Cycling the Lakes and Rivers of the Salzkammergut

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7 Days from

USD 1,599

Cycling

Ways to Travel :

Self-Guided Holidays

Activity :

Cycling

Activity Levels :

2 out of 7 - Leisurely / Moderate

Group Size :

1 - 12

Ages :

12+

Trip Code :

C06SK

This 6-night holiday gives a lovely short introduction to the Salzkammergut, Austria's Lake District. This is picture-postcard Austria: shimmering blue lakes, deep green meadows, alpine villages and traditional dress.

This 6-night holiday gives a lovely short introduction to the Salzkammergut, Austria's Lake District. This is picture-postcard Austria: shimmering blue lakes, deep green meadows, alpine villages and traditional dress.

Your rides will take you to, and alongside some of the best lakes the area has to offer and also introduce you to some of the history of the area from the Imperial Spa town of Bad Ischl to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Hallstatt.

Your base for the duration of the holiday is the 4 Star Hotel Goiserer Muhle in Bad Goisern, on the Muhlbach river. With award-winning gourmet cuisine and a small spa with sauna, steam bath, and solarium you'll be able to relax after a day of cycling.

Highlights

Cycle on riverside bike paths and beside numerous lakes with plenty of swimming opportunties
Picturesque waterfront villages and spectacular mountain views
Explore the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Hallstatt and the Imperial Spa town of Bad Ischl

Key Information

6 nights single-centre accommodation in a 4 star hotel
Management by your local Headwater-appointed agent
E-bike hire available on request (supplement applies)

Countries visited: Austria

What's Included

6 nights single-centre accommodation in a 4 star hotel
All breakfasts
Route directions and maps
High Quality Bikes
Train journeys Bad Goisern to Gmunden, Bad Goisern to Bad Aussee and Bad Aussee to Bad Goisern incl. bike
1 Zaunerstollen pastry and coffee per person at the famous Cafe Zauner
1 Introductory cooking class with the chef

What's Not Included

Travel insurance
Single accommodation (available on request)
Visas or vaccinations

5 Days of Cycling

Terrain:

Cycle paths and tarmac roads

Day 2

45 km / 28 miles

Day 3

40 km / 24.9 miles

Day 4

55 km / 34.2 miles

Day 5

35 km / 21.7 miles

Day 6

55 km / 34.2 miles

Itinerary

Arrive at the hotel in the peaceful spa gardens of Bad Goisern.

Head to Gmunden by train to explore this delightful resort. Explore with a visit to Orth castle and see the ceramic chimes in the tower of the town hall. Following a lakeside bike path you'll reach Ebensee at the end of the lake. Continue along the River Traun to reach Bad Ischl. The former imperial city has many attractions including the Imperial Park, Imperial Villa, and Sissi's teahouse. After your visit it is just a few kilometres back to the hotel.

Meals Included: Breakfast

Transfer to Gosau by bus and bike to Gosausee for spectacular views of the Dachstein mountains. Cycle back along the river Gosaubach to Lake Hallstatt and back to Bad Goisern.

Meals Included: Breakfast

Follow the River Traun to Bad Ischl and the Ischler Ache to Lake Wolfgangsee. The town is renowned for its beautiful 15th century church and frescoed houses, and you can also take the cog railway to the top of Schafberg. Take the ferry (ticket not included) across the lake and return to the hotel via Lake Nussensee.

Meals Included: Breakfast

Today's route takes you along the lake's edge and allows you to explore the World Heritage area around Lake Hallstatt. Visit the oldest salt mine in the world, dating back 7000 years and the spectacular Dachstein Ice Caves, or perhaps take a relaxing boat trip on the lake.

Meals Included: Breakfast

Take the train to Bad Aussee and head to the lakes Grundlsee and Toplitzsee. Follow the Rettenbachtal Valley to Bad Ischl where you can enjoy the famous pastry Zaunerstollen at Cafe Zauner before riding back to Bad Goisern.

Meals Included: Breakfast

After breakfast, you depart from Bad Goisern.

Meals Included: Breakfast

Essential Info

Visa

Austria

Travellers from the UK, US and EU normally do not need a visa to enter Austria. Please note, visa requirements often change and it is your responsibility to obtain any required visas for this trip. Therefore, we recommend that you check with the nearest embassy or consulate of your chosen destination(s), including any countries you may be transiting or transferring through. Some local governments provide guidance on what visas their citizens need. To help, we’ve gathered a selection of useful links below.

Australia: www.smartraveller.gov.au/destinations/europe/austria
Canada: www.travel.gc.ca/destinations/austria
United Kingdom: www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/austria/entry-requirements
USA:  www.travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/Austria.html

Vaccination

Austria

There are no required vaccinations. However, you may want to consider vaccinations for tetanus, rabies and tick-borne encephalitis. Please confirm with your doctor or travel clinic.

Eating and Drinking

All breakfasts are included

Austria is renowned for its wholesome, robust food. Austrians tend to eat heartily at lunchtime and less in the evenings. Local specialities include Wiener schnitzel (breaded veal cutlet) and various stews of beef and pork. Dumplings, potatoes or noodles are all regular accompaniments along with vegetables in a style similar to English cooking. Desserts are often fruit based - such as Apfelstrudel - or cream pastries. Rehrucken is a traditional chocolate and almond cream cake. On average Austrians, drink twice as much coffee as beer. There are many different types to choose from, particularly in the larger towns and cities and are often drunk in specialist coffee houses, known locally as a Kaffeehaus. It is often served in large cups and finished off with a healthy dose of whipped cream.

Austrian wines tend to be sweet white varieties, similar to German Mosel wines. The three best-known areas for producing white wines are Krems, Klosterneuburg and Gumpoldskirchen. The main red wine producing area is Voslau. Of course Austria is better known for its beer and you will find a wide variety of local brews. The best known are Gösser and Augustiner Brau and come in light or dark forms.

Weather

The weather here is comparatively stable, particularly during mid-summer. Temperatures are similar to those experienced in the UK and rainfall although relatively low is possible throughout the year.

Is this trip for you?

Cycling Conditions
Classification: Self-Guided
Average daily distance: 46km (28.5 miles).
No. of days cycling: 5
Terrain and route: The suggested cycling mainly follows quiet cycling paths alongside lakes. Alternative shorter routes are available on some days (days 3 & 6).

Vehicle Support: This is a self-guided trip for those who prefer to cycle independently, but with our assistance to take out the stress of the logistics and planning. We arrange your accommodations, provide you with a map and route notes so that you can cycle at your own pace, while your bags are transported from one hotel to the next. Your bikes will be delivered to the start hotel, all set up relevant to your height and ready to go. Our local agent will be on call throughout the trip should you need.

It is important that you are happy reading maps and following route notes, we make these as accurate as possible and they are regularly checked. Where possible we stick to cycle tracks and quiet roads to make the journeys as pleasant as possible, however, on occasion we have to use busier routes into larger towns and cities.

As this is a self-guided holiday there is no group and no leader. There maybe others on the same departure date as you, but you will not be organised together. The route notes contain a 24-hour emergency assistance telephone number should you need it and in emergencies, the local agent is normally able to dispatch a taxi or pick you up themselves. They may wish to charge for this service.

Families
Self-guided cycling holidays are a perfect option for families as they offer the freedom for you to take your holiday at your own pace. You can stop as and when you want and need, at the cafes and restaurants that suit your family and the sites that interest you. We have suggested that 12yrs is the minimum age for this trip, but as it is self-guided and you will be leading your own family we will ultimately leave this decision up to you. The daily distances are all published in the trip notes along with a description of each day's cycling so you have a good idea of what to expect. However, if you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact one of our experts. The principle idea is that these holidays can be as flexible as you like, with logistical support but no group or leader to dictate the daily activities. Please consider the weather when choosing to book, temperatures can be high in the middle of summer.

Covid-19 refund commitment

You will get a refund if you have to cancel your trip due to COVID-19.

Availability

This trip is available on request. Please proceed with your booking online or contact our Sales Team for assistance.

Cycling the Lakes and Rivers of the Salzkammergut

This 6-night holiday gives a lovely short introduction to the Salzkammergut, Austria's Lake District. This is picture-postcard Austria: shimmering blue lakes, deep green meadows, alpine villages and traditional dress.

5 Days of Cycling

Itinerary

Essential Info

Visa

Austria

Vaccination

Austria

Eating and Drinking

Weather

Is this trip for you?

Hotel

Would you like to include flights with your booking?

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Cycling the Lakes and Rivers of the Salzkammergut