Dachstein Ice Caves

Dachstein Ice Caves Review

Many travelers to Hallstatt make an excursion to one of the most impressive sights of the eastern Alps, the Dachstein Ice Caves. From Hallstatt, take the scenic road around the bottom of the lake to Obertraun; then follow the signs to the cable car, the Dachsteinseilbahn, which will ferry you up the mountain (you can hike all the way up to the caves if you prefer). From the cable-car landing, a 15-minute hike up takes you to the entrance (follow signs to "dachsteineishöhle") of the vast ice caverns, many of which are hundreds of years old and aglitter with ice stalactites and stalagmites, illuminated by an eerie light. The most famous sights are the Rieseneishöhle (Giant Ice Cave) and the Mammuthöhle (Mammoth Cave), but there are other caves and assorted frozen waterfalls. The cave entrance is at about 6,500 feet, still well below the 9,750-foot Dachstein peak farther south. Be sure to wear warm, weatherproof clothing and good shoes; inside the caves it is very cold, and outside the slopes can be swept by chilling winds.