DACHSTEIN GIANT ICE CAVE
The Dachstein Giant Ice Cave was and continues to be formed by water which enters from the Dachstein plateau and into the cave via small cracks in the cliff. Even when the cave is (relatively) warm in the summer months, the growth of the ice in the winter exceeds that of the melting in the summer, which allows the Dachstein Ice Cave to remain a wonderful attraction to visit all year round!
This is the building you will see when the bus drops you off (which has public restrooms & a little spot for snacks, like freshly baked muffins!)
There are many ways to reach the ice cave, but we came from Hallstatt. To do this, we took Bus 543 from Hallstatt Lahn Bus Terminal all the way to the end of the line (this took about 15 minutes). Note that you can buy a bus pass on the bus. The bus drops you off at a ticketing center where you can purchase tickets for the ice cave as well as other activities, or you can purchase any and all tickets online. This is also where the Dachstein cable car begins. We took the cable car up one level and then walked on a steep incline for 20 minutes to reach the cave.
Views from our walk up to the cave
Once at the mouth of the cave, we waited for the next tour to begin (or in our case, the first tour of the day)! There were seven other people with us on our tour, which lasted 50 minutes. Do not worry if you do not speak German, as our guide explained things first in German and then in English. There are many stairs to climb and while there are handrails and materials on the ground to help you from slipping, it can be quite slick. I would encourage you to wear shoes with a good grip, as well as warm clothing. The interior of the cave rarely reaches temperatures above freezing, and there is an average temperature of -2 degrees C, or 26.6 degrees F, in the cave. If you don’t have warm clothing with you, there is a store in Hallstatt that sells a lot of fabulous winter gear called Dachsteinsport Janu.
Inside the cave
During the tour, you will stop at different checkpoints and learn about the cave. Once you start to move to your next checkpoint, the lights will be turned off where you just were – so stay close to the group! It is very cool to see the ice, and the guide even turns on a little light show with some music to keep it interesting. There is a suspension bridge near the end of the tour, but please note that if you are uncomfortable going across it, there are steps you can take instead.
After the tour, feel free to enjoy the other offerings of Dachstein, such as the 5 Fingers Lookout or the Mammoth Cave!
