Großglockner Tour “Top of Austria” From Salzburg

Alpine Town “Zell am See”

This full day tour first takes you following the river Saalach through a part of Bavaria passing German villages, then Austrian villages to reach the Austrian alpine town of Zell am See, a world famous tourist destination as well as a climatic health resort.

Grossglockner High Alpine Road

After a short stop near the lake Zellersee, we will start our adventure up to the Grossglockner, Austria’s highest mountain (3798m). The Grossglockner High Alpine Road is an internationally acclaimed masterpiece of road construction. A panoramic route connecting the Austrian states Salzburg and Carinthia giving access to the Hohe Tauern National Park, the Grossglockner and Pasterze Glacier.
While driving up 48 kilometers with 36 numbered and named hairpin bends to an altitude of 2500m into the very heart of the National Park; you will experience the world of alpine meadows, forests, mountains, eternal ice, and spectacular views. The Edelweissspitze is the highest accessible point of the Grossglockner High Alpine Road at 2,571 m above sea level.
We will go on to Kaiser-Franz-Josefs-Höhe at the road end with an altitude of 2370m, where you gaze down on the Pasterze glacier and up at the majestic peaks, the highest of which is the Grossglockner. There you either can walk around and enjoy the nature and scenery, or learn about the area from The Information Point, the National Park Information Center and a wide-screen multivision show. Another option is a visit to the Swarovski Oberservatory, a 10 minute walk, where the most modern optical devices provide spectacular views. Sometimes even Marmots and Ibexes can be seen.
We will make some stops for snacks and drinks, and to satisfy the keen photographers, there are unforgettable panoramic views on to dozens of peaks of over 3000m.

On our way back to Salzburg we follow the Salzach downstream. We pass the famous ski region Gasteinertal, the regional capital St.Johann im Pongau and the ski jump at Bishopshofen. We will see the Werfen Castle (movie location of the 1968 film “Where Eagles Dare”) at which point up the mountain in the cliffs is the entrance to the world’s largest Ice Caves, and still following the Salzach, back to Salzburg. Coming to the end of this big scenery day, for sure this tour gives you memories to treasure forever.