
Immerse yourself in blankets and have a nice horse-drawn sleigh ride in the moonshine. The bells from the horse’s harness will create music together with the sound of the sleigh riding through the now. It all comes with a torchlit walk, drinks, and dinner. Several different companies offer sleigh rides in Gastein. We got to go from Kötschachtal, Bad Gastein. It was a memory that we will cherish for a long time.
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Torchlit hike to Himmelwandhütte
We all meet up at Kötschachtal. Our guide, Hans Naglmayr, is lighting all the torches. The sun is still up and we are all excited and eager to get started. After we all have one torch each, we get a small briefing and then we start the hike. We walk at a comfortable pace and we stop a couple of times and get some interesting information about the area. Before we know it, it’s getting dark in Austria.
We stop by a small chapel. It was raised to commemorate the memory of the people who died in an avalanche several years ago. Hans talks respectfully about nature and to always have respect for it. A lot of tourists come here for the skiing and just go rogue – not a good idea. We continue our walk to the hütte to get something warm to drink and our starter. The closer we get, the more music we hear.
You might also like to read our post on a mineral hike in Sportgastein during summer.












Starter at Himmelwandhütte
We hear music with different instruments. We can see the lights from the hütte but there is still a few minute’s walk before we reach our destination. The music is bouncing off the mountains and becomes louder with every step. When we reach the hütte, there is a band waiting for us and playing by the fire. We all throw our torches into it and enjoy the music. We get a warm cup of punch and have a nice time for a while.
Inside the restaurant, we get served soup. This is a traditional Austrian starter with a liver-knödel (a form of dumpling) and a meat-strudel. Since it happens to be my 45th birthday, I also get some really good wine with my soup. It is warm inside and we all have a great time. After we finish our starter it is time to get on the ”road” again and head for the next stop. We are all excited because we know what’s waiting for us outside. It is time to get into the horse-drawn sleigh that will take us to the main course.






Horse-drawn sleigh to Alpengasthaus Prossau
The horses are waiting for us outside. We are given Liza and Max. Liza is a bit more angry but Max is ready to get my love. After some cuddles, we are placed in the sleigh and end up with five blankets. Yes, five blankets to keep us warm. Now we enjoy a 5.5-kilometer ride in the snow-covered terrain. It is quiet. It is almost like a meditation with bells from Max’s harness.
We ride through the moonlight. Sometimes Max passes gas and in the beginning, we laugh. However, after a couple of times of him farting we all agree that he probably eats too much. Small talk and quiet moments while the sleigh rides through the landscape. It feels like the kilometers fly by because we suddenly end up by the Alpengasthaus Prossau. It is time for the horses, and us to have our meal.
Interested in an active vacation – want to ride an e-bike during summer?
TIP: Wear warm clothes but don’t overdo it like we did! Since you will be covered in blankets, you will not get cold even if it is cold outside.





Eating dinner at Alpengasthaus Prossau
Another hütte that is warming and welcoming. We are served deer that is cooked to perfection. With that, we get a knödel in a Tyrolean way that has bread as a base. It tastes different since we are used to eating potatoes with meat in Sweden. However, it tastes good and we are all happy and delighted after the meal. Meanwhile, the horses are getting their dinner covered in blankets.
After our visit, the horses are ready to take us back to the starting point in Kötschachtal. It has been an amazing trip with lots of impressions. It’s a true nature- and culinary trip that you should not miss while being in the Gastein- area. Several different places in the area offer this kind of trip. We did this one but we feel pretty sure that you will enjoy it whichever you choose.
If you visit during the summer – the sleigh is switched to a carriage and you get a different experience!

Places that offer horse-drawn sleigh rides
- Fiaker Lederer – You can book it through the Gasteinlink below
- Fiaker Gruber – You can book it through the Gasteinlink below
https://www.gastein.com/en/experiences/fun-family/horse-rides
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