Walking in the Austrian Tyrol

Wonderful walks through a surprising variety of alpine landscapes from lakeside walks to forest tracks, meadows and high mountains. Bob and Alina were great leaders, making the walks extra interesting with their knowledge of the flowers, history and landscapes. The walks were cleverly adjusted to suit the weather ( at this time of year expect everything from hot sun to wet days) and the option of a grade 3 or a grade 5 walk each day was a real bonus. Expect wholesome food, friendly and comfortable hotel, wonderful views and good company.

Very enjoyable week with a mixture of walking on forest trails and on mountainous terrain. Being up in the mountains area, the weather can be changeable at times, so be prepared to bring waterproof clothing and a jumper as well as sunblock and water etc. The hotel we stayed in has a great choice of evening food and the room I stayed in has a great view of the village and the lake ad well. Our tour group leaders Bob and Alina are friendly and great to chat to. The other travellers in our group made it a great week to spend time with.

This was a wonderful walking holiday. I was in the moderate walking group which was stretching me but still allowed us to take photos and enjoy the scenery. The walks in the mountains around Achensee were varied and all wonderful. Inclusion of ferry, gondola and steam train on some walks were a wonderful bonus. We stopped on an mountain restaurant for a coffee on some walks, listening to cow bells, saw chamois, Marmots, a slow worm, Edelweiss and many Alpine flowers. Our leader knew where we were likely to find plants and animals. I enjoyed the optional evening with a good local brass band and a local dance group showing the traditional dances of the alpine trade guilds and was impressed that so many younger people (average age 34) is honouring the old traditions and keeping them alive. I rated the holidays as 4 and not 5 as I would have loved it if someone from the local community who cherishes the area could have given us a talk about the nature, history and culture of the area where we walked. Including a local guide with enthusiasm for this part of Austria would have been a bonus worth considering.

This was an excellent holiday and exceeded all my expectations, particularly as I'd already had a memorable walking holiday in Austria previously and thought nothing would top that. How wrong was I?! I wish I was still there! Despite thinking that the level 3 walks would be more than enough for me before I got there, I spent all of the days, except one, doing level 5 walks. Every night, the group leaders (the amazing Paul and Louise) provided a very detailed description of the walks, weather conditions and what we could expect. We even had visual demonstrations of each walk using table props by the end of the week! Who knew that pepper pots made such great mountains?! This was very helpful in gauging what walk I wanted to do, and luckily the weather was kind to us so only one day was wet (I went in August). The area of Achensee is very pretty and the hotel was right by the beautiful lake. The walks took in a variety of mountain ranges and scenery, giving you a good chance to explore the region around the lake. We travelled by local bus, cable car, ferry and steam train using the free Achensee holiday card, which was valid all week (including the free day). I loved the walking as the scenery was stunning, the trails were fairly quiet most days, the flowers and wildlife were incredible, and the sound of the cow bells was really special. One day, we climbed above cloud level and sitting on the mountain top looking down at the clouds was a special experience, realising I'd climbed higher than the clouds, like I was superhuman! Some days, there were stops at Almshouses in the mountains for coffee and cake, or a drink (more on the level 3 walks than level 5, due to their less intense walking conditions). The cakes in Austria are incredible. On the free day, there is plenty to do around the lake and there isn't really any need to go further afield by catching the train from Jenbach, unless you really want to. The hotel was excellently run and we were very well looked after by the friendly staff and owner, Crystal. The food was out-of-this-world, plentiful, traditional, delicious and ample. The four course meals every night (soup, salad, main course, and dessert) were just what you needed after a day's walking. My room was comfortable and I had views over the mountains and lake. The hotel is an old traditional Austrian guest house so don't expect a modern 5* hotel. I enjoyed staying there.

It's a week since my partner and I returned from this trip, we had an excellent time and would recommend this trip! .Originally a key factor in choosing this trip was the flexibility to choose different levels of walk each day as we were not totally confident on what would be suited to us and this turned out to be really great option. Each evening the guides Paul and Louise would outline the following days walks so everyone had a good idea and could choose accordingly and many did switch between the levels during the days. The guides were excellent, knowledgeable on the area, animals and fauna but most importantly full of energy and very supportive to everyone in the group, they made the trip a real pleasure. The location is very scenic even before walking up the hills and the Accomodation was spacious, staff were friendly and good food every evening.

This trip far exceeded my expectations. Offering two levels of hike a day was perfect for gaining confidence and challenging myself under the expert supervision of the group leaders . Be prepared for some incredible views of the pristine glacial lake, and the breathtaking sights from the highest peaks in the Austrian Tyrol. This trip offers challenging hikes with lots of opportunities to safely go out of your comfort zone balanced with discovering the best cake and beer huts on the mountain . The hotel and food were fabulous and the staff were always friendly and obliging. Austrians take politeness to another level . The area is well connected with transport so there are plenty of options for the free day . This trip offered challenges , camaraderie , excitement and serene moments at the summits . If you are lucky enough to have Paul McDermott and/or Louise Russell as your leaders expect to come home healthier, stronger , happier and a little heavier ( all muscle of course ) ! This trip will not disappoint .

This trip far exceeded my expectations. Offering two levels of hike a day was perfect for gaining confidence and challenging myself under the expert supervision of the group leaders . Be prepared for some incredible views of the pristine glacial lake, and the breathtaking sights from the highest peaks in the Austrian Tyrol. This trip offers challenging hikes with lots of opportunities to safely go out of your comfort zone balanced with discovering the best cake and beer huts on the mountain . The hotel and food were fabulous and the staff were always friendly and obliging. Austrians take politeness to another level . The area is well connected with transport so there are plenty of options for the free day . This trip offered challenges , camaraderie , excitement and serene moments at the summits . If you are lucky enough to have Paul McDermott and/or Louise Russell as your leaders expect to come home healthier, stronger , happier and a little heavier ( all muscle of course ) ! This trip will not disappoint .

Wonderful week spent walking in the Tyrol. The hotel is perfectly placed by the lake and run with care and consideration by Crystal. The food was hearty and plentiful with buffet breakfast , self made packed lunch and a 4 course evening meal . 2 levels of walks were offered each day , some of which started or finished at the hotel and always allowed for plenty of stops for rest and refreshments . A complementary travel pass was included which allowed independent exploration of the area on the free day by bus, steam train, ferry, cable car or ski lift .

Fabulous week of hiking in the stunning mountains surrounding lake Achensee

Great trip with amazing views. We took level three walks and although we didn't have previous experience, we were able to go to all trips. Special thanks to our great guides Louise Russel and Paul McDermott, who were always in a good humor and made sure everybody had a wonderful experience, even when the weather didn't help much.