You hear them before you see them. Even on the walk from the car park, the roar grows louder and the air turns cooler and damper, and then you are standing in front of one of the most spectacular natural sights in the Alps: the Krimml Waterfalls. Here, the River Krimmler Ache plunges around 380 metres over three tiers. That makes them Europe’s highest waterfalls and one of the five highest in the world. Several hundred thousand visitors come every year, and yet the moment you reach the lowest fall still feels a little overwhelming every single time.
The waterfalls lie on the edge of the Hohe Tauern National Park and have been a protected landscape since 1958, before being declared a natural monument a few years later. Here is a lovely detail for anyone who likes to look a little closer: the water takes several hours to travel from the glacier to the falls, which is why the Krimmler Ache carries the most water late in the evening. The fine spray hanging in the air at the foot of the falls is also said to be soothing for the airways. After a few deep breaths, you will understand why so many people end up staying longer than planned.
The way up follows the Krimml Waterfalls Trail, created by the Austrian Alpine Club and still looked after by it today. From the car park, you reach the lowest waterfall in around 10 to 15 minutes. This first section up to the Kürsingerplatz is step-free, making it easy to manage with a pushchair or wheelchair. The lowest fall is also accessible all year round, so it is worth a detour in winter too.
If you carry on, well-built switchbacks with plenty of viewpoints lead up to the highest fall in about an hour. With every bend, the view of the thundering water changes, and every so often the spray drifts into your face. At the top, the view opens up over Krimml and down into the Salzach Valley. If you still have energy left, keep walking into the Krimmler Achental, one of the most beautiful valleys in the national park, where the Krimmler Ache flows gently through the alpine meadows.
Right at the entrance are the Krimml WasserWelten. Spread over more than 6,000 square metres, they offer 25 interactive stations all about water, across the Waterfall Centre, the House of Water and a water park for children. It makes a great finale after the hike, or an alternative if part of the family would rather stay down below. Handy tip: the combined ticket for the WasserWelten and the waterfall trail already includes parking at car parks P4 and P5. Just remember to validate your parking ticket at the Waterfall Centre ticket desk by 4:30 pm.
From Saalbach Hinterglemm, Krimml makes a classic day trip. By car, the route takes you via Zell am See and Mittersill through the Upper Pinzgau. If you would rather leave the car behind, you can get there free of charge with the JOKER CARD: first by Postbus from Hinterglemm to Zell am See, then on the Pinzgau Local Railway, a leisurely ride through the valley all the way to Krimml. The narrow-gauge railway runs every hour along the roughly 53-kilometre route, and from Krimml station a connecting bus takes passengers to the waterfalls in just a few minutes. For a touch of nostalgia, take the steam train in summer, although this is not included in the JOKER CARD.
On the way back, it is worth stopping in Mittersill at the Hohe Tauern National Park Visitor Centre. And if you are travelling on the Pinzgau Local Railway, you can hop off at many of its 40 or so stops and turn the return journey into a little voyage of discovery through the Upper Pinzgau.
