Ski Austria
Skiing in Obergurgl Austria

obergurgl ski resort

The village of Obergurgl has rapidly grown into one of Austria's favourite ski destinations.

The Obergurgl Hochgurgl ski area has marketed its advantages cleverly: a much higher altitude than most of its competitors in the Austrian alps and yet a more charming and upmarket selection of accommodation than most of its high-altitude rivals in the other alpine countries.

The capacious lift system also swallows crowds quickly, meaning that lift queues are an unusual sight on the ski slopes.

Last updated: 01.09.23

quick obergurgl facts

Obergurgl is located beyond its sister resort of Sölden at the end of the long Ötz valley in the south-western part of the Tyrol.

The village of Obergurgl is situated at 1930 metres above sea level. It is one of the highest ski resorts in Europe.

The skiing in Obergurgl is scheduled to start on November 16, 2023.

The Obergurgl ski season is planned to last until April 21, 2024.

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Location: 6456 Obergurgl - Tyrol - Austria

While most of the day-trippers in the Ötz valley stop off at Sölden, Obergurgl, rather proudly, prefers to think of itself as the destination for a more discerning skier on a luxury ski holiday. Certainly, the change to the village has been dramatic since the farmers of the Upper Ötz valley downed their tools and started to guide mountaineers around their native peaks at the beginning of the 20th century.

Obergurgl has retained much of its original alpine charm, although still a village where it is clear that winter sport is where the prosperity comes from. In sunshine the resort boasts fabulous views of the glaciers near the border with Italy but, because of the altitude of the village, visitors should be prepared for severe storms and piste and lift closures if the weather turns bad.

Most guests will prefer to arrive in their own car or via Innsbruck airport as the journeys from other arrival points can be lengthy and frustrating in cases of bad weather.
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The ski slopes are split into the Festkogel and Hohe Mut in Obergurgl and the ski area above Hochgurgl, where there is interesting skiing above a tiny hamlet. The beginners' slopes are close to accommodation and the ski schools have an excellent reputation.

The ski area is ideal for intermediates who are looking for a decent-sized area for a week's ski holiday with guaranteed snow conditions and few ski lift queues.
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As the settlements of Obergurgl and Hochgurgl are so small, a ski lift to access the slopes will rarely be outside walking distance. Most of the accommodation is in the main village of Obergurgl, but keen skiers who want to get away from it all might want to take advantage of the Hochgurgl hotels with their direct access to the ski slopes.
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Why choose Obergurgl for your ski holiday...

  • very little waiting for ski lifts
  • uncrowded ski slopes
  • skiing back down to quality accommodation

What are the drawbacks...

  • pricey accommodation, especially in high season
  • most runs above treeline so not good in bad weather

Obergurgl ski slopes

Nearby Ski Resorts

  • Sölden
    Sölden is located further down the valley and is a livelier, larger and busier resort than Obergurgl, with two glacier ski areas offering a guarantee of snow for the whole winters

Obergurgl Video

Check out our short video overview of the ski resort:

Obergurgl