Saalbach together with the near by Leogang Bike Parks, are probably some of the oldest and arguably the best known bike destinations in Austria. Located southwest of the city of Salzburg in the austrian Alps Saalbach promises not only stunning views and panoramas along many trails, but also steep and unending descents along the more than 20 bike park trails in the two locations. With fast and epic trails like Hackelberg, or tough DH tracks like the The X-line, or very technical enduro gems like Bergstadl all the way to flow lZ-line and easy low-steam Panorama or Buchegg trails. Leogang on the other hand is mixing in a lot of highway-style superfast jump lines as well as a few natural trails and the Worldcup DH trails for pro’s with no fear. Whether you like it rough or nice and smooth you will find many trails to enjoy in this dream bike destination regardless of whether you’re a beginner, intermediate or expert rider. Best of all is that the mountains are all interconnected by countless kilometers of lifts with little to no waiting times, so there’s little pedalling to be done and tons of riding down-the-hill to be enjoyed.
Difficulty
The trail network consists of tracks with all difficulties ranging from green up to double black diamond for experts only. This trip is ideal for intermediate to expert riders even though there are many easier trails to be found and even the more difficult ones are rideable due to chicken lines and rollable obstacles on most trails. What you should consider is the length of the trails as most of them are about 3 km or longer, which takes a heavy toll on riders not used to riding in alpine terrain. During the 4 days of riding we will try out most of the trails with gradually going up the level of difficulty and at the end we will be repeating the trails we loved the most.
Itinerary
Day 1
Wednesday afternoon we will depart on our way to Saalbach. Transportation will be individual though we will combine our cars and potentially also trailer to get everyone on board. Check-in in our accommodation in Saalbach and beers to celebrate the start of this epic bike trip.
Day 2
On Thursday we will first do a bike & safety check to ensure everyone is good to go and do a short briefing on the riding day ahead. Together we will decide in what order we will attack the trail map and start our riding frenzy in Saalbach. We will have a great lunch in one of the alpine huts and enjoy some well-deserved rest and drinks after we’re done for the day.
Day 3
After a hearty first day of riding we will continue explore the Saalbach trails, potentially repeat a few of those we loved the most and work our way to the toughest rides like the X-Line, Pro-line or Bergstadl based on preferences of the group.
Day 4
On saturday we will head over to Leogang and explore the infamous Hangman 1 & 2, the super fast Hot Shots or the fun Bongo trail. If we feel entirely daring we can take a peak at the DH World Cup trail to have a look what a real DH track really looks like.
Day 5
Our final day in the area we will first check out of the hotel and then will have free riding so everyone is welcome to go their own way and enjoy the trails they liked the most. We can go either together or split up depending on the preferences. In the afternoon we will hop in our cars and we will head on our way home with some stopovers to grab a snack and drinks when required.
Included
What is included in the price of the trip:
- 5 day bike trip for a maximum of 8 people per guide
- 4 nights accommodation in standard bike-friendly apartments or hotel
- 4 days of riding in both Saalbach and Leogang
- lift tickets for the duration of the trip
- guided riding by a member of the Traildeer guide team
- safety and bike check at the beginning of the stay
- instruction before each new trail about what awaits us
- service equipment and know-how in case of failure
- first aid kit and first aid in case of emergency
Not included
What is NOT included in the price of the trip:
- bike – you have to bring your own or rent one
- transportation (we will connect participants or arrange a van if interested)
- food and drinks
- cost of additional activities
- personal travel & sports insurance
Pricing
If you buy for 2 or more riders we are able to provide a group discount. We can also arrange a private trip for you and your group. Please reach out to us if you want to book for multiple riders and we will give you a custom price as each trip has a different pricing structure.
Minimum amount of riders is 5. The maximum is 6 due to shuttle limitations.
Gear
Mandatory gear (you can’t ride with us without it):
Full-face helmet or Enduro/XC helmet (ideally both)
Knee pads
Helmet Light (in case of night ride)
Rain Jacket
Spare brake pads
Spare tube
Recommended gear (up to you, but highly recommended):
Elbow pads
Back protection
Bike Light (in case of night ride)
Sun screen
There are multiple bike shops here so most things can be bought or repaired also on-site, just make sure if you have something specific for your bike, that is not readily available in bike shops to take it with you. We will do our best to get any issues fixed ASAP so you can continue your ride.
Bike
As this is an Trail & Enduro MTB trip, please make sure your bike fits the category, a full suspension bike with at least 140mm front and back, ideally more. If you have a hardtail, but are perfectly comfortable riding demanding trails reach out to us before booking please.
Accommodation
We will specify accommodation closer to the date. However it will be 2-3 person rooms in an apartment or bed & breakfast on a standard comfort level, so that we get a good nights sleep, a hot shower and have space to put our things to dry. Our bikes will be stored safely for the night.
Guide/s
The group will be lead by a Traildeer team guide who knows the area really well and is a very experienced rider both in and outside of bike parks. Before each trail there will be a short briefing of what can be expected, difficulty level, obstacles to be cautious about as well as stopping at difficult sections. Here we will check out the particular feature, search the best lines and show how to best take them. The guide will also ensure the group stays together and no one gets lost or left behind.
Cancellation
Traildeer cancels
In case we need to cancel the trip for any reason we will refund the whole fee in full. We’re fully insured and financially covered so whatever happens, if we need to cancel a trip from our end, you will receive your money back.
Rider cancels short trip (0-3 days)
Please contact us ASAP if you need to cancel the trip for any reason. The following terms apply:
- up to 1 weeks before the trip 80% of your fee is refunded, we keep the reservation fee to cover costs of finding a replacement
- up to 2 days before the trip 50% of your fee is refunded to cover the costs of a vacant seat and potentially not finding a replacement
- less then 2 days before the trip we cannot refund any fees, as we already have incurred fixed costs with accommodation, guides and we will not be able to find a replacement
We will try our best to find a replacement and try to refund the most we can if you have to cancel, but please keep the above conditions in mind if we do not succeed.