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View of Lake Wolfgang with flower meadow and St. Gilgen in the foreground and the mountain panorama in the background

Lake Walking in Austria’s Salzkammergut

White horse inn, imperial summer residence and UNESCO heritage

Bestseller
8 Days / 7 Nights
Moderate Walking
154  kg
CO₂-Emissions are offset
154  kg
CO₂-Emissions are offset
View of Lake Wolfgang with flower meadow and St. Gilgen in the foreground and the mountain panorama in the background

The essentials at a glance

Explore Austria's stunning Salzkammergut region on this self-guided walking tour through the UNESCO World Heritage area. Discover picturesque lakes including Wolfgangsee and Hallstättersee, visit the historic spa town of Bad Ischl, and explore the ancient salt mine in Hallstatt. The tour features moderate walking with daily distances of 10-18 km, boat rides, scenic mountain views of the Dachstein massif, and stays in 3-star hotels with breakfast included.

‘Most beautiful country in all time’ an old folk song claims and this quote truly applies to the Austrian Salzkammergut. Mountains, lakes and picturesque places belong to one of the most beautiful treasures of the world. This uniqueness has been recognized by UNESCO and the region Hallstatt has been declared UNESCO Heritage of nature and culture.

Note: This tour is also available as a family tour.

Female hiker with green backpack and trekking poles viewing Lake Wolfgangsee in Salzkammergut, with mountains and villages in the valley below.
Panoramic view from Schafberg mountain showing green alpine meadows, a turquoise lake, and mountain ranges in Salzkammergut, Austria.
Hiker with red backpack on lakeside path at Wolfgangsee, Salzkammergut. Wooden railing borders the trail with mountains and blue water visible.
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Bianca Hirnböck
Bianca Hirnboeck
+43 6219 60877 166
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Explore the most beautiful villages on the glistening Wolfgangsee: St. Wolfgang, St. Gilgen and Strobl. Later, the trail takes you to Bad Ischl and Bad Goisern before you finally arrive in the historic Hallstatt. Lake Hallstatt also invites you to cool off in its crystal-clear water on warm summer days.

  • Swim in crystal clear water: The Wolfgangsee and Lake Hallstatt are two of the most enchanting waters in the entire Salzkammergut. Take a dip in the cool water…
  • Take the Schafbergbahn to a panoramic view: Experience the lake-scattered landscape from above. From the Schafberg, the view is second to none.
  • Visit the Imperial Villa and the Hotel Austria: Where Emperor Franz Josef and Elisabeth of Bavaria (beloved Austrian royalty in the 1800s) got engaged.
  • Salt mine of Hallstatt: Immerse yourself in the history of salt mining and take part in an exciting tour of the salt mine.

The eight- or five –day journey begins in the stylish village of St. Wolfgang. From the picturesque square the nostalgic Schafbergbahn funicular takes you to the summit, where you can enjoy incredible views. You walk along the charming lakeshore to St. Gilgen. You can also take a boat trip during this hiking tour! At Schwarzensee you can enjoy regional delicacies before heading to the lake promenade in Strobl am Wolfgangsee. On the penultimate day, you will hike through the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Hallstatt.

Tip: Get the perfect view of the captivating environment from the Rudolfsturm! On this leisurely hike you will travel between three and five and a half hours, making it ideal for casual hikers. 

Female hiker with green backpack and trekking poles viewing Lake Wolfgangsee in Salzkammergut, with mountains and villages in the valley below.
Panoramic view from Schafberg mountain showing green alpine meadows, a turquoise lake, and mountain ranges in Salzkammergut, Austria.
Hiker with red backpack on lakeside path at Wolfgangsee, Salzkammergut. Wooden railing borders the trail with mountains and blue water visible.

Itinerary at a glance

The Salzkammergut invites you to explore the picturesque mountain and lake landscape. The World Heritage region Hallstatt-Dachstein/Salzkammergut with Bad-Ischl, Hallstatt and St. Wolfgang combines beauty, culture and culinary delights.

Hotel example: Aberseehof

Take the boat to St. Wolfgang. On your walk along a walking trail to Falkenstein rock wall you enjoy beautiful views of the lake. An idyllic path along the lake takes you into Mozart village St. Gilgen. Return by boat.

Hotel example: Aberseehof

From St. Wolfgang on Saddle walk to lake Schwarzensee. Here the lake cabin of Lore is worth a stop for the delicious home made snacks. Via Wirer gorge into the valley and around Bürglstein to the lake promenade of Strobl. By coach into the ancient Imperial summer residence Bad Ischl.

Hotel example: Goldenes Schiff

This day is at your free disposal and offers numerous opportunities to explore the city or simply to take a leisurely day off. Bad Ischl beckons with visits to the Imperial Villa, the Hotel Austria, where the engagement of Emperor Franz Josef and Elisabeth of Bavaria once took place, or a coffee break in the Café Zauner with delicious cakes and pastries or a visit to the warm brine swimming pools in the Salzkammergut thermal baths.

Hotel example: Goldenes Schiff

Salt always has been an important source of income in Salzkammergut. The oldest brine pipeline of the world leads from Hallstatt’s salt mine to the salt works in Bad Ischl. Walk along the promenade into Kaltenbachau, a site of Imperial pleasures as horse races, picnics and rendezvous. On brine pipeline trail to Bad Goisern, the gateway to UNESCO heritage Hallstatt. If you want to walk a little higher, you can hike on the spectacular mountain trail of the “Eternal Wall”.

Hotel example: Goisererhof

Continue on brine pipeline trail to the salt mountain in Hallstatt (salt mine dates back to Celtic times). Here you enjoy a scenic view of the lake and Dachstein massif. Plan a visit of the salt mine, enjoy the views from the top of Rudolf’s tower and visit the excavation sites. A boat carries you across the lake back to Bad Goisern.

Hotel example: Goisererhof

By train to Bad Ischl. Along the romantic Sissi-Path you walk to the tiny lake Nussensee then along river Ischl back to lake Wolfgangsee. Through the nature reserve Blinklingmoos along the lake back to today’s stop-over.

Hotel example: Aberseehof

Day
08

Departure or extension

Other variants of this tour

Lake Walking in Austria’s Salzkammergut
5 Days
Lake Walking in Austria’s Salzkammergut with Charm
5 Days
Lake Walking in Austria’s Salzkammergut with Charm
8 Days
Female hiker with green backpack at Welterbeblick viewing platform overlooking lake and mountains in Salzkammergut, Austria.
Traditional wooden and painted houses in Hallstatt village nestled against a forested mountainside under blue sky in the Salzkammergut region.
Hiker with blue backpack walking on grassy path beside turquoise lake in Salzkammergut, with mountains and trees under blue sky.
Green and gray hiking backpack resting on rocks with wildflowers, overlooking turquoise Attersee-Mondsee lakes in Salzkammergut, Austria.
Hiker with backpack and poles sitting on rock at Schwarzensee lake shore, viewing forested mountains under blue sky in Salzkammergut.
Aerial view of turquoise Wolfgangsee surrounded by mountains in Salzkammergut, Austria. A lakeside town and green valleys are visible under blue sky.

Difficulty Level

Moderate Walking

This tour combines pleasant walking with culture and places of interest. The walking paths are good, there are just some short ascents on smaller serpentine paths. We can recommend this tour for families.

Prices & Dates

Prices per person in EUR

Services & Information

Further details about this tour

Included

  • Accommodation in lovely 3*** hotels and country hotels
  • Breakfast
  • Luggage transfer
  • 1 Boat ride at lake Wolfgangsee
  • Ferry fare at lake Wolfgangsee, and lake Hallstättersee
  • 1 Valley cable car fare Salzbergbahn Hallstatt
  • Train ride from Hallstatt to Bad Goisern, from Bad Goisern to Bad Ischl
  • 1 Salzkammergut Erlebnis Card (reductions for cable cars, thermal bath Bad Ischl, salt mine Hallstatt, Boat rides etc.)
  • Welcome briefing (German, English)
  • Carefully elaborated route description
  • Detailed travel documents 1x per room (German, English, French)
  • App for Navigation and GPS-data
  • Service hotline

Optional extras

  • Transfers from/to airport/station Salzburg upon request

Arrival / Parking / Departure

  • Train journey to Salzburg, by bus to Wolfgangsee (approx. 1 hour). Or train journey to Bad Ischl and by bus to Wolfgangsee (approx. 30 min).
  • Salzburg or Munich airport.
  • Parking: hotel parking spaces EUR 5 per day, public parking spaces EUR 40 per week.

Things to note

  • Tourist tax, if due, is not included in the price
  • Bus ride Strobl – Bad Ischl, approx. EUR 5 per person
  • Further important information according to the package travel law can be found here!

Join us in achieving greater sustainability by choosing our digital route book, rather than the printed version. As a small thank you we will give you a discount of €20 per room.

Services & Information

Further details about this tour

Included

  • Accommodation in lovely 3*** hotels and country hotels
  • Breakfast
  • Luggage transfer
  • 1 Boat ride at lake Wolfgangsee
  • Ferry fare at lake Wolfgangsee, and lake Hallstättersee
  • 1 Valley cable car fare Salzbergbahn Hallstatt
  • 1 Train ride from Hallstatt to Bad Goisern
  • 1 Train ride from Bad Goisern to Bad Ischl
  • 1 Salzkammergut Erlebnis Card (reductions for cable cars, thermal bath Bad Ischl, salt mine Hallstatt, Boat rides etc.)
  • Welcome briefing
  • Digital travel documents incl. navigation app, GPS-data, route book
  • Service hotline

Optional extras

  • Printed route book, per room EUR 20
  • Transfers from/to airport/station Salzburg upon request

Arrival / Parking / Departure

  • Travel by train to Salzburg and take the bus to Lake Wolfgangsee in approx. 1 hour. Or travel by train to Bad Ischl and in approx. 30 minutes to Lake Wolfgangsee
  • Salzburg airport and by bus to Wolfgangsee, duration approx. 1 hour
  • Munich airport and by train to the train station Salzburg and by bus to Wolfgangsee, duration approx. 3 hours
    (www.salzburg-verkehr.at, www.oebb.at)
  • Car park: Hotel car park, costs approx. EUR 5 to EUR 10 per day

Things to note

  • Tourist tax, if due, is not included in the price.
  • Bus ride Strobl – Bad Ischl, approx. EUR 8 per person
  • Further important information according to the package travel law can be found here!
Bianca Hirnböck

"We look forward to making your holiday dreams come true"

Bianca Hirnboeck
Travel Specialist
One call to vacation bliss
+43 6219 60877 166
Monday - Thursday: 9.00 AM - 6.00 PM
Friday: 9.00 am - 5.00 pm
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Sustainably on the go

Our contribution to climate protection

154 kg
CO₂-Emissions are offset
With a hiking holiday, you are opting for an extremely climate-friendly form of travel. We are aware that even this generates a certain amount of CO2 emissions, even if this is low compared to other forms of travel. The emissions caused are calculated per travel and person using the internationally recognised ‘Carmacal’ CO2 calculator and offset by supporting carefully selected climate protection projects. A detailed overview of emissions in the areas of transport, accommodation, activities and on-site catering can be found here.
154 kg
CO₂-Emissions are offset
With a hiking holiday, you are opting for an extremely climate-friendly form of travel. We are aware that even this generates a certain amount of CO2 emissions, even if this is low compared to other forms of travel. The emissions caused are calculated per travel and person using the internationally recognised ‘Carmacal’ CO2 calculator and offset by supporting carefully selected climate protection projects. A detailed overview of emissions in the areas of transport, accommodation, activities and on-site catering can be found here.

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