Alps & Tyrol 2026: Riding the Grossglockner High Alpine Road – Day 5
Day 5 – 253km
We’ve been so lucky with the weather!
It rained overnight, but by morning the sun was shining, so there was only one thing to do — get the bikes out and head for one of the biggest highlights of our Alps and Tyrol motorcycle tour.
Today, we were riding the Grossglockner High Alpine Road, the highest paved road in Austria.
And the toll gate was less than three miles from our hotel, which meant we could get an early start and beat most of the traffic.
Riding The Grossglockner High Alpine Road
Riding the Grossglockner High Alpine Road is one of the great motorcycle roads in the Austrian Alps, climbing to 2,571 metres at the Edelweiss Spitze viewpoint.
As we climbed higher, the scenery became utterly breathtaking.
This is exactly the sort of road you come to the Alps to ride. Huge mountain landscapes, sweeping bends and spectacular views at every turn. And with the morning sun shining, the conditions couldn't have been much better.
After the previous day's cloud and mist around the Eagles Nest, we were definitely making the most of the sunshine today.
Seeing the Grossglockner and Pasterze Glacier
We took a detour to the Kaiser-Franz-Josefs-Höhe viewpoint to get a proper look at the Grossglockner itself, the highest peak in Austria.
The viewpoint also gives you a spectacular view of the Pasterze Glacier, the largest glacier in the eastern Alps.
Having a coffee overlooking a glacier is something else!
And the experience was made even better by the fact that the boys had bought me an Eagle hat after yesterday's shenanigans around the Eagles Nest.
Let's just say I'm not sure I'll ever live that one down!
From Austria Into Italy
After taking in the views, we continued down the southern end of the Grossglockner route and stopped for a spot of lunch.
Then it was time to cross into Italy.
The change was immediate. The temperature soared to around 30°C, and the traffic started building up as we headed further south.
But it wasn't long before we managed to free ourselves from the traffic and get back onto the sort of roads that make a motorcycle tour special.
The Jaufen Pass
Our escape route was the Jaufen Pass.
This is a brilliant little-known Alpine pass and a fantastic road for motorcycles. It has some unexpected sections where the road falls away in the middle, so it certainly keeps you paying attention.
But that's part of the fun.
After the busy roads and rising temperatures in Italy, the Jaufen Pass was exactly what we needed — mountain riding, bends and spectacular Alpine scenery.
Two Nights on the Jaufen Pass
We're staying up on the Jaufen Pass for a couple of nights, which means tomorrow we get something every motorcycle tour rider appreciates...
A luggage-free day!
No panniers to worry about, no luggage strapped to the bikes and no need to pack everything back up in the morning.
Just jump on the bikes and ride.
After 253km today, we've reached our base for the next couple of nights and can settle in and enjoy the mountains around us.
The Alps and Tyrol motorcycle adventure is really starting to deliver now — and with a full day of riding ahead tomorrow, things are only going to get better.
Day 5 complete. Grossglockner conquered, Italy visited and the Jaufen Pass now our home for a couple of nights.
Bring on the luggage-free day!
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