Innsbruck is a dream for every athlete and active vacationer; we already knew that before our trip to Tyrol. But, hallelujah, we never would have imagined that there are so many exciting outdoor activities in and around Innsbruck. To be honest, Austria is a country we visit far too rarely. The last time we were in the Ötztal Valley was in 2015, shortly before our world trip, and we got our first stunningly beautiful impression of the country. We hiked through lush green valleys, past babbling rivers and lush mountain meadows.
In mid-September, we headed to beautiful Tyrol, to Innsbruck, where we did some really cool outdoor activities in nature. The weather was once again at its best in September, and we were able to enjoy our time to the fullest under blue skies and lots of sunshine. In the following article, we would like to tell you more about the exciting and adventurous outdoor activities in and around Innsbruck. Enjoy browsing!
- Innsbruck Outdoor Activities
- 1. Upstream Surfing on the Inn River
- 2. Trekking with Icelandic Horses
- 3. Sulzkogel – Our First 3000-meter Peak
- 4. Trip to the Mutterer Alm
- 5. Action with Mountain Carts
- 6. Off to the Nordkette
- 7. Climb like the pros
- Conclusion – Innsbruck Outdoor Activities
- Our Accommodation in Innsbruck
- Welcome Card for Innsbruck
- Save with the Innsbruck Card
Innsbruck Outdoor Activities
Innsbruck alone has a lot to offer (click here for the separate article), but there’s so much more to discover in the surrounding area. Whether hiking, biking, climbing, horseback riding, surfing, snowboarding, skiing, swimming, bobsleighing, snowshoeing, canyoning, diving, or bungee jumping, you’ll never be bored in Innsbruck and the surrounding area. You could probably do something different every single day of the year; we were a little overwhelmed by the variety of options at first. But we’ve tried out a few really cool outdoor activities around Innsbruck and will introduce them to you in more detail in the following section.
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1. Upstream Surfing on the Inn River
Let’s start right away with a really cool outdoor activity in Innsbruck. Anyone can surf in Bali and Portugal, but how about a surfing session on the Inn River in Austria? Yes, you heard right. Thanks to the guys at Up Stream Surfing, you can have tons of fun on the Inn River. You don’t even have to be a surfing pro; the courses are tailored to every level. Now you might be wondering how you’re supposed to surf on a river? Simply put, you pull each other upstream using a rope and sail system attached to a bridge.
Enough explanation, let’s get started. Equipped with a thick wetsuit (the Inn River was just 12°C), a Restube, helmet, team shirt, shoes, and, of course, a surfboard, we headed to the riverbank. There, we received a brief briefing from our surf coach, Marius. He explained the system, the safety concept, and also pointed out potential dangers. We were pretty nervous, but really looking forward to getting out on the water.
Since we’d already surfed in other countries, it wasn’t completely new territory for us. We jumped into the ice-cold river and briefly practiced swimming against and with the current. Now we were ready for the real adventure. First, we lay down on the board and held on to the rope attached to the bridge. Our coach, Marius, explained and demonstrated the technique and managed to get us (all six participants) up on the boards in no time.
Almost like wakeboarding
For all those who get cold, you’ll quickly lose all of the icy water temperature. Only then will you feel it when you fall off your board and your head goes under water. After about two hours, the first people (especially Marco, of course) dared to try the large system. Now it was time to say, “Let’s surf, baby!” Using the rope, they let the current carry them downstream until the rope stopped slackening. Marco positioned himself on the board and waited for his “GO.”
Marius then stood on the underwater sail, pulled on the ropes (like a pulley), and moved further and further away from the bridge, while Marco was pulled closer and closer to it. It looked really cool and, above all, a lot of fun. Everyone cheered for each other and gave each other helpful tips. As you can see, you can surf in Austria too, and not just in faraway countries.
We were never afraid; the guys had everything under control. Our surf coach (founder and CEO) Michael secured us a few hundred meters further downstream and pulled us out of the water with a safety rope in case we missed the exit point. Furthermore, the coaches are trained lifeguards, so the likelihood of anything happening is extremely low.
We highly recommend you try upstream surfing. In the end, it wasn’t as difficult as we initially thought. Even those participants who had never been on a surfboard before ended up surfing really well on the Inn. The guys at Up Stream Surfing are super laid-back, and you quickly notice that they do their job with a lot of passion and love for the sport of surfing.
Book a surf session
You can book your session on the Up Stream Surfing website. The 3-hour Up Stream course currently costs just €59 per person, including coaches and equipment. You can also book a 1.5-hour taster course for €39 or a 90-minute surf session for advanced surfers for €29. The small group size of a maximum of 7 people per course is also very pleasant, so there aren’t long waits at the ropes. A big thank you to the team for this fantastic experience!
2. Trekking with Icelandic horses
“The happiness of this earth lies on the back of a horse…” So the saying goes. Admittedly, we’ve had little to no contact with horses up until now. But here in Innsbruck, we were able to experience a ride on Icelandic horses and were excited to see if we would find “happiness.” We drove to the Almhof Mareil, located between Kühtai and Ochsengarten. In a beautiful setting, we met Harald, who offers rides through the wonderful Alpine mountains with passion and dedication.
His 5 Icelandic horses are very experienced, friendly, and sure-footed. We received a brief introduction, a helmet, and then we were off. Harald led the group on foot, with us following on horseback. The weather was perfect, and so we enjoyed the spectacular view of the valley and the mountains on horseback. After about an hour, we returned and said goodbye to Harald and his horses. We’re not experienced horse lovers, but this tour was truly beautiful.
Tours for all tastes
Various tours are offered. We did the 1-hour riding tour, which costs €25 per person (for 2 people or more). Two hours are available for €45, 4 hours for €80, and the day tour costs €120 per person. If you do a tour entirely on your own, you’ll have to pay a single rider surcharge of €10. The various riding tours are suitable for both beginners and advanced riders. We had no experience with horses, but felt very confident after just a few meters. More information here: Horseback riding in Kühtai.
3. Sulzkogel – Our first 3000m peak
We love being in nature and we love climbing mountains even more. Especially in recent years, we’ve undertaken many fantastic hikes, for example in Poland, Slovakia, Iceland, Mauritius, South Africa, or even Austria. Hiking is a wonderful way to unwind, leave everyday life behind, and be in the here and now. We especially enjoy the challenge that a hike presents. I found a very beautiful and fitting quote from Peter Habeler:
Walking, moving, climbing a mountain and descending again – that’s a parallel to life. Seen in this way, the mountain has great symbolic power and significance.
Peter Habeler (*1942), Austrian extreme mountaineer and first ascent of Mount Everest without artificial oxygen
Around Innsbruck, you’ll be spoiled for choice, as there are countless peaks and hiking routes. For us, the hike was Sulzkogel, a 3,016-meter-high mountain in the Stubai Alps. It’s said that this hike is one of the “easier” ones when it comes to climbing a 3,000-meter peak. Marco has certainly snowboarded at over 3,000 meters in the Austrian mountains before, but climbing a summit under his own steam is a completely different story.
We took the Three Lakes Cable Car for a leisurely 15-minute ride to the mountain station, from where numerous hikes start. A round-trip ride costs €16 for adults. However, with the Welcome Card Plus, you don’t have to pay for this. You can find out more about this card at the end of the article. But now let’s get back to our hike. After leaving the mountain station behind us, we hiked towards the Drei-Seen-Hütte and the dam of the Finstertal reservoir (elevation 2325 m).
Over scree and rock to the destination
After about 1.5 hours We reached the turnoff to the Sulzkogel, and from then on, the ascent on hiking trail 146a was over scree, small streams, and rocks. It was virtually impossible to get lost, as every few meters we spotted the white and red trail markers on large stones. Step by step through the barren highlands, we approached our goal and reached the top after a total of 3.5 hours. The path up wasn’t particularly “pretty,” but the view was even more so!
The climb was quite strenuous, and a few beads of sweat rolled down our foreheads. We made it! So there we were… at an altitude of 3016 meters. No matter which direction we looked, we could see striking mountain peaks everywhere. In the distance, we even saw snow-capped peaks. What a view! We were incredibly proud to have mastered this challenge. After a break and some souvenir photos, we made our way back.
Break at the Drei-Seen-Hütte
As is well known, going downhill is much quicker, so we left the scree and rocks behind us after just an hour, followed the path past the dam, and after about two hours, reached the Drei-Seen-Hütte (2334 m). Under blue skies and sunshine, we made ourselves comfortable on the terrace and ordered Kaiserschmarrn (sweet pancakes), coffee, and a shandy. After this hike, we simply deserved it! We then walked back to the train station and, after a good 6.5 hours, were back at the valley station of the Drei-Seen-Bahn.
In total, you should plan 6.5 to 7 hours for this hike (including a break at the Drei-Seen-Huette). Keep in mind, however, that the last cable car leaves around 4:30 p.m. If you miss it, you’ll have to plan on an hour’s walk back down. Without the ascent and descent, the hike takes approximately 7.5 to 8.5 hours. Many other hiking adventures await you around Innsbruck. Check out the Innsbruck Tourism website; you’ll find plenty of inspiration there.
4. Excursion to the Mutterer Alm
Another highlight of our trip was the excursion to the Mutterer Alm. We took a taxi for about 15 minutes to the Mutterer Alm cable car, which opened at 9 a.m. After picking up our tickets at the ticket office, we boarded the gondola and rode up. Once at the top (1608 m), we made our way to the small panoramic lake, which we had previously spotted in some photos. After a 10-minute walk, we reached this reservoir and could hardly believe our eyes…
With a view of the Nordkette
The water, the blue sky, the small wooden bridge, the Karwendel Mountains on On the other side, the view of the Inn Valley – WOW! Two hiking friends were sitting on the bench, chatting. Otherwise, there was no one else in sight; we were practically alone. “So if I lived here, I would be here very often in the morning to start the day with this magnificent view.” We highly recommend this place, especially early in the morning, before the first tourists, hikers, and bikers arrive.
Whether in summer or winter, this area around the Mutterer Alm is a true paradise for active vacationers. You’ll find numerous hiking trails, an adventure playground for children, rest areas, adventurous single trails, and bike routes (click here for the hiking map). In winter, toboggan runs, over 15 kilometers of slopes, spectacular deep snow runs, and much more await you here.
5. Action with Mountain Carts
We could have taken the cable car back down to the valley, but we were really in the mood for some action! So we opt for the cool mountain carts. These are large, sturdy tricycles that let you race the five kilometers down into the valley! On specially cordoned-off paths! How cool is that!? Depending on your daring, the ride takes about 15-20 minutes and costs €8. The dual-circuit braking system, safety fences, barriers, and helmets ensure the necessary safety. We had an incredible amount of fun, cheering and screaming the whole time! After about 15 minutes we were back at the valley station and continued on to our next Innsbruck outdoor activity.
6. Off to the Nordkette
Now another great outdoor activity awaited us in Innsbruck. As the saying goes, “You haven’t been to Innsbruck if you haven’t been to the Nordkette.” No sooner said than done! The modern Hungerburgbahn took us directly from the Congress station from an altitude of 560 to 2,256 meters in just 30 minutes. The ride ended at the Hungerburg station, where we had to change to a cable car. Our first highlight of the ride was crossing the river with a beautiful view of the mountains. The stations of the Hungerburgbahn* were designed by the star architect Zaha Hadid, who was inspired by glaciers.
Top of Innsbruck
Arriving at the “Top of Innsbruck”, a spectacular view of Innsbruck and the Karwendelgirbe. Only a few minutes’ walk separated us from truly beautiful viewpoints, such as the Karwendelblick or the Innsbruckblick. The highest point, by the way, is on the Hafelekarspitze at an altitude of 2,334 meters, which you can reach after about a 15-minute walk. From this point, you have a breathtaking 360° view. But the views from the other points are also magnificent and worth the trip. If we’d had more time, we would have gone hiking. But what hasn’t happened yet, can still happen.
What else awaits you on site: via ferratas, hiking trails, slopes and Skyline Park, geotrails, a panoramic restaurant and shop (Seegrube station), adventurous bike trails, and launching points for paragliding and hang gliding. Whether you’re just making a short detour or planning a longer hike, the Nordkette in Innsbruck is definitely a MUST! The cable cars run every 15 minutes year-round. The ticket costs €38 online for adults, and children receive a discount (book online here*). With the Innsbruck City Card, the ride is even free.
7. Climb like the pros
Tirol is a paradise for climbing enthusiasts. Whether via ferrata, bouldering, indoor climbing, sport climbing garden, or ice climbing – there’s an adventure for everyone. We had originally planned a climbing course in a quarry, but due to the rain the night before, we went to the Innsbruck Climbing Center (KI). This shouldn’t spoil the fun, though; after all, this center only opened in 2017 and is one of the largest and most modern sport climbing facilities in the world! In addition to amateur climbers, the national team’s professionals also train there. The World Climbing Championships were even held here in 2018.
The center, with its huge climbing towers, is hard to miss. When we reached the facility, some people were already busy climbing the walls, rappelling, or lying exhausted on the ground. The term “climbing hall” doesn’t do the center justice, because the size of the facility is gigantic:
- approx. 3,900 m² of usable space
- of which 1,850 m² rope climbing &
- 1,100 m² bouldering area
- 5,700 m² (!) climbing wall area
- approx. 500 routes
- more than 3,000 safety devices installed
- 30,000 holds were screwed on
- Cost: around 12 million €
For beginners, advanced climbers & Professionals
We spent more than 2 hours at the climbing center with our guide Matthias (a state-certified mountain and ski guide), climbing various routes. At first, I (Bolle) was a bit wary of the height (up to 20 meters), but my fear quickly subsided as we were well secured at all times. That’s the difference from bouldering, where you climb without a safety harness. I’m much more confident with secured climbing and enjoy climbing at daring heights. We definitely had a lot of fun at the climbing center and can only recommend a session there.
Conclusion – Innsbruck Outdoor Activities
What a great trip that was! Surf sessions like in Bali, trekking with Icelandic horses, climbing where even the pros train, scrambling to over 3,000 meters under our own steam… Innsbruck showed off its truly diverse side. We loved the city so much! We’ll definitely be back! Experiencing something different every day was incredibly fun. If you enjoy being outdoors, you’ll definitely love Innsbruck.
We especially liked the wide range of outdoor activities, the beautiful landscapes, the mountain views, and the very friendly people. Innsbruck itself is a totally relaxed and cool city, with many great highlights waiting for you. You’ll find a separate post about that here on the blog soon. We 100% recommend a vacation in and around Innsbruck!
Our Accommodation in Innsbruck
After a relaxing journey by train, we checked into the beautiful Design Boutique Hotel Nala*, located right in the city center of Innsbruck. It was only a 10-minute walk from the main train station. We were really excited about our room and the garden with pond, which has been praised so much online. The hotel has a restaurant, fitness center, and a 24-hour reception. After checking in, we headed toward the garden to our apartment. All 57 rooms of the boutique hotel are completely different, individual, and furnished with great attention to detail.
Our Garden Apartment featured a comfortable couch with a TV, a seating area with a table and chairs, a small desk, a kitchenette with a refrigerator, coffee machine, and dishwasher, and a cozy bed behind the bathroom. We first made ourselves a coffee and, of course, also took a look at the truly beautiful garden and the stylish restaurant. This hotel is located right in the center, yet you don’t notice any of it, and you can relax wonderfully. We can also recommend the hotel 100%.
Welcome Card for Innsbruck
For stays of just two nights, you’ll receive the so-called Welcome Card for Innsbruck completely free of charge. With this guest card, you get free and discounted admission to numerous leisure activities. Travel on public transport and mountain railways is also partially free. There are three different versions of the Welcome Card: Welcome Card (from 2 nights), Welcome Card plus (from 3 nights) and Welcome Card unlimited (from 2 nights + 65€). The last two versions offer additional discounts and free travel. You can find more information here: Welcome Card Innsbruck.
- DreiSeenBahn in Kühtai (free)
- Muttereralmbahn (free)
- Guided hikes & hiking bus
- Tyrolean evening from July – October
- 50% discount for swimming lakes & Swimming pools
- 20% discount on the Nordkette cable car
- and much more…
Save with the Innsbruck Card
If you have enough time and want to see a lot in Innsbruck, the Innsbruck Card is also worth it. With this card, you can explore the city for 24, 48, or 72 hours and benefit from many discounts and free admissions. Public transport, the sightseeing bus, various mountain railways, and attractions are free with this card (order here). With the card you can save between 47€ and 159€!
- Free local transport
- KaiserliHofburg (free entry)
- View from the City Tower (free)
- Free entry to Swarovski Crystal Worlds
- Goldenes Dachl Museum (free entry)
- Bergisel Ski Jump Stadium
- Ambras Castle Innsbruck
- Innsbruck Nordkette Cable Car (free)
- 3-hour city bike ride
- and much more…