The name literally translates to the world of ice giants in German and does complete justice to it. If Hochosterwitz was a man-made wonder – an architectural wonder – the Eisriesenwelt is its natural counterpart that can blow your mind with its simplicity. It is a limestone and ice cave that gives you new spelunking goals and takes you to the lap of nature’s best-kept secrets. If you didn’t know, this is the world’s largest ice cave and stretches to over 40 kilometers. Inside the Alps, this cave is home to some of the most surreal formations of limestone and ice. You are in for some magic inside the cave that looks normal and humble from the outside.

Location: Eishohlenstrasse 30, 5450 Werfen, Austria

Known for: Being the world’s largest ice cave. It is visited by over 20,000 tourists every year.

How to Reach: To reach Eisriesenwelt, you need to take a train from the Wesfern railway station. Once here, you can use the Eisriesenwelt shuttle services outside the railway station to reach the visitor center. You get the tickets there and from there, you can either take the cable car or hike to the cave. You can also reach the place by cars or cycles. 

Approximate Cost: It approximately costs Rs.1800 per adult and Rs.1000 for children. The price includes entry to the cave and the cable car. 

Operating Hours: The cave is open only during the months of May, June, September and October from 10:00 AM to 3:45 PM. 

Any Precautions: The temperatures inside the cave are sub-zero. So you need to carry appropriate clothing to survive the freezing temperatures. Photography is prohibited inside the cave and you are required to actively follow the guided tour. If you are claustrophobic, the cave can either help you outgrow it or make it worse. 

Type: Cave