Ready for unique hiking experiences? Come with us on an unforgettable family holiday in Zauchensee!

Last summer, my family and I had a visit from dear friends from Germany. This was not only a great time of reunion, but also offered me the perfect opportunity for a change of perspective: Normally I work for the Zauchensee Lift Company - in this case I was able to discover, test and enjoy our hiking paradise myself with family and friends.

Today I'm taking you with me to Zauchensee. Experience a family holiday in the mountains with me, my family and our friends, where hiking fun is guaranteed for young and old!

My tip: It's even more fun with a look at our panorama webcams! Let's go!

Our friends can easily reach the Zauchensee mountain paradise in summer via the Tauern motorway A10, exit Altenmarkt. After a 15-minute drive through Altenmarkt and the forest along the Zauchbach stream, you have reached your destination. In Zauchensee, fresh mountain air and breathtaking views of green alpine meadows and sunny mountain peaks await the family of four.

My family and I meet our friends after checking in at their hotel, which is the perfect starting point for our mountain adventures. After a big "hello", we walk with all the kids to the Zauchensee World Cup Arena. Our destination is the Gamskogel Chairlift, which also operates in summer - a comfortable ascent for everyone and an adventure highlight for our kids. The lift ride with a convertible feeling not only spares the calves for further metres in altitude, but also offers a great view of the surrounding peaks and the grazing alpine animals.

Tip: The Gamskogelbahn cable car operates daily from mid-June to the end of September from 9 am to 12 pm and from 1 pm to 4 pm (except during heavy rain and thunderstorms).

Sliding down the hump of a cow, outdoing an eagle in a target flight, being as nimble as a squirrel or discovering masterfully camouflaged ptarmigans - our kids can let off steam in the Alpine Animals MasterCup around the Gamskogel Hut.

My children, Felix and Clara, are twelve and nine years old, and our friends' children, Elias and Hanna, are ten and seven. Our young testers get to know the animal professionals and their favourite discipline at the tricky stations in
the adventure playground, the "Champions Cup Arena", and along the three Champions Cup trails. They can discover and test their own talents at the various adventure stations.

At the Gamskogel Chairlift ticket office, we received the new Champions Cup game passes together with the lift tickets, which guide our young explorers through the stations and tasks. The children can also record their successes.Once they have mastered all the tasks, they exchange their full pass for a small reward at the Gamskogel Hut (or at the lift ticket office in the World Cup Arena).

Tip for older kids: In the meantime, we adults bask in the sun and enjoy delicacies from the kitchen of the mountain restaurant on the terrace of the Gamskogel Hut. We keep an eye on our kids at the adventure playground, but Germknödel (yeast dumplings), ice cream sundaes and the like are all ours for a change.

The next day we will be heading high up: the 4 Summit Tour is on the programme. As the name suggests, we will hike four mountain peaks around Zauchensee on this round tour: Gamskogel, Schwarzkopf, Tagweidegg and Arche.

To save energy for the 4.5-hour hike, we take the Gamskogel Lift up the first few metres and enjoy the warm morning sun. At the lift ticket office, when we bought our tickets, we received the 4-Summit Tour Pass, in which we can place a marker on each of the four summits - as proof that we have reached the summit.

The mountain station of the Gamskogel Chairlift is the starting point for the 4-summit tour. We hike past the Gamskogel Hut up to the Arche (2,060 m), the first summit. After the summit photos, the tour continues via the Seekarsattel to Tagweidegg (2,135 m), where we enjoy the magnificent view. Here we go our separate ways: my wife descends again with the two girls (seven and nine years old) towards the Gamskogel Hut, my twelve-year-old son Felix and ten-year-old Elias continue the 4-summit tour with us.Next, we climb the Schwarzkopf (2,263 m). We pay particular attention to the two boys, because surefootedness is required here. Then we reach the fourth and last peak of our circular hike, the Gamskogel (2,186 m). In winter, it will be the venue for the AUDI FIS Alpine Ski World Cup races, which will once again take place in Zauchensee on 10 and 11 January 2026.

My wife, Clara and Emma reached the Seekarsee after descending via the Seekarscharte. They walked around the glistening mountain lake and tried out the new activity stations to recharge their batteries. The new sunbeds offered them a welcome opportunity to relax. Our ladies were chauffeured to the Gamskogelhütte: The colourful slow train "Zauchi" took them past grazing cows and whistling marmots back to the Gamskogel Hut. The "Zauchi" goes back and forth between Seekarsee Lake and Gamskogel Hut every day during the main holiday season
(except when it rains).

At the Gamskogel Hut we all deserve a snack: a snack platter, Kaiserschmarrn (chopped pancake dish) and cool drinks taste even better after the hike!

On the third day, it's time to get out of bed early in the morning! At first it was a little difficult to get our children out of their cosy beds, but the prospect of an adventure such as the sunrise high up in the mountains quickly made us forget the early hour.

At dawn, we take the Gamskogelbahn cable car, which is in operation extra early today, up to 1,800 metres. Campfires await us at the mountain station and we occasionally spot other early risers. Suddenly, atmospheric tunes played on alpine musical instruments are heard. The quiet conversations fall silent and we gaze spellbound to the east, where it is getting brighter and brighter behind the mountain peaks. Suddenly the first rays of sunlight break through and then it's time: the sun rises over the mountains in a glowing red colour. A breathtaking sight that gives us all goose bumps!

As the sun bathes the surrounding mountain peaks in warm light, which we had climbed ourselves the day before, we look into the astonished eyes of our children: the second highlight of the morning for us parents! Almost too quickly. With coffee, tea, fruit juice, fresh bread and pastries, fruit and muesli, cheese specialities, fine delicacies and everything else that goes with it.

Freshly invigorated, we set off for a family hike after breakfast. From the Gamskogel Hut we hike comfortably over the Seekarscharte between Arche and Tagweidegg to the summit of the Rosskopf (1,929 m). Here we enjoy the wonderful view towards the Kitzsteinhorn, Grossglockner and Hochkönig. Via the Höchalm and the Unterbergalm our route leads us back to Zauchensee. The entire tour takes about two hours and is easily manageable even for younger children.

Unfortunately, the next day it's time to say goodbye again, as our friends are heading back home. We all agree: our hiking holiday together in Zauchensee was an unforgettable experience. For us parents and even more so for our children. The unique mountain landscape, the great hikes, the shared moments of enjoyment and the adventure highlights have brought us even closer together. We are already looking forward to the next time!

Did you also enjoy our adventures? Then discover the mountain summer in Zauchensee now!