The world’s most famous finding from a glacier comes from our very own prehistoric mass of ice: the glacier mummy Ötzi. The Ötzi Glacier Tour takes you over the glacier to the discover site on the Giogo Tisa ridge at 3,210 m (10,532 ft.). It takes place every Tuesday and upon request.
The full-day circular tour is filled with variety and crosses the main ridge of the Alps. With its superlatives in terms of both landscape and archaeology, it is interesting for more than just lovers of mountains and friends of history. The undisputed high point of this glacier tour is the site where Ötzi was discovered (3,210 m / 10,532 ft.) with the fascinating view of the north face of the Similaun (3,524 m / 11,562 ft.) In addition, this tour offers the possibility of trying out climbing with a roped party and at sites with steel cables affixed to the rock.
The smooth running of the tour to the most famous spot in our area requires the cooperation of the archeoParc, the Glacier Ski Resort and the Guide Alpine Passiria-Senales mountain guide association.
Schedule: July–October (hikes) and November-April (ski tours)
Requirements and conditions for participation: suitable for people with good physical and mental fitness, no special technical ability required; for the ski tour: good parallel skiing ability, no ski tour experience necessary; with family participation: previous mountaineering esperience, tour information meeting.
Mountaineering Tour – Skitour – Mountain guides – Schedule – Information and reservations
Mountaineering tour
Starting from Kurzras. From the mountain terminal of the Glacier Cable Car, we will travel over the Hochjochferner (2,800 m/9,186 ft.) to the Schwarze Wand and on to the Hauslabjoch (3,280 m./10,761 ft.) We will then descend to the Tisenjoch (3,210 m/10,532 ft.), the site where Ötzi was discovered. Return to the Similaun Refunge in the early afternoon. We will then descend through the Tisen Valley to Vernagt (1,700 m./5,577 ft.) Return to Kurzras.
Schedule: July–October
Requirements and conditions of participation: change in elevation: ↑500 m (1,640 ft.) ↓1.900 m (4,921 ft.); walking time: 7-8 hours; suitable for people with good physical and mental fitness, no special technical ability required; for family tours: previous mountaineering esperience, tour information meeting.
Skitour
Starting from Kurzras. From there we will travel by cable car to the Grawand mountain terminal (3,100 m./10,170 ft.), the actual starting point of our tour. From there, we will travel over the Hochjochferner (2,800 m / 9,186 ft.) to the Schwarze Wand and on to the Hauslabjoch (3,280 m./ 10,761 ft.) We will then descend to the Tisenjoch (3,210 m. /10,532 ft.), the site where Ötzi was discovered. After a brief stop, we will ascend to the Hauslabjoch and descend into the Hochjoch Valley and continue down the valley to Kurzras.
With suitable snow conditions, the course of the tour may change after the site where Ötzi was discovered: descent past the Similaun Refuge (3,019 m / 9,905 ft.) and through the Tisen Valley to Vernagt am See. Return to Kurzras.
Schedule: November – May
Requirements and conditions of participation: change in elevation ↑ approx. 600 m (1,969 ft.), ↓ approx. 2,100 m (6,890 ft.); duration: approx. 7 hours; basic physical condition; good parallel skiing ability (ski tour experience not necessary).
Mountain guides
All Ötzi Glacier Tours are planned and accompanied by nationally-certified professional mountain guides who greatly enjoy being underway along our glacier in both summer and winter.
Our mountain guides set up the tour routes, traversing rock, ice, and snow where necessary. They prepare the technical rental equipment for the tours and see to it that the safety precautions are adhered to. For example, they will inspect your clothing and equipment before starting off. During the tour, the guides will point out to you interesting information worth knowing about the world of plants and animals, the discovery of Ötzi, the weather, the rocks, and proper behavior in the high mountains and on the glacier. For many of our mountain guides, the Ötzi Glacier Tour is one that is particularly appreciated, above all else because of the many enthusiastic participants from all over the entire world. Representative of this is a former colleague who continued to accompany tours to the site where Ötzi was discovered until he was seventy-four years old:
“The most beautiful moment on the mountain for me is when, at the end of the tour, you realize that the people have experienced something that goes beyond their imagination, and they are simply happy and satisfied,” said the famous mountain guide and Ötzi connoisseur Luis Pirpamer in an interview with a German newspaper (Süddeutsche Zeitung). “You notice that very quickly in the guests’ eyes and in their mood.”
DT/IT/EN
Robert works full-time as a mountain guide. He lives in Passeiertal valley and he loves to hike and to ski in the mountains of Val Senales. Since 20 years Robert several times a week had accompanied adventurous people and journalists to the findspot of Ötzi. „I like the Ötzi tour a lot. Both in summer and wintertime I am inspired by the landscape.“
DT/IT/EN
Enamored of the local peaks since childhood, Georg has been working for ten years as a mountain guide in the mountains between the Passeier and Schnals Valleys. For him, the tour to the site where Ötzi was discovered is one of the most varied Alpine experiences of all. “Along historical paths in ice and rock. Absolutely to be recommended.”
Special Guests 2021
DT/IT/EN
Thomas is the older part of the German Huber brothers and well-known in mountain sports because of his numerous expeditions and first ascents. The Bavarian loving the mountains of Patagonia is an excellent speed climber (Documentary film “To the Limit”).
Ötzi Glacier Tour with Thomas Huber: 06.07.2021
Schedule
The Ötzi Glacier Tour takes place every Tuesday and can also be booked as a private tour on any other day.
Next tours:
Mountaineering:
Skitouring:
Ötzi Glacier Tour Ski
24. December - 08:00 - 17:00Ötzi Glacier Tour Ski
31. December - 08:00 - 17:00
Information and reservations
At the archeoParc, Martha, Magdalena and Hannelore are pleased to handle your questions and accept your reservations:
Information and reservations:
Up to 5:00 P.M. on the preceding day
Tel.: +39 0473 676 020
info@archeoparc.it
Please be sure to leave your mobile telephone number with your application. If necessary, you will be contacted by phone by the mountain guide the evening before the tour.
Online-Application
Maso Corto, Ötzi Glacier Tour Meeting Point (google maps: http://goo.gl/maps/ja3ij)
between 6:30 and 8:30 A.M. (you will find out the precise time with your application)
Minimum of three participants (a smaller number of participants is possible upon request and with the payment of a supplement)
What to Bring:
Hiking boots, suitable hiking clothing, gaiters, a light backpack with drinks and food provisions for the day, gloves, a cap, sunglasses, rain protection; for ski tours: your own ski touring equipment, ski rental available on site.
Services:
Accompaniment by a certified mountain guide, the ascent with the Schnals Valley Glacier Cable Car, the use of technical equipment, admission for one to the archeoParc Schnals Valley, and a Certificate of Participation.
Cost:
160 euros per person (until January 31: 140 euros).
You may pay the tour fee directly to the mountain guide at the meeting point, or else you may bring along the payment confirmation that you received upon application. You will receive a receipt upon payment.
In the event that you are in need of a formal invoice with the complete information of the invoice recipient, please send your invoicing address and sales tax identification number to info@archeoparc.it.
Cancellation:
For cancellations by us: in the event of inclement weather, the tour will be canceled by the mountain guide or else moved to a different day upon consultation with the participants. The tour will also be cancelled if the number of participants is insufficient. In the event of a cancellation, we will refund participation fees that have already been paid before the beginning of the tour.
However, no claims shall be accepted for a refund or reduction of participation fees in the event that the route of the tour is altered or terminated on short notice due to safety reasons.