Zillertal in the summer- mountain tops, waterfalls and untouched nature

Zillertal in the summer

Zillertal in the summer is the perfect family vacation spot. The Austrian Zillertal is a 47 km long and beautiful valley where you will find scenery that is so beautiful and activity opportunities so varied, that the Zillertal is one of Austria’s most popular destinations.

Zillertal in the summer is just as interesting and rewarding as it is during the skiing season.
Nature was generous when the Zillertal (Valley) was created thousands of years ago. In the Hochgebirgs-Naturpark Zillertaler Alpen you will find numerous waterfalls and lots of mountain peaks at more than three kilometers in height – and the highest of them, the Hochfeiler, rises up to 3.509 meters. The Hochgebirgs-Naturpark Zillertaler Alpen has been preserved for 25 years, creating a unique area where activity opportunities, nature experiences and respect for the area’s traditions go hand in hand.

Families love Zillertal

But the Zillertal in the summer offers not only classical mountain action, but they are essential to you vacation there. If you are looking for family activities where peace, togetherness and nature experience are the primary factors of your choice, you will find numerous opportunities in the mountainous terrain. A classic summer activity such as hiking is experiencing a renaissance these years, and it has again become trendy to put on your hiking boots, swing your backpack over your shoulder and venture into the high alpine terrain to enjoy the fresh mountain air and beautiful scenery.

Zillertal in the summer invites you with no less than 1.400 kilometers of marked routes and they are found in all levels of difficulty. Where some hikers take day trips into the terrain, enjoy lunch in a local mountain cabin and return to the hotel in the afternoon, others prefer to stay in the heights for several days in a row. Some long routes – for example the Berliner Höhenweg, the Peter Habeler round and the Trans Alp Light route – are tours of the Zillertal or pass through the Zillertal, and at the end of each stage there is a mountain hut where you can eat and spend the night.

On tour with a local ranger in Zillertal

The hiking season in Zillertal in the summer starts as early as May and ends at the end of October, and during the period you find lots of guided walks in Zillertal. Especially interesting are the tours led by the park’s own rangers, for they have a thorough knowledge of the park’s flora and fauna.

In the mountains, you will find literally a whole natural “pharmacy” along the roadside. Everywhere useful medicinal herbs, beautiful flowers and flavorful herbs grow. Among typical alpine flowers such as alperose, ensian, alpine violet and the rare gold plum, dandelions and many more grow On these special trips you look more closely at the flora of the Alps. Along the way, guests taste and the participants become more aware of the secrets, properties and uses of the individual plants.

Even in the rugged high alpine terrain there is a rich wildlife, and if you are interested in the varied fauna of the Alps, local rangers arrange trips up the terrain. Several of the routes go via animal exchanges, where different animals roam, and looking up, elegant birds of prey are silently floating around.

The guided theme tours are also popular in the Zillertal and the offerings are varied. Gourmets can look forward to the gourmet tours, where you can taste and taste locally-made delicacies.

Fresh drinking water from 80 glaciers in Zillertal

The 80 glaciers in the heights deliver plenty of meltwater to the Ziller River, which winds its way far down the valley. Both the glacier water and the water coming from the area’s numerous springs are clean and drinkable. And it especially benefits the local brewery in Zell am Ziller, because here the popular Zillertal beers are produced. The brewery, whose history goes back more than 500 years, is Tyrol’s oldest.

The glacier’s meltwater is on a long journey before it reaches the valley. Along the way, it passes steep cliffs and forms waterfalls, in other places it drifts lazily over flat areas and forms small mountain lakes. A particularly interesting phenomenon can be experienced if you move into one of the narrow rock crevices where cascades of water tumble down from above. Here, the air is filled with fine water beads, and the light mist creates a microclimate with lush and colorful plant growth.

Use the Zillertal Activcard

On a holiday in the Zillertal, there are numerous activity opportunities to consider from mountain biking on excellent trails to basking near the poolside of one of the huge outdoor swimming pools. If you want to hold back a little bit on the holiday budget, you can advantageously invest in a Zillertal Activcard. The card can be purchased for six, nine or twelve days, giving access to nine of the area’s lifts, six different outdoor swimming pools as well as Zillertal’s public transport options. In addition, good discounts are given from several Zillertal Activcard partners.