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Multi activity holidays in Austria

Hike along Alpine trails in the shadow of Austria’s highest mountain before white water rafting through the valleys. Multi-activity holidays in Austria take you every which way through spectacular Alpine scenery, in summer and in winter, when snowshoes take over from walking boots. Combine with daily yoga for a perfect pairing of relaxation and adrenaline.

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Multi activity holidays in Austria

If the thought of skipping through Alpine meadows à la Julie Andrews is all a bit twee, then fear not, Austria’s mountains offer a plethora of serious, and seriously cool, active adventures.

Like Andrews, multi-activity holidays in Austria still take their inspiration from the spectacular natural backdrop of the East Tyrol, but with a little less singing and a whole lot more adrenaline.

The hills are alive, and so will you be when you’ve hiked and biked your way over high-altitude passes and through secluded valley floors littered with wildflowers. Or restored your emotional balance with a mountain-top yoga class after a day spent cross-country skiing.

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What does a multi activity holiday in Austria entail?

Taking their cue from the tranquil Tyrolean mountain atmosphere, multi activity holidays in Austria are oh-so-chilled. If you want to join in with every guided walk, bike ride and yoga session, that’s great, but if you’d prefer to sit one out in the mountaintop hot tub, or take yourself off for a self guided wander, then be our guest. Your local hosts will line up the options and are ready to lead you to some of Austria’s best outdoor activity spots, but ultimately what you do on your holiday is up to you.

In summer you could be taking the gondola up to high Alpine hiking trails one day, before white water rafting down the Isel River the next. Or perhaps you’d prefer a guided mountain bike tour around the pretty Kalser and Iseltals Valleys.

You’re never too old to play in the snow, and wintertime brings bucketfuls of powdery white goodness to the Austrian Tyrol. If you’ve never skied before then Austria is a great place to learn, with daily ski lessons combined with gentle winter walking or snowshoeing to give bumped bottoms plenty of rest.

Throughout the year you can expect to start your day with an early morning Vinyasa flow yoga class – beginners warmly welcomed – to get you stretched, energised and ready to face whatever active challenge your day brings. There’s not many more wonderful ways to wake up than with misty panoramic views of the Hohe Tauern National Park as you salute the rising sun.

Where will I stay?

Most of our multi activity holidays in Austria are based in the Hohe Tauern National Park in the more secluded and untouched East Tyrol region of the Alps. Here, just outside the pretty Tyrolean village of Kals am Glockner a gorgeously renovated traditional chalet awaits, complete with home-cooked, organic food and panoramic views from its bedrooms and yoga studio. In the summer, hiking trails lead straight from your retreat, while in winter you can ski, if you want, down to the GrossGlockner Resort for a day on the piste.

How fit do I need to be?

We love multi activity holidays in Austria for their flexibility. While you’re going to want to lead a generally active lifestyle and have a reasonable level of fitness (with good knees) to enjoy these holidays, there are usually options to make your trip more or less physically demanding as you prefer.

Local guides can show you the mountaineering ropes on a climb to the summit of the Grossglockner if you want to take your walking to another level. While ski touring offers experienced skiers a demanding alternative to the same old black runs, over pristine passes instead of crowded pistes.

If you prefer something more relaxed – this is a holiday, after all – then mountain bikes can be swapped for e-bikes for a little electrical assistance uphill, while walking routes range from gentle circuits to more strenuous treks of four to seven hours covering over 1,000m of ascent. High Alpine trails accessed by gondola give you the option to hike, or hitch a ride, back down.

Can I bring the family?

A resounding yes. If kids sleeping soundly after a day of fresh mountain air, while deserving parents relax with a glass of oft-underrated local wine sounds like holiday perfection, then a multi activity holiday here is just the ticket. A number of small hotels, locally-run and authentically Austrian (these aren’t summer camps in the Alps) welcome families with an extensive menu of outdoor excitement. Or you can choose a gorgeous mountain retreat in the shadow of the Grossglockner, where specific child-focused weeks bring your brood together with other active families. Be aware, though, that some activities will carry a minimum age requirement – usually 10 years old.

Austria multi activity holiday highlights

Yoga

It’s easy to focus on your breathing when the air is Alpine pure. Imagine a yoga studio where windows open out onto Tyrolean slopes, beckoning you to continue your spiritual journey on foot or ski. Daily classes, for beginners and beyond, are the perfect antidote to more strenuous outdoor activities. In summer you may even leave the studio behind to enjoy yoga and meditation with nothing between you and the inspirational might of the Hohe Tauern National Park.

Walking

Walking is to the Austrian Alps what Mozart is to music; a heart-stirring, symphonious match made in mountain heaven. Take a gondola up to high altitude Alpine trails, discover the remote Dorfertal, where isolated farming communities live lives little changed in 200 years, or trek to a spectacular viewpoint of the Grossglockner, Austria’s highest mountain, and its impressive glacier. Expect to spend up to four hours a day hiking on the region’s longer trails.

Alternative winter sports

Yes, the downhill skiing in Austria is top-notch, but we love the restorative silence of a day spent snowshoeing. Wave goodbye to fake snow and crowded pistes, and embrace the delight of the empty mountain backcountry. Ski touring offers experienced skiers an alternative and demanding new challenge, while cross country skiing, winter walking and tobogganing will thrill snow-lovers of all ages.

White water rafting

The thundering waters of the Isel River tumble downstream through dramatic gorges in a series of rapids that range from beginner-friendly to downright extreme. Considered one of the top three white water rivers in Europe, the rafting here is one of the highlights of multi activity holidays in the East Tyrol, and while not that technically difficult, it’s most suited to those over 10 years old.

Cycling

Choose a guided ride around the Kalser and Iseltals Valleys in the shadow of the Grossglockner, perfect even for the most casual of cyclists, or pedal off with the family along off-road sections of the iconic Oetztal Cycling Route. Hardcore mountain bikers can enjoy some serious, technical descents in the Hohe Tauern National Park above Lienz, and if the thought of cycling up an Alp fills you with pedalling panic, e-bikes are available for some assistance on the ascents.

Cross country skiing

If you want to escape the piste posse, cross country skiing is one of the most exhilarating ways to see Austria. Having hosted the Winter Olympics twice in Seefeld, they are experts at creating trails that lead you into wild, winter wildernesses. There are over 300km of cross country skiing trails in Seefeld alone. In the Alps, the Stubai and Zillertal Mountains conceal even more remote snowscapes, with frozen lakes and blanketed meadows creating the most serene holiday on ice. And Austrians love their spa hotels – so there is always a sauna waiting at the end of the day.

Hiking

Hiking can be done summer and winter, to varying levels. The North Austrian Lakes aren’t at the same elevation as, for example, the Hohe Tauern National Park, where peak after peak beckons. But they will elevate your spirits for sheer aesthetic perfection alone. Hiking along the River Danube is iconic, as you amble along this vast artery that cuts through the heart of the country. And the Tyrol is steeped in tradition and a whole other culture, with strong Italian influences and superb food.

When to go on a multi activity
holiday in Austria

December to early April offers the perfect conditions for icy escapades – with the Christmas period adding some festive magic, abundant Christmas markets and free-flowing glühwein, to your winter multi activity holiday.

June to September are warm and wonderful for walking, rafting and cycling, although you’ll want to pack your waterproofs just in case; afternoon thunderstorms are not uncommon and the mountains will happily throw all four seasons at you in one day.