With their impressive waterfall drop of 380 m the Krimml Waterfalls are the fifth highest waterfalls in the world. If you are up for a walk there is a hiking trail, which makes it possible to get very close to them and it affords really amazing views. To witness its sheer power you don’t need to get very close but if you want some Summer refreshment, then it feels nice to approach them and catch some sprinkles.
Set amidst the rugged scenery of the Hohe Tauern National Park, these tiered waterfalls are the highest in Austria. The waterfall plunges downward in three stages and its highest point is 1,470 meters above sea level. They say that after a 10 – 15 minutes walk from the parking area you can already reach the lowest waterfall, from where the trail takes you up to the top of the waterfall. Luckily for us that it was a spectacular walk because our kids weren’t in the mood for a climb. It took quite a lot of convincing and creativity on our part to have them keep moving. At every turn we were faced with the same question, are we there yet and why is it taking so long.
We promised ice cream at the top and that seemed to do the trick, while our reward was right in front of us the whole time – the stunning Krimml waterfalls. It is impressive to stand and just watch the water on its way. Even the crowds gathered to revel in the same scenery didn’t bother us, because in this vast wilderness there is plenty of room for everyone. Even enough space to stand almost right beneath it and catch some refreshing drops of water. It was amazing observing people seemingly from all over the world come here as if to pay respect to one of the great natural wonders. It made me think of the visit in terms of a pilgrimage:
As I make my slow pilgrimage through the world, a certain sense of beautiful mystery seems to gather and grow.
A. C. Benson