Wunderschön! Alpe-Adria-Trail in Kärnten: Naturpools, Wasserfälle & Bergseen (Etappe 7)

Hike on the Alpe-Adria Trail (Stage 7) in Carinthia: From Mallnitz to Obervellach, past Lake Stappitz in the Hohe Tauern and through the picturesque Groppenstein Gorge. Have you ever done a long-distance hike? If so, where did you go and how did you like it? Let us know in the comments! We start our tour in Mallnitz. It looks like a very idyllic place. Geraniums hang in the windows, quaint wooden houses adorn the streets, and it's pleasantly quiet. Only a few other hikers are around. No wonder, because Mallnitz is a good starting point for hiking. So we also begin our tour first towards Lake Stappitz. The lake is set against an impressive mountain backdrop. The Ankogel peak towers behind it. If you have enough time, you should plan a cable car ride on the Ankogelbahn to reach higher up into the alpine landscape. Or you can take the time to birdwatch directly at Lake Stappitz. Especially when migratory birds gather, it's a true spectacle. The birds wait at the lake until the weather in the high mountains allows them to pass the Hohe Tauern and fly south. The best place to do this is in the small cottage at the end of the lake. There, every possible bird is pictured for identification. But for us, it's onward. We hike along the railway tracks to the Rabischschucht. A wooden arch marks the entrance to the gorge. We are accompanied by our hiking guide Christiane. She has already hiked the trail from Heiligenblut through Slovenia to the Italian Adriatic coast. There are 43 stages in total. However, she says that the tour never involves technically difficult paths. This makes the route easily manageable even for families with mountain experience. We follow the wild river course of the gorge. The path leads along the water, and there are numerous small paths that lead directly to the shore with great views. But the more beautiful gorge is yet to come. Shortly after leaving the Rabisch Gorge, we enter the Groppenstein Gorge. Meter-high waterfalls await us there – three in total. We walk deeper into the gorge over footbridges attached to the rock face at dizzying heights, observing from above the turquoise-blue water cascading into numerous eroded pools. The orange-red rock walls contrast with this. The rock practically glows. Finally, we reach the town center of Obervellach. The fact that the town was once prosperous is evident in the facades of the houses. Especially in the 16th and 17th centuries, during the mining era, the town experienced a boom. The Oberstbergmeisteramt (Chief Mining Master's Office), which now houses a museum, was formerly the administrative center of gold mining in the Hohe Tauern. If you enjoyed the video and now you're in the mood for a hike in Carinthia, please show us by giving it a thumbs up or clicking Subscribe right away so you don't miss anything. :)