Zillertal in Tyrol: The ideal place for an idyllic adventure holiday
Weekend trip to another world
On one of the warmest and most beautiful weekends this fall, we decided to take a short trip to the magical Zillertal. I love traveling to Austria. Already mine Short trip to Vienna enchanted me last year. The goal of our trip was a hike to the popular Olpererhütte. The alpine hike is described as beginner-friendly and entertaining. However, my feet told me something else the evening after the trip. The hike is easy to do, but should not be underestimated due to the incline and a length of 3,8 km.
- Zillertal in Tyrol: The ideal place for an idyllic adventure holiday
- Weekend trip to another world
- Where exactly is the Zillertal?
- Climate & weather in the Zillertal: Sunny winter
- 7-day weather forecast for Mayrhofen in the Zillertal
- Hiking & holidays in the Zillertal
- The hike: From the Schlegeis reservoir to the Olpererhütte
- Opening hours and toll to Schlegeis Speicher
Where exactly is the Zillertal?
The one belonging to the state of Tyrol Zillertal is about 40 km east of Innsbruck and with a total of 25 communities and approx. 33.000 inhabitants, it is a very popular holiday region in Austria. It is a side valley of the so-called Inn Valley, which crosses the Eastern Alps from the south-west to the north-east. The Zillertal got its name from the river Ziller, which runs through the valley from south to north and flows into the Inn near Strass in the Zillertal. A special feature of the Zillertal is that it is Strass in the Zillertal (522 m) until after Mayrhofen (628 m) rises only slightly and does not overcome any valley steps.
Climate & weather in the Zillertal: Sunny winter
In the Zillertal there is a so-called inner-alpine valley climate. A strong annual temperature amplitude is typical of this (this is the difference between the average temperature of the warmest and the coldest month of the year). are particularly typical of the valley sunny winters, light winds and hardly any fog.
Monthly average temperatures and hours of sunshine for Mayrhofen (643 m)
| Month | Temperature (°C) | Max Temperatur (° C) | Minimum temperature (°C) | hours of sunshine |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | -2.1 | 1.1 | -4.4 | 2.4 |
| February | -0.4 | 4.3 | -3.4 | 69 |
| March | 3.6 | 9.6 | 0 | 130.3 |
| April | 7.6 | 14.1 | 3.3 | 124.1 |
| May | 12.7 | 19.7 | 7.8 | 183.5 |
| June | 15.2 | 21.7 | 10.6 | 164.4 |
| July | 17.1 | 23.8 | 12.5 | 183.6 |
| August | 16.5 | 23.2 | 12.3 | 176.9 |
| September | 12.9 | 19.3 | 9.2 | 138.4 |
| October | 8.3 | 13.9 | 4.9 | 87.4 |
| November | 2.3 | 6 | -0.1 | 19.5 |
| December | -1.3 | 1.4 | -3.4 | 11.2 |
| Year | 7.7 | 13.2 | 4.1 | 1290.7 |
7-day weather forecast for Mayrhofen in the Zillertal
Mayrhofen is 630 m above sea level and has 3.751 inhabitants in the rear part of the Zillertal. It is considered the figurehead of alpine tourism. Below you will find a 7-day weather forecast for Mayrhofen:
Hiking & holidays in the Zillertal
The region is a true paradise on earth for hikers. Nature can be experienced in all its diversity on 1.400 km of hiking trails.
Not only hikers, but also active athletes get their full enjoyment.
The Zillertal is considered to be the Birthplace of alpine mountaineering and was already known for this in the middle of the 19th century. Today there are four holiday areas into which the valley can be divided:
- First holiday region in the Zillertal Fügen - Kaltenbach
- Zillertal Arena (largest ski area in the Zillertal) with the towns of Zell am Ziller and Gerlos
- Mayrhofen (ideal for hiking, cycling or mountaineering)
- Tux-Finkenberg (year-round ski area)
There are several large reservoirs in the Zillertal, including the beautiful Schlegeis reservoir. We have a Hike from the Schlegeis reservoir up to the Olpererhütte .
The hike: From the Schlegeis reservoir to the Olpererhütte
A very nice hiking route starts on Schlegei's memory (also called Schlegeis Stausee), an artificial lake in the middle of the Tyrolean Alps. The Schlegeis reservoir is the Probably the most famous reservoir in the Zillertal and is located on the border to South Tyrol at an altitude of approx. 1.800 m. Already here the view of the turquoise lake is simply breathtakingly beautiful. From Mayrhofen you drive via Ginzling to the picturesque lake in about 40 minutes by car - the route leads along the narrow 13,3 km long Schlegeis Alpenstraße. The journey itself is already an adventure, since the Alpine road is still in its original condition and leads through a total of four rock tunnels.
Opening hours and toll to Schlegeis Speicher
Depending on the weather, the start and/or end of the season may change. For 2020, however, the following times apply:
Season: late May to mid-October
Im July and August daily from 06:00 to 18:00 and in the months May, June, September and October open daily from 07:00 to 18:00.
Prices (toll fee) for 1 day:
- Car: €12,50
- Motorbike: €10
- Bus (15 or more people): €3,60 per person
Free Parking Space there are both in the front and rear area of the reservoir.
Coordinates of the tollbooth: N 47° 03′ 39.3″ E 11° 44′ 56.5″
The so-called “Hiking Autumn” is on September 6th and 13th, 2020 with a 50% discount.
Would you like to find out more about our hike? A detailed report on our hiking route from the Schlegeis Speicher to the Olperer Hütte can be found here: Hike to the Olpererhütte in the Zillertal.
What gorgeous colors! And all of that in the vicinity of a weekend trip 🙂
Numerous relatives have already confirmed to us that the Zillertal is ideal for hiking holidays. So far we have always been drawn to Switzerland for our annual hiking holidays and this year I suggested to my partner to discover Tyrol for the first time. Accordingly, we look around for a suitable apartment in an ideal location.