River snorkeling in Austria – Viecht am Traunfall

River snorkeling in Austria is an adventure you definitely cannot miss if you are looking for an activity for a hot summer day! Visit Viecht am Traunfall, a lovely village in Upper Austria, and refresh yourself in the crystal spring water, observe freshwater species, and enjoy a great day being in nature!

Written by Anett Szaszi

Anett is a certified scuba diver, freediver, and an expert in snorkeling with more than 10 years of experience. She fell in love with the ocean while snorkeling in the Red Sea on a vacation to Egypt back in 2008. Since then, she has been traveling to discover the world’s best snorkeling spots and sharing her experience and tips to inspire others. Find her photos on @anett.szaszi Instagram too!

Where Can I Go Snorkeling In Austria?

You might think about Austria as the land of mysterious mountains that features excellent hiking tours in summer and top skiing in winter, but in fact, this pretty country offers numerous water activities too!

When the weather gets hot during the summer months, Austria has many freshwater lakes and rivers that are perfect for swimming! Some of them get the water from the purest mountain springs, therefore their crystal clear water makes them perfect for diving and snorkeling too!

Although you won’t find here vibrant coral reefs but can have a ‘snorkeling in cenotes’ type experience due to the similarity of the underwater scene and species.

The Gruner See, Attersee, and Mondsee are divers’ favorite spots. If it comes to the best snorkeling in Austria, let us introduce you to a tour that takes place in the Traun River and a spring-water canyon next to it in Viecht am Traunfall.

How To Get To Viecht Am Traunfall?

The Traun River with the beautiful Traunfall waterfall can be found in Upper Austria, approx. halfway between Linz and Salzburg. To get there, drive on the A1 highway and take the exit Laakirchen West.

Continue on the B144 in the direction of Roitham until you reach the Traunfall sign. Thanks to its closeness to the border, it is easily available from Germany too. From Munich, it is just a 2 and half hour drive and absolutely worth it!

River Snorkeling in Austria – Traunfall

A snorkel tour that is definitely not a boring one! Forget about lazily floating on the surface and prepare yourself for an adventure-filled experience! The Traunfall River snorkeling in Austria is a mixed tour that includes rock jumping, a little canyoning, and floating in a calm river.

The tour starts in a spring-water canyon by jumping into the water from the surrounding 3-4 meters high cliffs! Alternatively, you can climb down too, but believe us, it is more dangerous than jumping since you might hurt yourself on the slippery rocks, so do not miss out on the adrenaline-boosting jump!

Around the waterfall, the incoming water is a bit cold but therefore very clear. It is pure spring water from the mountains so you can even drink from it! While swimming around the waterfall, you can discover interesting rock formations, and little underwater caves and observe some fish species like trout, eel, mullet, and river crabs.

Tip: Wear a 5 or 7 mm thick wetsuit! Neoprene socks or diving boots, gloves, and hoodies are also necessary to avoid accidental injuries. You might have full equipment for snorkeling, but if it comes to this tour, we recommend using the rental gear that the tour organizers provide. You must swim through narrow canyons and navigate between rocks that can easily damage, tear your suit away, or break your fins. Don’t ruin your own gear!

If you are an adrenaline junkie, you will love the second part of the river snorkeling tour! The water flows towards a narrower canyon surrounded by big rocks. Here you should be a bit careful to find your way, but for a sporty snorkeler, it shouldn’t be a problem!

Follow the instructions of your guide on where to pass, and take off your fins if you need to walk.

After this adventurous part of the river snorkeling tour, the canyon gets wider again. with the opportunity to easily swim around cliffs and through little canals. This area features the “Underwater Grand Canyon” which is the most impressive part of the trip!

As the last part of the tour, you will swim into the main Traun River. The current might seem a bit strong at first sight, but it is not dangerous! In the river, there are further river fish species like pike, carp, barbel and sometimes Danube salmon can be spotted too.

Book Your Snorkeling Tour

However, you can swim in the canyon at the Traun Waterfall, for the best and safest experience, join organized Traunfall river snorkeling in Austria tours. The experienced, English-speaking staff knows the area the best: they know where is safe to snorkel to avoid strong currents, where is the best to enter/exit the river, as well as can tell you interesting facts about the local flora and fauna.

The nearby dive centers, Atlantis Qualidive and Magic-Dive Traunfall offer guided snorkel tours as well as snorkel gear rental.