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Resort Guide

Suitability	Resort height: 1800m
Families:		[Yes]
Glacier:		[No]
Beginners:		[4]
Intermediates:		[5]
Advanced:		[4]
Snowboarding:		[3]

The highest traditional village in the Alps and thus one of the most snowsure, Obergurgl is a long standing favourite of British guests, attracted to its high quality experience both on and off the slopes.

Located at the winter road end in the Otztal Valley region of Austria's Tyrol province, Obergurgl remains quite a small resort with less than 500 permanent residents. However the local families own more than 30 hotels, two-thirds of them luxurious four star establishments.

The local Festkogl ski area extends right up to above 3000 metres, so it's no surprise that the ski season here lasts six months from November to May. Most of the runs are above the treeline and the area is connected by gondola, although not ski pistes, to a second ski area, Wurmkogl, above 1960s resort off-shoot Hochgurgl.

It was developed by the local Scheiber family, and is one of the few Austrian resorts to have been largely purpose built, albeit in the timeless Tyrolean chalet style. It is made up of just six top-class hotels, all rated four or five star.

The Hochgurgl – Obergurgl ski area has some of the most advanced ski lifts in the world, with seven modern gondolas plus another seven high- speed, high-capacity chairlifts, each with pull-down weather protection covers; you'll be thoroughly spoilt by the quality of the ski experience here.

This quality extends to the lift queues as there aren't any. This is because the lift capacity in the sector is 12,500 people per hour but there are never more than 2,500 people on the slopes.

There's easily enough skiing here to keep all ability levels happy for at least a week, but as much again is now included on an interchangeable lift ticket with neighbouring Solden down the Valley.

Beginners

Novice skiers have gentle slopes right next to the village, with several beginners' lifts. Learning to ski with "the highest ski school in Austria" more or less guarantees resort level snow from November to May.

We can offer inclusive deals with tuition and equipment rentals at a saving on buying these elements separately.

Intermediates

A good choice for intermediates with half the terrain graded 'red' and trails up to eight kiometres (five miles) long, the longest down from Wurmkogl to Untergurgl or Pill taking in an impressive 1,260m vertical.

Popular areas include the Festkogl sector and the Schermerspitze ski trail, and there is also night skiing which is free of charge if you have a lift ticket valid three days or longer. Eight kilometres (five miles) of slopes are floodlit on Festkogl above Obergurgl.

If you fancy a little friendly competition there's a ski race for resort guests every Friday.

Advanced

Nearly a fifth of the available groomed piste terrain (20km/13 miles) is graded difficult, and experts will want to conquer the steep mogul run down from Top-Wurmkogl II in Hochgurgl. The Hohe Mut run in the Obergurgl sector is another challenging course, known as one of the Tyrol's largest bump runs.

For off piste, popular sectors include Konigstal at Hochgurgl or Sattel on the Obergurgl side. Guided ski tours are offered once or twice a week by the ski school, with the route decided on the day, depending on the weather, snow conditions and the expertise of the participants.

Snowboarding

The Festkogl area is the usual centre of snowboarding activity with the park built there on occasion. The whole area has excellent terrain for boarders with the added attraction of high speed chairs and cabin lifts to get you back up the slopes.

Over in Hochgurgl there's a half pipe to test out.

Other Activities and Facilities

12km of high-altitude cross-country skiing tracks are available along with 20km of cleared winter walking trails, as well as the option of guided snowshoe hiking tours by day or night. There is also ice skating and curling. Many of the hotels have their own indoor pools and wellness facilities.

An unusual and surreal attraction operated by the Hotel Riml in neighbouring Hochgurgl is an indoor golf park covering 700 square metres at 2,200 m above sea level.

Both beginners and professionals can improve their swing under optimum training conditions and tee it up on one of the 54 most beautiful golf courses in the world thanks to seven state-of-the-art simulators and a putting green of 200 square metres.

Other indoor options in the area include bowling and an indoor horse riding arena.

Après Ski and Dining Out

Obergurgl has a sophisticated après ski scene centred largely on hotel bars and restaurants. Popular venues include Pic Nic, the Belmonte, Krumpns Stadl or the Austria Keller.

Restauant choices include the Romantika, a pizzeria which reminds you that you are right on the border with Italy. Dining in the daytime David's Skihutte on the mountain is a must, as is a visit to the new Mountain Star at the top of the Wurmkogl ski area.

Sitting at 3,080m the Mountain Star juts out into the sky and offers a futuristic panorama bar on a viewing platform.

Families

There is no non-ski nursery, but the local ski school offers all day care for children aged three and older in Bobo's Ski club, which has its own separate area with conveyor lift and ski carousel.

Older children age five and up receive two hours of lessons in the morning and two in the afternoon. Lunchtime cover including soup, main course, desert and drink is available.

The area also has some of the most generous lift ticket pricing with children not needing to pay until age nine and then a discounted rate until age 16.

Piste Map for Obergurgl

Accommodation in Obergurgl

• Alpenaussicht - 4 star, half board
• Alpenaussicht - 4 star, half board
• Alpenaussicht - 4 star, half board
• Alpenland - 4 star, half board
• Alpenland - 4 star, half board
• Alpina - 4 star, half board
• Alpina - 4 star, half board
• Austria - 4 star, half board
• Austria - 4 star, half board
• Austria - 4 star, half board
• Austria - 4 star, half board
• Austria & Bellvue - 4 star, half board
• Bellevue - 4 star, half board
• Bellevue - 4 star, half board
• Bellevue - 4 star, half board
• Bellevue - 4 star, half board
• Berg-gasthof Gamper - 4 star, half board
• Bergresidenz - 3 star, half board
• Bergresidenz - 3 star, half board
• Bergwelt - 5 star, half board
• Bergwelt - 5 star, half board
• Christophorus - 1 star, half board
• Christophorus - 1 star, half board
• Crystal - 4 star, half board
• Crystal - 4 star, half board
• Crystal Sportiv - 4 star, half board
• Edelweiss - 4 star, half board
• Edelweiss - 4 star, half board
• Edelweiss - 4 star, half board
• Haus Gurgl - 3 star, bed & breakfast
• Haus Gurgl - 3 star, half board
• Haus Gurgl - 3 star, half board
• Hochfirst - 5 star, half board
• Hochfirst - 5 star, half board
• Hochfirst - 5 star, half board
• Hotel Alpenland - 4 star, half board
• Hotel Alpina - 4 star, half board
• Hotel Alpina-sonnberg - 4 star, half board
• Hotel Austria - 4 star, half board
• Hotel Bellevue - 4 star, half board
• Hotel Bellevue - 4 star, half board
• Hotel Bellevue - 4 star, half board
• Hotel Bergwelt - 4 star, half board
• Hotel Crystal - 4 star, half board
• Hotel Crystal - 4 star, half board
• Hotel Edelweiss & Gurgl - 4 star, half board
• Hotel Enzian - 4 star, half board
• Hotel Gotthard - 4 star, half board
• Hotel Ideal - 3 star, half board
• Hotel Jenewein - 4 star, half board
• Hotel Jenewein - 4 star, half board
• Hotel Laurin - 3 star, half board
• Hotel Lohmann - 3 star, half board
• Hotel Lohmann - 3 star, half board
• Hotel Olymp - 4 star, half board
• Hotel Olympia - 4 star, half board
• Hotel Wiesental - 3 star, half board
• Josl - 4 star, half board
• Lohmann - 4 star, half board
• Madeleine - 4 star, half board
• Madeleine - 4 star, half board
• Madeleine - 4 star, half board
• Madeleine - 4 star, half board
• Muhle - 4 star, half board
• Pension Hohenfels - 3 star, half board
• Pension S'hoamatl - 3 star, bed & breakfast

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