Vienna is Austria’s elegant capital, home to a renowned classical music scene and some beautiful historic buildings. Vienna is a wonderful place for a cultural holiday, and one of Europe’s greatest cities. But what do you do if you find yourself in Vienna and need an adrenalin fix? You could always go white water rafting.
Vienna lies in Austria’s relatively flat east, so if you want to take a Vienna white water rafting trip, you’ll need to travel west, to the Alps. As Austria is a relatively small country this should be easy: it takes just 3 hours to drive from Vienna to the Alpine city of Salzburg.
When you get to the Alps, you’ll be spoilt for choice of white water. There are rivers across the mountains that can be rafted, with most rapids being class 2-3, depending on the time of year. If you want higher water and faster rapids, travel in spring when the melting snow from the mountains swells the rivers.
The Otztaler Ache and the nearby Sanna are among the toughest rivers in Austria to raft, with rapids at class 4 and above. They are rivers for those with experience, with some big drops and long tough sections. Try one of the gentler rivers first if you haven’t rafted before. Nearby, the Lech and the Inn rivers are both gentler and good for beginners. In the Salzburg region, the Saalach has a good range of rapids for everyone from beginners up to advanced paddlers. The nearby Salzach is tougher, with rapids all above class 3.
If you want to experience the Alps at their best, take a Vienna white water rafting trip. Have a break from the city streets and see Austria at its wild and beautiful best.
