Bike Tour Reviews: Innsbruck To Salzburg Through The Alps Along River Cycle Trails (page 2)
-
★★★★★ Sewathom August 6, 2019 -
-
★★★★★ Sewathom August 6, 2019
Our favorite trip so far!
Oh my goodness- where to start? This trip was amazing! Biketours.com took excellent care of us. All of the hotels were great, and we loved each of the towns that we stayed in. The bikes were very comfortable, and they gave us each a large saddle bag that came in handy for carrying water, snacks, cameras, and sunscreen. The route was pretty easy to navigate, as there are signs and well marked bike paths throughout the route. Basically, if you just follow the river, you're going the right way. Having said that, the direction booklet that they give is pretty much useless, so we supplemented with a GPS app. The biking is very flat and easy, so you'll have time to explore the towns, and do other activities along the way. They give you a few brochures but they don't really give good recommendations to things to do/see along the way. I did some research prior to the trip, and these were some that we loved:
1. Day 2: In Stans, we (very slightly) detoured to Wolfsklamm (beautiful hike through gorge and continue hike up to old monastry (St. Georgenberg) nestled on the top of a cliff overlooking the mountains. There is a restaurant at the top with gorgeous mountain views, good beer, and great traditional Austrian food. Its about a 6-7 km hike all in all. Also we made a little detour to Tratzberg Castle in Jenbach. The castle tour is offered with English audio, and was very informative and interesting. The castle is beautiful and well preserved.
2. Day 3: We biked to Mayrhofen before the transfer, and ate lunch at a charming little bakery. The biking on this day was through pastures and mountain valleys. Once we arrived in Krimml we walked from our hotel to Krimml falls. Despite doing some research before hand online, I had no idea how large and magnificent the falls would be. We hiked up to a restaurant located just after the first falls, and then further up past the second falls. Gorgeous hike, highly recommend. We could've spent much more time hiking in the area. Krimml was on of our favorite stops.
3. Day 4: Biking to Zell am See- we didn't really stop for any side adventures on this day, but again, the biking was great and we enjoyed walking around the lake once we arrived in Zell am See. There are tons of shops and restaurants in this town, and its the most touristy town besides Innsbruck and Salzburg.
4. Day 5: so many options for things to do for your day in Zell am See. We walked from the hotel to a trailhead next to the cityXpress cable car that led up to the top of where the Schmittenhohe cable car takes you. There is a nice restaurant and chapel at the top, and the views are incredible. There are multiple food huts to stop at along the way. We continued the trail in a loop fashion back down to Zell am See. Great hike, and so many other excellent, well marked hiking trails in the area.
5. Day 6: The only day we had rain, but still excellent. The low clouds and fog actually made for some beautiful mountain scenery. On the way to Lofer we stopped at Seisenbergklamm (another gorge hike), which was beautiful. We also stopped at Lamprechtsofen cave, which is one of the deepest limestone caves in the world. It was a also a must see while you're in the area. The hotel in Lofer, St. Hubertus, was probably our favorite. They offer a traditional buffet dinner, which was very fun and delicious, and our balcony had the most amazing view of the mountains.
6. Day 7: to Salzburg. We didn't stop for any side adventures along the way here because there is so much to see in Salzburg, but this was the only day we got lost. It wasn't terrible- just maybe 30 minutes in the wrong direction. Highly recommend the tour of Hohensalzburg fortress. Hotel is in a great location and very comfortable.
All in all, this was amazing cycling with good variety of scenery, towns, and things to do along the way. Couldn't have asked for a better bike tour. THANK YOU BIKETOURS!!!! SHOW MORE- What was the date of your tour?
- July 2019
- How many tours have you completed?
- 0
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat easier
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
-
BikeTours.com staff reply from Chloe August 7, 2019
Thanks so much for the lovely and insightful day-to-day suggestions in your review. This is exactly what we love to hear! And doesn't destination research make all the difference? We're so thrilled you had such an amazing time!
-
★★★★★ Spencer August 18, 2019
An absolutly amazing trip!
I loved every second of this trip! I had absolutely no problems with the bike, hotels, or routes. The scenery was just unbelievable the entire ride. I was worried about the weather but had a nice split of sunny and just slightly overcast days. I deviated from the route on 2 parts to add some extra miles and elevation and even had a blast with that! I would highly highly recommend this trip to bikers looking for a gorgeous ride.
- What was the date of your tour?
- 8-2-19
- How many tours have you completed?
- 1
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat easier
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
-
★★★★★ BarbaraT September 10, 2019
Wonderful biking in Austria!
We loved our ride from Insbruck to Salzburg. The scenery was amazing, and the quality of the routes was excellent. All of the hotels were very nice. We left something on a bus at one point, and it was mailed to our final hotel, for which we are most grateful. The paper maps aren't really that great, and I would recommend loading maps onto a Garmin for ease of use and better accuracy. We had van support for luggage and didn't opt to have a guide, which I really enjoyed. I would take another tour with this company in the future.
- What was the date of your tour?
- 8/30-9/5
- How many tours have you completed?
- lots but not with this company
- 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
-
★★★★★ Nada September 11, 2019
Austria alps
- What was the date of your tour?
- Aug 30-sept 5 2019
- How many tours have you completed?
- 10
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers, First-time bike tourists, Families with young kids, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
-
★★★★★ Issac Newton September 16, 2019
Wonderful Ride Through the Scenic Valleys of the Alps
- What was the date of your tour?
- 30 Aug - 6 Sep
- How many tours have you completed?
- 5
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
-
★★★★★ Bikedad October 7, 2019
Beautiful scenery through some stunning valleys.
Beautiful scenery through some stunning valleys. The quaint villages and accommodations were perfect. Day one passes through urban and industrial areas but the pathways are fine.
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 2019
- How many tours have you completed?
- Dozens
- 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
-
★★★★★ Richie and Trish October 12, 2021
Gute Fahren im die Berge
We had an amazing time on this tour. The scenery was breathtaking. It was so exciting to cycle along these beautiful rivers with the alps rising above us on both sides. The days just flew by as we cycled along. This was our seventh European tour and this ride compared very favorably with other rides we’ve taken. When we arrived in Innsbruck we found that we had to walk to a bike shop to pick up our bikes. Normally the bikes are delivered to our hotel but we took the walk and the shop owner was very helpful. Although the bikes were very heavy we found them quite roadworthy. They may have been the best bikes we’ve used in Europe. The hotels we stayed at we all lovely and provided us with great breakfasts. We especially enjoyed the Hotel Post in Zittertal with its rooftop infinity swimming pool. It was amazing. We also enjoyed having a rest day in Zell am see although it was hardly restful. We hiked, took a boat excursion and went to a fabulous spa for a swim. Many reviews of this tour complain about the book that accompanies the tour and now we know why. It’s very confusing and was not at all helpful. Usually the books on these tours are much more helpful and give recommendations for lunches and dinners. This book did none of that. The trail is well marked in most places but not in others. We often found ourselves scratching our heads trying to make sense of the signs on the trail and the directions in the book. We are seniors and found ourselves walking the bikes up hills from time to time but most of the ride was gentle easy riding. When we weren’t on dedicated bike paths the roads were quiet with little traffic. Overall it was an amazing trip that we would recommend to anyone who loves being in the mountains.
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 13 - 19 2021
- How many tours have you completed?
- 7
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers, First-time bike tourists, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
-
★★★★★ Tricia Hoggan August 8, 2022
Amazing
It was wonderful. The scenery was spectacular. The hotels were perfect. I can't say enough good things about the trip.
-
★★★★★ Barbara Owens August 9, 2022
The scenery was great. The maps and tour company were not.
This was our second tour with Biketours.com and we discovered that there is a huge difference between the tour companies they contract with in Austria. Our first tour was great. This one, not so. The map book and directions provided were just terrible. Rather than say "follow the well marked trail named xx, it was "go to the end of the hamlet and turn right" No street names. No named landmarks or areas. The ENTIRE book was that way. One day we had to be transported by van over a mountain but it did not explain that. It said to be at a train station in a certain town at 2 pm. We got there, thinking we were taking a train but could not figure it out. I called the company and they said a van was coming to get us. Other people on the same route also did not understand and they literally rode over the mountain. Communication from the company was terrible -- and I speak German!
- What was the date of your tour?
- May 2022
- How many tours have you completed?
- 2
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- Do you recommend this tour?
- No
-
BikeTours.com staff reply from kirsten August 9, 2022
Thank you for traveling with us again, Barbara! We are sorry to hear that the route information provided to you was not clear and detailed. We have passed your message along to our partner to ensure that these issues are addressed, in hopes that future travelers will have an easier time following the maps as well as be made aware of included transfers during the tour. We appreciate you reaching out!
-
★★★★★ Earl Naue August 9, 2022
Innsbruck to Salzburg Ride
This was our first of two bike tours in Austria this year and both were handled by two different tour providers and the services and directions provided by each were significantly different. The lodging choices were excellent for both, but riding directions were on opposite ends of the spectrum. Advise that you go with a tour company that provides an application with directions utilizing GPS.
- 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
-
BikeTours.com staff reply from Liv August 24, 2022
Hi Earl,
Thanks for your comments. I really hope you had a great holiday through this beautiful area. I just wanted to point out that we do offer GPS rental with this tour (see Dates & Prices). I agree, using GPS really makes a world of difference.
Thanks again,
Liv
-
★★★★★ Sara Ching September 12, 2022
Beautiful scenario in the Bavarian alps
The route is breathtaking. From Innsbruck to salzburg, we opted for the rest day in zell am see (100% recommmended) where we got a day off to take the gondolas up to see the mountains, go to the glacier lakes in kaprun and swim in zell am see lake. The hotels and breakfasts were great! The bike company they use to source the bike was a bit disorganized, the bikes were ok though seats were the hard racer types. Bike company also an out of bags and locks. They didn’t give us enough baggage tags and when they split our groups across two hotels, the baggages were often at the wrong hotel. There weren’t a lot of recommendations on optional things to do and places to eat so you definitely have to do a lot of your own research. Overall I would recommend the tour because the itinerary and accommodations were very nice but the agency that ran the tour itself could be better organized.
Also note the second day of biking (day 3) has a lot more uphills and downhills than it seems. And it rained really hard the last three days of our tours so definitely make sure you have good rain gear if you go in September.
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 2022
- How many tours have you completed?
- 2
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
-
★★★★★ Jessica Phelan September 12, 2022
Beautiful Scenery!
This trip was absolutely stunning. The views were beyond beautiful form everywhere. For the most part you are riding along the river and the ride is very relaxing. Most days are fairly flat with a few small hills and many downhills. The trails are well marked and the map by the guide company is pretty easy to follow. Our group did the trip with hybrid bikes, but if I were to do it again, I would definitely get an e-bike. There is one day with some really big climbs and an e-bike would have made the whole a thing a bit more leisurely. We also did not pack helmets since they wouldn't fit in our suitcases and the bike shop ran out of rentals. I would advise bringing one with you.
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 2022
- 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
-
★★★★★ Robin Jones September 16, 2022
Breathtaking scenery and flawless trip
This was an incredible trip and the perfect way to see Austria! Cycling through the back farm lands was incredible and we were amazed at how absolutely green it was! The hotels were nice (some quite noisy)depending on where your room is located. Our bikes were top notch and we couldn't have asked for more. They were easy to handle, comfortable and worked perfectly for the duration of the trip. We didn't use the provided guide book but used google maps instead. This allowed us to take a few "off route" trails. It's amazing how accessible Austria makes it for people to be outdoors and enjoy nature, and the maintenance of the trails are perfect. We were concerned when the travel company did not provide us with luggage tags for our luggage transfers but they arrived daily without a problem. I would HIGHLY recommend this trip!
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 2022
- How many tours have you completed?
- 0
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat easier
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
-
★★★★★ Katherine Johnson September 20, 2022
Fantastic
We were blown away by the quality of the cycle trails and the beauty of Austria. The accommodation was comfortable and the breakfasts were lovely, and the bikes were comfortable! We highly recommend this trip!
-
★★★★★ Nicolas Roggeman September 23, 2022
Amazing Austrian Alpine
From Innsbruck through the Zillertal Valley, to Krimml and down toward Zell am See, Lofer and ending up in Salzburg – what an adventure, what great sights, doesn't get any better. The hotels were spectacular, and in spite of the rain in late September, we had a fantastic time.
- What was the date of your tour?
- mid September 2022
- How many tours have you completed?
- 3-5
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Families with teens, Families with young kids
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
-
★★★★★ Megan Lunde October 4, 2022
Lovely Ride through the Alps
Overall, this was a very good trip. The itinerary is top-notch along well-marked trails, through a variety of landscapes - farmland, ski towns, narrow gorges, along a lake. I recommend the route with the rest day in Zell am See - we had a great day there!
We did have a few concerns with the local tour company. The quality of the bikes rented from the bike shop was not great - my bike was too small for my body but they had run out of bikes, so I was stuck with it for the week. Some of our group had arranged for bikes to be delivered to the starting hotel. It's a good thing others went to pick up in person, because the bike shop had no record of delivery and half our group would have been stuck without bikes for 2 days.
As others have mentioned, the guidebook is hard to follow. However, the general routes are along bike trails that are well marked. We did pretty well by following the path signs to our destination each day.
Our biggest mishaps were with the hotel and luggage transfer. We were a group of 4. About half the time, we had two adjacent rooms in the same hotel - no problem. Other nights, we were split across two different hotels. One night, we had a really strange configuration - 3 of us had a triple in one hotel, while 1 person was assigned to a different hotel across town. Every time we got split up, some luggage went to the wrong hotel. It didn't help that the tour company only provided 1 luggage tag per room. Seems like an easy fix to include an adequate number of luggage tags per traveler. Our final night in Salzburg, our hotel had no record of our reservation. It took awhile to figure out the issue - our reservations had been made against the wrong name.
On the whole, this is a lovely trip. Unbeatable scenery and value for the price.
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 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
