after booking. * A trek bag is not required for this holiday. You can however purchase a KE trek bag for Delivery outside of the UK will be charged. Group Size & Holiday Status For each holiday there is a minimum number of participants required to enable it to go ahead. Once the minimum number is reached, the trip status will change from 'Available' to 'Guaranteed to run'. You can check the trip status for each departure in Dates and Prices table. Other than in exceptional circumstances, we will not cancel a trip

6 PAGE 6 once it has achieved this guaranteed to run status and so you are free to proceed with your international flight booking and other travel arrangements. General Information Passport & Visas A passport with 6 months remaining validity at the end of your stay is generally required for visits to countries outside the EU. The information that we provide is for UK passport holders. Please check the relevant embassy or consulate for other nationalities. It is your responsibility to ensure that you have the correct travel documents and visas for your holiday. Visa requirements and charges are subject to change without notice. If you are travelling outside the EU you should have at least 2 blank pages in your passport for each country that you visit. Visa Europe UK and USA passport holders do not require a visa. Health & Vaccinations You should contact your doctor or travel clinic to check whether you require any specific vaccinations. UK residents should obtain a free European Health Insurance Card (EHIC). This entitles you to state provided medical treatment, but is not a substitute for medical travel insurance which is still vital when travelling overseas. Currency The unit of currency in Europe is the Euro. Electricity Supply & Plug We recommend you check if you require an adaptor for your electrical items at: Preparing For Your Holiday It makes a lot of sense to spend some time before coming on a trekking holiday getting some additional exercise. The fitter you are, after all, the more enjoyable you will find the experience. Regular hiking is the best preperation for a trip like this but if this is not possible you should adopt a weekly exercise regime which you gradually increase leading up to your trip. Jogging, squash and swimming are good for developing better stamina. Before departure, we suggest that you try to fit in a number of long walks in hilly country. Travel Aware As a reputable tour operator, KE supports the British Foreign & Commonwealth Offices' Travel Aware campaign to enable British citizens to prepare for their journeys overseas. The 'Travel Aware' website provides a single, authoritative source of advice for all kinds of travellers and we recommend that prior to travel, all KE clients visit the official UK Government website at travelaware.campaign.gov.uk and read the FCO Travel Advice for their chosen destination. North Americans can also check out the U.S. Department of State website: for essential travel advice and tips. KE treat the safety and security of all clients as the most important aspect of any trip we organise. We would not run any trip that we did not consider reasonably safe. Should the FCO advise against travel for any reason, we will

7 PAGE 7 contact everyone booked to travel to discuss the situation. We receive regular updates direct from the FCO and are in constant touch with our contacts on the ground. If you have any questions about government travel advice, please call our office. Climate The temperatures that we can expect to encounter during the day will be reasonably warm, ranging from 15 C/ 59 F to 25 C/ 77 F. It can be cool in the evenings at our highest overnight stopping places, falling close to freezing point at night. The weather is usually stable during July, August and September, but mountainous areas do generate their own weather systems and occasional rain and even stormy weather cannot be ruled out. You should be prepared for all eventualities! Maps Kompass - Dachstein (Ausseerland, Bad Goisern, Hallstatt). 1:50,000. Map number 112 Flight Information Flight Inclusive Or Land Only? On our website we display a UK Flight inclusive package price and Land only package price for the majority of our holidays. Land Only Notes We sell this holiday on a Land Only basis and recommend that you book your flights to Munich Airport. Please refer to the 'Joining Arrangements and Transfers' for further details. Flights SHOULD NOT be booked until you have received your booking confirmation and the departure is showing 'Guaranteed to Run' or 'Limited'. If flying from the UK there are a number of low cost airlines offering flights to Munich. These include Easyjet who have flights from London & Edinburgh. Other airports may be available. If you would prefer to book a 'flight inclusive package' using scheduled airlines from the UK please contact our flights department for a quote. Whilst flight prices are likely to be more expensive you will benefit from full financial protection. Why Choose KE Adventure Travel? Why Choose KE Adventure Travel? Experience KE has 34 years experience of adventure travel worldwide. All of our holidays are accompanied by an experienced leader, some of whom have worked with KE groups for many years. Many are professional guides and instructors with an unrivalled knowledge of the areas in which they work. In many parts of the world, we recruit local guides with appropriate training and experience. In addition to having the technical skills to ensure your safety, KE expects its leaders to be active members of the group. A leader should be fun to travel with and ready to share with you their enthusiasm for adventure travel and their knowledge of the area. Alongside the group leader, there will be a local support crew, which could be just a driver, or a complete team of guides, drivers, porters, muleherders and cooks. The hard work of our support crews, along with the fascinating insight they can offer into their

8 PAGE 8 local culture, is integral to providing you with the very best adventure travel experience. The team of KE office staff is amongst the most experienced in the business, with the proven ability to set up and operate a worldwide programme of adventures. Every one has adventure travel at heart and joins at least one trip a year. It is this depth of experience that makes KE stand out from other adventure travel operators. When you contact KE, by phone or , or visit our office, you will find the help and advice you need, from someone who has actually done the trip and can give you the benefit of their first-hand experience. KE can guarantee the very best in trek support, excellent food, a good standard of hotel and camp accommodation, plus the back up of one of the most respected companies in the business. Client satisfaction is at the top of our agenda and almost 50% of our bookings each year come from repeat business. If you are looking for adventure then look no further than KE. RESPONSIBLE TOURISM AND AWARDS Responsible Tourism has always fitted naturally with KEs travel ethic. It is important to us that our clients are not the only beneficiaries of the travel experience, but that we share a two-way relationship with the areas that we visit. We make sure that our local staff are well treated and well paid, we respect indigenous cultures, take care to protect the environment and make the most of every opportunity to make a positive contribution wherever we travel. In addition to holding an AITO 5-star Sustainable Tourism rating, we are recipients of AITO s Achievement in Sustainable Tourism Award in recognition of the work carried out over the past 20 years, giving back to the communities and areas we visit. We have been awarded Highly Commended status in the Best Tour Operator category of the Virgin Holidays Responsible Tourism Awards, and were named Best Trekking Operator on Earth by National Geographic Magazine, whose criteria included commitment to responsible tourism. We continue to travel responsibly, and more information on our policy, practice, and specific projects can be found at and on the website of our partner charity the Juniper Trust: KEs Mountain Code is issued to our staff, trek leaders and overseas agents, and we recommend it to our clients, too! Your Complete Financial Protection KE Adventure Travel is a fully licensed and bonded tour operator. We are a member of the Association of Independent Tour Operators (AITO), bonded with the CAA (ATOL 2808) and ABTA licensed (W4341). You can book your trip with KE Adventure Travel in complete confidence that all monies you pay for a trip are fully protected. BOOKING YOUR HOLIDAY Making a Booking The easiest way to make your booking is online. You will need to pay a deposit at the time of booking. This is normally 200 but for some holidays with special permit fees or internal flights, this may be more. The amount of deposit required for an individual holiday is given on the dates and prices page of the holiday. Late bookings will require full payment. We cannot confirm any booking until we receive your fully completed booking form. Adventure Travel Insurance IMPORTANT - It is a condition of joining any of our trips that you are insured against medical and personal accident risks (to include repatriation costs, air ambulance and helicopter rescue services). We also strongly recommend that you take out holiday cancellation insurance, as all deposits paid are non-refundable. Please

9 PAGE 9 ensure that your insurer is aware of your KE Adventure itinerary and can agree to cover the activities being undertaken. You will then need to advise us of your policy details and complete an Insurance Declaration Form. CAMPBELL IRVINE DIRECT travel insurance is available to EU residents and will cover the majority of KE Adventure holidays. It has been designed to provide cover for activities normally excluded by other insurers such as trekking, mountain biking and climbing. Please note that certain activities may attract a higher premium. In addition Campbell Irvine Direct cannot provide cover for KE climbing trips above 6000m. Cover for these can be obtained through either the British Mountaineering Council (BMC) or Snowcard. TRAVELEX is a USA based insurer offering travel insurance, which can be used by US citizens and US residents only. KE recommends the "Travelex Select" package for our holidays. If your holiday involves using mountaineering equipment (ropes, harness or crampons), for climbing or glacial travel, you should consider the "Adventure Plus Pak" optional upgrade on the Travelex Select Plan. Please refer to the 'Description of Coverage' for a summary of the terms, conditions, exclusions and limitations of the applicable Protection Plan. This policy will also cover KE climbing trips above 6000m. We hope that this trip notes has answered most of your questions. Please feel free to contact us and speak to one of our experts.

10 PAGE 10 Equipment List The following checklist should help you with your packing. As a general rule, you should always try to keep the weight of your equipment to a minimum. You Should Bring The Following Items: Hiking boots Trainers Socks Underwear Trekking trousers Waterproof overtrousers Waterproof jacket Shorts Thermal baselayer shirts (1 short sleeve, 1 long sleeve) Casual shirts and/or T-shirts Fleece jacket or warm jumper Lightweight thermal gloves Sunhat Warm hat Sunglasses Earplugs (particularly if you are not the one snoring!) Selection of dry bags (to keep trek bag contents dry) Daypack 40 litres Headtorch and spare batteries Sun protection (including total bloc for lips, nose etc.)

11 PAGE 11 Water bottles 2 litres Sleeping bag liner / sheet sleeping bag Washbag and toiletries Lightweight travel towel Antibacterial hand wash Basic First Aid Kit including: antiseptic cream, throat lozenges, diarrhoea treatment (Imodium) painkillers, plasters and blister treatment.?the Following Items Are Optional: Spare laces Gaiters Trekking poles Camera Pen-knife (remember to pack sharp objects in hold baggage) Travel clothes Lightweight down pullover or jacket Notes: Sleeping bags are not required, as bedding is provided. However we recommend you bring a sheet sleeping bag for use in the mountain huts. Please note: This document was downloaded on 2 Feb 2018, and the trip is subject to change.

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