Overview
An eight day, self-guided walking holiday in the Salzburg Lake District, starting and ending in Abersee, which is a dream jumpoff point and finale, thanks to its location on Wolfgangsee, surrounded by the Austrian Alps. You also spend nights in the traditional salt spa towns of Bad Ischl and Bad Goisern, giving you plenty of options to relax after hikes on the forested Sattelweg or Elisabethwaldweg, or in the shadow of Mount Dachstein en route to the Lake Hallstatt. As well as the stunningly pretty town of the same name on its shores. All part of the Hallstatt-Dachstein UNESCO World Heritage Site.
If you do not have time to do the full itinerary shown here, you can have a look at our Salzburg Lake District Short Break.
- Salzkammergut
- Abersee
- Bad Ischl
- Wolfgangsee
- Strobl
- Bad Goisern
- Hallstatt
Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival at Abersee/St Wolfgang
Arrive in Abersee, a village located on the west side of Wolfgangsee, often described as one of the most beautiful in the Salzkammergut region. If time allows, take a stroll along the crystal clear lake and take in the mountain views with a coffee in a local cafe.
- Accommodation: Aberseehof or similar in Abersee
Day 2: St Wolfgang – St Gilgen | 10.5km
Take a boat across Wolfgangsee to St Wolfgang to begin the walk. Follow the trail up to the Falkenstein Wall and take in views down to the lake below. Continue along Fürberg lakeshore path to the the small market town of St Gilgen. Take a stroll around the town before returning to Abersee for the evening.
- Walking for the day: 10.5km, 4h ↑354m ↓354m
- Accommodation: Aberseehof or similar in Abersee
Day 3: St Wolfgang – Bad Ischl | 11.8/15.5km
Begin with a short boat trip over to St Wolfgang to pick up the Sattelweg path and walk through forested terrain to Schwarzensee. Descend into the valley through a gorge and then walk round Bürglstein (optional detour) to the lake promenade at Strobl. Finally, take the bus (payable locally) to the famous spa and salt town of Bad Ischl. If you have time, you can make the most of the heated salty waters that have been enjoyed here for generations.
- Walking for the day: 11.8km, 3-4h, ↑240m ↓240m or 15.5km, 5h, ↑395m ↓395m
- Accommodation: Goldenes Schiff or similar in Bad Ischl
Day 4: Rest day in Bad Ischl
Bad Ischl is so stunning that we include a rest day here, as people enjoy taking it all in. As did Emperor Franz Joseph, who spent his summer holidays here, and you can take a tour of Kaiservilla, his summer residence. We also recommend visiting Café Zauner or Austria Hotel, where Emperor Franz Josef and Elisabeth of Bavaria (Sisi) were engaged.
- Accommodation: Goldenes Schiff or similar in Bad Ischl
Day 5: Bad Ischl – Bad Goisern | 10.5km
Salt always has been an essential commodity in Salzkammergut. Follow an old brine pipeline away from Bad Ischl and for most of today’s route, learning about its history along the way. Descend to the market town of Bad Goisern, a traditional spa town with flower-decorated houses, famous for its hand-made Goiserer shoes and boots.
- Walking for the day: 10.5km, 4h ↑260m ↓180m
- Accommodation: Hotel Goiserermühle or similar in Bad Goisern
Day 6: Bad Goisern – Hallstatt | 14.5km
Follow the river trail to Lake Hallstatt and continue along the lake into the fjord. After a while, the first houses of Hallstatt and the Salt Mountain begin to appear. Take the ferry to the centre of Hallstatt and spend the afternoon strolling through its atmospheric alleys, or alternatively take the funicular up to the salt mine, all with views of Mount Dachstein, the highest peak in upper Austria. The day ends with a short boat and train ride back to the hotel in Bad Goisern.
- Walking for the day: 14.5km, 4.5h ↑90m ↓90m
- Accommodation: Hotel Goiserermühle or similar in Bad Goisern
Day 7: Bad Ischl – Wolfgangsee | 19.5km
Take the train to Bad Ischl (payable locally) to start the walk on Elisabethwaldweg, a forest trail to Nussensee, another place to honour the honouring the eponymous empress. Walk along the River Ischl to Strobl and follow the lake as far as Abersee peninsula, soaking in views across to St Wolfgang, Schafberg and of course the lake itself.
- Walking for the day: 19.5km, 6-7h ↑210m ↓140m
- Accommodation: Aberseehof or similar in Abersee
Day 8: Departure
Departure after breakfast.
What to expect
Accommodations
Accommodation on this tour includes a mix of mostly small, locally-owned hotels, B&Bs and traditional guesthouses. They have been carefully selected based on a variety of criteria including their location, warm hospitality, fine local food or commitment to responsible tourism. All rooms have en-suite or private bathrooms. Please note that, in Austria, it is common practice for hotels and other accommodations to join twin beds together to make a double, with separate linen for each person. If you prefer to opt for twin beds, we will happily request this at time of booking, however they can’t always be guaranteed.
Click to view standard hotels
- Aberseehof (Abersee)
- Goldenes Schiff (Bad Ischl)
- Hotel Goiserermühle (Bad Goisern)
Accommodation is subject to availability. In the event of a particular hotel or guesthouse being fully booked for your chosen dates, we will replace it with a hotel of equal value and quality level. We will provide exact accommodation details to you upon booking confirmation.
Click to view upgraded hotels
- Seehotel Huber (Abersee)
- Goldenes Schiff (Bad Ischl)
- Gasthof Hotel Moserwirt (Hallstatt)
Accommodation is subject to availability. In the event of a particular hotel or guesthouse being fully booked for your chosen dates, we will replace it with a hotel of equal value and quality level. We will provide exact accommodation details to you upon booking confirmation.
Meals
Breakfast is included on all days. When no restaurant location is available en route, lunches and snacks can either be bought from local shops or packed lunches can be pre-ordered from your hotel the night before. Dinner is available either at the accommodation or from restaurants in the local area.
Difficulty and terrain
This tour is graded as easy to moderate, with daily walking distances ranging from 10-18km (read more about difficulty grades). Some routes can be comfortably managed by bus or train.
We strongly advise you only to follow marked trails and never try to shorten the path through unknown and unmarked terrain. We will provide you with detailed route notes and maps and you can call our 24/7 local assistance phone number anytime. More detailed information on route navigation will be included in your holiday information pack.
When to go
This trip is available from April to October. The flexibility of self-guided holidays means that there are no fixed dates and you can start your trip on any date in the season.
The climate in the region is continental, cold and temperate. Depending on location and altitude, temperatures vary, but in the May-August period daily averages are 15-25C. Spring is cooler with occasional rain. Expect the weather to change rapidly during the day. For more information on travelling in Austria, please visit our blog Best time to go to Austria.
Getting there
Click to view travel options
By plane
Our recommended airport for this holiday is Salzburg Airport (SZG).
- From Salzburg there is a direct bus (1h) or train to Abersee. For schedules and more information see the Omio planner above
- If you are able to travel to Austria without flying, this holiday is reachable by rail with a train station in Abersee. For more details, see the national rail operator ÖBB or use the Omio planner above.
Inclusions
Included
- 7 nights accommodation
- 7 breakfasts
- Train: Hallstatt – Bad Goisern and Bad Goisern – Bad Ischl
- Boat: Lake Hallstätter and Wolfgangsee
- Luggage transfers on all walking days (one piece per person, max 20kg)
- Printed detailed roadbook including maps delivered on-site (one per room), as well as a digital pre-departure information package including GPS tracks
- 24/7 phone assistance by our local office/representative
Excluded
- Airfare and connecting land transfers
- Bus: Strobl – Bad Ischl
- Optional bus rides to shorten the walks
- Lunches, dinners, drinks and snacks
- Travel insurance (required – get a quote online)
- Personal expenses
- Local tourist taxes and attractions’ entry fees (payable locally)
- Any items not specifically mentioned as included in the programme
- eSIM data for international travel (get an eSIM)
Options, extras and supplements
- If you’re travelling in a group, a supplement applies to group members who would like to have a room of their own
- This holiday is available for solo travellers. However, a supplement will be charged as the cost of rooms and also luggage or private transfers (when applicable) is not shared. Please note that solo travellers are always accommodated in their own room. For logistical reasons, we don’t offer an option for solo travellers to share rooms with other solo travellers.
- Private airport transfers from/to Salzburg Airport
- Upgraded accommodation (7 nights)
- GPS rental
- Extra nights
