Wildschonau Other Activities

Cross Country Skiing in Wildschonau

The Wildschonau has 50km of cross-country skiing tracks including seven tracks running the lengeth of the valley between Niederau and Auffach, and a cross country ski circuit on the Schonanger Alm at 1,070m and located at the far end of the valley, 10km beyond Auffach.

Tobogganing in Wildschonau

At Auffach, there’s a 5km long toboggan run starting from the Schatzberg gondola middle station and winding its way down to the village and Oberau has tobogganing on Wednesday and Thursday nights on floodlit slopes next to the night sking area on Roggenboden. Toboggan hire is available at the lift station. Tel: +43 (0) 664 125 4031. Contact the Wildschonau Tourist Office for more information.

Paragliding in Wildschonau

The Markbachjoch above Niederau  is an ideal starting point for tandem paragliding flights and to enjoy a bird’s eye view of the Wildschönau Valley. The Flyingschool Wildschonau’s highly qualified instructors also teach paragliding.  Options in winter include 4-day Beginners Course from Thursday to Sunday including one high altitude flight, 2-day Soaring Weekends for those who have completed the 4-day course for beginners and 6-day course Including elementary and altitude flight training, five mountain and cable car rides, flight equipment hire, theory papers, all taxes and fees and a completion guarantee. Meeting point at Hotel Harfenwirt in Niederau at 9:00am

Flightschool Wildschönau
A-6314 Niederau 325, Wildschonau
Tel.: + 43 (0) 664 262 2646 or 664 5169 274
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.paragliding.at (German language only)

Sleigh Rides in Wildschonau

The Wildschonau is an idyllic place for romantic sleigh rides and five Wildschonau families offering sleigh rides from 1- 2½ hours and for 4-12 people. Hintersalcher, Sleigh rides from Auffach to Schönangeralm especially are highly recommended.

Hintersalcher, Family Haas, Auffach: T +43 (0) 5339 2164 or 2789
Hotel Tirolerhof, Family Erhater, Oberau: Tel: +43 (0) 5339 8118 0
Lehenbauer, Family Klingler, Thierbach: Tel: +43 (0) 5339 8817
Foischinghof, Famiy Hausberger , Niederau: Tel: +43 (0) 699 1841 6034 or 699 1266 9969
Schlittenweggemeinschaft Penning, Family Loinger, Niederau: Tel: +43 (0) 5335 2531

Snowshoeing in Wildschonau

Snowshoeing is easy, especially if you’re reasonable fit and enjoy walking. It’s also an enjoyable way to experience the winter landscape and deep snow laden slopes away from the ski pistes. Recommended snow shoe routes in the Wildschonau include Thierbach Kogel , Sonnberg Jöchl , Zauberwinkl , Halsgatterl – Holzalm – Markbachjoch, Kragenjoch, Aschbach – Mitterbergalm – Steinerhöfe – Adlerhorst, Schatzberg – Gern – Sternboden and Hönigkaseralm.  

Snow shoes are available at sport shops in Niederau, Oberau or Auffach, and guided snow shoe tours including snow shoes are free for Wildschönau Guest Card holders. Contact the Wildschonau Tourist Office for more information and to book.

Winter Walking in Wildschonau

The Wildschonau valley has 40km of cleared paths exclusively for winter-walking past beautiful old farms, onion domed churches and picturesque guesthouses in the stunningly pretty winter landscape. Wildschonau’s 50km of cross-country ski tracks are also available for winter walking, but not in the tracks please.  Recommended walks include the Path of Reflection, the cross-country ski area at Schonanger Alm and the tiny village of Thierbach.

Dedicated to St Francis of Assisi, the Path of Reflection winds its way for 3km through the beautiful winter landscape from Neiderau to Oberau. Stop at the Z’Bach Mountain Farmer’s Museum (free entry to guest card holders) featuring over 1,200 exhibits illustrating the life and times of Wildschonau famers over the past 200 years.

The famous “cure-for-all” Krautinger Schnapps has been uniquely distilled in the Wildschonau from locally grown White Beet since the mid 18th Century. Josef Thaler, one of only 15 farming families still making Krautinger according to ancient traditions, provides a taste of it to walkers arriving at the Steinerhof in Oberau. Walk or stagger a few hundred meters more and you arrive at the village of Oberau, dominated by the Baroque church of St Margarethe (“the Wildschonau Cathedral”) with its tower and onion dome rising to 52 metres. Just opposite the church, the charming Gasthof Kellerwirt, dating from 12th Century and a Gasthof since 1750, is a perfect place to stop for lunch or an early evening meal.

Wildschonau Leisure Train to Thierbach

A motorised road-going leisure train, the type you see in fun parks, is great for families and the 15-minute ride from Auffach (875m) to Thierbach (1,175m) is an easy alternative to a 90-minute walk. Thierbach is the highest village in Wildschonau / Kitzbuheler Alps and home to the smallest school in Austria with 8 pupils, church, graveyard, a few scattered farmhouses and splendid views.

Ironically, the tiny village of Thierbach at 1,175m is also the home of star engine-tuner Conrad Gruber and his Albrex workshop providing high-technology performance tuning for Lamborghini, Lotus, Ferrari, Mercedes, Porsche, Viper, BMW and Audi. Delivering explosive performance upgrades from 400 to 1,000 horsepower, Conrad’s wealthy customers include many A-list celebs, but it’s all discreetly hidden from view and presumably fully sound proofed. Albrex, Sonnsteinweg 236, A-6311 Thierbach, Tirol. Tel: +43 5339 8694.

Wildschonau Guest Card

The Wildschonau Guest Card entitles guest to travel freely on ski buses and night buses running frequently between Niederau and Auffach. It’s almost as useful as your ski pass, so keep your guest card handy and check the guest card booklet at the beginning of your holiday for more information about entitlements.

Riedel Wine Glass Company Factory & Shop

Although not part of the Wildschonau, if you have access to a car it’s definitely worth making a small detour to visit the Riedel glass works at Kuftsein, just 8km north east of Worgl. Take a guided tour of the factory and see how Riedel’s best glassmakers use the ancient blow-pipe method to create the world-famous handcrafted Riedel glasses. Enjoy the “Sinnfonie” multimedia presentation about seeing, hearing, smelling, feeling and tasting and allow time for shopping in Riedel’s flagship store at the factory. Riedel, Weissachstrasse 28-34, A-6330 Kufstein, Austria.Tel: +43 (0) 5372 64896. Web: www.riedel.com

Wildschonau Tourist Office

Wildschonau Tourismus, Hauserweg, Oberau 337, A-6311 Wildschonau
Tel: +43 5339 82550. Email: [email protected]. Web: www.wildschoenau.com