Hotels near Dachstein Ice Cave (Rieseneishöhle)

The Dachstein Ice Cave, known in German as Rieseneishöhle or "Giant Ice Cave," lies inside the Dachstein massif above Obertraun, on the opposite side of the lake from Hallstatt village. It is one of the largest ice caves in the Alps, with formations that include a 20-metre ice wall known as the "Great Ice Chapel" and columns that shift measurably from year to year because the ice is still forming. Reaching the cave requires a 10-minute ride on Section 1 of the Dachstein Krippenstein cable car to Schoenbergalm at 1,350 metres, then a 15-minute walk uphill. The guided tour lasts about 50 minutes and covers 800 metres of illuminated passage; interior temperature stays just below freezing. Combined cable-car and cave tickets in 2026 are approximately EUR 42. The cave operates from early May to late October.

Pro Tip: Book the German-language tour rather than the English one if you can follow along with a printed translation sheet - the German tours run about twice as often, so you avoid the 90-minute wait that builds up at the English departures between 11:00 and 14:00.