As the lush bright green valleys of Tirol, Austria turn to into a snowy winter wonderland, thoughts turn to skiing or snowboarding…carving up the fresh powder, speeding down the piste… but wait!
There’s much more to do in the winter in Kitzbulher Alpen than getting geared up, strapping on your snowboard or skis and throwing yourself down a mountain. Haven’t you heard? Ski holidays are changing. You’re no longer confined to the same week long activity and why would you want to?
The last time I went on a snowboarding holiday we spent 5 out of 7 days on the slopes… By the third and fourth day my legs were in pieces. Sore ankles and muscles from snowboarding boots meant that I was started making some basic mistakes and as a result, spent most of my time on my backside.
It really doesn’t need to be all about cramming as much of one activity like snowboarding into a week, then heading home on a cramped plane full of aches, pains and injuries.
There are so many other options to keep you occupied whilst at the same time giving your muscles and feet a much-needed rest. So why not mix it up a little and break up the holiday? In Tirol our group experienced a range of winter activities that for some reason many don’t even contemplate when booking a ski holiday.
So here are my skiing alternatives that you really need to try!
1. Tobogganing
If you’ve never been tobogganing before then hold on to your hat, quite literally as this isn’t just an activity for kids! Grab a wooden sled and hit the steep winding slopes as you speed through the pine tree lined course. Practice how to turn by leaning and pulling on the rope and how to stop with you heels, because once you get going it can be pretty hard to stop! Take a group of friends and race to the bottom, you’ll be laughing…. or screaming with fear. Either way, it’s a pretty entertaining experience on the slopes of Tirol. At first, I found it pretty terrifying and pondered whether such an activity ever be allowed back home with the health and safety laws, but after the first few slopes and sharp turns I soon got the hang of it.
2. Fat Biking
Looking to get out and explore? Well, Fat Biking lets you go to places you once couldn’t with a conventional bike. With much fatter tires these chunky bikes grip on snowy and icy terrain, unlike your standard tires they don’t dig into the surface but tend to float across it instead. If you’re a biking beginner you can take a leisurely cycle around the area admiring the snow covered hills and mountains. For the more advanced, you can still take on some of the more advanced mountain biking trails on your Fat Bike.
Check out my full experience of Fat Biking in Tirol, Austria right here.
3. Segwaying
Winter, boy fun and adventure. What an awesome afternoon of snow Segway in Tirol. #inAustria #LoveTirol pic.twitter.com/SJ0h1pTclF
— Becki Enright (@BordersofAdv) January 26, 2016
If you can’t be bothered to pedal then try hopping on a Segway. These two-wheeled self-balancing motorized vehicles have chains on their tires to tackle the snowy terrain. With a top speed of 12.5 miles per hour you’ll find yourself speeding along without even breaking a sweat, what better way to explore Tirol? Take a look at Borders of Adventures Post about Fat Biking and her Segway experience in Tirol.
4. Llama Trekking
Yes, you read that correctly, you can go trekking through the snowy meadows and mountains with a Llama! It’s a unique way to go hiking and is very popular with families. Llama trekking is all about soaking up the alpine scenery, relaxing and being with nature… oh and a Llama!
More information about Llama trekking on the Kitzbueheler Alpen website.
5. Husky Sledging
#Husky time 🐕🐾❄️ #LoveTirol #inAustria #KitzAlps .. Still "recovering" from my mesmerizing visit to these exception… pic.twitter.com/sEYquuZ74X
— Elena Paschinger (@Creativelena) January 15, 2016
Come and meet these beautiful Siberian huskies and experience a sled ride through the wintery Tirolean countryside. You can learn all about the huskies, their lifestyle and how they are cared for by their “musher”, who will explain how they control the sled and what commands they use for the dogs. You’ll get to experience (one at a time) what it feels like to be pulled through thick snow by an energetic pack of bounding huskies.
Take a look at creativelena’s account of her experience with the Huskies.
6. Snow Shoeing
Prefer two feet to two wheels? Then strap on some snow shoes and clomp your way through the thick snow, you’ll be rewarded once you reach the top with some spectacular panoramic views. You might think snow shoeing is the easy option but you’ll definitely work up a sweat, it’s an easy technique to pick up and a great way to explore some of the most off the beaten track spots in Tirol.
Take a look at the official Tirol Tourism Website for more information about snowshoeing.
7. Schnapps Tasting
OK so this one’s kind of cheating, but let’s face it a visit to Austria wouldn’t be complete without sampling the schnapps. Thankfully the region even has its own Schnapps Route with a formidable collection of 41 different distilleries, all with their own uniqueness and twist to the schnapps. It wasn’t just all about sampling the tipple, we had a smell test before tasting to see if we could distinguish between the various types of ingredients used to make schnapps. I failed miserably, thinking honey smelt like rhubarb… I made up for it by “testing” around seven different flavours of schnapps. A good time was had.
So there you have it, seven alternative things to do besides skiing in Tirol Austria!
Watch my video below for my overview of the trip to Tirol, Austria.
Have you tried any unusual winter activities in Austria? I’d loved to hear about them in the comments!
Disclosure – The #inAustria blog trip was created and managed by iambassador in association with the Austrian National Tourist Office.TravMonkey maintains full editorial control of the content publish on the site.
