Holiday Happiness in the Stubai Valley – Even in summer the right destination
Last updated on 04.05.2022
Indulge in nature and a variety of sports in the Stubai Alps
Enjoying the fresh mountain air in the warm sunshine – that is one of those moments of happiness that you just yearn for during a summer holiday in the Alps. And that is exactly what you will find in the Stubai Valley close to Innsbruck, the regional capital of Tirol. For all active nature lovers, the Stubai Glacier Valley, with its four resorts, is not just the right destination in winter. The Stubai Glacier, the Schlick 2000 resort, Elfer Lifts in Neustift, Serles Lifts in Mieders as well as the valley itself turn the summer into a real highlight thanks to the many and varied hiking routes, exciting excursion options and numerous features.
The Stubai Valley is a true paradise for hiking enthusiasts – diverse hiking trails at all difficulty levels lead to numerous highlights in the fascinating mountain landscape. Whether down in the valley or high above, surrounded by the impressive panorama in the alpine terrain, on wonderful walking tours, adventurous family trails or challenging routes – thanks to the diversity of the Stubai Valley there will be something for everyone.
Glacier Adventure at 3,000 metres
The Stubai Glacier offers adventurous experiences for big and small not just in winter but also in summer. The modern 3S Eisgratbahn brings families, hikers, climbers and day-trippers to the Stubai Glacier landscape at 2,900 metres. There, a high-alpine experience opens up for you that starts from easy elevated hikes and goes all the way through to challenging tours of mountain peaks and the glacier. The Glacier Trail starts at the halfway station Fernau and goes past the moraines and the colourful moor, the shimmering Fernau reservoir and the fascinating ice grotto to the Eisgrat mountain station.
Holidaymakers can experience the highest point of the glacier on the summit platform, TOP OF TYROL (3,210 metres), which offers a fascinating 360-degree panoramic view. This unique setting will be the venue for a Glacier Yoga session that will take place on 17 July. Here, in the middle of the glacier landscape and in combination with the peace and strength of the mountains, a special yoga experience is guaranteed.
Refreshments and a well-earned break during your adventure programme can be found at the Restaurant Eisgrat, which offers a barbecue and Tyrolean cuisine made from regional products, as well as at the Dresdner Hütte.
Family Fun at the Schlick 2000 Resort
A little lower down in Stubai, a fun-packed variety of activities awaits the whole family. Numerous routes at all difficulty levels mean that the high valley resort of Schlick 2000 is a hiking eldorado for big and small hikers. Starting at the Kreuzjoch mountain station, holidaymakers can set out on the family-friendly nature trail for an interactive journey through nature. From the Schlicker Alp you then traverse the evening pasture to the panoramic lake and afterwards downhill along the Disc Trail. The name of the route is a clue to its special feature, which doesn’t only attract children. Visitors can insert a wooden disc into a rail that runs along the wayside and follow the disc as it rolls down the trail. The high point of an exciting day’s hiking is the Tree House Trail. Hidden in seven different tree houses along the trail are highlights for the children, including, a zip wire, a suspension bridge and a treasure hunt. And if that still isn’t enough for you then, in August, you can look forward to something very special – a sunrise ride. Every Saturday, the cable car will take early risers up to more than 2,000 metres, from where they will be able to enjoy a fascinating natural spectacle consisting of the sunrise and a panoramic view of the mountain landscape. Furthermore, if you wish to add that little ‘extra’ to your enjoyment then you can book a small breakfast at the Panorama Restaurant at Kreuzjoch, a yoga sun salutation on the terrace of the restaurant or a sunrise tandem flight.
Adventure hiking with the Elfer lifts in Neustift
Those who would like to experience a sunset as well as a sunrise in the mountains will find that the Elfer lifts are just right for them. Once a week during the summer, you will have the opportunity to take part in a sunset ride and thus experience twilight in the Stubai Valley in a special way. By contrast, during the day, the ‘sports mountain’ awaits you on the Elfer, offering pure action for all sports enthusiasts. You can choose from a fascinating variety of activities, including paragliding, biking as well as climbing, but also impressive hikes all around the rock massifs of the Elfer towers. For all inquisitive students of nature, the Geh-Zeiten-Wege (Time Trails) – which are almost seven kilometres in length – combined with their three different subject areas reveal interesting phenomena.Visitors who make their way along the sun time, blossom time and stone age trails will learn things that are exciting and worth knowing about time periods, the cycle of alpine fauna as well as the changes and the ageing of the mountain landscape. The starting point for these hikes is the largest walk-in sundial in the Alpine region, which is enthroned on the Elfer.
Experience hiking at the foot of the Serles
The Serles lifts in Mieders offer a world of experience and recreation for the whole family. At the foot of the Serles mountain, the ‘High Altar of the Tyrol’, there is something for hiking and outdoor enthusiasts as well as families and those seeking relaxation and recreation. The extensive network of trails will lead you through the enchanting natural environment. The Serles Park at the mountain station is the perfect location for an active day with all the family. Play and marvel at the white water run, take a ride on a raft or simply enjoy the view and the tranquillity of the crystal clear lakes. Here, everyone will be able to find their perfect mountain experience. Moreover, on the way to the Maria Waldrast Monastery, the viewing platforms Koppeneck, Karwendelblick and Serlesblick provide unique views of the surrounding Tyrolean mountain landscape. Those who do not wish to explore this landscape on foot can hop aboard the Serles Train directly at the Serles Park. This train takes visitors to and from the Maria Waldrast Monastery several times a day. To round off their day, holidaymakers can race down into the valley on the summer toboggan run which is more than three kilometres long. Yet that still isn’t everything. The summer programme has been expanded even further with the addition of the summer hiking night on 26 July.
Unique Natural Spectacle in the Valley
The Stubai fascinates not just high up in the mountains. The Valley, too, has much to offer. The Wild Water Trail allows visitors to become acquainted with a true natural jewel. In three stages, you can experience unique alpine showplaces and water as it appears in its manifold forms. Thus, among others, the trail leads you along the Grawa Waterfalls and through the spectacular ravine of the Ruetz cataract. These special places can also be viewed as part of the summer hiking nights on the Wild Water Trail.
A service that will make your holiday happiness in the Stubai Valley complete, is the Stubai Super Card that includes, among other things, free travel on the buses and cable cars. Children under the age of ten can use three of the four cable cars free of charge when accompanied by a paying parent.