Dream destinations in the mountains part 1: Wilder Kaiser

The popular German-Austrian TV doctor series "Der Bergdoktor" has been set in Ellmau am Wilden Kaiser in Tyrol since 2007. Alongside the smart doctor Martin Gruber, the magnificent mountain landscape with its massive rock faces and bizarre peaks is the secret star. So why not visit the villages, mountains and filming locations on an e-bike? There are even three special Bergdoktor e-bike tours on the tourism association's website - but unfortunately the most beautiful one is no longer available. Perhaps the tourism association thought the steep panoramic tour was too challenging for normal cyclists. We rode it and recommend it at least to experienced e-bikers, but would ride it with an e-MTB for reasons of comfort. The route can also be found online as a tour tip for mountain bikers, where it is called "Söll - Tanzboden - Ellmau - Söll" (28.7 km, 1,080 metres in altitude).

This tour includes short detours to the "Praxis" in Ellmau and to the Gruber film family's mountain farm near Köpfing. The highlight of this mountain tour, however, remains the view from the Hartkasergipfel of the Wilder Kaiser rock parade. A tip on the side: don't go on a tour when filming is taking place or fan days are being organised (dates on www.wilderkaiser.info). Then there is either too much hustle and bustle - or interesting places are cordoned off.

E-bike hire
The Wilder Kaiser region is part of the Kitzbühel Alps and Kaiser Mountains e-bike region with 275 electric bikes and 75 hire or battery exchange stations, e.g. Sport 2000 Fuchs in Ellmau, www.skifuchs.at or also Going Sport in Going, www.goingsport.at

Worth seeing
- Bergdoktor practice in Ellmau: lovingly decorated country house in the Faistenbichl district of Ellmau. Open Tuesday and Friday.
- Bergdoktor farm above Söll near Köpfing: a beautiful, ancient farm with magnificent views of the Wilder Kaiser and Hohe Salve, open Monday to Friday.
- Walleralm: High alpine pasture at 1,170 metres with rustic alpine buildings above the Hintersteiner See lake.
- Hintersteiner See: enchanting mountain bathing lake at 883 metres above sea level, at the foot of the Kaiser massif.

Accommodation
- Vitalhotel Sonnenhof in Going, www.sonnenhof-going.at
- Hotel Greil in Söll, www.hotelgreil.com
- Aktivhotel Hochfilzer in Ellmau, www.hotel-hochfilzer.com
- Hotel Kaiser in Scheffau, www.hotelkaiser.at

Tour tips
- Bergdoktor e-bike tour "Seeblick": moderately difficult ride from Going or Ellmau to Hintersteiner See (33 km, 750 metres in altitude).
- Bergdoktor e-bike tour "Wilder Kaiser": moderately difficult ride from Going or Ellmau to Rettenbach and Rerobichl/Oberndorf (24 km, 500 metres in altitude).
- Bergdoktor e-bike tour "From the village square via the practice to the Gruberhof": medium-difficulty tour from Ellmau (34 km, 350 metres in altitude).
Further details and tour tips under maps.wilderkaiser.info

Guided tours
GoingBike in Going, www.goingsport.at

Maps
Compass WK9 "Kaiser Mountains" 1:50,000

Tourist-Info
Wilder Kaiser Tourist Office, hotline 0043/50509, www.wilderkaiser.info

The complete article was published in E-BIKE issue 3/2017. You can download the issue in the MYBIKE app (iTunes and Google Play) or in the DK-Shop order.