Active holidays in the Zillertal – between glacial ice and the high-mountain nature park

Header images: ©Zillertaltourismus, Phillip Geisler
Article by Kurt Tropper · 4 November 2026

The Zillertal lies between two mountain ranges: to the west it is flanked by the Tux Alps, and to the east by the Kitzbühel Alps with their grassy peaks. To the south, the Zillertal Alps, with their glaciated main ridge, close off the valley; beyond them lies South Tyrol. The upper Zillertal between Strass, Fügen and Zell am Ziller is wide and open. The River Ziller flows gently through the valley floor, whilst forests stretch up the slopes towards the alpine pastures. Here, the Zillertal Cycle Route runs for around 30 kilometres with almost no incline, and here the Zillertal Railway runs from Jenbach to Mayrhofen, in summer also pulled by a steam locomotive.

At Zell am Ziller, the Gerlos Valley branches off to the east towards Salzburg. Beyond Mayrhofen, the main valley fans out into the so-called ‘Gründe’: the Tux Valley, Zemmgrund, Stillup Valley and Zillergrund cut deep into the mountains; the slopes become steeper and the streams wilder. The Tux Valley leads via Finkenberg and Lanersbach to Hintertux at the foot of the glacier. Through the Zemmgrund, you reach the mountaineering village of Ginzling and, further on, the Schlegeis reservoir. The Zillergrund, the headwaters of the Ziller, stretches for around 25 kilometres to the border with Italy.

The Zillertal and Tux Alps together boast over 70 three-thousand-metre peaks and around 80 glaciers. The highest peak is the Hochfeiler, at 3,509 metres, situated right on the border with South Tyrol. The Olperer, at 3,476 metres, towers above the Hintertux Glacier and the Schlegeis reservoir; the Große Löffler and the Schwarzenstein are also among the well-known high-altitude hiking destinations on the main ridge. The Ahornspitze, at 2,973 metres, rises above Mayrhofen, whilst in the lower valley the Kellerjoch, at 2,344 metres, is a popular mountain offering panoramic views.

Mountaineering has a long tradition here. In the mid-19th century, the Zillertal became a cradle of alpinism, and Ginzling remains one of the Alpine Club’s mountaineering villages to this day. Since 1969, the Zillertal Steinbockmarsch – one of the great classic mountain walks in the Alps – has set off from there every year.

Around 40 per cent of the valley’s area is protected. The Zillertal Alps High Mountain Nature Park covers 422 square kilometres and stretches from the mountaineering village of Ginzling, at an altitude of around 1,000 metres, up to the Hochfeiler. Nestled amongst glacier tongues and Swiss stone pine forests are cirque lakes, alpine pastures, moors and vast high-altitude valleys, once carved out by the ice. The largest glaciers – known locally as ‘Kees’ – are the Schlegeiskees, the Hornkees and the Schwarzensteinkees.

The Nature Park Centre in Ginzling offers a great starting point with its ‘Gletscher.Welten’ exhibition, whilst in the Zillergrund you can learn more about the region’s ibex at ‘Steinbock.Welten’. You can find the programme of guided tours on the website of the Zillertaler Alps Nature Park.

At the very end of the Tux Valley lies the Hintertux Glacier, Austria’s only all-year-round ski resort. The slopes reach up to 3,250 metres, and even in the height of summer, national ski teams train here on snow. For you, that means: summer skiing in the morning, a mountain hike or a cycle ride in the afternoon. In spring, the snow on the glacier lasts until June – considerably longer than in any other ski resort in Austria.

Below the slopes, the Natur Eis Palast leads into a walk-through glacier crevasse. The view into the interior of the ice reveals just how mighty and yet how vulnerable a glacier like this is.

The mountain lakes in the Zillertal range from large reservoirs to small cirque lakes high above the tree line. The Schlegeis reservoir, at an altitude of around 1,800 metres, was constructed between 1965 and 1971 and is now the starting point for hikes to mountain huts and high-altitude treks. You can reach it via the toll road, the Schlegeis Alpine Road, or in summer by bus from Mayrhofen. There are also reservoirs in the Zillergrund and the Stilluptal, and the Durlaßboden reservoir in the Gerlostal. Smaller and wilder are the cirque lakes in the nature park, such as the Schwarzsee and the Friesenbergsee.

In the valley, six open-air swimming pools offer a chance to cool off after a hike; in bad weather, the Erlebnistherme Zillertal in Fügen is a good alternative. Those who prefer a more active holiday can go rafting on the Ziller or abseil down into the gorges of the side valleys whilst canyoning.

The Zillertal in summer is the perfect destination for anyone who enjoys spending long periods of time outdoors. The trails are well signposted, the mountain railways take you up to higher altitudes quickly if needed, and the mix of gentle grassy hills and high-alpine terrain is ideal for beginners as well as ambitious mountaineers.

With around 1,400 kilometres of signposted trails, hiking in the Zillertal is all about choice. They range from leisurely valley walks along the River Ziller to high-altitude hikes up to the glaciated peaks of the main ridge. Mountain railways such as the Ahornbahn and the Penkenbahn in Mayrhofen, the Finkenberger Almbahnen or the Eggalmbahn in Lanersbach take you straight to the panoramic trails above the tree line. You can find a comprehensive list of routes and huts at Zillertal Tourism.

The best-known multi-day trail is the Berliner Höhenweg, also known as the Zillertaler Runde. It connects the Gamshütte with the Karl-von-Edel-Hütte and takes around a week to complete, covering more than 70 kilometres and 6,700 metres of elevation gain through the heart of the nature park. You can walk it in either direction or in sections. Along the way, you’ll pass the listed Berliner Hütte, a piece of 19th-century alpine history.

The Gründe are the starting point for mountaineering in the Zillertal. From the Schlegeis reservoir, the Zemmgrund and the Zillergrund, paths lead to huts from which you can tackle peaks such as the Olperer, the Großer Löffler or the Hochfeiler. For glacier tours, a mountain guide is the right choice; the alpine schools in the valley offer guided high-altitude tours.

Mountain biking in the Zillertal is primarily for riders in good physical condition. Of the nearly 1,400 kilometres of cycle routes, around 900 kilometres are classified as red and a good 370 kilometres as black, with only about 110 kilometres classified as blue. If you’re looking for long climbs, this is the place for you. For gentle recovery rides and e-bike excursions, the flat Zillertal Cycle Route in the valley is ideal.

Road cycling in the Zillertal involves steep mountain roads with little traffic. The classic route is the toll road, the Zillertaler Höhenstraße, in the Tux Alps. A loop from Ried via the Melchboden at 2,020 metres and back via Hippach covers around 53 kilometres and just under 1,900 metres of elevation gain, with gradients of over 20 per cent in places. The Gerlos Pass is a more moderate option: Starting from Zell am Ziller, the route climbs towards Salzburg with gradients of up to around ten per cent; on the other side, the Krimml Waterfalls await. A third rewarding climb is the Schlegeis Alpine Road, which climbs around 800 metres in altitude from behind Ginzling up to the dam.

Trail running in the Zillertal means: narrow alpine paths, trails with a fair bit of elevation gain and high-altitude routes offering unobstructed views of the glaciers. Around Mayrhofen, Finkenberg and Tux, you’ll find routes to suit every ability. As the valley ranges from around 500 to over 3,000 metres, you can also train specifically at altitude here.

The gneiss in the Gründe is the highlight of climbing in the Zillertal. In Zillergrund, Sundergrund and around Ginzling, countless boulders are scattered throughout the forest, and bouldering in the Zillertal enjoys an international reputation amongst climbers. Added to this are sport climbing areas throughout the valley and challenging multi-pitch routes such as those on the Mühlwand in Zillergrund. Those who prefer a more secure experience will find several via ferratas. A new addition is the Pfaffenbichl via ferrata in Hochfügen: around 260 metres long, difficulty grade B, and featuring a free-hanging suspension bridge as its highlight.

The Zillertal in winter offers far more than just ski slopes. Between the valley floor and the glacier, you’ll find cross-country trails, mountains for ski touring, toboggan runs and frozen waterfalls, and thanks to the high altitude, the snow often lasts well into spring.

To go skiing in the Zillertal, you only need one pass: The Zillertal Super Ski Pass is valid for 546 kilometres of slopes and around 180 lifts in the ski areas of Spieljoch, Hochzillertal-Hochfügen, Zillertal Arena, Mountopolis (including Ahorn and Penken), and the Ski & Zillertal 3000 Glacier World, including the Hintertux Glacier. On the Penken, the Harakiri awaits – Austria’s steepest groomed run – whilst the glacier circuit offers a total of around 60 kilometres of slopes and 15,000 metres of vertical ascent in a single day.

The Tux Alps are ideal for ski touring in the Zillertal, particularly around Hochfügen, which lies at just under 1,500 metres and is known as a freeride destination. You’ll also find gentle ski touring slopes in the Kitzbühel Alps on the eastern side of the valley. Before every tour, check with the Tyrol Avalanche Warning Service for the latest conditions.

Cross-country skiing in the Zillertal is available on 113 kilometres of trails, for both classic and skating styles. In addition, there are around 460 kilometres of cleared winter walking trails, 15 toboggan runs totalling 48 kilometres in length, and quiet side valleys for snowshoe hikes.

Ice climbing in the Zillertal is centred on Ginzling. Situated on the Zamserbach at an altitude of 1,310 metres, the Zillertal Ice Climbing Park features two sectors where you can practise in good conditions. Experienced ice climbers will also find natural ice falls in the side valleys.

If you time your holiday in the Zillertal for between the peak seasons, you’ll experience the valley in a whole new light. In spring, the ski resorts remain open until April, whilst the Zillertal-Uderns Golf Club opens for the season as early as mid-March, so it’s possible to enjoy both skiing and golf in a single day. Autumn often brings stable weather, clear views and golden larch forests – ideal conditions for long summit hikes and trail runs. The slopes on the Hintertux Glacier and the Erlebnistherme spa in Fügen are open all year round.

A great day’s mountain sports isn’t complete without some relaxation afterwards. Many hotels in the valley have spacious spa and fitness areas where you can loosen up your muscles after a long hike and prepare your body for the next day. The Zillertal also has plenty to offer in terms of cuisine: The 2027 edition of Gault&Millau has awarded a total of 25 toques to twelve restaurants in the valley. Those who prefer something more down-to-earth can stop off at an alpine hut, where Zillertal grey cheese, doughnuts and fresh buttermilk are served.