by Celine Tay on 4 July 2025
In mid May, I packed my backpack along with my 61 years old mum and some friends for a hiking trip in Austria. Though she’s not a regular hiker, we’ve done several hiking trips on tropical rainforest terrains (she was comfortable hiking on our Padang and Ulu Baram trails) and as this was our first time in Europe; we hiked terrains that were completely new to us. So rest assured, here are some easy yet absolutely stunning day hikes you can do in Austria.
My priority in building this hiking themed road trip was that each hike or destination had to be unique – so you don’t see us doing repetitive activities like visiting more than 1 fortress or doing multiple lake hikes. Each spot had a special purpose (an alm, a suspension bridge with a view, a castle ruin, a trail with war remnants, etc.)
Scroll to the bottom for the cost breakdown and packing list.
Day 1 – Munich > Salzburg
- Arrival in Munich
- Train to Salzburg : €18pp
- Collect Rental Car : €360 @ 9 days
-We booked our rental from Alamo via Auto Europe because of the good reviews and far more reasonably priced insurance.
-We got a Yaris Cross Compact SUV for our group of 5. It was a (manageable) squeeze on the days we moved from home to home.
-Make sure you consider to pay extra if you need to cross country (some routes are quicker to pass through Germany/Italy depending on where you are headed.)
-For Malaysians, it is required to have an International Driving Permit. It costs RM150 to apply at any JPJ office. No online application system is available for now. - Grocery Run
-We did grocery runs almost every alternate day – our personal favorite are Lidl (for the price and discounted section) and Billa (for the variety). - Check-in to Casa More, Anif : €135 for 5 pax, 1 night on Agoda
Day 2 – Salzburg City
- Check-out of Anif
- Free Walking Tour of Salzburg : Tip as you wish
-I highly recommend doing this – our guide Sonja showed us around all the famous spots on a quick 1.5 hours walk and told us many interesting backstories we wouldn’t have taken the time on our own to research (it was a lot).
-Doing this walk allows you to take note of what buildings/places you are more keen on and you can visit it later on your own, at your own pace. –Nothing like a local who can give you actually good info and recommendations! - Salzburg Cathedral Organ Concert : €9pp
-The concert only plays at specific times. On that Thursday we went, it was scheduled at 12pm.
-It was a lovely first-time experience but it isn’t for everyone.
-The ticket includes the general entrance fee so you can explore the rest of the cathedral after the concert. - Hohensalzburg (Salzburg Fortress) : €11.20pp
-Online and walk-in was the same price. We purchased on the spot (without the Funicular train as the walk up although steep, wasn’t long.)
-Be prepared to spend some time here as it is a big, enjoyable fortress to explore. It has a few viewpoints, a museum, and more. - Mirabell Garden
- Parking in the city : €43.20 x_x
-We parked at an underground lot close to our meet-up point with the Walking Tour guide. I’d recommend finding a street parking near to where you need to be, but please do your research on the parking fees beforehand. - Drive down & Check-in to Alpensicht, Schladming : €270 for 5 pax, 2 nights on Booking.com
Day 3 – Eisriesenwelt & Hallstatt
- Drive to Werfen
- Eisriesenwelt Ice Cave : €38pp
– Expect to spend at least 2 hours here. This experience was totally worth the price we paid (coming from a budget traveller!). The one thing we learnt from this trip is that if anything is priced higher than ordinary, it usually is worth paying for due to high and quality maintenance work.
– From the counter (it is cheaper to book online than in person), it is a scenic 20 mins walk up to the cable car and from the end point of the cable car, another 30 mins walk to the entrance of the ice cave.
- – We were given lamps with actual flames just like how they made their way around back then.
- There is a restaurant within the park so don’t worry about finding food while you’re here.
- Drive to Hallstatt Town
- Parking in Town: €10
– This town is sometimes described as a tourist trap by locals where you can expect a crowded experience (imagine loads of tour buses stopping by daily). I had my reservations but upon walking around, I’ve learnt why it go so famous.
– Although we did encounter many tourists (the most we’ve seen in one place throughout the whole trip), it was a pleasant experience for us as the crowd was much smaller possibly due to the rain and hour (we visited in the late afternoon, 3.30PM onwards).
– The popular photo spots are the view of the clock tower from the road below and from the church above. I highly recommend to visit the Catholic Church.
- Hallstatt lake & town is best viewed from below so don’t bother with taking the funicular train to the top if you don’t have the time.
- Must-try: this well-known berry egg tart. It’s superb. (Rührwerk Hallstatt Ofenfrische Schaumrollen)
Day 4 – Road Trip down to Kötschach-Mauthen
- Check-out of Schladming
- Drive to Gnadelen Falls (Pit stop for photo)
- Johannes falls (Cancelled due to weather)
A short peculiar trail that allows you to walk behind the waterfall. Unfortunately it was snowing heavily in the area and we were not prepared for the cold hike. - Millstatt am see Lake town visit
- Burguine Ortenburg (Castle ruin from the 11th century)
- Check-in to Chalet und Glamping Nassfeld, Kötschach : €388.50 for 5 pax, 2 nights on Airbnb
*The stay includes extra mandatory linen & towel fee.
Read more here (coming soon) about this beautiful glamping site.
Day 5 – Kleiner Pal / Pal Piccolo Hike
- Part 1: Kleiner Pal Hike (Italian side)
- Lunch at the Border Restaurant of Al Valico Carnico
- Part 2: Kleiner Pal Hike (Austrian side)
Click here for full hike details.
Day 6 – We head North, Visiting Großglockner on the way
- Check-out of Kötschach
- Pit stop: Jungfernsprung Wasserfall
This is a very short climb to get up close with this National Park Waterfall
- Drive to Großglockner Highway. Toll : €45 per car. Highly recommended.
- Großglockner Itinerary:
Head to Kaiser Franz-Josefs-Höhe for
– Panaroma Tower: Wild Ibex Sighting
– Look out for Wild Alpine Marmots & Mountain Hares everywhere
– Stop by Edelweißspitze (Famous Bent Road Viewpoint)
- Check-in to Saalfelden : €384.55 for 5 pax, 3 nights on Airbnb
Day 7 – Sulzenau Alm Hike
- Drive 2.5 hrs to Grawa Wasserfall
- Sulzenau Alm Hike
Click here for full hike details. - Toll: €4 per car
- Lunch at Innsbruck Town
- Wolfsklamm Gorge Monastery Hike (cancelled due to time constraint)
Day 8 – Olperer Hütte Hike
- Drive 2.5 hrs to Trailhead
- Olperer Hütte Hike
Click here for full hike details. - Toll: €18 per car
- Krimmls Wasserfall Hike (cancelled due to time constraint)
Day 9 – Back to Munich
- Check-out of Saalfelden
- Alpine Coaster (cancelled due to weather)
- Drive to Salzburg
-Souvenir Shopping
-Return Rental Car - Petrol Total : €115.13
- Train back to Munich : €18.90pp
- Check-in to Imperial Hotel, Munich : €127.71 for 5 pax, 1 night on Booking.com
Day 10 – Munich to KL
- Check-out of Imperial Hotel, Munich
- Group Train Ticket : €32 for 5 pax
This group ticket is available to purchase from the MVV kiosks (I did not find this option via the website). It is valid for the whole day and covers all public mode of transport around the town and even all the way to the airport. It is 5x cheaper than to pay for a single adult ticket. We used it for various tram, train and buses. - Nymphenburg Palace Visit
- Flight back to KL
COST BREAKDOWN
🛏️ Accommodation: RM1,300 (approx. RM145/€30 per night)
🎟️ Activity Fees: RM320/€70
🥪 Food & Souvenirs: RM760/€160
🚗 Compact SUV Car Rental: RM370/€80
⛽ Petrol, Toll & Parking: RM240/€50
🚂 Public Transport: RM230/€50
📱 Roaming: RM50
✈️ Return Flight from KUL: RM2,800/€580
Total cost per person: Approx. RM6,000/€1,250+
* Not including insurance & Intl. Driving Permit Expense