Austria · about 2 km from Hallstatt
Hirschbrunn
- Max depth80 m
- CertificationFull cave
- Water temperature≈ 5.5–7.5 °Cestimated, no reports yet
- SpecialExperienced divers
Diving and fills
Dive here with
No dive centre guides here yet. Do you dive here with guests? Add your centre for free →
Fills nearby
- Fill stationNautilus Tauchcenter (Unterach am Attersee)Air (also 24/7 at the outdoor fill station), nitrox, trimix and argon; O₂ and pressure (200/300 bar): askRoute ↗
- Fill stationATS DiveCenter Seefeld (Steinbach am Attersee)Air, nitrox and trimix (per Upper Austria's tourism website; not on its own website) — askRoute ↗
- Fill stationUnder Pressure Divecenter (Weyregg am Attersee)Air and nitrox (EAN28, 32 and 36) to 220 bar, trimix, oxygen up to 100 % and helium; argon on requestRoute ↗
The dive
The Hirschbrunn is a periodic giant karst spring of the Dachstein and was a tourist attraction in earlier centuries.
Profile and sections
The Hirschbrunn is a periodic giant karst spring of the Dachstein and was a tourist attraction in earlier centuries. It is mainly active during snowmelt, then daily from early afternoon into the evening: meltwater from the plateau arrives a few hours later.
Teams from Cambridge, Zurich and Czechia have explored it since ~1989. It has been a Naturdenkmal since 1978.
- Depth and profile
- Vertical fissure 0.5–1 m wide · -45 m (1991) · -72 m (1996, trimix) · -80 m (2005); the passage continues
- Configuration
- The explorers recommend a sidemount kit and consider fins and BCD unnecessary; a helmet with a light is useful. Too tight for backmount; no CCR use known. Water ~5.5–7.5 °C.
- DPV: Not DPV-suitable (estimate)
- Narrow vertical fissure: no room for a scooter (estimate).
Who can dive where
- At least Full cave
- Configurations: Sidemount / Small cylinders / no-mount (speleo sumps)
- Goes down to 80 m (trimix or deco may be needed)
- Experienced divers only
This is how the planner decides who in your team may dive this cave. Rules your own trip adds (organizer, a mail, the AI) show with your trip.
How to get there
Lake-level spring (~508 m) on the shore of the Hallstätter See, midway between Hallstatt and Obertraun and ~400 m from the Kessel. The entrance lies among large boulders that shift under water pressure; you have to squeeze through. Only with permission from the Upper Austrian nature-protection authority.
Around Hirschbrunn
Fills3 fill stations · nearest 32 km
Nautilus Tauchcenter (Unterach am Attersee)
Atterseestraße 86, 4866 Unterach am Attersee
Air (also 24/7 at the outdoor fill station), nitrox, trimix and argon; O₂ and pressure (200/300 bar): ask
May–Sep daily 9:00–18:00; Oct daily 9:00–18:00 (16–31 Oct weekends only); Apr and Nov Fri 14:00–18:00, Sat–Sun 9:00–18:00; Dec–Mar by appointment. Outdoor station (air) 24/7.
Dive centre right on the Attersee with shop, repairs, rentals, technical training and rebreather support. Trimix for visitors: ask in advance.
ATS DiveCenter Seefeld (Steinbach am Attersee)
Seefeld 14, 4853 Steinbach am Attersee
Air, nitrox and trimix (per Upper Austria's tourism website; not on its own website) — ask
By appointment only
Centre for technical and rebreather diving (IANTD Diamond Facility) at Gasthaus Föttinger, on the east shore of the Attersee: rebreather courses (JJ-CCR, iQsub XCCR and FX) from recreational to trimix, crossovers and test days, and servicing of rebreathers, regulators, heating and scooters. Second address: ATS DiveBase, Haslach 4, Steinbach am Attersee.
Under Pressure Divecenter (Weyregg am Attersee)
Landeroith 1, 4852 Weyregg am Attersee
Air and nitrox (EAN28, 32 and 36) to 220 bar, trimix, oxygen up to 100 % and helium; argon on request
Apr–Oct Tue–Sun 9:00–18:00; Nov–Mar Thu–Sun 9:00–17:00; open on public holidays. Closed for the company holiday 7–31 January. Groups also by appointment.
Dive base on the east shore of the Attersee, open all year, with shop, fill station for technical gases and service workshop. Technical courses (TDI) from Intro to Tech to Advanced Trimix, and sidemount up to Tec Sidemount. Rooms at the base.
The links to Booking.com are affiliate links: if you book through one, DiveTripPlanner earns a small commission. You pay the same.
Caves nearby4 within 49 km
Going to Austria with your team?
Marcel finds the sites that match your team's certifications.
Plan a trip