Austria: 3 Record-breaking Waterfalls to Visit on Your Next Road Trip
In the next few months, lots of us will be exploring their surroundings a bit more. A few weeks ago, I started doing so as well. Therefore, I went hiking, and on a little road trip to the surrounding regions and on these trips I found the most amazing places. In this blog post, I will show you some of the most impressive and record-breaking waterfalls you have to visit when exploring Austria and central Europe, including the largest in Europe and the broadest in the Eastern Alps. Ready for some outstanding records? Let’s start right away.
Krimml Waterfalls - Europe’s largest waterfalls
Usually, the very best is saved for last, but let’s start off with the most impressive one: the Krimml Waterfalls. With a drop of 380 metres, this is the largest waterfall in Europe. Nevertheless, it is not that well known and getting there is not that easy. The waterfall is located in the Salzburg region, very close to the Tyrol region. Also, visiting is not that cheap. The waterfall is located in the Hohe Tauern National Park, which is also where the Großglockner, Austria’s highest mountain is located. Therefore, you first have to pay a fee to enter the Großglockner High Alpine Road, then you have to pay a fee for parking, and then you have to pay a fee to get access to the walk to the waterfall. I’m definitely a bigger fan of making such impressive sites accessible to everyone, but I get that it has to be preserved and is located in a national park.
No matter if you are very sportive and want to hike to the top, or you opt for the lowest viewing point, the views are great. There are a lot of platforms you can have a look at the waterfall along the trail. All in all, it has a length of more than 4 kilometres and a difference in altitude of more than 400 metres, so especially in summer, don’t underestimate it. Along the way, you’ll see lot’s of rainbows and astonishing formations. If you want to see the waterfall in full, you have to stop at a viewpoint far away on the road, as otherwise, it’s impossible to see it all due to its size. Also, be prepared to get wet. Especially in spring/summer, the waterfall is incredibly strong, and you’ll be soaking wet within a few seconds. In my opinion, the best views are from the lowest platform, as you can see in the picture below. Here you’ll feel incredibly small, and looking down at the current you’ll realize how strong it the water actually is.
Stuibenfall - Tyrol’s biggest waterfall
Of course, everything I present you after such an impressive waterfall will look less intimidating, and a waterfall with a height of 159 metres does not sound that special. So why not opt for another kind of adrenaline rush? What about 700 steps? And a nerve-wracking 80-metre suspension bridge perhaps? If that does not get your heart rate up, I don’t know what else will. As a person with a fear of heights, this was definitely a real challenge for me.
Even though the length is not as massive as the Krimml waterfall’s the Stuibenfall can DEFINITELY compare. The waterfall is located in the Ötztal valley, less than an hour from Innsbruck. Don’t mistake it for the Stuibenfälle, which are located in a very different part of Tyrol near Reutte. The hike to the top is a little different, as from the base to the top of the waterfall it only consists of steps. 700, as I mentioned before. This is surely not everyone’s cup of tea, but the views are really rewarding, and every few metres you’ll get to a viewing platform. For those of you that are into climbing, there’s also another way to the top: a Via Ferrata. While the ‘normal’ way up is to the right of the waterfall, the Via Ferrata is to the left but offers equally beautiful views. Another very cool highlight (pun intended!) are the floodlight and lantern walking tour. The waterfall is lighted up once a week throughout the week, and the lantern walking tours are generally from June throughout the summer.
Grawa Waterfall - the widest waterfall in the eastern alps
Now, let’s talk about another record-breaking waterfall in Tyrol: The Grawa Waterfall. With a width of 85 metres, this is the widest waterfall in the Eastern Alps. The full length of the waterfalls is around 180 metres, dropping in a series of cascades. Another big plus of this waterfall is its easy accessibility. You can visit the waterfall no matter if you are a big fan of hiking or not. To get there, you simply enter the Stubai valley from the highway, you have to pay a small toll to access the valley, and then drive all the way through the valley. The waterfall is located very closer to the end of the road, the Stubai Glacier and so close to the road you can not drive by and miss it.
Even though there is a parking area just next to the road where you already have a great view of the waterfall, for the shortest walk I suggest you park at the area just a few metres before that. Then, you won’t have to hike any elevation when getting back to your car. But the great thing about this waterfall is that you can walk for nearly as long as you wish for. Along the road that leads to the waterfall, there are parking slots every few kilometres. Therefore, you can decide on your own how long you want to hike the “Wilde Wasser Weg” (WhiteWaterWalk). For those of you that want even more activity, there are even hiking trails along the waterfall up to the top of it and then to huts and summits nearby. Also, visiting the waterfall is free of charge, besides the small toll fee and the parking areas, which are really affordable, so it is a rather inexpensive getaway. If you want to rest and enjoy the beautiful views, just next to the base of the waterfall, there’s a viewing platform that is also easily accessible with a wheelchair or stroller.
I really hope today’s blog post was able to show you a bit of Austria’s beauty and why you definitely should consider checking out the country if you can. Also, more blog posts about me exploring my home country will follow over the next few weeks, and in the meantime, feel free to check out the other blog posts I already have written about it.
