Austria is not the first place that springs to mind when thinking about safaris. And it is certainly true that you are not likely to catch a glimpse of a giraffe or wildebeest wandering around the Austrian Tyrol. But Austria is still a country rich in wildlife, its mountains and forests making perfect country for animals to live unfettered by human civilisation. An Austria safari is a great way to delve into some of Europe’s forgotten wildnerness…
Most of Austria is mountainous, with only around a third of its land lying at less than 500m below sea level. Mountains are often uninhabitable, and so less than half of Austria’s land is cultivated. This means that (despite the Austria ski and adventure sports industry), there is plenty of wilderness left to explore.
Austria’s lakes, forests and mountain slopes provide a diverse range of habitats for a diverse range of animals and birds. The wild boar, chamois, ibex, pine marten, polecat and mouflon (a wild sheep) all roam Austria’s Alpine slopes. There are also still some wolves and bears in Austria. In the sky, you’ll see eagles, falcons and the huge Great Bustard.
There is life outside the mountains, too. The Neusiedler See is a huge lake straddling the border between Austria and Hungary. It is one of Europe’s most diverse areas, home to ground squirrels, egrets, fire-bellied toads and more.
On an Austria safari with an expert guide, you can see wildlife that you would be forgiven for thinking had been extinct from Western Europe many years ago. Take a break on the European wild side and explore Austria away from the cities and ski resorts.
