Summer in the Alps
Our summer in the mountains - high alpine, close to nature, sporty, cheerful
Breathtaking peaks, flower-strewn alpine pastures, majestic glaciers, crystal-clear lakes, romantic mountain villages, sport and adventure in nature, or simply lazing around in a deck chair and letting your mind wander - this is how you imagine the perfect summer holiday in the mountains. A cliché? Yes, but a very nice one! And yes, the mountains of the Hohe Tauern National Park and the authentic atmosphere of our quiet high valley fulfill your longing for this ideal mountain world one hundred percent.
In the high alpine pastures, between 1,600 and 2,200 meters, lush flower meadows and romantic, crystal-clear mountain lakes invite the whole family to enjoy a leisurely hike. Easy to walk, your children will discover rarely seen mountain flowers like wild orchids, gentians, and mountain carnations, find safe opportunities to play by the water, and collect "gems" like rock crystal or serpentinite, the famous "Tauern green." A little tip for parents: Packed in a backpack, all this stuff gets damn heavy... 
. Luckily, there are many gondolas that will comfortably take you up the mountain and back. Free for our guests, thanks to our Carinthia Card!
Eager for a real mountain adventure? Here you go: Over seventy 3,000-meter peaks await you within just 20 km of our alpine chalet! Some of them can be conquered by experienced mountain hikers without ropes or ice axes, while others require climbing skills of the highest difficulty level. The Schober Group, rarely visited even in midsummer, is an El Dorado for true mountain enthusiasts, while the Goldberg Massif, where our chalet is located, offers leisurely tours that take in the historic past of Tauern gold mining. Incidentally, the Alpe-Adria Trail, the long-distance hiking trail from the Grossglockner to Muggia on the northern Mediterranean, passes right by our door.
Here with us, in the presence of the Grossglockner and in the heart of the Hohe Tauern National Park, you can experience unique mountain adventures together with your four-legged friend. Our mountains offer countless opportunities for mountain hikes with your dog, away from the hustle and bustle of tourists, where you can enjoy magnificent mountain panoramas, while your pet can discover unique new smells, sounds, and the joy of movement. This makes summiting shared summits well above 2,500 meters enjoyable.
An incomparable variety of alpine flowers thrives in the healthy natural surroundings of the Hohe Tauern National Park. The decisive contribution to biodiversity comes from the mountain meadows and pastures, those high-alpine regions where our mountain farmers' cows, sheep, and goats graze every summer. "Bestossen," the traditional use of alpine pastures, guarantees the survival of rare flowers and grasses and prevents the dangerous "bush encroachment," the uncontrolled growth of fast-growing shrubs that would overwhelm everything else. Alpine meadows are generally not treated with artificial fertilizers or pesticides. Their only fertilizer is what the cows and sheep leave behind after their meal – it doesn't get more organic than that.
Exquisite insider experience: A stylish private picnic at 2,000 meters. This is not only a treat for couples in love, but also a top-class Instagram story. As an official partner of the Hohe Tauern National Park, we'll reveal the "secret places" where this is possible... And of course, we'll also prepare your picnic basket: eclairs with Norwegian smoked salmon, "Quiche de Carinthia" with Mölltal mountain cheese, smoked farmer's meat and zucchini, octopus salad with potatoes (we get the octopus fresh from the Adriatic Sea daily), rosemary potatoes, all homemade. Accompanied by an exquisite sparkling wine from the legendary wine cellar of "hut host" Uli. Enjoy!
If you'd like to learn more about the food and drink at the Almchalet, please click here!
Even without a rope or ice axe, first-class mountain experiences await you here. Fantastic panoramic views, like this one on the ascent of the Stanziwurten (2,707 m) in the Goldberg Group near our Almchalet, showcase Austria's highest mountains. And many of these panoramic peaks can also be conquered by regular hikers. You don't need to fear "overtourism" or excessive crowds here. The southern Hohe Tauern are - still - an absolute insider tip. To reach our high valley, you'll have to make some effort to travel there. But the effort will be more than rewarded!
You'll find Austria's most beautiful and warmest mountain lakes here. Surrounded by magnificent hiking peaks, with crystal-clear bathing water and a Mediterranean flair, Lake Millstatt and Lake Ossiach await you and your children. About an hour's drive from our Almchalet, you can enjoy not only water fun until September, but also art and culture in ancient castles, monasteries, and museums. Plus, 100% free use of all scheduled boats thanks to our Carinthia Card. Culture, mountains, and lakes at no extra cost – that's what a vacation with us at the Almchalet offers you!
The summer holiday begins right on our doorstep, at the Grosskircheim natural adventure pool. In three pools, fed by the mineral water of our Upper Möll River and free of any chemicals, you and your children can enjoy water fun and competitive swimming in a magnificent mountain setting. The outdoor pool is a safe 20-minute walk from us, even for school-age children. The local lifeguard on site ensures uninterrupted swimming fun; problems like those found in many big city pools are unthinkable here. And if you're hungry or thirsty, the team at the Parkcafé Grosskirchheim will serve you everything from grilled sausages and fries to a fine meal at your poolside table. Visiting the natural outdoor pool is free for you as our guest thanks to the Carinthia Card!
Looking for a summer of adventure? No problem: whitewater rafting on the Möll River, via ferratas from easy to very difficult, paragliding – even as a ride along. The list of activities is as long as our mountains are high. And if you're looking for something a little more relaxed, how about fly fishing for mountain trout or even gold panning? With us, you can do it like in the old days in the gold-digging village of Fleißtal near Heiligenblut, with a realistic chance of success, and it's a fantastic and educational experience for your children. All equipment is provided, and the fun is free for you as our guest, thanks to the Carinthia Card!
Learn more about fishing in our crystal-clear mountain lakes and wild rivers
Grossglockner High Alpine Road, Nockalm Road, Villach Alpine Road, and Malta High Alpine Road – hese are some of the famous Alpine passes and dreamy road trips for bikers and classic car drivers. These are top-class driving routes where the journey becomes the destination. Breathtaking views, equally breathtaking curves, routes that challenge your driving skills, and rest areas with authentic huts and mountain inns are all part of the package. Absolutely worthwhile day trips, even for families, where you can combine the fun of driving with a day of adventure in our mountains. But please remember: Our passes are not race tracks; cruising is the motto, not speeding! Almost all Carinthian mountain roads, such as the Nockalm, Malta, or Villach Alps, are free for you as a guest of our chalet, and you receive a discount on the day ticket for the Glockner Pass thanks to the Carinthia Card!
Whether leisurely or sporty – our cycle paths and mountain bike routes offer a cycling experience for every fitness level and every taste. You can start right from our front door, whether on a mountain bike or a road bike. The mountain road to us – rarely used by cars – is paved all the way to the chalet, and we regularly have guests who set off on their racing bikes for early morning exercise to the Franz-Josefs-Höhe or even the Edelweißspitze (2,572 m) on the Großglockner Pass. The 80-kilometer-long Großglockner Cycle Path R8 runs almost flat along the Möll River from Heiligenblut to Spittal an der Drau and is also perfect for families with children. While you'll have to climb almost 300 meters from the valley floor on the return to the chalet, this is no longer a problem with an e-bike. You can also rent e-mountain bikes at the sports shop in Heiligenblut.
Mountain air makes you thirsty and hungry! But fortunately, there are plenty of rustic huts, snack bars, and mountain inns in our alpine region where you can enjoy your well-earned rest after the hike. Authentic regional dishes such as Carinthian cheese dumplings, home-smoked bacon and sausages, and cheese straight from the alpine pasture await you there. At altitudes between 1,700 and 2,800 meters, you'll enjoy magnificent views and mountain panoramas for free. Some of them are accessible by car via alpine roads, while others are conveniently accessible by gondola from Heiligenblut, the Mölltal Glacier, or Ankogel – free of charge for our hotel guests, of course. This means that even older guests or families with small children can easily experience the mountain hut atmosphere.
Casual enjoyment, plenty of space, plenty of time, plenty of freedom – that's what we mean by our motto "Cabin Romance + Chalet Comfort." Do you love the privacy of your own holiday home, but still don't want to miss out on a bit of luxury? Then our Almchalet Goldbergleiten is just right for you: 3 romantic bedrooms, each with a mountain view, a perfect country-style kitchen, a rustic farmhouse kitchen, a separate reading room with antiques, and plenty of space across approximately 120 square meters. Plus, two large balconies, a secluded sun terrace, and a garden with stunning mountain views – this is chalet vacation at its finest. It doesn't matter if the weather isn't perfect.
Here you can find out everything about our Almchalet and its amenities.
By the way, late summer is still a real summer here on the south side of the Hohe Tauern and is ideal for mountain hikes and climbing tours in the high mountains. Due to the special microclimate, the risk of thunderstorms in the evening is low, visibility on the peaks is perfect, and during a north foehn wind, daytime temperatures can quickly rise to up to 25°C. Our large stands of larch and sycamore trees are also famous, glowing in the golden-red colors of the "Indian Summer" well into November. The excursion boats on Lake Millstatt and Lake Ossiach also operate until the end of October. This is also the peak season for collecting delicious mushrooms, or "Schwammerl," in our forests.
Click here for our special offer for mushroom lovers.
The Carinthia Card is a summer hit with our guests! All mountain railways in our region, including the Ankogel and Mölltal Glaciers, the excursion boats on Lake Millstatt and Lake Ossiach, the beautiful Grosskirchheim natural adventure pool, within walking distance of the chalet, and many other indoor and outdoor pools in our area are free for you and your family to use during the summer season. Plus, there are over 100 other museums, castles, and amusement parks throughout Carinthia, such as the eagle shows and the Monkey Rock at Landskron Castle, the World Heritage Sites of Millstatt Abbey and the treasury of Gurk Cathedral, historic mines, and the remarkable Tauern Gold exhibition down in our village. Even a rainy day won't be boring
You don't need to buy the Carinthia Card separately; you'll receive it as a free, all-inclusive service from the first to the last day of your vacation. This can easily save a family a few hundred euros on vacation!
The exclusive hikes and nature excursions with the rangers of the Hohe Tauern National Park are a unique holiday experience. Ibex observation, glacier hikes, geological excursions, flower and herb learning for children, or stargazing in the Astental Valley, far away from any urban light pollution – these are just a few examples of what you can experience here. The expert rangers can explain everything clearly and engagingly, also in English, and there are tours for every fitness level. And because our chalet is an official partner of the National Park, these nature experiences are free for you!
Here you'll find all summer excursions with the National Park Rangers
