Salzalpensteig II

Individual arrival to Hallein, the district capital in the beautiful Tennengau located between the city of Salzburg and the Dachstein massif. It's worth visiting the salt factory, the only show saltworks in Austria, where you can look over the shoulder of a pan master at work. The Celtic Museum is also worth seeing, because it was the Celts who first promoted salt mining in the Iron Age here.

At your accommodation you will receive the travel documents at the hotel (1 night in Hallein).

From Bad Dürrnberg to Golling you immerse yourself in an area that is attractive in terms of landscape, natural history and geology. On this stage you hike in the tongue basin of the former Salzach glacier through the wonderful floodplain of the Salzach. First the path goes uphill to the highest point of the hike, the beautifully situated, rustic Truckenthannalm. With a bit of luck you can even buy a small snack there. But you should take a break on the mountain pasture in any case, which was first mentioned almost 900 years ago. Along lush meadows you pass the source, so-called ‘Maximilianquelle’, beneath the impressive rock faces of the Hoher Goll. After a short climb you reach the vail falls with a rest area. Finally, you reach Golling through the lush vegetation of the idyllic floodplain forests of the Salzach (1 night in Golling).
Hiking distance: approx. 5 hours (14 km, altitude difference ascent: 500 m in height / descent: 700 m in height)

The bus to Unterscheffau takes you to the starting point of today's hike (payable on spot). The hiking trail now follows upstream through a forest and meadow landscape, again and again along the Lammer, to Oberscheffau. The 41-kilometer-long river Salzach has its source in the southern Tennengebirge. After reaching Oberscheffau, you reach the Schwarzenbach and you first go through a cultural landscape and continue along the so-called Mühlenweg. The Klausgraben is rich in water. A stone pillar from the 16th century points to border disputes between Scheffau and Abtenau. The last stage leads to the Tricklfall and the no less impressive Dachserfall. Finally you reach the overnight accommodation in Abtenau (1 night in Abtenau).
Hiking distance: approx. 5-6 hours (14 km, altitude difference ascent: 559 m in height / descent: 339 m in height)

A fun ride on the Karkogel cable car takes hikers to the Karkogelhütte in just a few minutes. From here it is only a few minutes' walk to the small plateau with a magnificent panorama of the peaks of the Tennengebirge and the Salzkammergut mountains. On the way through flower-filled alpine meadows with a wonderful view of the small Traunstein you reach the cultivated Gsengalm. At the foot of the 1,810 meter high Schober you follow the path through an area of meadows and mountain pine trees. We go past the dilapidated Quehenbergalm downhill towards the picturesque town of Annaberg im Lammertal (1 night in Annaberg im Lammertal).
Hiking distance: approx. 4-5 hours (9 km, altitude difference ascent: 645 m in height / descent: 993 m in height)

Well rested, you start in Annaberg and follow the legendary hiking trail through dense, blueberry-covered coniferous forest up to the highest point of the Kopfberg. A figure of the local patron saint, St. Anna, carved from pine wood welcomes you and invites you to take a breather and recharge your batteries in a real place of power. Now a steep climb begins to the welcomed Stuhlalm where you can take a break. The hut offers visitors a fantastic view of the northern escarpment of the Bischofsmütze, and the Tennengebirge. Großglockner and the Hohe Tauern are also visible when the weather is fine. As the route continues, we hike on a high-altitude path, initially over rough roots and later over the coarse rubble of the mountain flanks, to a high-mountain beech forest. It is now only a short distance to the Gablonzer Hütter. You will be rewarded here with the impressive panorama of the Gosausee, the Hoher Dachstein and the Donnerkogel. (Luggage transport from Annaberg to Bad Goisern, where you will spend the night the following day; 1 night at the Gablonzer Hütte).
Hiking distance: approx. 7 hours (11 km, altitude difference ascent: 1,269 m in height / descent: 514 m in height)

With the Gosaukammbahn you can quickly overcome the difference in altitude into the Gosautal, which is said to have been even more remote than Hallstatt (payable locally). But if you would like to descend into the valley on foot, you can look forward to a varied hike over wooden footbridges and bridges, with small alpine huts coming into view again and again. From the cable car valley station, you take the public bus past old farmhouses to Gosau-Ramsau. Here you enter the Bible Trail and reach the Goiserer Hut at 1,592 meters via the Iglmoosalm. The descent takes place via the Trockentannalm to Bad Goisern, located on the northern shore of Lake Hallstatt (1 night in Bad Goisern).
Hiking distance: approx. 7-8 hours (16,5 km, altitude difference ascent: 958 m in height / descent: 1,838 m in height)

On the way to Lake Hallstatt you cross the Traun several times. It is the lifeline of the Salzkammergut and rises in the ‘Totes Gebirge’ in Styria. The following section on the eastern shore of Lake Hallstatt is unobstructed, the view of the Dachstein Mountains is fantastic and the route is spectacular. The side of the Sarstein falls almost vertically into the lake and the bridges floating above the water give the impression of walking on water. We continue to Obertraun and spend the night in Hallstatt. The almost perfect ensemble of narrow streets, historic houses, lake panorama and the cultural heritage from the Hallstatt period make this place world famous. If you want to take a shortcut, you can take the ferry from Hallstatt train station to Hallstatt Markt and save yourself an eight-kilometer walk (ferry payable on spot). In the afternoon you will visit the oldest salt mine in the world. Valuable exhibits from the Bronze Age, a walk through historic tunnels and a ride on the 64-long miner's slide bring you closer to the life of the miners (1 night in Hallstatt).
Hiking distance: approx. 5 hours (19 km, altitude difference ascent: 127 m in height / descent: 102 m in height)

With its shingle-roofed houses, picturesque half-timbered and pastel facades, church towers and market square, Hallstatt nestles perfectly in the scenery between mountains and lake. For those who can take more time to discover Hallstatt, we are happy to reserve additional overnight stays.