Outdoor Exploration of Austria: Luxury Countryside Tour

Fly into Vienna and you will be greeted at the airport by a local guide. It’s a short guided transfer into the city and your hotel in the heart of the old town. Today has been left completely free, so you can relax after the flight and explore a bit of the city. Much of Vienna’s most impressive baroque architecture can be found around here, so take a stroll and absorb centuries of the Hapsburg Empire. Then get some more rest, because you’ll be in the saddle tomorrow morning.

Winding along the riverside, the Lower Danube Cycle Track is among the finest in Europe. It’s mostly flat, twisting through a valley that’s green every month of the year. After a short transfer to Vienna’s outskirts you’ll spend the day cycling around 60 kilometers to Melk. Medieval villages dot the route and you will stop at a vineyard for lunch. Castles peer down on the valley and the Danube’s rolling water offers a soothing sight throughout the day. End the day in Melk and take a guided tour of the majestic abbey, before resting your legs in the old town.

Onwards you peddle today, along the finest section of the Lower Danube Cycle Track. Expect 40 kilometers of bucolic landscapes, as you peddle away from the roads. Cut through latticed vineyards, bump across cobblestone in medieval villages, and gaze up to see a castle in ruins. This is an easier ride than yesterday so you will have most of the afternoon in Durnstein, a medieval town that offers a quaint off the beaten path cultural experience. Life doesn’t seem to have changed here and you can grab a very traditional dinner.

On a guided transfer you’ll travel into Styria and Austria’s famous Salzkammergut. Lakes are interspersed with towering mountains here, their calm surfaces often reflecting snowy peaks. Ascend into this region and you’ll find a steppe-like landscape, ideal for easy hiking in the wild. Your guide will lead the way and there are various trails to choose from, all offering excellent views and a sense of serenity. After the hike you’ll descend to Hallstatt, the region’s most picturesque town. Here you have two nights on the lakeside, surrounded by medieval heritage.

Styria comes alive from the air and ballooning is just as serene as hiking. Short bursts of gas send you skyward before you drift across the alpine ranges. From up here you gaze upon countless lakes and river valleys. Glaciers and peaks juxtapose with vineyards and pastures, creating a beautiful patchwork. This is one of the world’s finest alpine ballooning experiences and will continue for most of the morning. The afternoon can be tailored to your interests, with hiking and biking options.

Deeper into the mountains you travel, your guide taking you on a winding road to Bad Ischl, the most famous spa town in the Alps. With a full day here you can trek in many different directions. Like the Salzkammergut, the hiking here is easy or moderate. Instead of scaling peaks you’ll be crossing plains, with gondolas providing effortless entry into the higher alpine zones. As with previous days, a private guide means a day of trekking designed to your interests and energy. Spend a few hours in the hotel spa after arriving in Bad Ischl, rejuvenating your legs for what is to come.

Now it’s into the water as you paddle part of the way to Salzburg. Austria’s most enchanting city isn’t that far away and you will travel half the route in a kayak. Winding downriver you should find it a very easy half-day paddle, although there are a couple of rapids to negotiate. Once on the river you’ll be enclosed by the valley. A few villages can be spotted but mostly this is a day of silence and watching the birds before you reach the takeout point and finish the journey to Salzburg by road.

There’s a very different river awaiting you today. Rapids reach grades III and IV here and it’s quite a ride, bumping around the raft as you negotiate different sections. You will spend most of the day rafting and like yesterday, expect a river, a lot of scenery, and not much else. Stop for a picnic on the riverbank then continue into the afternoon, before a second evening in Salzburg. You will be staying in the heart of the World Heritage Altstadt (old town), surrounded by baroque buildings and history.

Now the highest of mountains, the really majestic peaks and slopes tailor-made for epic hiking and climbing adventures. As you travel into Tyrol you’ll watch the valleys grow tighter and deeper, as the Alps soar thousands of feet above you. This mountain paradise will be your base for two days, a land of rolling glaciers, ice-age-cut valleys, and pure solitude. Today’s tour will be tailored to your interests as there are many different hiking trails, from easy two-hour loops to full-day hiking across different passes.

Accessibility is another highlight of this region. Many of the slopes are used for skiing and snowboarding during the winter, and some of the gondolas operate all year around. So you can ascend to higher elevations and hike in the highest mountains, without needing to spend three hours clambering up from Zell am See. This helps extend the variety of what you can do today, as you tackle the paths of Zillertal Valley. Biking is also an option today, as is rock climbing.

From Zell am See you will be transferred back to Salzburg for your outbound flight.