Mayrhofen

Between the Penken and Ahorn mountains, in the district of Schwaz, lies the ski resort of Mayrhofen with 178.78 km2 of skiable area, at an altitude of over 2500 metres and in close proximity to the Hintertux glacier.

Ski resort Mayrhofen 

The ski resort Mayrhofen is situated between the Penken and Ahorn mountains in the heart of the Tyrolean mountains. With more than 140 km of slopes, it shows the sporty and versatile, elegant and relaxed, surprising and exciting spirit of the winter season in this Austrian ski resort.

On Mount Penken you can discover the best sporting challenges. For example, the bravest can tackle the legendary Harakiri, Austria’s steepest slope adventure with an incline of 78%! Another resort for the more adventurous is the PenkenPark, where beginners can try their first jumps and advanced skiers can perfect their style. In addition, speed junkies will love the RacingParadise Unterberg and its three permanent timed race circuits: Gold, Silver and Bronze. And let’s not forget the FunRide Sun-Jet and FunRide Gerent, which are real attractions for fun-lovers with their child-friendly obstacles, curves and snail turns.

Mount Ahorn is a winter wonderland for families and fun-lovers. Its wide slopes are the ideal place for beginners to try skiing and snowboarding for the first time. But there’s action on this side of the resort too, with the FunRide Ahorn with its Family Park, the AlbertAdler Tour or the demanding 5.5 km ValleyRun Ahorn to Mayrhofen.

Mayrhofen is also the venue for the Snowbombing, a music festival in the snow, which has become more and more popular in Europe every spring since 2005.

Slopes in the ski resort Mayrhofen

The ski resort Mayrhofen is made up of 3 villages that form ski areas in their own right. These resorts are called Finkenberg, Lanersbach and Schwendau, making it one of the largest ski regions in Austria.

MAYRHOFEN HAS THE HARA-KIRI SKI SLOPE, WHICH IS THE STEEPEST IN AUSTRIA.

Mayrhofen is not known for having a large number of black and/or difficult slopes, as at least 140km of blue and red runs. Snowboarders will find a great snowpark sponsored by the ski clothing brand Vans with 6 areas for all levels.

The Mayrhofen ski resort has 41 modern ski lifts and a free shuttle bus service to make getting around Mayrhofen as easy as possible, without having to use a car. It has some truly spectacular ski lifts, with a maximum capacity of 160 people per run at any one time.

Although it is not a particularly difficult ski resort and is suitable for intermediate skiers, it doesn’t mean that advanced skiers can’t find their training ground, as skiing in Austria is a real pleasure.

Mayrhofen has the steepest slope in Austria, with the Hara-Kiri piste (a black run in the Penken area).

Activities in the ski resort Mayrhofen

For those who prefer to have a variety of activities besides skiing or snowboarding, there are several options in the Mayrhofen ski resort. First of all, there is the 3 km toboggan run, which children love, and adults even more! A similar activity is snowtubing, where air-filled tyres are used to speed down a specially prepared slope – and best of all, snowtubing is free of charge!

To explore the resort in a different way, every Tuesday there is a guided snowshoeing tour. The tour starts at the Nature Park House and takes in the wintry landscapes of Ginzling and the surrounding area. But if you want to explore the resort without giving up skiing, it is now also possible to enjoy ski touring in safety after a beginners’ course organised by the resort on Thursdays and Fridays.

Finally, if you want to move away from snow sports to ice sports, great family activities include ice skating and curling. At the ice rink in Mayrhofen, you can do some tricks and leave your daily routine behind – don’t miss out!

Sustainable development in Mayrhofen

The Mayrhofen ski resort has some sustainable initiatives to protect Austria’s natural environment. In particular, they have a subscription programme dedicated to the protection of the Zillertal Alps High Mountain Nature Park. It aims to raise awareness among skiers that natural gems such as this must be protected, while preserving and promoting mountain farming or gentle (rather than mass) tourism.

THE ZILLERTAL ALPS HIGH ALPINE NATURE PARK HAS BEEN PROTECTED SINCE 1991 AND BECAME THE FIRST TYROLEAN NATURE PARK IN 2001.

To raise awareness among membership subscribers, 200 free visits are made in the summer programme of the Nature Park, as well as free admission to the exhibition in the Ginzling Nature Park House and regular information on sustainable practices is sent to them.

Mayrhofen ski resort in summer

During the summer months, when the white slopes of the Zillertal valley turn back into lush alpine pastures, the Mayrhofen region becomes a vast paradise for hiking, cycling, climbing and trail running. The Zillertal Alps Nature Park is the perfect place to enjoy your summer sports activities, as you will be surrounded by almost 80 glaciers, three gigantic reservoirs and mountain lakes. All in all, a landscape not to be missed.

There you can enjoy hiking routes for all levels, perfectly signposted so you can choose the one that best suits your physical condition, and there are even some that can be done running! This sport is perfect to keep you moving while you are surrounded by nature, without a doubt it is the ideal sport to relax and relieve daily stress.

You can also take up mountain biking, road cycling or both. No matter which route you choose, you will be surrounded by the unparalleled alpine scenery of the Tyrol.

Last but not least, if you are in good physical shape, you can also go climbing. With this sport you will train your muscles and endurance, as well as working in harmony with the mountains. Even in summer, outdoor sports enthusiasts won’t get bored in Mayrhofen!

Hotels in Mayrhofen

Neue Post Mayrhofen Hotel ****

At the Neue Post Mayrhofen Hotel you can make the most of your holiday in a wellness atmosphere with a focus on tradition. Here you can enjoy a relaxing massage or the sauna after a sporty day to regain your strength and ski with even more energy. And of course, a hotel so focused on wellness also has the best gastronomy. After all, what better way to take care of yourself than enjoying a good meal?

In addition, this hotel is perfect for families, as it even has a games room where children can enjoy a table football or a game of table tennis. And another advantage is that from the hotel you will have access to a free shuttle bus to the ski resort – you can even buy your ski pass there!

Alpine Hideaway ZILLERTALERHOF ****

The Zillertalerhof hotel presents itself with a new design and becomes a boutique hotel that has been created from a historic and traditional building. Without a doubt, the style of the hotel can be defined as urban, and is a bit different from what we are used to. Not only does it mix urbanism with the alpine environment it is surrounded by, but it also has a rock and roll touch and blends contemporary culture with the building’s decades of tradition.

Furthermore, this hotel follows the Tyrolean maxim “dahoam is dahoam” (home is home), so despite its modern style it is a genuine family hotel. The rooms are designed with a timeless concept in mind: soft velvet headboards, parquet floors, leather armchairs and exquisite details complete the décor. In short, if you are looking for a modern hotel that combines the best of both worlds (Alpine and contemporary), this is the place for you.

Landenhof Superior Hotel ***

If you are looking for a hotel with a family-friendly atmosphere that is a bit more affordable, the Landenhof Superior Hotel is the best choice. It’s also surrounded by great restaurants and attractions, so you can enjoy the best of Mayrhofen. In fact, this hotel is only 0.4 km from the Ahorn, so getting to the train station is no problem at all.

And if you want to relax in the hotel, you can enjoy the hotel’s incredible sauna. And to recharge your batteries before going skiing, their breakfast is ideal! Another advantage of the hotel is that it gives you the possibility of having a space to store your ski equipment. Finally, here you also have free parking.

The resort’s strengths

Home to the Harakiri, Austria’s steepest piste

Located in a unique natural setting, surrounded by alpine mountains over 3,000 metres high

A perfect place for groups of different levels – there are options for beginners and experts alike

Free shuttle bus available to make getting around the resort as easy as possible

Plenty of accommodation close to the resort