Dachstein Giant Ice Cave — Attraction in Obertraun

Visiting the Dachstein Ice Cave was an unforgettable experience. Nestled in the Austrian Alps, the cave offers a surreal journey through a world of ice and rock. The guided tour was well-organized, lasting around 50 minutes, and included fascinating insights into the cave’s formation, history, and the effects of climate change on the ice structures.

The formations inside were truly magical — from frozen waterfalls to sparkling ice sculptures lit up with soft, colorful lights. The highlight was the massive ice cathedral, which felt like stepping into a fantasy realm. It was also fascinating to learn that the ice remains year-round, even during summer.

Reaching the cave involves a scenic cable car ride and a short uphill hike, which adds to the adventure. I recommend wearing warm clothes and good walking shoes, as it’s cold and slightly slippery inside.

Overall, the Dachstein Ice Cave is a must-visit for nature lovers and adventure seekers. The combination of natural beauty, scientific wonder, and breathtaking alpine scenery makes it a unique and memorable destination. I left with a deep appreciation for the hidden wonders beneath the surface of...

Spectacular ice caves with a tour from a knowledgeable guide. The lighting and music was rather naff and dumbed down, but the caves themselves are fascinating.

We booked tickets ahead online, then after arriving, booked our slot for the next tour. There was no queueing and the time worked well, as there's a walk from the ticket office to the cave entrance, as well as a cafe to have a pause if you need to waste a little time.

After the uphill walk, we entered the cave with the guide. Warm clothing is definitely required - the caves were at freezing in mid-June. The tour was around 50 minutes with plenty of time allowed to take pictures.

The paths were a little slippery and the metal steps were slightly hazardous, but all the walking was very easy. The bridge at the end was quite fun, but not sure the music is necessary!

Would recommend - the ice caves are interesting as part of a visit to the attraction, with great views from the next level up on...

The ice cave was very pretty, the ice formations are spectacular and they have done a great job with the lighting to showcase the beauty. The tour guide was very knowledgeable and spoke awesome English. There were many children on our tour and they loved it, so it's definitely an all family activity. As its ice, the temperature is below zero inside the cave, so make sure you bring something warm. The tour was about one hour in total.

From the cable car station there is a 20 minute trek up hill to the entrance of the ice cave, although the view was very beautiful, the path was very steep in places and we were totally out of breath. Furthermore there are a lot of stairs inside the ice cave, therefore if accessibility is a concern then I wouldn't consider visiting the ice cave, it's a definite no no.

There were no toilets inside the ice cave, but there were just outside in a hut, so make sure you use them...