The ultimate alpine road or rail-and-bus loop combining Salzkammergut fjord lakes, the 36 hairpins of the Grossglockner High Alpine Road, the Kitzsteinhorn glacier, and Tyrol.
Route overview
- Day 1 — Salzburg to Wolfgangsee, Bad Ischl & Hallstatt: Salzburg to Wolfgangsee, Bad Ischl & Hallstatt
- Day 2 — Dachstein Views to Bad Gastein Waterfall & Felsentherme: Dachstein Views to Bad Gastein Waterfall & Felsentherme
- Day 3 — Grossglockner High Alpine Road (36 Hairpins) to Heiligenblut & Zell am See: Grossglockner High Alpine Road (36 Hairpins) to Heiligenblut & Zell am See
- Day 4 — Zell am See-Kaprun: Kitzsteinhorn 3,029m Glacier & Lake Zell Cruise
- Day 5 — Krimml Waterfalls, Kitzbühel Old Town & Alpbach Timber Village: Krimml Waterfalls, Kitzbühel Old Town & Alpbach Timber Village
- Day 6 — Innsbruck: Golden Roof, Nordkette Hafelekar & Seefeld Plateau
- Day 7 — Return via Achensee & Kufstein Fortress to Salzburg: Return via Achensee & Kufstein Fortress to Salzburg
Designed for summer and early autumn when the 2,504m Grossglockner High Alpine Road is snow-free, this 7-day loop pairs Austria's most dramatic mountain pass with Salzkammergut lakes and Tyrolean peaks.
Day 1 — Salzburg to Wolfgangsee, Bad Ischl & Hallstatt
Depart Salzburg past Fuschlsee and Wolfgangsee to Bad Ischl and lakeside Hallstatt. Ride the Salzbergbahn to the Skywalk viewpoint.
Day 2 — Dachstein Views to Bad Gastein Waterfall & Felsentherme
Morning walk along Hallstätter See, then cross into Pongau to Bad Gastein to see the 341m waterfall roaring between Belle Époque grand hotels and soak in the Felsentherme.
Day 3 — Grossglockner High Alpine Road (36 Hairpins) to Heiligenblut & Zell am See
Drive the 48 km Grossglockner High Alpine Road (€43 car day pass), stopping at Edelweißspitze (2,571m) and Kaiser-Franz-Josefs-Höhe opposite the 3,798m Grossglockner and Pasterze Glacier, then check into Zell am See-Kaprun.
Day 4 — Zell am See-Kaprun: Kitzsteinhorn 3,029m Glacier & Lake Zell Cruise
Use your free hotel Zell am See-Kaprun Summer Card to ascend the Kitzsteinhorn Glacier in the morning and cruise Lake Zell in the afternoon.
Day 5 — Krimml Waterfalls, Kitzbühel Old Town & Alpbach Timber Village
Visit Europe's highest tiered waterfalls at Krimml (380m drop), cross Pass Thurn for lunch in medieval Kitzbühel, and admire the flower-draped wooden chalets of Alpbach before reaching Innsbruck.
Day 6 — Innsbruck: Golden Roof, Nordkette Hafelekar & Seefeld Plateau
Explore Innsbruck's Old Town, ride the Nordkettenbahnen cable car to 2,256m, and take an afternoon excursion up to lakeside Seefeld in Tirol.
Day 7 — Return via Achensee & Kufstein Fortress to Salzburg
Follow the Inn Valley past turquoise Lake Achensee and Kufstein Fortress back to Salzburg or Munich.