Ski & Winter Sports

Discover Niederthai – a silent part of the Ötztal Valley

Niederthai is a small village in the Tyrolean mountains and part of the Ötztal valley. It’s the ultimate destination for rest seekers and families, and is also known as a silent part of the valley – although there are lot’s of things to do. Especially in wintertime you can spend hours on the slopes and in the snow, and with the Niederthai Card you can experience different kinds of winter sports. I got the chance to discover the area with the Niederthai Card and in this blog you can read my experiences.

Discover Niederthai with the Niederthai Card

Niederthai Card - Niederthai Ötztal valley
© Stéphanie Versteeg

When sleeping in one of the partner lodgings, you get the Niederthai Card for free. This card will provide you entrance to the slopes and will give you a chance to experience different kind of winter sports, like Nordic skiing, snowshoe hiking and a Nordic ski biathlon. I am spending the night at the lovely Aparthotel Ambiente, and will try out the card for three days.

Niederthai ski area

Niederthai ski area - Niederthai Ötztal valley
© Bio-Pension Der Veitenhof/Michael & Margreth Leiter

The Niederthai Card gives you acces to the Niederthai Ski Area. With four kilometers of blue and red slopes, it’s the ideal place for beginners. There is a small slope in the center of town with a fast T-bar lift. This is the spot where you can improve your skills and learn how to ski. After that, you can continue on to the bigger slope and take the lift to the top of the mountain. This slope is a little bit more difficult, but a great way to put your new skills into practice. I actually spent most of my time on the little slope, and really improved my skiing techniques.

Nordic Skiing

Nordic skiing in Niederthai - Niederthai Ötztal valley
© Stéphanie Versteeg

Niederthai is a “Walhalla” for Nordic skiers. With 31 kilometers of Nordic skiing tracks and routes, you can explore a big part of the surroundings. Even if you are a beginner, this is a great way to see the area. Why? Because with the Niederthai Card you can do a taster lesson and get an insight into the latest Nordic skiing techniques. During this one hour lesson, you get to know more about the right posture and modern skating techniques, and afterwards you can try it yourself. Compared to skiing it’s a totally different way of moving, but after a few times you will get the hang of it. There is a nice skiing track in the village where you can practice, and if you really enjoy it you can go easily a little bit further.

Snowshoe hiking

Snowshoe hiking in Niederthai - Niederthai Ötztal valley
© Stéphanie Versteeg

With a big pile of snow, it’s not easy to make your way through the hiking trails. Luckily, when wearing snowshoes it’s actually possible to do a proper hike in the surrounding area. You can rent snowshoes at the Skiverleih in the village and take a walk on your own, but with the Niederthai Card, you can also join a guided walk. I can totally recommend it, because the guide knows all about the best routes. Every Tuesday there is a guided tour through the snow-blanketed forests and fields. A nature park guide takes you to the most beautiful paths in the area and will explain everything about mountain animals and plants. I thought this was a really nice way to get to know this beautiful part of Austria.

What else to do?

Biathlon in Niederthai - Niederthai Ötztal valley
© Elias Holzknecht

Besides (Nordic) skiing and hiking, there is more things to do with the Niederthai Card. For example: on Thursdays and Sundays you can try Nordic ski biathlon, where you combine Nordic skiing with laser shooting. It’s also possible to do a latern walk to the nearby Stuiben Falls, which is known as the biggest waterfall in Tirol. During this walk you will wait till it’s dark and make a beautiful hike to the waterfall. And if you would like to learn more about local traditions and craftmanship, you should really join the guided tour through the old smithy.

More details

  • Find out more about the Niederthai region HERE
  • HERE you’ll get more information about the Niederthai Card
  • What has Niederthai to offer in summer? Find it out HERE
Guest author Stephanie - Niederthai Ötztal valley
© Stéphanie Versteeg

Guest author Stéphanie Versteeg

Stéphanie Versteeg is a travel writer and photographer from The Netherlands. Her award winning travel blog Expeditie Aardbol (in Dutch) is all about active and adventurous travel.

(Cover image: © Hanspeter Leiter / Ötztal Tourismus)

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... varied guest authors write about their adventures and experiences in the Ötztal / in Sölden / in Obergurgl-Hochgurgl.

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