Gosau ski | ski holidays in Austria

Gosau in short

Height: 730 metres
A lovely, quiet village
Perfectly connected to the rest of the area
Lovely winter hikes in the immediate vicinity

Located at an altitude of 767 metres, Gosau is different from most winter sports villages. It is a ribbon village that stretches more than 14 km across the Gosau valley, up to the Gosauseen and the 2,995-metre-high Dachstein. In the Gosau valley, you can observe many traditional houses, farms and guesthouses, as well as lovely nature. Two different lifts provide access to the slopes of the Dachstein West ski area, the largest ski area in Upper Austria.

Gosau: winter sports amid nature

The idyllic Gosau valley stretches along the Gosaubach river from Vordertal via Mittertal to Gosau Hintertal. The Gosaukamm mountain chain defines the natural village border. Like the nearby villages of Obertraun, Hallstatt, and Bad Goisern am Hallstättersee, Gosau is part of the Hallstatt-Dachstein/Salzkammergut region - a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1997. This is an excellent winter sports destination for all that seek peace and unspoilt nature. There are excellent possibilities for skiing, winter hiking and cross-country skiing, and its quiet and friendly character makes it popular with families as well.

Review of Gosau

Winter hiking
Cross-country skiing
Aprés-ski
Family/children
Price level

Skiing on the slopes of the Dachstein West ski area

From Gosau, the Panorama-Jet-Zwiesenalm cable car and the Hornspitz-Express 4-seater provide access to the Dachstein West ski area. More than 50 piste kilometres are spread across several mountains in both Upper Austria and Salzburgerland. This super family-friendly ski area offers several children's areas, of which two are in Gosau. Every day you can ski beautiful circuits here (tip: the Dachstein Tour), and there are many nice mountain huts where you can stop for a break. If you want to experience something else, make a trip to Dachstein Krippenstein. This ski area is about a 20-minute drive from the village and is known as an off-piste paradise. Moreover, it boasts the longest downhill run in Austria. A multi-day ski pass allows you to ski in Dachstein West, Dachstein Krippenstein and five more ski areas (in total, over 160 km of slopes!).

Winter sports with children in Gosau

Gosau is an ideal destination for winter sports with children. You'll find no hopping crowds and exuberant après-ski, just a relaxed and pleasant atmosphere. It has two children's areas — the Zwisi-Land next to the Panorama-Jet-Zwiesenalm cable car and the Fredy-Land at the mountain station Hornspitz-Gosau. The little ones can learn their first turns with experienced ski instructors, and as soon as they are ready, they can move on to the rest of the ski area. There are plenty of beautiful slopes to practise on.

Winter hiking

Gosau valley is a wonderful hiking destination with an extensive network of well-marked and prepared regular and snowshoe hiking trails both in the valley and the mountains. On Zwieselalm, there is a beautiful route for snowshoe hikers. During the 1 to 1.5-hour hike, you can enjoy views of the Großglockner and the Dachstein glacier. In the valley, don't miss a hike to the Gosausee. This beautiful mountain lake becomes almost magical in winter with the snowfall. Guided snowshoe hikes are also available on this route.

Cross-country skiing in Gosau

Gosau offers more than 50 km of cross-country skiing trails, suitable for both classic and skating techniques. The trails are groomed every day. Beginners can learn the basics of cross-country skiing on a lovely practice trail. When there, don't miss a chance to try the Märchenwald-Loipe (6,1 km) and Sonnenloipe (4,1 km).

Getting to Gosau

Gosau is a 1340 km drive from London. While travelling, remember to buy an Austrian vignette. Salzburg Airport is just over 60 km away. Gosau doesn't have a train station, but there is one in the nearby village of Bad Goisern am Hallstättersee.