One of the most beautiful places to visit in Austria and a big attraction of the Salzburg region is the Sigmund Thun Gorge in Kaprun. This amazing wonder of nature might not be very big, but it surely is exceptional with its views.

Visiting the Kaprun Gorge is such a fun experience as you walk on the wooden boardwalks and bridges in the narrow passageway between rocks, with the tumbling river below. You might even get a bit wet along the way from the water falling down the rocks.

I must admit that before visiting Zell am See and the surrounding area, I had no idea about the Sigmund Thun Gorge in Kaprun. A quick browse through the Google Map of the region and I knew I needed to visit the place as it looked so stunning.

As it quickly turned out, Sigmund Thun Gorge exceeded my expectations, and even if I nearly missed my bus back to Zell am See, it was all worth the detour.

How to get to the Sigmund Thun Gorge

The Sigmund Thun Gorge is located at the edge of Kaprun, some 2,5 km away from the center of the town. Zell am See, another popular town in the area, is 10 km away with a driving time of around 15 minutes.

If you travel by car, you will find a free parking right in front of the entrance to the gorge and another one next to the main road, near the bus stops.

There is also a bus no 660 that goes from Zell am See via center of Kaprun and stops near the Sigmund Thun Gorge, only a short walk to the entrance. It runs frequently, every 20-30 minutes, but at some point it might have longer breaks, so it’s better to check the schedule.

I didn’t do that, enjoying my visit to the Sigmund Thun Gorge, when I realized that the next bus was in fifteen minutes and the next one in three hours. I was this close to missing the bus back to Zell am See, but fortunately, luck was on my side. It was in the middle of summertime, on Sunday afternoon (around 6 pm), so that’s why buses might have been less frequent then.

Opening hours and tickets

The Sigmund Thun Gorge is open daily between mid-May and mid-October from 8:30 am to 5:00 pm (in July and August, opening hours are extended to 7 pm). Outside of these months, the weather is a bit unstable, so the place is closed to tourists.

During my visit in the summer of 2023 the entrance to the gorge was €6,50; according to the website it will be €7 in 2024. You can pay by card here. If you have the Zell am See – Kaprun Card or the SalzburgerLand Card, you can enter the Kaprun gorge for free.

Visiting the Sigmund Thun Gorge

Since the Sigmund Thun Gorge is a popular place among tourists, it’s better to come here early in the morning, shortly after the opening. This way, it’s very likely you will have the place almost to yourself, which makes it so much more enjoyable.

On the other hand, the gorge can get really busy over the weekends and during holidays. This is kind of what I experienced, even if I was there in the late afternoon and it was still less crowded than usual.

Still, there were moments when I had to wait a bit to pass people taking pictures, or I couldn’t take a picture because others were either pushing me or walking into the frame. But nevertheless, I enjoyed the place so much and I quickly fell in love with it.

The Sigmund Thun Gorge is a product of the water melting from nearby glaciers – it needed an outlet, carving a path through the rocks. That’s how the Kapruner Ache stream that goes through the gorge was created.

The place was first open at the end of the 19th century, but in 1938, the entrance was forbidden when the nearby hydroelectric power plant was built.

The Sigmund Thun Gorge was reopened in early 1990s, quickly making the place one of the biggest tourists attractions in the region. And it is popular for a reason – the melting glacier water and the stream created a truly picturesque and breathtaking place!

The Sigmund Thun Gorge is almost 400-meters long and 32 meters deep. When you first enter the place you need to walk a bit along the stream – it’s pleasant but nothing spectacular. But very shortly, you arrive at the first wooden bridge above the rapid waters, and your jaw drops.

The crystal-clear tumbling water is so loud it’s difficult to talk to each other, but that’s one of the things that makes visiting the Sigmund Thun Gorge so special. For next few hundred meters you will walk along the narrow gorge, surrounded by the beauty of nature.

You will also come across a few small waterfalls that only add up to the atmosphere and beauty of the place. Hike through the Sigmund Thun Gorge can also be a great exercise for your imagination; if you look close enough, you can see the gorge ghost and the gorge witch hidden in the rocks.

There will be some steps to climb, too, but it’s a beautiful place to focus on being too tired. Besides, you will be stopping every few meters to take yet another picture of this marvelous place.

That’s why the whole hike through the gorge should take 30-60 minutes, despite the short distance. Fortunately, there are some viewing platforms for photostops, but they are still not enough for a place of such beauty.

At the end of the hike, you will arrive at the artificial yet still impressive waterfall. Since the gorge has only a one-way path, this is where you exit the place, and you can either go back to the entrance / parking / bus stop or continue to the Gorge Lake.

It’s yet another beautiful place here, perfect to take a break after the gorge experience. You can sit back, relax, and enjoy a lovely panorama of the surrounding mountains and turquoise waters in the reservoir. Unfortunately, swimming is not allowed here.

The Sigmund Thun Gorge tips

Here are a few tips to make your trip to the Sigmund Thun Gorge easier.

• Arrive at the place in the morning, right after the opening, to avoid crowds
• Wear good shoes – the wooden paths can get slippery
• Even if it’s a warm and sunny day, the gorge can get a bit chilly as it’s mostly in the shadow
• Make sure your camera and phone are fully charged – you will take many pictures here
• It’s good to have some waterproof cover for your camera or other electronic devices
• Dogs are allowed in the gorge although I’m not sure it’s such a good idea to take them with you, with the noise and many people around
• With all the steps to climb, the place is unfortunately not accessible for disabled tourists
• If you travel by public transport, be sure to check the bus back to avoid being stranded there

Final thoughts on visiting the Sigmund Thun Gorge in Kaprun

I’m more than happy I’ve managed to visit the Sigmund Thun Gorge, even if it was a very spontaneous decision. At first, the place reminded me a bit of the Vintgar Gorge near Lake Bled in Slovenia, but the one in Kaprun is narrower, which made it even more breathtaking.

This is definitely one of the must-visit places in the Zell am See-Kaprun region, so be sure to include it in your Austria itinerary; you will not be disappointed!

Further reading

I published many articles about Austria that you might find useful when planning your trip there. Here are some of them:

• 17 Amazing Things to Do in Innsbruck, Austria
• How to Visit Wachau Valley from Vienna, Austria
• Innsbruck Card Review – Is It Worth It?
• 17 Cool Things to Do in Linz, Austria
• One day in Vienna – how to see the most in the Austrian capital
• 9 Wonderful Things to Do in Bad Gastein, Austria
• and more!

If you are looking for articles about a specific destination – check out the map with all the articles I’ve published (and their locations). You can also join my Facebook group about traveling in Central Europe and ask your questions there.

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