oetzi glacier tour

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ÖTZI LIVES!

On the trail of the ice man.

The discovery of the oldest glacier mummy in history will not be forgotten. Ötzi, who rested in the ice for over 5,000 years, was found on the Val Senales Glacier and promptly became a world sensation. To this day, the traces of his life can be found on the Giogo Alto glacier. The Iceman Ötzi Peak is a spectacular monument to the glacier man and the place where he was found can also be visited and admired.

ICEMAN ÖTZI PEAK

A unique experience awaits just a few steps away from the Glacier Hotel Grawand. You climb the steel stairs to the world's most easily conquered three-thousand-metre peak, reach the Iceman Ötzi Peak and stand there spellbound: 126 three-thousand-metre peaks line up and offer a fabulous panorama. You will see Ötzi's home town, the Similaun snowfield, the path of transhumance and, with a bit of luck, even the shimmering blue of the Adriatic. Truly overwhelming!

ÖTZI GLACIER TOUR

Ötzi's place of discovery lies beyond the masses of snow and crevasses on the Giogo di Tisa. You should only go there with an experienced mountain guide and ensure you have the necessary fitness and surefootedness. The ArcheoParc Senales organises an "Ötzi Glacier Tour" starting from the hotel. In a safe rope team, you cross the glacier and the main Alpine ridge to the Giogo di Tisa on foot or on touring skis. The ski tour takes place from December to April, the alpine tour from July to October. You can register via the Val Senales tourist office or at our reception.

THE MIRACLE OF VAL SENALES

For 5,300 years, Ötzi's mummy remained hidden as a silent witness of a time gone by. Until the Iceman was discovered by a pair of mountaineers in 1991. The find below the Similaun on the Giogo di Tisa is considered a milestone for research into the Neolithic period. It proves that the alpine passes on the Val Senales Glacier already connected the cultural circles in the Alpine region in early times. Thanks to the eternal ice and lady luck, Ötzi's mortal remains have been preserved for posterity and continue to exert their unbroken fascination to this day.

PAST AND PRESENT

The glacier wonder Ötzi lives on: At the Active Mueseum ArcheoParc Senales  Ötzi's habitat is recreated on a large outdoor area. It is located in the mountain village of Madonna di Senales at the entrance to the Alpin Arena Schnals/Senales. At the South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology in Bolzano you can even take a look at the glacier mummy. Did you know that Ötzi almost went down in history not as a South Tyrolean but as an Austrian? Ötzi was found only around 93 metres from the Italian-Austrian border.

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Ötzi glacier tour.

The most important glacier find in the world comes from our glacier: the wet mummy Ötzi. The Ötzi Glacier Tour takes you on skis from the Schnalstaler valley head to where Ötzi was found: to the  Tisenjoch  at 3,210 m above sea level. In addition to its scenic and archaeological superlatives, the guided glacier tour offers the opportunity to try out walking in a rope team and on rocky areas secured by wire rope.  The tour takes place every Tuesday and on request. To ensure that the Ötzi Glacier Tour runs  smoothly  ,  archeoParc  ,  Alpin Arena Schnals  and the tour's mountain guides work together.  Requirements and conditions of participation:  basic physical condition; no previous alpine technical knowledge required; For ski tours: good parallel driving skills, no ski tour skills required; for family meetings: mountain tour experience, participation in the pre-meeting.

Info Ötzi Glacier Tour COVID-19

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Stichting Erfgoedpark Batavialand att. EXARC Postbus 119 8200 AC Lelystad the Netherlands

Phone:  +(31) 6 40263273 Website: EXARC.net Email: [email protected]

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Experiences & events, ötzi – the iceman.

Immerse yourself in the fascinating world of the 5,300-year-old iceman

When a couple of German hikers accidentally stumbled upon this Copper Age iceman on the Tisenjoch ridge in 1991, it was an international archaeological sensation. After all, Ötzi had lain hidden in the Schnalstaler Gletscher glacier  in the Ötztal Alps for over five millennia. He was particularly well preserved as a result. Today, you can visit the "Iceman" in the South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology in the city centre of Bolzano/Bozen. In a playful way, the museum showcases numerous important findings, a life-size reconstruction of Ötzi, exciting research results and curious facts about the iceman.

From the Iceman Ötzi Peak viewing platform at 3,251 m above sea level, which is accessible via the glacier cable car, Ötzi's life becomes even more tangible as you have a direct view of the site where he was found on the Similaun mountain. The  archeoParc open-air and activity museum in the Schnalstal valley is another great place to learn more. The museum, located just below the Ötzi discovery site and just an hour's drive northwest of Bolzano, is especially popular with families. Perhaps you'll even feel a bit like Ötzi in the midst of the walk-in Stone Age houses, at the archery stand or at the workshops dealing with prehistoric handicrafts.

Discover Ötzi’s World

The Iceman and his story can be explored in detail in many places throughout South Tyrol. Are you a fan of challenging hikes? Then we recommend the Alpine tour from Vernagt/Vernago in the Schnalstal valley to the discovery site via the Similaun mountain hut.

South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology - Ötzi

Place of discovery Ötzi

Hiking trail to the place of discovery of Ötzi

Iceman Ötzi Peak

archeoParc Schnalstal Valley

This might interest you.

Ötzi's discovery has provided ample grounds for research and plenty of subject matter for new exhibitions, museums, hiking trails, viewing platforms and even a feature film. In addition to the iceman, here are a few more travel tips.

Film “The Iceman”

Holidays in the Schnalstal valley

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archeoParc Val Senales

If you’ve ever wondered how ötzi the iceman lived, we have the perfect place for you: the archeoparc in the val senales valley, image gallery: archeoparc val senales.

D_0870-archaeopark-schnalstal-unser-frau.JPG

D_0850-museum-oetzi-archaeopark-schnalstal-unser-frau.JPG

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In the genuine Val Senales valley, strictly speaking in Madonna di Senales , there is a special destination for families, called archeoParc. In this archeological open-air museum and interactive museum you can not only retrace the life of Ötzi, but also experience various activities on your own. It shows on a surface of 8,000 sqm the permanent exhibition on Ötzi and his contemporaries and includes the open-air area with huts of the Neolithic period. In between there are plants of those times, that is to say from more than 5,000 years ago. In fact, every detail in the park has been adapted to the period of the Iceman. From here, you can also enjoy a great view of the Giogo di Tisa pass on the Similaun Glacier, where the glacial mummy was found in 1991.

You have two possibilities to discover the museum: Take a quick glance at the time of Ötzi along the course 1 (indoor exhibitions, houses of the Alpine Valleys with demonstration area, nature path). It requires about an hour. Or get a real insight into the Neolithic period along the courses 1, 2 and 3 in three to four hours. Beside the course 1, you can explore also the houses of the North Alpine Foreland, the workshop area, the houses of the Po Plain, the canoe stop and the archery area. The bookshop and the cafeteria are ideal for concluding a great day on holidays.

If you would like to visit the glacial mummy, you can do so in the main town of South Tyrol. The South Tyrol Museum of Archeology in Bolzano custodies the Iceman in a cold storage cell. And how to reach the archeoParc Val Senales or archeoParc Schnalstal? It is located in Madonna di Senales, approx. 30 km away from Merano, and offers a parking space. The bus line 261 runs between Naturno in Merano and surroundings, and Madonna di Senales in the Val Senales valley.

Contact info

• Madonna di Senales / Unser Frau 163 - 39020 - Senales / Schnals
• +39 0473 676020
• [email protected]

Opening times

• Tue 14 May 10:00 - 17:00
• Wed 15 May 10:00 - 17:00
• Thu 16 May 10:00 - 17:00
• Fri 17 May 10:00 - 17:00
• Sat 18 May 10:00 - 17:00
• Sun 19 May 10:00 - 17:00
• Mon 20 May 10:00 - 17:00

Despite careful control we cannot guarantee the correctness of the provided data.

Spring 2024 (23/03/2024 - 16/06/2024)

• Mon 10:00 - 17:00
• Tue 10:00 - 17:00
• Wed 10:00 - 17:00
• Thu 10:00 - 17:00
• Fri 10:00 - 17:00
• Sat 10:00 - 17:00
• Sun 10:00 - 17:00

Easter 2024 (31/03/2024) 10:00 - 17:00

Easter Monday 2024 (01/04/2024) 10:00 - 17:00

Liberation Day 2024 (25/04/2024) 10:00 - 17:00

Labor Day 2024 (01/05/2024) 10:00 - 17:00

Whit Monday 2024 (20/05/2024) 10:00 - 17:00

Republic Day 2024 (02/06/2024) 10:00 - 17:00

Maintenance works 2024 (17/06/2024 - 29/06/2024)

Summer 2024 (30/06/2024 - 08/09/2024)

Feast of the Assumption 2024 (15/08/2024) 10:00 - 17:00

Autumn 2024 (09/09/2024 - 03/11/2024)

All Saints 2024 (01/11/2024) 10:00 - 17:00

ticket for the course 1 (part of the area): € 8.00 adults € 6.00 children and young people (4-18 years) € 6.00 students (up to 27 years) € 6.00 seniors 65+ € 6.00 people with disabilities € 6.00 groups (15 and more persons) € 17.00 family ticket (2 adults with 1 child under 18 years) € 23.00 family ticket (2 adults with children under 18 years) ticket for the courses 1, 2 and 3 (whole area): € 17.00 adults € 15.00 children and young people (4-18 years) € 15.00 students (up to 27 years) € 15.00 seniors 65+ € 15.00 people with disabilities € 15.00 groups (15 and more persons) € 42.00 family ticket (2 adults with 1 child under 18 years) € 54.00 family ticket (2 adults with children under 18 years) free for children under 4 years discount with the GuestCard Merano, Val Venosta Card discount with the museumobilCard, Euregio Family Pass Ötzi Glacier Tour - mountain day tour with alpine guide: € 140.00 per person

More information

Guided tours for groups and workshops on request. The archeoParc Val Senales stays open from the end of March to early November, season start 2024 on March 23.

Ötzi discovery day at the archeoParc

on 19/09/2024

Championship for prehistoric Archery

from 28/09/2024 to 29/09/2024, 2 occurrences

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ÖTZI LIVES!

On the trail of the ice man.

The discovery of the oldest glacier mummy in history will not be forgotten. Ötzi, who rested in the ice for over 5,000 years, was found on the Val Senales Glacier and promptly became a world sensation. To this day, the traces of his life can be found on the Giogo Alto glacier. The Iceman Ötzi Peak is a spectacular monument to the glacier man and the place where he was found can also be visited and admired.

ICEMAN ÖTZI PEAK

A unique experience awaits you just a few steps away from the mountain station of the glacier cable car. You climb the steel stairs to the world's most easily conquered three-thousand-metre peak, reach the Iceman Ötzi Peak and stand there spellbound: 126 three-thousand-metre peaks line up and offer a fabulous panorama. You will see Ötzi's home town, the Similaun snowfield, the path of transhumance and, with a bit of luck, even the shimmering blue of the Adriatic. Truly overwhelming!

ÖTZI GLACIER TOUR

Ötzi's place of discovery is on the Giogo di Tisa on the Val Senales Glacier. You should only go there with an experienced mountain guide and ensure you have the necessary fitness and surefootedness. The ArcheoParc Senales organises an "Ötzi Glacier Tour" starting from the Glacier Hotel Grawand. In a safe rope team, you cross the glacier and the main Alpine ridge to the Giogo di Tisa on foot or on touring skis. The ski tour takes place from December to April, the alpine tour from July to October. You can register through the Val Senales tourist office.

THE MIRACLE OF VAL SENALES

For 5,300 years, Ötzi's mummy remained hidden as a silent witness of a time gone by. Until the Iceman was discovered by a pair of mountaineers in 1991. The find below the Similaun on the Giogo di Tisa is considered a milestone for research into the Neolithic period. It proves that the alpine passes on the Val Senales Glacier already connected the cultural circles in the Alpine region in early times. Thanks to the eternal ice and lady luck, Ötzi's mortal remains have been preserved for posterity and continue to exert their unbroken fascination to this day.

PAST AND PRESENT

The glacier wonder Ötzi lives on: At the Active museum ArcheoParc Senales,  Ötzi's habitat has been reproduced on a large open-air site. It is located in the mountain village of Madonna di Senales at the entrance to the Alpin Arena Schnals/Senales. At the South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology in Bolzano you can even take a look at the glacier mummy. Did you know that Ötzi almost went down in history not as a South Tyrolean but as an Austrian? Ötzi was found only around 93 metres from the Italian-Austrian border.

YOUR SUMMER

Time to experience something.

HIKING AREA

Hike to your heart's content. 250 kilometres of trails await you.

From via ferrata to high ropes course. Embark on the ascent.

THE ETERNAL ICE

Interesting facts about the glacier. Learn more about the eternal ice.

Ötzi Glacier Tour

The Ötzi site at the Tisenjoch (3,210m above sea level) with its fascinating view of the northern flank of the Similaun is the destination of this full-day tour from Kurzras via the glacier, the Similaun hut and the Tisen valley to Vernagt and Kurzras. With its landscape and archaeological superlatives, it is equally interesting for mountain lovers and history buffs and offers the opportunity to try out walking in a rope team and on wire-rope secured rocky sections.

From the top station of the glacier cable car (3,205 m) over the Hochjochferner (2,800 m) to the black wall and on to the Hauslabjoch (3,280 m). Descent to the Tisenjoch (3.210m), Ötzifund site. Stop at the Similaunhütte in the early afternoon. Descent through the Tisen valley to Vernagt (1,700m).

Requirements:

basic physical condition

no previous alpine technical knowledge required!

Contact: Archeoparc - www.archeoparc.it

Summer | Natural wonders | Merano & Environs

The ötzi express on the ötztal glacier, brr, it’s freezing cold here.

Exciting: Hop onto a snow groomer to see where Ötzi was buried in the ice for thousands of years.

How can you reach the Ötztal Glacier ? You can go on a demanding hike – or be driven there. Non-mountaineers can explore the icy world of the Ötztal Alps with the help of a snow groomer that takes the whole family up to the glacier.

In 1991, a German couple found the mummy of Ötzi , also called the Iceman , during a hike in this area. Did you know that both Italy and Austria wanted to claim the historic mummy? There in the ice and rocks, the border of these two countries was not clear. Later, it was proven beyond doubt that the site is located in Italy, 93 metres away from the Austrian border.

Accompanied by a mountain guide you will gain fantastic insights into the conditions of the eternal ice. Participate in a tour of the glacier caves and let yourself be enchanted by their stunning light plays during your holiday for families . Maybe you are lucky enough to see glacier mills where melt water has washed conical craters into the eternal ice. To get a feel for the true size of the glacier, take a tour on a snow groomer. The Ötzi Express is not only a unique experience from the nearby family hotels in Meran and its environs .

Keep yourselves warm during your visit in the eternal ice! The Gamper Family from Aktiv & Familienhotel Adlernest .

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This stunning viewing platform was built on top of an Italian glacier

Sep 9, 2020 • 2 min read

The Ötzi Peak 3251m viewing platform © Alex Filz

A brand new, breath-taking viewing platform has been built high on Grawand Mountain in the Ötztal Alps of South Tyrol, Italy, giving visitors incredible views of the stunning rugged landscape of the surrounding area.

Called Ötzi Peak 3251m, the platform has been named in honour of the mummified iceman who was discovered nearby at the Schnalstal / Val Senales Valley Glacier by hikers in 1991. The impressive structure is located right on a glacier, and nearby the Hotel Grawand sits at the top of the alpine intersection near the border of Austria, which at over 3000m above sea level makes it one of the last few hotels in Europe located at such an altitude. The viewing platform can be reached from there in just ten minutes, and guests can watch the sunrise and sunset over the peaks of the mountains.

“The summit is a stone's throw away at a distance of about 50m. The breath-taking landscape view of snow-covered mountain peaks makes time stand still. Hikers and skiers visit the peak to experience nature at its fullest: rugged, stony, with wind and weather – pure,” a representative of noa* network of architecture told Lonely Planet. The 80 sq meter viewing platform was completed recently and was developed based on a light structure made of corten steel, being built around the pre-existing landscape. 

A geometric tunnel has been cut into the platform to direct viewers eyes towards where Ötzi was found, and it’s possible to walk through a tunnel and out to a platform with a glass guardrail on it. More information is available at the Hotel Grawand website .

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The summer season starts on 29 June 2024! The ski and training season on the glacier starts on 20 September.

In the meantime, the renovation work is in full swing again.

Stay up to date with our construction diary!

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THE HERITAGE OF THE GLACIER MUMMY

The famous ötzi mummy has left its traces in val senales.

Whether you stand or walk, descend or ascend: at the Val Senales Glacier you will be walking in the footsteps of Ötzi, the famous Iceman from Italy. The finding site of Ötzi lies at the Tisenjoch saddle and exerts its magical attraction between the summit peaks and boulders. Have a guess: why is Ötzi so famous? It may be because he lay in the ice for 5,300 years and remained hidden for thousands of years as a silent witness of time. And why did Ötzi remain intact? That was because he was covered under a thick layer of ice and snow until he was discovered by a couple of mountaineers on September 19 th , 1991, complete with copper axe and leather shoes.

GLACIER MIRACLE ÖTZI FROM ITALY, VAL SENALES

So where did Ötzi live? This question is not undisputed, but what we do know is that he was found below the Similaun peak on the Tisenjoch saddle in Val Senales, South Tyrol. The discovery is considered a milestone for research into the Neolithic period. It proves that the alpine passes on the Val Senales Glacier already connected the cultural circles in the Alpine region in early times. Thanks to the eternal ice and lucky circumstances, Ötzi’s remains have been preserved for posterity. Did you know that Ötzi almost went down in history not as a South Tyrolean but as an Austrian? Ötzi was found only around 93 metres from the Italian-Austrian border.

YOUR ADVENTURE YOUR TICKET

Explore the Alpin Arena Senales.

WHERE WAS ÖTZI FOUND?

Ötzi was found on the Tisenjoch on the Val Senales Glacier. Would you like to take a look right now? Click here for the webcam .

ÖTZI GLACIER TOUR

A unique adventure, not only for fans of the Stone Age: On the Ötzi Glacier Tour, mountaineers hike in the footsteps of the Iceman Ötzi to the place where he was found on the Tisenjoch.

ARCHEOPARK VAL SENALES

The ArcheoParc Schnals is the Ötzi museum in Val Senales. It recreates Ötzi’s living area on a large open-air site. You can marvel at the glacier mummy itself in the South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology in Bolzano.

YOUR ALPINE ADVENTURE

Time to experience something.

AUTHENTIC VAL SENALES

Noticeably authentic and clearly rustic: Welcome to Val Senales.

AROUND THE GLACIER

Snow field and sheep drive: Interesting facts about the glacier.

FAMILY TIME

The Alpin Arena Senales offers a lot of variety for young and old.

Mountaineering

Hiking in the Ötztal Alps, 5 facts about Ötzi the Iceman

19 May 2022

Hiking in the Ötztal Alps means undertaking a journey back to 5,300 years ago. Especially in the Similaun Glacier in Venoste Alps (Ötztaler Alpen in German). The famous Ötztal Alps , among the largest mountain groups in the Eastern Alps, lie between North Tyrol and South Tyrol. Along the Senales Ridge the 3,599-meter high Similaun Glacier rises, exactly on the border between Austria and Italy.

Similaun is best known thanks to Ötzi, the Iceman, who was found in 1991 at Giogo di Tisa/Hauslabjoch at 3,210 meters above sea level. Because the site lies exactly on the border, it was not clear exactly what status the mummy should be given. Nowadays, Ötzi can be visited at the South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology in Bolzano , and a large obelisk is located at the Giogo di Tisa.

We are fascinated by the story of the mummy who came from the ice and lived in the Copper Age: scientists have discovered so much over the years, but so many secrets are still hidden.

Before embarking on a Ötzi Glacier tour and while hiking in the Ötztal Alps, you should get to know at least 5 facts about this terrific finding.

Ötzi was found by two mountaineers while hiking in the Ötztal Alps

Ötzi's mummified body was discovered on September 19, 1991, by a German couple Helmut and Erika Simon while hiking in the Ötztal Alps. The mountaineer couple was at the Giogo di Tisa at 3,210 meters above sea level, on the Val Senales glacier not far from the Similaun hut. Ötzi was crossing the Hauslabjoch that connects the Vernago valley and the Hochjochferner glacier.

Ötzi lived 5,300 years ago!

The mountaineers couple thought to have bumped into a missing hiker. But it was then clear that the body belonged to long time ago. The body was sent to Austria and was examined by Konrad Spindler, a prehistory expert at the University of Innsbruck, who without hesitation said that the man must have died at least 4,000 years earlier. Along with the body, remains of animal skin, fur, ropes, a dagger and a bow (initially mistaken for a long stick) were also found. He approximately lived 5,300 years ago and was preserved by the ice.

Tattoos were also in fashion at the time

Ötzi's mummy holds a fine collection of Copper Age tattoos. He has 50 in all, from head to toe. They were not done with a needle, but by applying small cuts to the skin which were then rubbed with charcoal. The result was a series of lines and crosses, most of them located in parts of the body most prone to injury, such as the joints and along the back. A fact that led some academics to believe that the tattoos were actually the points targeted by acupuncture practices.

Still relatives around?

A recent genetic study has revealed the existence of at least 19 genetic relatives of the Iceman living in the Austrian Tyrol. Researchers discovered this by looking at specific genetic markers found on Ötzi's male sex chromosome.

Ötzi is a real star

In Hollywood, Ötzi has inspired really cool tattoos, such as that of Brad Pitt, who had the profile of the Similaun mummy tattooed on his arm, and has even conquered the American press: in October 1992 the famous Time magazine dedicated its cover to him, as to a real star. In Val Senales, Ötzi is also an absolute protagonist: this is where Felix Randau's film "Iceman," starring Jürgen Vogel in the title role, was filmed in 2017.

Hiking in the Ötztal Alps will lead you through this amazing history, one step at a time! Join us in our Ötzi Glacier Tour

| You may also like: Marmolada Glacier, the Queen of the Dolomites  |

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