The friendly family Ski Juwel Alpbachtal Wildschönau ski region in the heart of Tirol is a beautiful, unspoilt corner of the Austrian Alps with a special charm and locals who are dedicated to delivering a stress-free holiday, with a special focus on families.
The region’s attitude to life and commitment to providing you with a perfect holiday is known in Austria as “Lebensgefühl”. Essentially, everything is perfect because that’s how it should be!
The Ski Juwel was created by the connection of the neighbouring Alpbachtal and Wildschönau valleys, both home to a number of picturesque, unspoilt holiday villages and numerous farms and fabulous natural environments. The region is nestled between the Zillertal and Kitzbühel Alps in the heart of Tirol and is easy to reach by air, rail or road.
Alpbach in Winter © Alpbachtal Tourism Matthias Sedlak
Although all Austrian areas make a good effort to be family-friendly, the Ski Juwel Alpbachtal Wildschönau take things to a whole other level, with a fully family-focussed ethos and loads of family-friendly activities on and off the slopes.
But whether visiting with your family or not, the Ski Juwel Alpbachtal Wildschönau offers 113 km of varied pistes for all abilities and tastes. You can also eat your fill of authentic Tirolean cuisine in 25 rustic huts and immerse yourself in the unique winter experience of the picturesque valleys of Alpbachtal and Wildschönau!
Choosing where to stay is your main problem as there are so many great choices, but you can at least easily visit all of the idyllic, traffic-free villages, wherever you stay, as lifts, a shuttle bus service and ski slopes interconnect them. There are two valleys with four picturesque villages on the Wildschönau side, each with its own charm. Auffach is the ideal base for direct access to the Schatzberg and the Alpbachtal Wildschönau ski area. Niederau and Oberau are perfect for beginners, The beginner lifts are easily reached (just in the middle of the village)
The most beautiful village, however, is generally agreed to be Thierbach with its church, a small school and a few farms. It is the highest village in the Kitzbühel Alps.
That said, Alpbach in the other valley has been voted “Austria’s most beautiful village” so perhaps it’s in the eye of the beholder?
Wherever you choose you’ll find top quality accommodation available in all categories and top offers to ensure maximum value too, making for an all-round successful, stress-free, perfect winter holiday.
The Ski Areas
The Ski Juwel Alpbachtal Wildschönau is home to a wide range of pistes for all abilities with special snow parks and fun slopes too. Although there’s plenty of challenging terrain and the opportunity for experts to head off-piste with a guide (13 km of the slopes are graded black and there’s a further 16 km of partially ungroomed but patrolled ski routes), the area’s main focus is on family-friendly slopes.
Family skiing in the Ski Juwel Alpbachtal Wildschönau ski area © Ski Juwel Alpbachtal Wildschönau Shoot & Style
Altogether the area has 113 km of piste spread over four mountains with about 75% of them wide, sunny slopes rated easy or moderate. There are 45 fast, comfortable, modern lifts to whisk you back up the slopes.
Freestyle skiers and boarders can cut loose in the Snowpark Alpbachtal and Snowpark Scahtzberg and there’s also a cool Race and Training Centre in Niederau.
Freeriding in Ski Juwel Alpbachtal Wildschönau © Ski Juwel Alpbachtal Wildschönau
One special treat for skiers is to sign up for “First Line Skiing” on the Wiedersberger Horn in Alpbachtal in springtime. Offered from 7 am on Saturdays in March participants have the chance to ski freshly groomed slopes before anyone else.
At the other end of the ski day night skiing for the whole family is great fun on the Reither Kogel in the Alpbachtal. If you still have energy! It offers 6km of floodlit slopes on Fridays and Saturdays, one of the largest night skiing areas in Tirol.
High five with family © Shoot & Style Ski Juwel Alpbachtal Wildschönau
Children are especially well looked after on the slopes with their own dedicated fun and educational learning areas and ski schools in Niederau, Auffach, Reith i. A. and Inneralpbach. The areas are located at Schatzberg Zwergenland at the middle station of the Schatzbergbahn in Auffach, Kinderland JUPPI-DO at the valley station of the Reitherkogelbahn in Reith i. A. There’s much more too including a Familypark on the slopes complete with Funslope and KidsRun, as well as a Speedcheck and Skimovie course at Wiedersberger Horn and a Wave Run and another Funpark at Schatzberg. There are also no less than 10 ski schools with their own children’s slopes and excellent supervision right in the resort.
Activities
There’s lots to do for the whole family in the magnificent outdoors in Ski Juwel Alpbachtal Wildschönau.
Hikers will find beautiful winter walks in the valleys or you can take a lift up to walk on high paths. You can even join a guided winter hike, which is included free of charge on the guest card provided to overnight guests. One popular route is at Reither Kogel in Reith i.A., at the top station of the Markbachjochbahn over to the cosy Norderbergalm or to the picturesque Markbachjoch chapel.. But there are around 100km of winter hiking trails in total.
The region is also a paradise for cross-country skiers with over 100 km of trails for all abilities both in the Alpbachtal and Wildschönau valleys.
Top of Alpbachtal Hornbahn 2000 mountain station © Ski Juwel Alpbachtal Wildschönau Shoot & Style
There are plenty of viewpoints that can be reached either by skis or by taking the lift up from the valley. They include the Top of Alpbachtal observation tower at the highest point in the ski area (at the mountain station of the Hornbahn 2000 at 2,030 m on the Wiedersberger Horn). From here there are fabulous 360° panoramic views through huge panoramic windows of the surrounding mountains. The Summit cross on the Schatzberg in the Wildschönau at 1,903 m also offers fabulous views in all directions out over the Wildschönau valley and mountains as well as the wider Kitzbühel Alps, and Rofan mountains.
In Wildschönau the one from Lanerköpfl in Niederau takes you trough idyllic mountain pastures to the village. Nearby the run the Norderberg Alm is worth visiting for a hot chocolate! The run from the middle station at the Schatzberg has even two difficulty levels. Both of them has been rewarded the Tirolean Seal of quality.
Tobogganing at Ski Juwel © Ski Juwel Alpbachtal Wildschönau
There is a third toboggan run in Reith im Alpbachtal. Toboggans can be hired at the valley stations.Starting from the Reitherkogelbahn top station a fun toboggan ride back down to the village of Reith im Alpbachtal promises splendid views and pure winter fun.
If you want a change from sliding on snow, The Alpbachtaler Lauser-Sauser Alpine Coaster is a good alternative. You’ll whizz down the mountain at up to 42 km/h, tackling two jumps, waves and Austria’s highest roundabout on the way down!
Another fun activity is the chance to ride in a mighty snow groomer tractor. Weighing in at 10 tonnes and with 500 horsepower, you can co-pilot one of these mighty machines for an hour at the Reither Kogel in Alpbachtal for the ultimate thrill.
Dining
The Ski Juwel Alpbachtal Wildschönau is home to many restaurants in the resort villages and to 25 cosy huts up in the mountains. There are no big sprawling mountain restaurants here, the onus, as with everything is on smaller, traditional, authentic mountain dining establishments. It goes without saying the ingredients are locally sourced, usually produced by the hut owner or their neighbours, the recipes are traditional and the portions are hearty.
Culinary Hut Visit with Family, Ski Juwel Alpbachtal Wildschönau © Shoot & Style
Regional classics such as “Knödel” (dumplings) and “Spätzle” (cheese noodles) are normally on the menu, as well as delicacies such as pretzel soup and “Kaiserschmarren” (pan-fried pancakes).
All are good, but among the most worthy of a visit, is the Gipföhit am Schatzberg, a modern yet rustic mountain guesthouse with a large sun terrace, located right next to the cable car that connects connects Wildschönau and Alpbach on the Schatzberg mountain. Here you can enjoy organic beef and pretzel soup, their specialities.
Another cosy hut, Norderberg Alm on the Markbachjoch, can be reached in half an hour on your skis or via the winter hiking trail. It’s not far from the toboggan run down to Niederau too, so that could be a way back after your meal!
The Böglalm is another cosy hut, this time located above Inneralpbach. It has a sunny terrace and is famed for its delicious Kaiserschmarren, made in a giant pan.
Finally, the Berggasthof Hornboden ski hut is located right on the slope at the top station of the Wiedersbergerhornbahn (Alpbach) and has a large terrace and chill-out area.
Wherever you eat you should stop off and sample Alpbach craft beer at the Kristallbrauerei brewery in Inneralpbach next to the Pöglbahn valley station during your stay. Here you must try Krautinger Schnaps made of turnips. It’s a wonderful digestiv and absolutely unique, only made in Wildschönau.
Mountain Huts and Village Restaurants:
Holiday Deals
You can book your relaxed family vacation in the Ski Juwel directly and save time and money by getting everything in one package.
Family Skiing in the Ski Juwel Alpbachtal Wildschönau Region, © Shoot and Style
For example, seven nights in an apartment for a family of four, with two 6-day adult ski pass Ski Juwel Alpbachtal Wildschönau passes and two for children aged 7 to 15 years (children aged up to 6 years ski for free) is priced from only € 2,100.00 until 21.04.2025
Holidays always include the Alpbachtal Card or Wildschönau Card which gives free use of the ski bus, and free or discounted access to guided winter and snowshoe hikes, museums and much more.
There’s also a special Ski Juwel Easter promotion which means one free ski pass for kids under 15 years old (with the purchase of two adult ski passes for a minimum of three days).
More Info
Main Image Skiers taking a break at a hut © Ski Juwel Alpbachtal Wildschönau