KÖNIGSLEITEN, AUSTRIA
Ski holidays in Königsleiten
Königsleiten is the highest village in Austria’s 150km Zillertal Arena, the largest ski resort in the Zillertal valley. Surrounded by the tree-covered slopes of the Königsleitenspitze, with charming traditional architecture and pistes for all abilities, it’s an idyllic destination for your next ski holiday.
Skiing in Königsleiten
There’s a real range of terrain across the 150km and 87 pistes of the Zillertal Arena, though it’s particularly well suited to intermediates – well over half of the runs are red, while nearly a third are blue and the remainder black.
Königsleiten is home to (probably) the best balance of pistes for the average skier, with 8 blues (more than any of its neighbours), 10 reds and just one black, the Abfahrt Dorfbahn. Beginners can start their journey on the nursery slopes right in the middle of the village and progress on to the friendly blues above the resort or in nearby Gerlos. Intermediates have some of the best reds in the Zillertal Arena on their doorstep – just ride the Dorfbahn gondola up to the Königsleitenspitze peak for wide, rolling runs that descend right down into the treeline.
Whatever your ability, you’ll find it easy to explore the entire ski area by jumping on one of the Zillertal Arena’s 52 speedy lifts or regular inter-resort buses. And there’s so much to discover, including three snow parks for snowboarders and freestyle fans, challenging backcountry, and 39km of crosscountry trails.
At 1,600m, Königsleiten is the highest village in the Arena, and many of the pistes lead right back to the accommodation, offering ski-in ski-out access for much of the season.
Snow conditions in Königsleiten
Königsleiten, and indeed the Zillertal Arena, has the altitude (1,600m-2,500m), snowfall and snow cannon coverage, to ensure an early December to mid-April season. The village sees an average of 24cm and 3.3 days of snowfall per week across the season – and with 80% of its pistes covered by snow cannons, conditions are secure even when the natural stuff isn’t as abundant.
Après ski, restaurants and other activities in Königsleiten
There are so many ways to get out and about on the mountain in Königsleiten. For example, the 13km of toboggan runs in the Zillertal Arena, including the 7km Gerlosstein (which is partially floodlit until 1am), provide downhill thrills well into the evening. And over in Zell am Ziller, the Arena Coaster descends in waves, turns and loops over an exhilarating 1,450m. If you’re after a more leisurely excursion, explore the 80km of hiking trails or book onto the alpaca waterfall hike and join fluffy Andean friends on a wintery walk to the famous Krimml Waterfalls.
Indoor fun for all the family is available at the Kristallbad Wald facility. It has a children’s pool, a 50-metre tube slide, outdoor pools (open even in Winter), and a spa and sauna area.
Hungry? From the rustic slopeside huts to the two village restaurants (Weinzeit and Finkau) there are several cosy places where you can tuck into authentic Austrian grub. Most of the hotels also serve food if you want somewhere convenient.
There are also a couple of après bars in Königsleiten. Head to the slopeside Hannes’ Alm for DJs and live music on the outdoor terrace and party until closing time at 2am. Or try Kings the Bar for drinks, dancing and DJs every day from 3pm to 1am – find it right next to the Königsleiten cable car station.
Transfer times to Königsleiten
The nearest international airport, Innsbruck, is 1 hour 30 minutes away.
Resort Statistics
| Level | Rating | Runs |
|---|---|---|
| Beginners | 25 | |
| Intermediates | 48 | |
| Advanced | 14 | |
| Snowboarders | ||
| Total Runs | 87 |
| Resort Altitude | 1600m |
| Highest Lift | 2500m |
| Longest Run | 11km |
| Uphill Capacity | 94000 |
| Total Lifts | 52 |
| Gondolas/Cable cars | 14 |
| Chairlifts | 19 |
| Drag Lifts | 15 |
| Snow Parks | 3 |
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