Krimml Waterfalls

Europe's highest waterfall, a three-stage 380m cascade in Hohe Tauern National Park

The Krimml Waterfalls, 55km west of Zell am See in the Hohe Tauern National Park, are among the highest waterfalls in Europe: three cascades dropping a total of around 380 metres through a steep gorge. A well-maintained path climbs alongside the falls for about 3km, offering increasingly close views of each successive drop. The spray is intense near the main falls — bring a waterproof.

The village of Krimml at the base is small and pleasant. Combined with the drive through the Salzach valley, the excursion makes a natural full day from Zell am See. Parking is available at the village; the falls are open year-round, though the path to the upper sections may be icy in winter.

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The mist from the falls is so fine and constant that the path from the village to the upper cascade is effectively a long walk through a cool cloud. Local health resorts have used the "waterfalls cure" since the 19th century — doctors prescribed walks in the spray as treatment for respiratory conditions, and the practice was officially recognised enough that a clinic operated nearby for decades.

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