Head to the Ötzi discovery site

Take a fascinating journey back in time and visit the place where Ötzi lay concealed under ice for over 5,300 years.

This unforgettable hike starts right at our hotel in Vent. It leads you past the Martin-Busch mountain hut at 2,501 metres above sea level and up to the Giogo Basso/Niederjoch. From there, your journey ascends to the Similaun mountain hut at 3,019 metres above sea level. This hut is not only extraordinary due to its location above the three-thousand-metre mark but also because it has been in our family for generations – it is currently managed by Markus Pirpamer and his wife Ulli.

From the Similaun mountain hut, a rope-secured path leads you to the Ötzi discovery site at Giogo di Tisa/Tisenjoch, around 3,210 metres above sea level, marked by a stone pyramid. With its unique prehistoric atmosphere, this site tells the incredible story of a man who walked these mountains over 5,300 years ago. Equipped with a copper axe, a flint dagger, and a bow and arrow, this man in his forties met a tragic end when an arrow struck his shoulder – the flint tip is still embedded in his remains today. The sudden snowfall that followed likely protected his body from scavengers. Over the millennia, he became encased in layers of ice and snow, preserving him as the oldest natural wet mummy ever discovered. It was not until 1991 that Ötzi was found by chance by a German couple while hiking. When our father Luis Pirpamer and his son Markus heard the news, they immediately made their way to the site, becoming a small part of this extraordinary story.

If you’re interested, Leo and Thomas, our certified mountain guides – and family members – would be happy to accompany you to the Ötzi discovery site for a fee. The hike to the Similaun mountain hut takes approximately 4.5 hours, with an additional 1.5 hours to reach the discovery site. While the hike is challenging, the experience is truly one-of-a-kind.