Zell am See-Kaprun Summer Bucket List

What to See & Do in Zell am See-Kaprun in Summer

Discover the top things to see & Do in Zell am See-Kaprun in the Summer with our Zell am See-Kaprun Summer Bucket List.

Zell am See-Kaprun is a well-known winter ski resort, but it is also a premier summer resort.

Summer in Zell am See-Kaprun is all about the spectacular scenery—the mountains and the lake. You are surrounded by the most breathtaking panoramas, with long summer days when the sun is glistening off Lake Zell and the pristine mountain air. Discover the Hiking, biking, water sport adventures for young and old, sports enthusiasts, sightseers, and enjoyers of all things leisurely.

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How long do you need to Visit Zell am See-Kaprun ?

We recommend a minimum of 3-5 nights to visit Zell am See-Kaprun. There is so much to see and do. Having 3-5 days would allow you to visit most of the sights and also have some time for just soaking in all the fresh alpine air and beauty.

 Top Money-Saving Tip

Zell am See-Kaprun Summer Card

If you choose to stay with an accommodation that provides the Zell am See-Kaprun Summer Card. Accommodations providing the Summer Card tend to be more expensive, but you save a lot of money.
The Zell am See-Kaprun Summer Card gives you free use of gondolas (~40-50€/ day/ adult), free entry to most sights, free use of lidos (beaches), free boat trip on Lake Zell + much more. More information HERE

Grüße! I am Tammy

I am lucky to live in Zell am See-Kaprun.
I am excited to share my passion for this wonderful region of Austria and help you plan your most epic Alpine Holiday.

Tammy of Wanderlustria on a hike on the Maiskogel

The 9 Bucket List of Things to See & Do in Zell am See-Kaprun

Click on one of the pictures to learn more

Kitzsteinhorn Glacier

View of the panorama from summit of Schmittenhöhe

Schmittenhöhe Mountain

View of the mountains and Kitzsteinhorn from the Maiskogel

Maiskogel Mountain

a hut next to the green water of the Klammsee in Kaprun

Sigmund Thun Klamm

High Mountain Reservoirs

Lake Zell

Großglockner High Alpine Road

Tauern Spa

Krimml Waterfalls

Kitzsteinhorn Glacier

The Kitzsteinhorn Glacier, at 3,203m (10508 feet), is the highest mountain in Salzburgerland, located in the Hohe Tauern National Park.
Kitzsteinhorn is in Kaprun and was Austria’s first glacier ski resort. It is also one of the most popular summer sights in Austria.

The Kitsteinhorn Valley Station on Kesselfallstraβe is approximately 8 km from the centre of Kaprun and is easily accessible by car or Bus 660.

Picture of 2 hikers resting on a bench at Kitzsteinhorn

Z Visit the highest point in Salzburgerland (the summit of Großglockner is just over the border in Carinthia)

Z Epic mountain panoramas from two viewing platforms

Z Visit the Gipfelwelt 3000

Z Have lunch, a snack or a drink at the highest restaurant in Salzburg with panoramic views of the Hohe Tauern mountains.

Z See snow in summer and even have a chance to go toboganing

Z Starting point for hikes from easy to expert as well as mountain biking trails.

View of glaciers from the Nationalpark Gallery Kitzsteinhorn

How long to visit: The ascent from the valley takes ~ 60 minutes. We recommend that you plan a minimum of half a day to visit the Kitzsteinhorn Glacier. There are many activities and sights on the Kitzsteinhorn glacier to fill a full day of exploring.

For hiking on the Kitzsteinhorn you require the Top of Salzburg Ticket. Find out more information Here

Note: The Zell am See-Kaprun Summer Card provides free gondola rides from the Kitzsteinhorn Valley station on the Gletscherjet/Panoramabahn. You do not need a ticket if you have a Summer Card.
However, there is an additional fee if you wish to take the gondola from the Kaprun Centre.

Schmittenhöhe Mountain

The Schmittenhöhe Mountain (1965m/ 6540 feet) is on the eastern edge of the Kitzbühel Alps, separated from the Hohe Tauern range by the Salzach valley.
Although Schmittenhöhe is not as high as the Kitzsteinhorn, it still is worth a visit to the summit for the fantastic vistas. The panorama from the summit has views to the verdant valley, Lake Zell, and in the distance up to thirty 3,000m mountains including the Kitzsteinhorn, Groβglockner and Groβvenediger of the Hohe Tauren Range and to the east the Steinernes Meer.

Z Starting point for hikes from from leisurely nature walks to high altitude hikes

Z Various family-friendly activities including Schmidolin the little dragon’s adventure park

Z Enjoy fast-paced fun at the e-Motocross park for adults and children from the age of 6

Z Enjoy the panoramic view from the Kaiserblick (The Emperor’s view) viewing platform

Z Soar above the landscape on a tendem paragliding flight that departs from the summit

Z There are plenty of mountain Alms and Gasthäuser on the Schmittenhöhe Mountain where you can relax, soak in the panoramas and the summer sun while you enjoy one of the many Pinzgauer specialities.

How long to visit: The ascent from the valley takes ~ 30 minutes. We recommend that you plan a minimum of half a day to visit the Schmittenhöhe mountain. There are many activities for a full day’s itinerary.

Opening times and ticket prices HERE

Note: The Zell am See-Kaprun Summer Card provides free gondolas on Schmittenhöhe from May 15 to October 31. You do not need to buy a ticket if you have a Summer Card.

Maiskogel Mountain

The Maiskogel Mountain (1570 m /5150 feet)) located in the centre of Kaprun, is the Kitzsteinhorn’s baby brother.
From the Maiskogel, there is a 365°C mountain panorama to Kitzsteinhorn, Salzach valley, the Kitzbühel Alps, the Zeller See (Lake Zell) and the mountains of the Steinernes Meer (Rocky Sea).

Z The MK Maiskogelbahn takes you directly from the Kaprun Centre to the summit.

Z Starting point for many hikes, including the family-friendly Maiskogel Hut Tour

Z The sunny terraces of the Maiskogel Alms and Gasthaus are the ideal spots to sit back and relax

Z Fasten your seatbelt and race down the Maiskogel on the Maisiflitzer Alpine Coaster.

Opening Times and Ticket Information HERE

Note: The Zell am See-Kaprun Summer Card provides a free ride on the MK Maiskogelbahn gondola from May 15 to October 31. If you have the Summer Card you do not need to buy a ticket.

3 cows grazing on the mountain pasture of Maiskogel

Sigmund Thun Klamm

The Sigmund Thun Klamm (gorge) is a natural formation. Around 14,000 years ago, a retreating glacier carved a 32m (105 feet) deep and 320 m (1050 Feet) long gorge in the valley.
Timber boardwalks and bridges meander through the narrow Sigmund-Thun Klamm over rock formations, waterfalls, eddies, and whirlpools of the Kapruner Ache River. At the top of the gorge, the trail continues around the turquoise waters of the Klammsee, near the base of the Kitzsteinhorn glacier.

How long to Visit: It takes approximately 1 hour to walk through the gorge. To walk around the Klammsee (lake), add another 1 hour.

The Gorge is open from May 9 to 30 September

Ticket and opening hours can be found HERE

Note: The Zell am See-Kaprun Summer Card provides free entry to the Sigmund Thun Klamm from May 15 to October 31. You do not need a ticket if you have a Summer Card.

Kaprun High Mountain Reservoirs

Every year, more than 100,000 tourists visit one of the most Instagrammable sites in Kaprun—the High Mountain Reservoirs (Hochgebirgsstauseen).

The Wasserfallboden (1672 m /5490 feet) and Mooserboden (2036 m /6680 feet) are high mountain reservoirs that seem like fjords with their turquoise waters surrounded by 3000 m peaks.

The melting snow from the Pasterzen Glacier of the Groβglockner fills the dams with water which produces a considerable percentage of Austria electricity each year.

Z Ascend to the High Mountain Reservoirs by Europe’s largest inclined lift, followed by a bus to the Mooserboden reservoir.
Z Panoramic views of the Mooserboden and Wasserfallboden and surrounding Alpine peaks of the Hohe Tauern Mountains.

Z Starting point for several mountain hikes

Z Visit the “Power and Ice Adventure World“ to learn about the history of dam construction and their operation.

Z Via Ferrata routes in the Höhenburg and MOBO 107 at the Mosserboden dam wall.

Z Enjoy a meal, snack or drink at one of the mountain huts or the Mosserboden mountain restaurant.

How long to visit: The ascent from the valley to the reservoir takes ~ 45 minutes. We recommend that you plan a visit to the High Mountain Reservoirs for a minimum of half a day.

Open from May 26 to October 12 daily from 8:10 am

Opening hours and more information HERE

Note: The Zell am See-Kaprun Summer Card provides free entry to the High Alpine Reservoirs from May 15 to October 31. You do not need a ticket if you have a Summer Card.

Lake Zell

Zeller See is a crystal clear glacial alpine lake located at the base of the Schmittenhöhe Mountain.
Deep green pastures surround the lake, which is 3.8 km long and up to 1.5 km wide. It is one of the cleanest lakes in Europe.

Z Go Swimming. There are several lidos (public beaches), sunbathing lawns and lake cafes at Zell am See, Thumersbach and Schüttdorf. These spots provide the perfect opportunity to jump into the lake, whose average summer water temperature is 21 °C.

Z Explore the lake with electric boats, paddle boats, row boats, sailboats and SUPs that can be rented at various kiosks along the lake.

Z Enjoy a 45 minute panorama cruise of Lake Zell which depart from the Esplanade. More information HERE

Z Try your luck at fishing for whitefish, pike, perch, lake char, zander and lake trout, which can be caught from April to November. Fishing licenses are required HERE

Z On summer evenings, Lake Zell explodes with colour, and the water dances to the rhythm of the Laser and light show. The show can be watched from the music pavilion at the lake promenade.

Note: The Zell am See-Kaprun Summer Card provides free entry to the Lake Zell lidos and one free boat cruise from May 15 to October 31. You do not need tickets if you have a Summer Card.

Groβglockner High Alpine Road

When you visit Zell am See-Kaprun in the summer, you cannot miss out on one of the world’s best Alpine driving experiences.

The Groβglockner High Alpine Road (Großglockner Hochalpenstraße), ~20 km from Zell am See-Kaprun, climbs up Austria’s highest mountain, the Groβglockner and its glacier, the Pasterze.
Its 48 km of 36 hairpin turns and serpentine bends ascending to 2,504 m (8215 feet), is one of the greatest alpine drives.
The Groβglockner Road leads from Fusch-Ferleiten in Salzburger Land to Heiligenblut in Carinthia via the Fuscher Törl and the Hochtor Pass at 2504 m. At every turn, there are vistas of snow-capped peaks, forested slopes and wildflower-covered pastures.
The Groβglockner High Alpine Road can be travelled by car, bus, motorbike or for the more adventurous by bike.

More than 900.000 guests visit the Grossglockner High Alpine Road every year, making it one of Austria’s top tourist destinations.

Open from early May to early November (weather permitting) from 6 am to 8 pm.

Opening hours and more information HERE

It is advisable to get an early start and to check the weather conditions before setting out.How long to visit the Großglockner High Alpine Road. There are many scenic stops, information stops, and restaurants on the road. I would take a minimum of 3-4 hours to drive. We recommend that you plan a full day to visit the Großglockner High Alpine Road.

The Glockner Bus takes you up the Großglockner High Alpine road to Kaiser Franz Josefs Höhe along with a guide. The Bus departs every Tuesday from May 27 to September 30, 2025. In July and August, buses depart every Tuesday and Thursday.

The Glocker Bus departs from Hinterglemm, Saalbach, Zell am See, Bruck or Fusch and departs from Kaiser Franz Josef Höhe at 15:00 (3 pm) returning to Hinterglemm at 18:00.

Information and tickets about the Glockner Bus Tour HERE

For more information Click Here

Driving the Grossglockner High Alpine Road

Tauern Spa

Kaprun’s Tauern Spa resort is the largest spa and wellness centre in Austria. It is a 4-star spa resort in the heart of Kaprun.
Relax away your worries in the spa, aqua & sauna world. This facility has 13 saunas, from Finnish to herbal saunas; 12 pools, including outdoor and saltwater pools; 17 treatment rooms for massages, wraps, nourishing baths or beauty treatments.

Kids can also have a ‘Spa day’ in the children’s area which has an outdoor water park with water slides, play pool, a baby pool, youth pool, volleyball court and climbing wall.

Tauern Spa also has three restauarnts

Opening hours and more information HERE

Krimml Waterfalls Day Trip

The Krimml waterfall is the largest waterfall in Europe and the 5th highest in the world. It is a must-do excursion from Zell am See-Kaprun.

The falls begin at the end of the Krimml Ache Valley and initially flow gently over 20km before they are transformed into a thunderous glacial stream that cumulates into the mighty Krimml Waterfalls.

The village of Krimml is located approximately 50 km east of Zell am See-Kaprun and can easily be reached by car or by the Pinzgauer Lokalbahn (train).
For bikers, it is possible to take the Pinzgauer train to Krimml in the morning and cycle the Tauern Cycling Trail (Tauernradweg) following the Salzach river through the Oberpinzgau valley and the picturesque villages of Neunkirchen, Mittersill and Piesendorf to arrive in Kaprun ( approximately 55 km).

The Krimml waterfalls are open from May 1 to Late October.
More information and Tickets HERE

Discover Zell am See-Kaprun

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What to do in Summer

Driving the Grossglockner High Alpine Road

FREE Public Transport in Salzburgerland

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