10 Best Things to do in Mayrhofen in Summer in 2023 – Austria’s Hidden Gem

Where non expert explorers can take National Geographic-deserving selfies.

If you’re curious about the best things to do in Mayrhofen in summer, this is the article for you.

There’s a very cool optical illusion near the Olpererhütte mountain hut that makes non-expert explorers look like something deserving of a National Geographic centerfold.

Or a very empowering women’s flying dress photoshoot!

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This stunning glacier filled Alpine area is located just 2 hours south of Munich, Germany and is simply breathtaking. It’s perfect for travellers in central Europe looking to add in a soul filling Nature break that’s truly off the beaten path.

What awesome activities can you expect:

• Peaceful Turquoise Mountain Lakes
• Rafting, Waterfalls, Canyoning & Canoeing
• Hiking, Via Ferratas, Hut to Hut Hiking
• Paragliding – Read my Comprehensive Review of Mayrhofen Paragliding
• Exceptional Tyrolean Cuisine
• Mountain Biking & Trail Running
• Gondolas, Pools, Saunas and Golf for the Mellow Adventurers
• Swarovski Crystal Worlds, September Almbetrieb Cattle Festivals and Nature’s Ice Palace for Culture Lovers

Mayrhofen Austria Travel Guide

Whether you’re a seasoned hiker, a family looking to connect in Nature’s beauty or a busy city dweller looking for the ultimate “unplug”, Mayrhofen offers fantastic accommodations, friendly locals and next world wild scenery and plenty do to for the whole family.

What You Will Learn in This Article

Best Places to Stay in Mayrhofen

Mayrhofen Map

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How to Get to Mayrhofen in Summer

To reach Mayrhofen, the most convenient option is to board an ÖBB train bound for Jenbach Bahnhof. From there, hop on the Zillertalbahn (Zillertal Train) to Mayrhofen in Zillertal, which is listed as Bahnhof Zillertalbahn on Google Maps.

Be sure to book your train ticket to Mayrhofen im Zillertal.

Once you arrive, the bus station is situated just outside the train station, which serves as a starting point for buses heading to various hiking and walking spots in the area.

By Car

You can easily drive to this area on wide, mostly flat roads. To get to Mayrhofen Austria by car, take the A12 Inntal Autobahn to the exit Zillertal. From there, take the B169 Zillertal road to Mayrhofen.

Closest Airports

The closest airports are Innsbruck, Salzburg, Munich and Memmingen. Each are about 2-3 hours drive or train.

Want to rent a car to explore? I always use Discover Cars – find the best value car rental here!

Things to do in Summer in Mayrhofen – Sometime’s There’s Snow💥

Quick Picks: Best Tours and Hotels in Mayrhofen

Don’t have time to read the whole post? No Problem. Here are my top three picks for the best tours and hotels in an easy to use spreadsheet for your phone.

Top Flights and Hotels In Mayrhofen ⭐️ Best Hotels & Tours in Mayrhofen ⭐️

Top 10 Things to do in Mayrhofen in Summer

Now that you know where to stay and how to get there, let’s talk about the top 10 things to do in Mayrhofen in summer. Mayrhofen is a charming town known for its winter skiing, climbing, hiking, and mountain biking opportunities but there’s more!

10 Best Things to do in Mayrhofen Austria Holiday Region

1. Hiking to the Olpererhütte Suspension Bridge

Olpererhutte is famous for its stunning views, high elevation mountain lodge serving delicious foods and small, but mighty suspension bridge. Surprisingly, it’s not that high off the ground, but it sure looks like a daredevil experience when it’s easy for me and I’ve got vertigo!

There are the three ways you should definitely check out to hike up to Olpererhutte. It’s about 1.5 hours of an uphill hike to get there from the parking lot. Read this post about the Olpererhutte hike to learn the exact details.

1. Blue – Direct Blue Route : 4 miles. Distance: 4.04 miles, 6.5 km Out and Back Elevation: 600 meters, 1970 ft up/down Duration: Approx. 3 hours
2. #2: Longest : Friesenberghaus Yellow Trail 532 /526 8.5 miles Distance: 8.44 miles, 13.6 km Loop Elevation: 815 meters, 2675 ft up/down  Duration: Approx. 6-7 hours
3. #3: Waterfall : Neumarkter Green 535/502  Distance: 8.44 miles, 13.6 km Loop Elevation: 815 meters, 2675 ft up/down  Duration: Approx. 6-7 hours

2. Paragliding

Okay, I’m feeling a little bit guilty about this trip with my daughter. She was 12 and the weather was absolutely perfect the day we should have gone home. I sent her up paragliding instead of school. Is that bad?

Mom was definitely scared, but she wasn’t. Obvi.

Paragliding in the Austrian Zillertal Alps is an exhilarating experience that provides a unique perspective of the majestic mountain landscape.

Here’s the Top 4 Paragliding Tours near Mayrhofen Austria:

With trained instructors and high-quality equipment, paragliding in this region is both safe and incredibly fun for adventurers of all levels.

• Book the All Levels 1.5-3 hour tour
• Book the Kid Friendly 15 min Flight
• Book the First Timers Paragliding Flight
• Book the Adrenaline Flight
• Book the High Altitude Flight

3. Nature Flying Dress Photoshoot

It’s always memories that count.  Get a Mayrhofen photo that is truly unique.

Goddess Lens Photography is a backpacking, hiking, Nature Loving woman’s dream team for doing legacy-worthy photos of her in wondrous places like the Olpererhütte Bridge. Read the full Behind the Scenes on this photoshoot.

4. Hike to Little Tibet

The journey up the mountain is a scenic one, and you’ll pass through some beautiful landscapes before reaching the top of the dam wall, where the hike to Klein Tibet begins.

Once you arrive, you’ll be rewarded with breathtaking views of the surrounding mountains and valleys, as well as the tranquil lake and waterfalls along the hike.

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Click here ➡️ to Plant trees with travel purchases to remove carbon and create animal habitats to balance your carbon from the comfort of your home.

To get to Klein Tibet near Mayrhofen, Austria, you can either drive or take a shuttle bus from Mayrhofen. If you choose to drive, you can park at the Bärenbad-Alm car park, where you’ll need to pay a toll of 8€ for a car or 4€ for a motorcycle.

From there, you can start the hike or take the shuttle bus to the top of the dam wall. If you’re coming from Mayrhofen, you can take the regular shuttle bus 8328 Zillergrund dam for 18.80€ round trip. The bus departs every hour from Mayrhofen and every 30 minutes from Bärenbad-Alm.

If you decide to take the shuttle bus, it’s important to note that only buses are allowed past Bärenbad-Alm to the top of the dam wall. The bus costs 5.80€ round trip, and it’s recommended to buy the tickets in advance to avoid long queues.

4. Relax at a lakes in the Valley or above 2000 meters (6,500 ft)

You’ve got many turquoise lakes and reservoirs in this glacier region of the Zillertal Alps to explore. Here’s a list of great lakes to hike to or use a gondola shorten the journey:

• Schlegeisspeicher – The easiest to drive to at high elevation.
• Ahornnsee
• Neves-Stausee
• Schwarzsee – 2,472 meters
• Langsee
• Schlitters
• Durlassboden – Highest sailing spot in Austria

💥 This book will be useful: Trekking in the Zillertal Alps (Cicerone Guides)

5. Nature’s Ice Palace inside the Hintertux Glacier 365 Days a year

You can go inside the Hintertux glacier 365 days a year to visit Nature’s Ice Palace.  This ice cave is serviced by 3 gondolas and the whole family can go inside for diving, paddleboards, canyoning and guided tours of the ice cave with stalagmites and stalactites. 

Wear warm clothing and hiking boots as it’s 0 degrees year round.  Take the “Gletscherbus 3” gondola to experience the world’s highest bicable cable car with amazing panoramic views. There’s even summer skiing on the glacier and a wild bird prey show.

6. Ride the Gondolas up to the Mountain Tops

The Penkenbahn (Mayrhofenbahn) and Ahornbahn are two of the most popular gondola rides in Mayrhofen, Austria. The Penkenbahn takes you to the top of Mount Penken, where you can enjoy breathtaking views of the Zillertal Alps and access a wide range of paragliding, hiking and biking trails.

The Ahornbahn offer you the experience the highest bi-cable gondola ride in the world and you’ll enjoy panoramic views of the surrounding mountain ranges including the Ahorn mountain. Both rides are reasonably priced and provide a fun and convenient way to explore the beautiful Austrian Alps.

Name of Gondola (Seilbahn)	Operating Times	Price
Penkenbahn + Kombibahn Penken –Operational May 27 to October 8 2023	8:30-17:00	€‎28 RT /€‎19.50 one way
Ahornbahn –Operational June 17 to Oct 1 2023	7:30-17:00 (every 15 min)
Additional Information: Including reduced prices for Children, guest cards and combo tickets.		example: 3 pm ascent €‎21

🪂 I love this Paragliding tour near Mayrhofen! You’ll use one these gondolas to get to the launch site.

7. Go Waterfall Hunting

The fantastic Krimml Waterfalls are less than a one hour drive from Mayrhofen and the Schrammach waterfalls (above) offer an incredible experience to view a massive waterfall from a really easy hike near the Schlegeisspeicher near Dominikushütte.

Enjoy hearing the sounds of wild marmot dotting the cascade of water tumbling down the mountain. There are innumerable smaller waterfalls whenever 2 of these impressively steep mountains collide into a valley.

If you’re going to hike up to Friesenburghaus, there is also a fantastic tumbler to view and if you’re going up to Olpererhütte enjoy the the spectacularly long cascade of a waterfall.

8. Zipline off a 430ft high Dam – Or Do a Via Ferrata on it

Sitting at 1780 meters high, the Schlegeis mountain reservoir shimmers in cerulean, moody aqua and turquoise blue depending upon the time of day and sun conditions.  One moment it is beaming blue all the way to the top of the mighty Olperer mountain and then the next draped in moody fog.  

The dam is impressive as a tourist destination in its own right.  It is 725 meters long and 131 meters high.  You can walk along the top or even jump off the side in a giant swing!

Zipline on the Dam in the Austrian Alps : Schlegeis 131 Adventure Park

These fr&#(%ing Austrians!  This location is great for bringing along your family members that want a little adrenaline to go along with your hikes. 

The attractions include the Giant Swing, Flying fox zipline, cafe and via ferrata on the Dam itself!  

I have a feeling that all Austrian babies come out of the womb on a mountain bike or crampons on their feet. I feel bad for the moms with all the gear at birth, but it’s the only way to explain how they have ziplines off 750 ft dams or vertical races in Mayrhofen.

Thankfully, they also have a plethora of boutique spa hotels to recover after all the jaw dropping hiking and exploring.

😓 Warning: If your knees are like mine and require some TLC, bring hiking poles to ease the downhill hikes. 

9. Eat Tyrolean Food!

This may sound really weird to some, but order the “cheese dumpling” soup. Käsepressknödelsoupe just out of this world. My favorite place to eat is at Dominikushütte that is along the shores of Schlegeisspeicher. It’s one of these Tyrolean dishes that simply is not the same anywhere else. I tried it in the Dolomites and was greatly disappointed.

Maybe their cows have less fitness? I’m not sure, but Tyrloean cuisine is not what you think of when you imagine Austria or Germany. It’s incredible. Mayrhofen has a vibrant town center with great restaurants, but you must get out to some of the mountain hütten for lunches where the food is the main draw for people to endure these hikes and mountain bike rides.

10. Take a Steam Train up the Mountain

There are times when we don’t want to self propel up the mountain, so click here for the schedule and prices : Steam Train Mayrhofen. Their motto is “let your senses run wild” and we can definitely get onboard with that. Choo choo!

11. Bonus! For Adventure lovers there is a once a year vertical ultra marathon race in July.

The SKYRACE route is one of the most crazy things to do in Mayrhofen in summer – a race with a distance of over 34km and a total ascent/descent of 2400m – is the ultimate challenge for serious sky runners. After a relatively gradual climb at the start in the direction of Pfitscherjoch, runners cross the Austrian-Italian border and run for a short time on the Italian side of the Zilltertal Alps.

Continuing on parts of the Peter Habeler Circuit, runners cross the Unterschrammach corrie and the 2,900m Riepenkopf – one of the secondary summits of the 3,476m Olperer, before returning to the famous Olpererhütte.

The crux point is the climb up to the Friesenberg wind gap, where the highest point of 2,930m is reached. After a detour over the Petersköpfl peak with its famous “stone almonds”, the route continues to the Friesenberghaus and back to the start at the dam on the reservoir.

The main challenge of the route is the very long distance at over 2,500m above see level, with key sections close to the 3,000m mark – below giant mountains such as the Olperer and Hoher Riffler.

The highly technically challenging route includes crux points with via ferrata elements, steel safety rope and very rocky sections. Much of it is on very steep trails that are extremely demanding, and require stamina and concentration from the runners.

The Schlegeis 3000 SKYRACE is an extreme running event, most of which is on high Alpine terrain. Nevertheless, participants will be rewarded by a unique experience in a fantastic setting.

More proof that Austrians are born differently!

Free PDF of Best Hotels in Mayrhofen

Mayrhofen Weather

The weather in Mayrhofen is heavily influenced by the Alps and is typically mild and pleasant during the summer months. The town’s elevation of around 630 meters above sea level means that it enjoys cooler temperatures than other parts of Austria, but still maintains comfortable conditions for outdoor activities.

Based on historical weather data, Mayrhofen in summer experiences average high temperatures of around 23°C (73°F) in July and August, with average low temperatures of around 10°C (50°F). June and September are slightly cooler, with average highs of around 20°C (68°F) and average lows of around 7°C (45°F).

The weather can be somewhat unpredictable, with occasional rain showers and cooler days. However, the warm and sunny days make it an ideal time to explore the nearby mountain trails or enjoy outdoor activities such as paragliding, rafting, or swimming in the town’s outdoor pool.

Hiking the Zillertal Alps is best Mid-June to Mid-September.

Geology of the Zillertal Alps

The Zillertal Alps in the Eastern Alps are unique in many ways, notably due to their thick Austroalpine nappes that cover the area almost completely. These nappes are composed of strongly oxidized basement rocks that were affected by the Pan-African orogeny. In contrast, only a relatively thin layer of sediment was deposited on the European plate during the entire Triassic. There are two major gaps through which lower tectonic units emerge, making the Tauern Window a unique tectonic structure in the Alps.

The Eastern Alps also have two orogenic wedges, one to the north, and another to the south that is actively growing today, as indicated by seismic activity along the southern rim of the Alps. This growth is related to the deep penetration of the Adriatic plate into the eastern Alps. The high-velocity zone that reflects recently subducted mantle is displaced to the northeast and appears to be connected to the Adriatic plate.

This is in contrast to the Western Alps, where the subducting mantle is connected to the European plate. Key paleogeographic and tectonic processes responsible for the evolution of the Eastern Alps include long-lasting subsidence and the spreading of the Alpine Tethys, which was extremely slow, allowing substantial cooling of the exposed mantle.

Mayrhofen Accommodations

There are a variety of accommodation options in Mayrhofen and along the Zillertal Valley, from mountain huts to boutique vegan spas. Some of the best places to stay are:

👎🏻 Click here to check price	⭐️ Why Stay Here?
Backyard Mountain Hostel	Great value and clean rooms
Der Siegeler	Modern, trendy, sportsbar
Elisabeth Hotel Retreat	ULTIMATE Luxury Wellness – No kids allowed

My Favorite Modern:

Der Seigeler wins my affection due to it’s modern decor and fun atmosphere. The newly renovated Siegeler hotel in Mayrhofen boasts a trendy and hip architecture, a cozy garden with a spacious terrace and a table tennis table, a stylishly furnished lounge, and comfortable superior rooms with various amenities including a panoramic balcony, making it a standout destination.

Budget:

The Backyard Mountain Hostel sits in a beautiful village location on the mountainside with shared kitchen, lounge and outdoor area. Clean rooms and idyllic location for hikers, mountain bikers and people who like to meet other travelers.

Luxury Stay:

ElisabethHotel Luxury Retreat is hands down one of the most relaxing places in the Austrian Alps. The adult-only ElisabethHotel Premium Private Retreat is a newly renovated 4-star superior hotel located in the centre of Mayrhofen, just a 5-minute walk from the Zillertal 3000 Ski Area; it boasts a 1,400 m² spa area with a sauna, steam bath, and 17 m indoor pool, while the rooms are decorated in modern and elegant Tyrolean style. There’s a bar with an open fireplace, restaurant with local specialities, sun terrace, beauty treatments, and fitness centre.

FAQ Things to do in Mayrhofen in Summer

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Europe Travel Planning Guide

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100% YES! — Europe has many different healthcare systems but it’s only for citizens! Foreigners visiting need travel insurance in case anything happens on their visit.

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Can you drink the water in Europe?

Yes — In all major cities in Europe, you can drink the tap water. However, you should never drink river or lake water, there are cows doing their business in streams everywhere! I recommend a Lifestraw water filter for long hikes and backcountry camping to stay safe and hydrated.

Is it safe to rent a car in Europe?

Yes — Renting a car is safe, but not a necessity in most of Europe. However, if you want to go on road trips or adventures outside of the major cities, you’ll find it easier to get to trails and need to rent a car.

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What’s the best way to book my European accommodations?
My go-to for European hotels, hostels and vacation homes is Booking.com as it’s more transparent and safe than Airbnb. Read my full Booking.com review here.

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Do I need a visa for Europe?

Likely Not — US and UK passport holders don’t need EU visas. However, some other countries do. And if you plan to stay for more than 90 days (an average tourist visa length), you will need to look into visas to live in Europe.