Area47 in Tyrol

Adrenaline and Adventure

Area47, at the beginning of the Ötztal in Austria, is about a ten-hour drive from the Dutch border and a massive recommendation for anyone looking for a sporty adventure, and a good dose of adrenaline.

TEXT: Marco Barneveld

PHOTOS: AREA47

Magazine Aruba, Sardinia, Argentina, India and Georgia

With my legs straight in front of me, I jump off the building; my arms crossed over my chest. Three meters lower I fall into a half-inflated inflatable, called the Blob. I almost roll off the soft pillowy air cushion. I bearly manage to save myself and move to the beginning of the air pocket. I sit down between the set lines on the plastic. “Are you ready,” it sounds in an Austrian accent. I glance over my shoulder and see two guys ready to jump. They have put their arms together and hold each other’s hands in front of their chest. This way they form a block of 150 kilos when they jump. I give the sign that I am ready, look ahead and wait for what is to come. Less than a second and a half later, which seemed to last much longer, I am vigorously launched about four or five meters into the air. Somewhere halfway I make a head-roll and then I splash, helmet first, into the crystal clear water. Rad!

More than 20,000 square meters full of adventure sports. Think wakeboarding, climbing walls, rafting, kayaking, mountain biking, motocross, the cannonball, the highest via ferrata of Europe, a diving board of 27 meters high (where the Red Bull Cliff Diving team trains), canyoning, extreme slides, blobbing and so on. Welcome to Area47, the largest outdoor park in Europe.



Welcome to Area47, the largest outdoor park in Europe


“It took years to accomplish this dream,” Chris Schnöller, geschäftsführer from Area47 laughs. “But in the end, we did pull it off thanks to perseverance and great patience. And so it came to light; a huge playground for sporty adults who love a bit of adrenaline. And do you see that runway under that bridge?” I look up and see trees dangling from chains under the bridge. Some people are jumping from tree trunk to tree trunk. “That is the highest high ropes course in Europe. 37 meters high. The authorities would allow it under the condition that we would not drill into the bridge. So we came up with a creative solution. There are no screws involved.”

Chris enjoys his work in this park. And that is not strange. Area47 is wonderfully well put together. All sports for people who love adventure in one. And, also, two restaurants where people who love great meat can eat until they blow up.  You do not find that anywhere. Well, you do here.

 

Area47 is located at the beginning of the Ötztal in Tyrol, about 50 kilometers from Innsbruck. A ten-hour drive from the Netherlands. The weekend we were there it was the opening weekend, at the end of May. Which at the same time coincides with the closing weekend of the nearby ski-paradise Sölden. Have you ever went skiing in the morning and then wakeboarding in the afternoon? Well, that’s possible here. Be careful, because the result could very well be gruesome muscle pain and a new addiction.

I take a seat in the cannonball, a water catapult for the brave. It is a kind of tube you sit in. There are two big red buttons on both sides of you. You have to press them simultaneously to activate the cannonball. When you push those two buttons, thanks to the force of tens of thousands of litres of water under high pressure, you get launched.


This is probably how a goldfish feels

My heart rate is already quite high when I, boom, give the buttons a tap. This is probably how a goldfish feels when you flush it down the toilet. I see nothing but water and fly about five meters through the air and end up in the cooling water. Awesome!

Area47

When you’re in the area, take a sniff of adrenaline in Area47. A ticket for the waterpark costs € 22,- for adults and € 13,- for children aged 6-16 years. You can book all other activities on site. Area47 is less suitable for tiny children. You can also stay fine for several days. There are different types of accommodation on the property. Check in advance for availability because Area47 is very popular.

Keep the Stories Flowing

Love what we do? Help us keep sharing the world’s most inspiring travel stories. At WideOyster, we believe in adventure, authentic storytelling, and capturing the world – raw, real, and breathtaking.

We travel far and wide to bring you stunning photography, in-depth travel journalism, and immersive stories that inspire and inform. But this doesn’t come free. It takes time, passion, and resources to keep WideOyster running without paywalls or clickbait – just pure, high-quality travel content.

If you love what we do, please consider supporting us with a one-time contribution.
Click below to support us and be part of the adventure.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Marco Barneveld's travel stories have been published in magazines such as National Geographic Traveler, Lonely Planet, Sidetracked (UK), Newsweek (US), and Explore (Canada) since 2004. ‘I like to inspire people to enjoy our gorgeous planet,’ Marco says. ‘Our goal is to motivate and create wanderlust.’ He has a background in advertising and global PR and has served as editor-in-chief for Wintersport Magazine, B-magazine, and MAN. Marco is also the founder of WideOyster.

Big game fishing in Aruba

Hooooked!

Salta, Argentina

The Beauty of Salta

The Indian Thar Desert

Waddling through the Desert

Orgosolo, Sardinia

Pretty as a picture

Private: A City Trip to Innsbruck

24 hours in the capital of Tyrol, Austria

Private: Between Seasons in Seefeld, Tyrol

Cross-country tracks, ice rivers, and alpine kitchens at the edge of winter

Where Snow, Soil and Family Meet

SkiWelt Wilder Kaiser

Graz, a Styrian Delight

Indulge in Austria’s Culinary Capital

From Powder to Plate in Vorarlberg

The Magic of Winter in Austria

Just like every trip needs snacks, our website needs cookies to function. Accept our cookies and let the adventure begin! Read our Privacy Policy.