Austria's Lake District Walk 8D7N, Self Guided

- The departure and finish point is Bad Ischl

- Major commercial flights provide convenient access to Bad Ischl. The nearest airports are in Salzburg, Linz, Graz, Munich and Vienna. The nearest major airport is Salzburg Airport which has international and domestic flights from Salzburg in Austria and is 69 km from the center of Bad Ischl. Another major airport is Linz Airport  which has international and domestic flights from Linz in Austria and is 106 km from Bad Ischl.

- Airport transfers are not included. Joining location starts in your accommodation in Bad Ischl making your own arrangements there. Alternatively, airport transfers can be arranged at an additional cost, please contact us.

Salzburg and the surrounding area is at the Northern edge of the Austrian Alps and as such has a typical Central European climate with hot summers and cold winters. However, Salzburg actually experiences relatively moderate weather making it a good year round destination. Being in the mountains, it can rain at any time in this area so be prepared for this at any point.

The walking level on this trip is rated Level 2 Leisurely/Moderate.

Level 1 Leisurely: Experience is not necessary; anyone fit and healthy enough to complete a weekend walk will thrive. Walks are often optional. Trails are seldom flat, so expect a reasonable number of ascents and descents. You normally walk for two to five hours per day; daily ascents will likely be around 985ft to 1,640ft (300m to 500m), perhaps with the odd day around 1,970ft (600m).

Level 3 Moderate: Expect easy, medium-length walks or harder, shorter walks. Some experience is useful, but not essential. Good health and reasonable fitness are important. There will be walks at higher altitudes and some longer, harder days. Generally, though, the underfoot conditions will be fair. A walking day is normally five to seven hours; daily ascents will likely be around 1,640ft to 2,625ft (500m to 800m), perhaps with the odd day around 2,955ft to 3,280ft (900m to 1,000m).

Level 5 Challenging: Fitness is vital with extended walking in mountainous terrain. You might also experience high altitude, challenging climates and remote locations. Trekking experience is desirable, but not vital if you are confident in your physical condition. Walking days are usually between six and eight hours, although they may be longer for passes or peaks. Daily ascents can be around 2,955ft to 3,280ft (900m to 1,000m), perhaps with the odd day around 3,610ft to 3,940ft (1,100m to 1,200m).

Level 7 Tough: Trekking experience is essential and preferably at altitude. You need complete confidence in your ability to trek for many days over difficult terrain. You may encounter extreme altitude and weather conditions and may need to use ice axes and crampons. Stamina is essential as walking days last six to nine hours (sometimes more on occasions). Daily ascents will likely be around 2,955ft to 3,280ft (900m to 1,000m), perhaps with the odd day around 3,610ft to 3,940ft (1,100m to 1,200m).

Split and optional grades: Where a trip falls between two grades, an intermediate or ‘split’ grade is used. For example, Level 2 (Leisurely/Moderate). Occasionally there are optional ascents available; in this case, the grade will be highlighted.

The relaxed walking for this trip follows mainly well-marked routes with opportunities to extend each day. The walks are generally classed as easy but there are some forested sections where the terrain is inclined and loose underfoot. As this is a self-guided holiday there is no group and no leader. There may be others on the same departure date as you, but you will not be organised together. You are provided with route directions for each day, which begin with an overview of the walk and advice on lunch, followed by detailed instructions. The route directions contain a 24-hour emergency assistance telephone number should you need it and in emergencies, the hotel is normally able to dispatch a taxi or pick you up themselves. They may wish to charge for this service.

Onlyluxe Travel acts as travel agency and work with different tour operators.

Payment Detail
All pricing is in Australian dollars and are quoted on a per person twin share basis. A supplementary price is available (see below). Bookings are not confirmed until full payment and the signed Booking Form has been received by Onlyluxe Travel.

A non-refundable 30% deposit is payable within 7 days of your booking, with the final balance due 90 days prior to departure. If a booking is made 90 days or less before departure, the full payment is payable immediately. Last minute bookings are payable before arrival. Failure to pay on time may result in automatic cancellation of a booking with cancellation penalties payable to Onlyluxe Travel. If you pay by credit card or PayPal a surcharge will be added to the total price.

Single Supplement
All accommodation is twin share. Single guests will share with someone of the same gender. If a single room is demanded, a supplementary price of will apply. The supplementary price refers to our quotation and needs to be stipulated at the time of booking.

General Cancellation Policies
- Outside of 90 days monies will be refunded less 30% of full fee
- Within 90 days prior to arrival all monies will be forfeited
- No refunds will be given in the event of non-arrival, any unused services or unused nights due to flight or weather disruption
- We strongly recommend guests protect themselves with travel insurance and medical insurance

Please Note: Cancellations must be advised in email and will take effect from the date they are received.

We strongly recommend guests protect themselves with travel insurance.

Pre-Existing Medical Conditions and Age Limits
You need to advise the tour operator on any pre-existing medical condition, mobility impairment and/or disability that might reasonably be expected to increase the risk of your requiring medical attention, or that might affect the normal conduct of a trip and the enjoyment of other trip members. The tour operator may require an assessment of your medical condition from a qualified medical practitioner. If you fail to adequately notify the tour operator of any pre-existing medical conditions and/or disability, the tour operator reserves the right, at its reasonable discretion, to cancel your participation in a trip at any time, including after the commencement of your trip, with no right of refund if your medical condition, mobility impairment and/or disability could be reasonably expected to affect the normal conduct of the trip and the enjoyment of other trip members.

Liability
The participant agrees to indemnify Onlyluxe Travel, and its servant, tour operator and agents, in relation to any liability, loss and damage which the tour operator, or its servants and/or agents may incur as a result of the participants, negligence or misconduct during the tour.

Smoking is not permitted on the bus, or in tents or in other accommodation being used by tour operator at the time that a trip is being conducted.

Child Policy
Please consult travel consultant on age limit.

Changes to Itineraries
Local conditions may necessitate changes to sightseeing, walking and driving routes, camping and accommodation locations. While every effort will be made to provide the services and experiences as offered in our brochure, on our website, and in our trip letters, we reserve the right to vary your itinerary. In the event that we are forced to change your arrangements, substitute arrangements of a similar standard will be provided. The tour operator will not be liable where interruptions to itineraries are caused by weather conditions, technical problems to transport used by the tour operator, industrial action, political or civil commotion or other circumstances beyond our control. We refer you to the conditions regarding travel insurance.

Changes in Prices
While we will do its utmost to honour its pricing unforeseen circumstances may mean that prices may be subject to change without notice.

Pre-Existing Medical Conditions and Age Limits
You need to advise Onlyluxe travel and the tour operator on any pre-existing medical condition, mobility impairment and/or disability that might reasonably be expected to increase the risk of your requiring medical attention, or that might affect the normal conduct of a trip and the enjoyment of other trip members. Onlyluxe Travel and the tour operator may require an assessment of your medical condition from a qualified medical practitioner. If you fail to adequately notify the tour operator of any pre-existing medical conditions and/or disability, the tour operator reserves the right, at its reasonable discretion, to cancel your participation in a trip at any time, including after the commencement of your trip, with no right of refund if your medical condition, mobility impairment and/or disability could be reasonably expected to affect the normal conduct of the trip and the enjoyment of other trip members.

Cancellation by The Tour Operator
The walks take place in very special wilderness settings. The tour operator is at the mercy of nature in all her beauty and all her fury. The tour operator will under no circumstance knowingly place at risk the health and well-being of our guests and guides. In the case of natural threats, acts of God and the like (e.g. bushfires, impassable snow, etc) the tour operator may need to cancel a walk with very little notice. In some cases, this can occur after the walk has commenced. The tour operator reserves the right to cancel any walk up to 60 days prior to departure if a minimum of 4 walkers are unable to meet for a tour. If the tour operator needs to cancel for any reason, the cost of the walk or any other costs associated with travel to the designated pick up point, overnight accommodation, meals, etc will not be covered by the Onlyluxe Travel and therefore we strongly recommend travel insurance be taken out prior to travel.

Force Majeure
'Force Majeure' means (without restriction) any event which Onlyluxe Travel or its third party providers could not, even with due care, foresee or avoid. Force Majeure covers events such as, but not limited to, adverse weather conditions, fire and all similar events beyond our control. In the case of Force Majeure Onlyluxe Travel will not accept liability, and reserves the right to change and cancel trips.

Evacuations
In rare circumstances, due to injury or unforeseen illness, the tour operator may need to evacuate you from a remote part of the walk. Helicopter evacuations are expensive and in most cases will be at a cost to the customer.

For Australian residents, under the Australian Government Medicare Act, it is prohibited for any domestic travel insurance product to provide any financial reimbursement with regard to ambulance or air ambulance services. We therefore strongly advise our customers to take specific ambulance cover through their health insurance provider. Evacuation cost will not be covered by the Onlyluxe Travel and therefore it is also strongly recommended that our customers take out travel insurance to cover (amongst other things) the costs associated with evacuation.

Travel Insurance
In view of the heavy cancellation penalties applied to cancelled reservations in certain circumstances, we strongly recommends suitable travel insurance be purchased at the time the holding deposit is paid. We recommend insurance cover that covers any loss which may be suffered due to cancellation. We also strongly recommend comprehensive travel insurance against loss of baggage and medical expenses.