22 Very Different Ways to Hike by the Water

Fantastic views across the lakes and surroundings are your reward for hiking up high. Options range from quick detours to the summit to multi-day tours.

One particularly notable example is the Alpe-Adria-Trail, offering 43 stages across a considerable 750 kilometres. The long-distance hiking trail leads from Austria’s highest mountain, the Großglockner, through three regions– Carinthia, Slovenia, and Friuli Venezia Giulia – to the Adriatic. Rivers, lakes, and finally the sea are the silent yet impressive companions on this journey. Take the two stages by Lake Millstatt, for example, in which the views of the water resting far below change with every metre you climb. And after descending from the Millstätter Alpe, you get your reward: a well-deserved swim in the crystal clear lake.

Do you like things to be spectacular? Hiking to wild waters guarantees intense encounters with nature, feeling the force of this primary element up close.

You can get particularly close at the Krimml Waterfalls, which offer plenty of superlatives. They are said to be one of the world’s most impressive natural spectacles and Europe’s highest. What is certain is that there is a well maintained waterfall trail with plenty of vantage points and platforms that leads you right up to the raging water.

This tour is not for the faint-hearted. The torrent forces its way through narrow gorges, cascading down into a bubbling pool from a great height – with you right in the middle of it. When canyoning, you only hike half the way up to the entrance of a gorge. The way down involves climbing, jumping, sliding, and swimming, accompanied by a guide and protective equipment, of course. Your courage is rewarded with completely new insights into almost untouched nature and the realisation that adrenaline can really heat you up!