Return to the Ice Age on Walking Holidays In Austria

For fans of hiking, trekking, and active holidays in general, Austria is always one of the most popular destinations. Walking holidays in Austria give amateur and expert trekkers alike the chance to engage in all manner of active pursuits, most of which take them past glorious Alpine landscapes and up the verdant sides of mountains. One may even get the feeling they have been transported onto the set of the film The Sound Of Music.

Visit the Ice Caves of Werfen

But even when you have had your fill of mountains and meadows (if one can ever have their fill of such breathtaking beauty), the region still holds a few surprises up its sleeve. One of the best-hidden, and yet also most awe-inspiring, are the ice caves at Werfen.

Accessible by way of the steepest cable car in the country (if you are afraid of heights, be warned), the labyrinth of ice caves at Werfen is likely to become one of the highlights of your walking holidays in Austria. Extending for a length of almost 42 kilometres (30 miles) in total, this humbling, visually impressive area will take away the breath of anyone with an appreciation for grandiosity and natural beauty.

Discovered in 1879, the Werfen ice caves are the largest formation of this type in the world, and have been bedazzling visitors, both local and foreign, for over a hundred years, since they first opened to the general public. The fact that they are dynamic caves - where the circulation of air works with the constantly seeping water to periodically create new ice formations - means that even if you take several walking holidays in Austria and visit the caves each time, they will never be exactly the same as the last time.

Certainly, a visit to the 'World Of Ice Giants' is an experience worth repeating. As you leave the safety of the outside world and venture ever nearer to the Earth's core, you will come across spots with unique ice formations, each with their own distinctive name: "The Empire Of Diamonds", "The Serpent", "The Labyrinth Of Demons" and so forth. Do not get too frightened by these imposing denominations, however - you will be in good company whilst exploring these caves, as an experienced guide will be there to ensure your safety.

Overall, the tour of the caves takes about an hour and a quarter. Other highlights of the walk include the Possel Tower stalagmite, the impressive, 75-foot high Great Ice Embankment, and the 'ice organ' at Hymir's castle.

If you want to gaze upon these and many other stunning ice formations, make sure to book your walking holidays in Austria sometime between May and December. And remember - bundle up, it gets cold amidst all that ice!

Tony Maniscalco is the Marketing Manager for Ramblers Worldwide Holidays. Join us on a holiday walking holidays in Austria to see the most scenic locations & landscapes at the best value prices. We offer over 140 guided group walking holidays in over 60 different countries.