Salzburg Lakes Tour: Around the Lakes within the Foothills of the Alps
Self guided from EUR € 1298
Bike tour in Austria
Tap above to jump to different sections of this tour
-
Cycle the stunning lakes that surround one of Austria's most scenic cities
What is lovelier than being out and about, cycling along the banks of lakes, and just letting your spirit soar in a marvelous natural landscape? The cycle tour through the Salzkammergut area is wonderfully suited for this.
Only a few kilometers beyond Salzburg, you will be greeted by the luxury of a unique natural panorama. The gentle, hilly landscape of Salzburg's alpine foothills has a charm all of its own. You will cycle through beautiful landscapes, along wonderful lakes to the old imperial town of Bad Ischl. In a way, you will be traveling a whole world of clichés transformed into realities.
The ten lakes round tour is active recreation, experiencing nature and enjoying many attractions, such as the Schafberg mountain.
Highlights
- Salzburg's Old Town and Hohensalzburg Fortress
- World Heritage area around Lake Hallstatt
- Drachenwand near Lake Mondsee
- Mondsee Castle
- Imperial city of Bad Ischl
- Bad Goisern
- Lake Wolfgangsee
Learn More
Learn more about self-guided tours.
-
Traveler photos
-
Daily program
Day 1: Arrival to Salzburg
Welcome briefing and distribution of rental bikes upon arrival.
Overnight in Salzburg.Day 2: Salzburg – Lake Wallersee (31-37 miles/50-60 km)
Today, you will cycle along the Salzach to Oberndorf (birthplace of the Christmas carol "Silent Night"), Arnsdorf (the “Silent Night” Museum), Michaelbeuern (abbey), and further on into the Trumer Seen lakes country (Lake Obertrumer See, Lake Mattsee, Lake Grabensee) and partly also to Lake Wallersee.
Overnight in Lake Wallersee.Day 3: Lake Wallersee – Lake Mondsee (31 miles/50 km)
On the third day, the tour will take you through the nature reserve of the Egelseen lakes to Schleedorf. Later, you will continue to the idyllic Lake Irrsee. Overnight stay in Mondsee (castle, smokehouse).
Overnight near Lake Mondsee.Day 4: Lake Mondsee – Lake Traunsee (31-50 miles/50-80 km)
The day begins with cycling the shores of Lake Mondsee to Attersee. Later you have the option of a boat trip (July and August) or more cycling along the Attersee. Afterwards, you will cycle through the Aurachtal valley to Lake Traunsee along the way, if time allows, you will have the opportunity to explore the castle Orth and ceramics factory of Gmunden, bicycle museum of Altmünster, and the "Fishermen’s Pulpit" of Traunkirchen.
Overnight near Lake Traunsee.Day 5: Lake Traunsee – Lake Hallstättersee – Bad Goisern/surrounding area (12-22 miles/20-35 km)
By train you will go from Lake Traunsee up to Obertraun at Lake Hallstätt, where it is possible to visit the Dachstein mountainous ice caves. Later, you will continue along the lake to Hallstatt, considered "the loveliest lakeside location in the world" and boasting on of the oldest salt mines. Today's tour concludes in Bad Goisern or one of the neighbouring towns.
Overnight near Bad Goisern.Day 6: Bad Goisern/surrounding area – Lake Wolfgangsee (22 miles/35 km)
Cycle to visit the Emperor’s Park, Emperor’s Villa, Empress Sissi’s Teahouse of Bad Ischl. From here you will cycle along the Ischler Ache river to Lake Wolfgangsee: You will cycle through places such as St. Wolfgang where you may choose to visit the White Horse Inn, parish church, cog railway on to the Schafberg. Further along the route you will cycle through Strobl, Lake Abersee with the stunning Zinkenbachklamm gorge, then finally St. Gilgen - the Mozart village on Lake Wolfgangsee.
Overnight at Lake Wolfgangsee.Day 7: Lake Wolfgangsee – Salzburg (31-43 miles/50-70 km)
On the seventh day, you will follow the cycle route to St. Gilgen, and on to the deep blue Fuschlsee- From there cycle past the Hintersee lake, and the Strubklamm gorge into the Wiestal valley (dam); You will come through the Glasenbachklamm into the Salzachtal valley. Shortly before reaching Salzburg, it is worth visiting the castle Schloss Hellbrunn (park, zoo, water games). Your destination is the festival and Mozart city of Salzburg with its numerous attractions (fortress, old town)
Overnight in Salzburg.Day 8: Departure or extension
Travel home or stay extra nights in Salzburg.Please note that the itinerary is now based on the 2025 itinerary which has some minor changes from the 2024 itinerary.
-
Accommodation
Hotels
These are sample hotels and may vary based on availability.
Category A: 3- and 4-star hotels
Salzburg: Arcotel Castellani
Lake Wallersee: Hotel Walkner
Lake Mondsee: Hotel Kron
Lake Traunsee: Post Ebensee
Bad Goisern/surroundings: Moserwirt
Lake Wolfgangsee: Seehotel Huber
Local hotel taxes are not included in the tour price. These taxes typically range from €1-5 per person/night and must be paid at hotel reception upon checkout.
Interested in visiting other areas before or after your tour? Visit our hotels page to learn more about lodging options.
-
Bikes
Standard touring bike
These quality KTM bikes are the result of years of experience and continued development, always with the wishes and requirements of our guests in mind. The result is a solid, easy to use and travel-suitable bike with reliable brakes, an aluminium frame and top tires. This bike is well-equipped for every journey.
- Unisex (step-through) bike 21/24-speed with freewheel. Sizes: 56 / 51 / 46 / 43 cm (available for approx. heights between 58-75 in/148-190 cm)
- Men’s bike 21-speed with freewheel. Sizes: 63 / 60 / 56-51 "slopping" cm (available for approx. heights between 65-81 in/165-205 cm) Note: reservation is essential!
Specifications on standard touring bikes
- Modern, high-resistant aluminum frame
- V-brakes
- Aluminium-rims
- Reliable tires, which ensure high duration
- Shimano Alivio derailleur on 21-speed
- Selle Royal Saddles
*Posture for standard touring bikes will be upright for comfort
Bike rental plus, 27-speed, upgrade
The Bike Rental PLUS is designed by KTM and provides noticeable upgrades on many parts of the bike. From the saddle to the breaks and gears you will see even higher quality (for example even more precise components for braking and shifting). The Bike Rental PLUS allows for a slightly sportier riding posture and a high-quality Suntour suspension fork provides the best possible comfort across all surfaces.
Sizes: 63 / 60 / 55 / 51 / 50 / 46 cm (available for approx. heights between 61-81 in/155-205cm)
Upgraded components
- Hydraulic Magura HS 11 brakes
- Shimano Deore XT derailleur on 27-speed
- High-quality Suntour suspension fork
*Posture for Bike rental plus will be upright and forward
Electrically-assisted bike
Electric bikes allow you to have more mobility and be able to thoroughly enjoy every cycle tour. The "great equilizer" allows you to stay beside your friends or family on the road! These unisex bikes are comfortable to ride for both men and women.
Specifications on electrically-assisted bike
- Unisex bike 8-speed (Height approx. 148–195 cm)
- Bosch Active Line Plus motor
- Battery 550 Wh removable with mobile charger
- Hydraulic breaks
- Range up to 120 kilometres
Equipment included with the bike rentals:
- Saddle bag (water repellent), rear
- Handlebar bag (water repellent), with clear cover on top for map viewing
- Tools
- Pump
- Repair kit (with extra bicycle tube)
- Combination lock
Pedals:
The bikes will have flat pedals. If you want to bring your own pedals, please bring your own shoes and the necessary equipment to change the pedals.Helmets:
Helmets are not included with the bike rentals. We recommend, for safety and hygiene reasons, that you bring your own helmet.Dates
Daily: Apr 12 - Oct 5, 2025
Season 1: Apr 12 - Apr 18 | Sep 27 - Oct 5
Season 2: Apr 19 - May 16 | Sep 13 - Sep 26
Season 3: May 17 - Sep 12
Prices
Tour package
Season 1 Season 2 Season 3 Per person, double occupancy €1298 €1358 €1528 Single use room (1 person/1 room) €1667 €1727 €1897 Bike Rentals
Standard touring bike included Bike rental plus, 27-speed, upgrade €70 Electrically-assisted bike €170 Extra Nights, Salzburg
Season 1 Season 2 Season 3 Per person, double occupancy €99 €115 €125 Single use room (1 person/1 room €188 €204 €214 Discounts
Child, ages 0-5 sharing a room with 2 full paying adults (on base tour price)* 100% Child, ages 6-11 sharing a room with 2 full paying adults (on base tour price) 50% Child, ages 12-14 sharing a room with 2 full paying adults (on base tour price) 25% Person, ages 15 and older sharing a room with 2 full paying adults (on base tour price) 10% *Please note hotels may charge a fee for young children for crib use or additional meal costs. These fees will be assessed and paid on site.
Included services
- 7 nights accommodation
- Standard Bike Rental
- Breakfast
- Luggage transfer between hotels
- Detailed travel information (1 set per room; route maps, route description, tourist attractions, signposting along the route, and important telephone numbers)
- Service hotline for the duration of the tour
- Welcome briefing
- Boat ride on Lake Attersee incl. your bike for arrivals in July and August.
- Train journey Lake Traunsee – Lake Hallstätt incl. bike
- App navigation and GPS data
Surface and terrain
On lake shores and along the Salzach River, the bike routes are completely flat. The route in between the lakes is mainly hilly. Depending on the route you take, approximately one-third of the route is on cycle paths, while the rest is on meadow paths, country lanes, and quiet side streets with light traffic. Only a few, short sections are on streets with more traffic.
How to get there
Tour Start and End
Nearest aiport: Salzburg, Austria and, further away, Munich, Germany
Nearest train station: Salzburg, AustriaTips on getting to and from your tour
Reviews
-
★★★★★ Ann Darby 2 months ago
An adventure
Great trip, well planned, great accommodations and support, can't beat the location! Only a challenge was on day it rained!
- What was the date of your tour?
- Sept. 2024
- How many tours have you completed?
- 0
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Solo travelers, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
-
★★★★★ Steve and Marty October 6, 2023
Salzburg Lakes Tour
This was probably the most scenic tour we've taken. Lake Constance a close second. Hotels, E-bikes, orientation, the navigation app were all as advertised --- 5 star!! Of course we did have perfect weather for the entire trip except for our planned rest day in Bad Goisern. Hallstatt has become a tourist hotspot and I would suggest spending your time at the Dachstein Ice Caves instead of too much time in Hallstatt. The last day riding back into Salzburg was the best with lots of climbing but worth the effort for scenery and the downhill switchbacks. Ebikes are definitely recommended even if you are an avid and fit biker.
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 2023
- How many tours have you completed?
- 7
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Solo travelers, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
-
★★★★★ Glen Kropp October 3, 2023
Amazing bike tour
The trip was amazing, like riding in a postcard the whole time. Bike touring was the perfect way to experience Austria. Saw so many wonderful places, stayed in different hotels each night and got to experience all the different little towns. We had great fall weather for our trip and made for a perfect time!
-
★★★★★ Earl Naue August 9, 2022
Lakes Tour
The tour operator provided in person directions and instructions regarding the bike since our group used ebikes and they looked like new. In addition, the company provided a GPS app that kept us on course and we never go lost. The tour company was Eurobike and this is our second time with them and we will seek them out in the future. Lodging and food has always been great in Austria.
- What was the date of your tour?
- May 2022
- How many tours have you completed?
- 4
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Solo travelers, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
-
★★★★★ Timothy September 27, 2019
Fabulous trip through Austria
Excellent experience overall. Challenges with routing. Would be nice to have standard size bottle cages. Replace Eurobike app with layer on tap of Google maps, or add city and village names to Eurobike maps. Would like to have had overall map showing area we were riding.
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 6
- How many tours have you completed?
- One
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
-
★★★★★ TimHam September 23, 2019
Fantastic scenery
This was our 4th bike tour and without a doubt was the most beautiful scenery of them all. EuroBike, the local operator did a great job with an excellent briefing, with good bikes, a great itinerary on well marked Austrian bike paths and quiet country roads. This was our first tour with e-bikes, which I'd recommend given the hills. Their GPS app was problematic for us, but with their printed instructions and Google maps for bikes, we did just fine. I'd have given a 5 star rating except for the hotels... maybe because we booked late but we were assigned more 3 stars than 4, and in some cases the rooms were quite tiny. I know European hotels are not as we expect in Western hotels, but one on the hotels (Bad Goisen) was difficult to even move around with 2 (not large) suitcases. Hotel Kendler in St. Gilgen was fantastic (even at 3 stars).
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 8, 2019
- How many tours have you completed?
- 4
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat easier
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers, First-time bike tourists, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
-
★★★★★ Creaky September 11, 2019
Glorious views
A good tour through some great countryside with one rather dull stretch. Excellent organisation and accommodation; some bad weather the only downside.
- What was the date of your tour?
- 28/8/19-3/9/19
- How many tours have you completed?
- 13
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers, First-time bike tourists, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
-
★★★★★ John427 September 11, 2019
Great adventure
We had 7 perfect days of weather and beautiful scenery at every turn. We got a real taste of Austria by traveling its backroads and bike lanes. The hotels were excellent and breakfasts were substantial and delicious. One of our best vacations ever, looking forward to another trip in the future.
- What was the date of your tour?
- Aug. 25 to Sept 1
- How many tours have you completed?
- First one
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
-
★★★★★ Joannie September 8, 2019
This is our third bike trip, and by far the most scenic.
- What was the date of your tour?
- August 25 to Sept 2 2019
- How many tours have you completed?
- 3
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
-
★★★★★ Creaky August 10, 2019
Lovely lakes
Beautiful scenery and pleasant hotels. Good organisation as usual. One forest section (in pouring rain) was pure misery and wouldn’t have been terrific even in good weather.
- What was the date of your tour?
- 28/7-3/8
- How many tours have you completed?
- 15
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers, First-time bike tourists, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
-
★★★★★ Anne52 September 24, 2018
Gorgeous Salzburg Lakes Tour!
We had an outstanding week biking around five lakes in the Salzkammergut. We were so lucky with the weather, which was sunny every day except Friday, with highs in the 70's. The views on this trip are superb. We found the instructions to be very good, the hotels were all comfortable and had unbelievable breakfasts. The service at all the hotels was great. We are working on our 5th bike tour in Europe and this is one of our favorites. We were able to swim in four of the lakes and what a refreshing and awesome experience that was, too! One wish was that it would have been nice to have a paper map of Austria, or at least the Salzkammergut so that we could get an overall idea of where we were. All in all we would highly recommend this trip. Thanks to Stefan and everyone who made it possible!
- What was the date of your tour?
- Sept 9 - 15, 2018
- How many tours have you completed?
- Three previous ones.
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers, First-time bike tourists, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
-
★★★★★ ualift June 20, 2018
Could not have been better
Well thought out routes and hotel selection. Three 60 and 70 something guys on level 3 Salzburg Takes Tour had great trip with moderate riding. Variety of light to moderate terrain with scenery unparalleled on post cards was fantastic.
Everyone we encountered from booking to bike and route briefings was outstanding, helpful and seemed to love what they do.
I'll be looking at future trips as this one ranked very highlly!
- What was the date of your tour?
- 01 May 2018
- How many tours have you completed?
- first one
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers, First-time bike tourists, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
-
★★★★★ Jenrob August 9, 2017
Fantastic scenery !
Cycling in this area of Austria by bike was just perfect. The scenery was stunning. We were given a really good briefing st the start of the tour and we were provided with extensive maps and instructions to make our trip easy to follow. Having a phone no to ring if we got into trouble was also reassuring. We were mainly on good bike path so or very quite country roads so felt safe for the majority of the ride. We booked the higher grade of hotels as we wanted air conditioning in as early of hot weather. Unfortunately the hotels outside of Salzburg did not have air conditioning so this was a minor disappointment. In general the hotels in this grade of hotels were pretty good providing a good breakfast and all were very central to amenities in the town. Our favourite place Rs were Mondsee and St Wolfgang. We had some relatively hard rides quite undulating so many climbs so grade 3 would be a fair classification for this road. If your not cycle fit not miss out because of this take an E bike as it was a really pretty ride.
- What was the date of your tour?
- July 2017
- How many tours have you completed?
- 5
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers, First-time bike tourists, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
-
★★★★★ Richard 69 June 19, 2017
Gute fahren... aber.....
Let me begin by saying that we have taken several European bike tours and the was by far the most scenic. The Alps in the backround, the farms, the lakes and the quaint villages and towns were absolutely breathtaking. However, there are some things you should know. This is a level three ride. Prior to this we had only done level two and the difference can be measured in light years. This was a very challenging ride on heavy rental bikes. We are experienced cyclists, however we are seniors and found ourselves walking our bikes up many, many hills.Also much of this ride is on public roads and there was traffic and the occasional piece of farm machinery. Although most of the roads were fairly quiet, many times we found ourselves on busy highways with very narrow shoulders. This was mentioned in the tour description but in my opinion it was somewhat glossed over. If we had it to do over again we would have inquired about upgrading to a more roadworthy bike or perhaps upgraded to the e-bike.
The tour company Eurobike provided us with maps and route directions, as well as placing stickers along the route to guide us. This is extremely important because this was a complicated route with many twists and turns. We both had some mechanical issues with our bikes and the company brought us new bikes in a very timely fashion. They also made excellent recommendations for lunch and dinner along the route and in the towns where we spent the night. I must say ate well on this ride. Also the hotels we stayed at along the way were excellent. Small friendly hotels with comfortable rooms and friendly staff.Each hotel provided us with a lovely buffet breakfast. Another point that gets glossed over in the tour description is the hike on the last day's ride. This is a very challenging 3K hike up and over a mountain. I felt like I was climbing Mount Everest.
In conclusion I would say that if you are an experienced cyclist and are looking for a challenge and some of the most spectacular scenery in Europe then this is the tour for you. If you are just a casual or occasional rider, then you might want to choose a less demanding ride.- What was the date of your tour?
- May 25 - 31 2017
- How many tours have you completed?
- 4
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
-
★★★★★ David vL October 18, 2016
3-Day Tour of The Lakes Region Around Salzburg, Austria
We were grateful to have EuroBike put together a customized, 3-day self-guided tour of the Lake Region as we had limited time in the Salzburg area. The hotels selected for the tour were very familiar with handling bicyclists and very helpful in solving minor problems such as laundering wet clothes and helping us with ferry transportation and pickup on Lake Wolfgangsee. It took us awhile to get the hang of the directions as there are multiple standard tour routes and ours was customized. Once we got the hang of it, there were no problems following the routes and Eurobike signs. We began to love the minor uncertainties of figuring out our routes and being free to stop for lunch and refreshments at places of our own choice
- What was the date of your tour?
- October 4-6, 2016
- How many tours have you completed?
- Just this one
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
-
★★★★★ DougBa October 12, 2016
Beautiful Bike Ride
The overall experience of this bike tour around the lakes was terrific. If I had it to do over I would do two things differently. 1.) I would rent a lighter bike, not necessarily a road bike but one that was lighter that the 21 speed comfort bike I rented from the tour company. 2.) I would not prepay for my dinner. The meals each night were very similar, and all but one night was from a very limited menu, and not off the restaurants main menu. Also only about 14€ per person per meal was allocated, no where near what was actually paid for the meals. The individuals that we interfaced with from the tour company were excellent, from the young man that met us for our orientation to the van driver that moved our gear each day.
- What was the date of your tour?
- Sept 11, 2016
- How many tours have you completed?
- Several
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
-
★★★★★ Whereisrick July 26, 2016
Absolutely Fantastic time!
We just finished the ten lakes tour in June, 2016 and had the time of our life. Bike Tours Direct set us up with a local tour provider and delivered everything we hoped for. We opted for the eBikes and those are way too cool. These guys took our luggage from Gasthaus to Gasthaus (okay - inn to inn) and it was sure nice to arrive the next location and find our luggage waiting for us. Our tour took us through some amazing countryside, farms and especially the lakes. We would get to small villages in mid afternoon (i.e. - no tourists!), enjoy a local meal and head off to our next location in the morning. All the lodgings were fantastic with very friendly inn keepers. We will do this again and we will use Bike Tours Direct.
- What was the date of your tour?
- June, 2016
- How many tours have you completed?
- This was our first.
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat easier
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes