Salzburg: Krimmler Waterfall Way - National Park Hohe Tauern

On today's hike I'll take you to the Krimml Waterfalls. The Krimml Waterfalls are a special kind of natural spectacle. With a drop of 380m, they are the largest waterfalls in Europe and the fifth largest in the world. Once at the top there are various options for the way back. We opted for the old Tauernweg, there is the bike path or the idyllic hiking trail where you definitely have to wear proper shoes and of course you have to be good on foot, because the entire path goes over stones and roots what if it can be dangerous when wet. But otherwise it is a very nice way away from the crowds.

After two days of wonderful tours over hill and dale (in the truest sense) and many new experiences, the program with the whole family was back on the agenda. 🥰 With eight people between 19 and 84 years old and different fitness levels, it's not that easy to find the right one 🤭 But we quickly decided on the Krimml waterfalls on the edge of the Zillertal. ☺️ Not just Salzburg, but also Austria and even Europe's largest waterfalls. 385 meters. Three levels of fall. And each of us could decide how high and to which waterfall we wanted to go. 👍🏼 We started in one of the paid parking spaces on site. The path to the waterfalls is definitely not to be missed and initially leads along asphalted paths into the forest. Behind the ticket booth we went more or less straight down to the first waterfall. 😍 For us it was almost the most beautiful of the three because the waterfall fell very wide into a large basin and all the water flowed over a stream. 🥰 Plus, the lower waterfall is easy to reach for everyone. For the middle waterfall, the path continued steeply uphill in serpentines. But there are always great viewing platforms and benches to linger and take a breather. The middle waterfall actually falls down over two steps, which makes for a really great picture. 😊 Behind the waterfall, a little higher, there is a small hut with a good place to stop for refreshments. Directly on the river with a view of the upper Krimml waterfalls. While everyone in our family stayed there, I continued walking to the upper falls alone with Paco. 🙌🏼 This section in particular was particularly challenging with the elevation gain. Wow, how was that again? Something more relaxing after the last two days? 😂 To be honest, I have to admit that the journey to the top wasn't really worth it. Maybe it was the relatively small amount of water (the most water falls in the evening), maybe it was the general scenery, which was better on the other two 🤷🏼‍♀️ In order not to walk down the same path again, there is the option of going back into the valley via the Altern Tauernweg on the other side of the Krimmler Ache. This is a rooty and rocky path. Here I really noticed my thighs from the last few hikes. Paco had the time of his life and couldn't get to the valley fast enough 🙈😂 But the path is really very worthwhile, not only because it was already in 2000 BC. was created! At the end you can get very close to the lower waterfall via a small meadow. From there we went back along the asphalt paths to the exit and the parking lot. Info: The excursion will make your wallet burn a few times. 11 € toll, 8 € entrance fee and at the end also the parking fees. 🫠 To be honest, we all found it quite exaggerated - tourism or not. In addition, for safety reasons, the waterfall trail is only open from mid-April to the end of October.

The path goes uphill over roots and stones (less touristy than the waterfall path), and we then made the descent via the paved waterfall path (gravel path).

Our destination today was the Krimml Waterfalls. They are among the largest in Europe. The path winds through the forest along the slope, offering spectacular views of the waterfall from its viewing platforms. Once at the top, we chose the return route through the Alpsweg Tunnel and the Alter Tauernweg on the other side. This route has various sections, alternating between root-covered paths, a streambed, and larger rocky passages. There's also a great view of the waterfall from the side. Finally, we passed the therapy center for asthmatics and allergy sufferers. We also visited the Water Worlds. Very interesting information about water droplets and ice flakes.

Starting on the old Tauernweg might have been nivv better - nice section of forest with roots and rocks

Today we decided to do a smaller round due to the little dog's exhaustion. The ascent was unfortunately heavily influenced by tourism, unfortunately almost overcrowded in places. On the other hand, we really enjoyed the challenging descent over the old Tauernweg in peace. 😊 That would have been difficult to do even in sneakers or flip flops. 😅

With their enormous masses of water and a drop of almost 400 meters, the Krimml Waterfalls are among the largest in Europe. Even from a distance you can see how impressive the highest waterfalls in Austria are. 😯 An easy-to-walk path, accompanied by refreshing spray, leads past numerous viewing platforms quite steeply to the very top. There you can cross a bridge and, with a little surefootedness, go back down a more adventurous (less crowded) hiking trail on the other side or extend the tour through the mountains even further. 🥰 At the parking lot there is a small exhibition on the topic of water. With the National Park SummerCard, the combination ticket (waterfalls & exhibition) and parking are free. A very crowded place, but definitely worth seeing!

Although I've always taken it easy after a hearty breakfast 🥐 (after all, I'm on vacation 😉), today I was a bit unmotivated for the first time, so I didn't set off on tour until after lunch 🫕. My last previously planned destination was nothing less than Europe's largest waterfalls 🌊 ⬇️ with a drop of 380 meters 😲 in Krimml. Thanks to the Summer Card 💳, I was able to get there comfortably by bus 🚍 and without having to pay an entrance fee (regularly 9 euros + a hefty 8 euros for parking 🅿️☝️). I admit that my ALPINE vacation will once again include a water experience, but when the wet element unfolds its brutally beautiful power 💪, I simply can't escape it. To avoid having to walk back the same way, I naturally looked for an alternative way back 🧐, which I found on the Old Tauern Trail. The tour can therefore be clearly divided into the ascending waterfall trail 🌊 ↗️ and the descending forest trail 🌲↘️. On the ascent, a three-tiered natural spectacle 🤩 awaited me, and the lower waterfall was already something of a secret highlight 📸. The good turnout also demonstrated this, and the closer I ventured, the more I was rewarded with a wonderful spray from the raging waterfall 🌧️ 😂. I could have done it thanks to my rain jacket, but considering the rest of the trail, I questioned the sense of it a little 🤔. The sheer drop was immediately noticeable on the following climb ↗️, so we can definitely not call this a leisurely hike ☝️, even though it is a wide gravel path itself. Various viewing platforms 👁️ line the trail, offering repeated, magnificent views and perspectives 🤩 📸 until you finally reach the middle waterfall 🌊 and stop for a bite at the Schönangerl Inn 🍻. It would also be possible to turn around or take a shortcut to the Old Tauern Trail here. If you're already tired of the climb 🥵 🤬, I would definitely recommend that, because the remaining meters to and along the upper waterfall 🌊 resemble a ramp in places, so much so that I even had to resort to the "tiptoe tactic" 😯. Needless to say, I was practically alone here by now. At just under 1,500 meters, I finally reached the "summit" and officially finished the waterfall trail at the Oberhafen rest area 💪. Initially described as a descending forest path 🌲↘️, that's actually a huge understatement. Because even in the first section to the inn, it was really fun 👌, and the fun factor increased several times in the subsequent sections 🤩. The trail constantly led me over cool root paths 🪾 or rocky, wild passages 🪾, where I made great progress despite the wetness and was able to further train my eye-to-foot coordination 👁 (even though I didn't really need it anymore 😉). A truly amazing trail 👍 that, in my opinion, is especially fun on the downhill side. Apart from one spot with a clear view and a clear view, you can't see much of the waterfall 🌊 🫣, but that's not a big deal and would only be a distraction. Thanks to my watch, I was able to time my descent well ⌚ and made it back to the valley just before the bus 🚍 left. Conclusion: As beautiful as the waterfall 🌊 🤩 is, you should be aware that you're also climbing a mountain ☝️, and it only gets really steep towards the end. Turning back at the inn is therefore highly recommended. However, a more elegant and beautiful option would be to take the shortcut to the Old Tauern Trail, so you can at least experience it from here 👌. If all that doesn't bother you, I hope you enjoy the entire hike ✌️.