Hi everybody and welcome to Lake Gosau.
Today I’m taking you on a travel walking tour to and around Vorderer Gosausee,
one of three lakes that are situated between the alpine village of Gosau and the Dachstein mountains and glacier which throne over the whole region of Hallstatt and Gosau at an elevation of close to 3000 meters (9800 ft).
The mountainous region here has UNESCO World Heritage status and is one of the most visited and admired in all of Austria.
Lake Gosau is a breathtakingly beautiful travel destination in Austria and it’s become one of my favorite lakes in Austria.
That says a lot because there are so many in the Austrian Alps and all of them are really beautiful.
How do you get to the Lake Gosau?
The drive to Gosauseen in itself is stunningly beautiful.
You will likely either come from Salzburg, which is only a 1-hour drive away in the North,
or from Hallstatt which lies only 30 minutes to the East.
If Hallstatt is your travel destination, and you are looking for other travel destinations in the region, make sure you plan in a stopover at Lake Gosau.
I will post separate videos on my visit to Hallstatt and the drive to Gosau so check those out in the links in the description below.
Gosau lakes is only a short 5-minute drive away from Gosau village, which in itself is a beautiful Austrian alpine village that is absolutely worth visiting.
I cover Gosau village in another video so make sure you check that out in case you have not watched it yet.
Once you are there, you will immediately notice the beautiful emerald green color of the Vorderer Gosausee lake.
The snowy mountain peaks of the Dachstein mountains and glacier reflect in the turquoise lake water which of course makes for fantastic pictures.
The many views of the lake and the massive mountain and glacier in the background are truly breathtaking and mesmerizing!
It reminded me a bit of the steep, jagged mountains in the Dolomites in Italy where you can find similar dramatic rock formations.
So, I'm in Gosausee now and look at this magical view here on the Dachstein!
It's really beautiful. You can take a boat ride down there.
There's a hiking trail that goes all around the lake.
What can you do at Lake Gosau in summer?
Well, my first recommendation would be to take a walk around the lake.
The main lake has an easy pathway around it that can be walked in 45 minutes to an hour.
The walk is smooth, flat, and offers plenty of benches for breaks.
Many little waterfalls are crashing down the sides of the hills as you go.
If you want to venture further out, you can hike up to the upper lake which is an easy 1.5 hour hike.
This lake is even less busy, and you will see cows casually wandering around.
You can also take a swim in the lake - there are designated areas where you can put a blanket down and go in.
But beware that Gosausee is a mountain lake and it’s definitely cold depending on what time of the year and day you are visiting.
If swimming in freezing cold water is not your thing, you may choose to rent a boat and explore the lake that way.
If you are even more adventurous, go mountain biking, trekking, scuba diving, rock climbing or try the via ferrata for beginners.
Lastly, during the summer, you can take the cable car up the Zwiesalm Mountain to Gablonzer Hütte for a nice hike and enjoy a stop at the traditional alm.
The gondola holds about 15 people and goes up about every 15 minutes.
The return fare is EUR 16.50.
Once up at the top, you can stop to eat or have some refreshment at one of the huts.
And of course you get a beautiful view of the lake from above.
You can bring you own snacks and drinks and go for a picnic.
Just make sure you don’t leave any trash behind.
There’s also a restaurant that offers hearty Austrian dishes and a kiosk where you can get souvenirs, snacks and ice cream.
On this side here, if you get hungry, there's a cafe and restaurant for some snacks.
If you come by bike, you can go by bike all the way up here but you cannot take your bike around the lake.
This is purely a walking trail up here.
Now we have a great view of the glacier there. One can see the white snow up there. That is the Dachstein Glacier.
So when you come walking and hiking here, what should you bring?
Well, definitely bring good and comfortable walking shoes.
I’d also recommend a hat and sun screen.
Carry some layered clothing to adjust to different temperatures throughout the day.
Also bring some snacks and a water bottle.
Lastly, don’t forget to bring your camera and have your batteries charged.
There are so many beautiful pictures to take around the lake and during your walk that you definitely don’t want to miss.
With this beautiful view I'm going to close this video.
Thanks so much for watching again. I hope you enjoyed it.
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And I see you in the next video.
Have a good day. Bye bye.