Spend a varied mountain hiking week between Königssee and Chiemsee. The eight-day hiking holiday is peppered with wonderful moments. Right at the beginning of the journey, you hike through the Berchtesgaden National Park and the Saalachtal. You continue to Lofer in Salzburg and the well-known Reit im Winkel, before you get closer and closer to Lake Chiemsee in the last few days of the trip. As you can see, a hiking week could not be more varied!
One of the highlights of the eight-day tour is the Königssee in the Berchtesgadener Land. The mountain lake is embedded in impressive rock formations almost like a Scandinavian fjord. But not only the Königssee but also the numerous alpine pastures make the hiking tour incomparable.
Details about the walk across the Berchtesgaden National Park
At the start of the journey, you will walk through the Berchtesgaden National Park and the Saalachtal. It continues to the Salzburg Lofer and the well-known Reit im Winkel, before admiring the Chiemsee up close at the end of the trip. In the border region of Salzburg, Tyrol and Bavaria, you will pass the Chiemgau Alps with their rolling mountains, vast mountain landscapes and famous holiday resorts.
The view of the imposing High Alps on the one hand and the beautiful foothills of the mountains on the other and ending in the nostalgic Prien am Chiemsee make this trip a very varied hiking week.
The highlights of this walking holiday in Bavaria at a glance:
Bavaria's enchanting lakes: Hiking at Königssee is one of the absolute classics! The route planning for this trip also includes the “Bavarian Sea”, the Chiemsee.
With the cable car to great views: On the Loferer Alm and the Hochplatte you can enjoy wonderful views of the surrounding area such as the Chiemsee region. Three cable car rides are included!
Worth knowing about this walking holiday to Chiemsee
In Schönau am Königssee, the first day after your arrival couldn't have started better! Choosing between a walk through the village or a boat trip on the Königssee is undoubtedly not easy. You can dedicate yourself completely to enjoying the mountains for the next few days. Every day you will take varied walks between 12 and 19 kilometres long, which take about four to six hours.
The smaller, steep climbs require a good level of fitness. If you want to take it easy, you can choose less strenuous alternatives to the high-altitude trails.
Route summary
Hiking tours with a walking time between 4 to 6 hours await with smaller steep ascents, for which a good basic fitness level is required. In addition to the high-altitude paths, there are more leisurely alternative options on offer. You walk along nice hiking trails and forest paths. In some places, surefootedness is required.
Individual arrival in Schönau am Königssee. Be sure to visit the landmark of Lake Königssee today, St. Bartholomew's Church. A pilgrimage chapel on the western shore of Lake Königssee in the Berchtesgadener Land. The chapel stands at the foot of the Watzmann and is picturesquely situated on the Hirschau peninsula, surrounded by the emerald-green waters of the Königssee.
Transfer to the starting point of this walking holiday. A pleasant hike through the magical forest to the romantic Hintersee deep into the Berchtesgaden National Park. An impressive route through the landscape where the hiking trail is surrounded by steep rock walls. On the right loom the peaks of the Reiter Alps, on the left the 2607m high Hochkalter. Via the meadow landscape, you pass the border crossing of the Salzburgerland, Hirschbichl. Along the rushing waterfalls of the Seisenbergklamm, you descend to the Saalachtal where you reach Weissbach, today's final destination.
You walk through the Saalachtal to the Lamprechtshöhle (at 56 km, this is the longest cave system in Europe). If desired, the show cave area is open to visitors (optional), via an easily accessible climbing system you can hike 700m into the mountain and bridge a height difference of 70m from where there is an impressive view of a large part of the well-lit cave.
You continue to the Vorderkaserklamm, a natural monument that was created in the Ice Age, where there are natural baths. Tip: The kaiserschmarrn at restaurant Vorderkaser is said to be the best in Austria. Your hiking route leads you further to St. Martin, where you can climb to the pilgrimage church "Maria Kirchental". The church is located in a romantic side valley, enclosed between the steep slopes of the Loferer Steinberge. Via this beautiful Tyrolean Steig you quickly reach the quiet mountain village of Lofer, surrounded by countless impressive mountain ranges.
You take the cable car to the Loferer Alm. From the mountain station, you follow the hiking trail through alpine meadows, past a mountain lake and through a beautiful mountain forest to the top of the Steinplatte at 1869m. Today's reward is a fantastic view of the surrounding mountain world, such as the Wilde Kaiser, the Loferer Steinbergen and much more. The idyllically located Winklmoos Alm beckons with a delicious Bavarian meal. Bavarian cuisine is originally a down-to-earth, rural cuisine and is known for its traditional delicacies that you should definitely try here. With your stomach full again, take the bus to Reit im Winkl.
Enjoy a peaceful day in the famous and sunny town of Reit im Winkl. The many very old, rustic farmhouses with wooden balconies and lots of flowers attract many tourists and photographers every year with churches, chapels, pastures and meadows with cows and untouched nature as far as the eye can see.
Hiking tip for today: The most classic of all mountain tours that you can do directly from Reit im Winkl is the Fellhorn. Also very tempting is a leisurely walk to the natural bathing paradise Weitsee, where you can relax.
The Taubensee is also called "The eye of the Chiemgau". This beautiful mountain lake, idyllically enclosed by the Chiemgau Alps, is located at an altitude of 1,138 m in a fracture in the Rauhen-Nadel mountain range. Be sure to take a refreshing dip, the water heats up to 24 degrees in the summer! The many benches around the lake invite you to take a break and enjoy the tranquillity and the view of the deep blue water and the snack you brought with you during a picnic. The Taubenseehütte is just a few minutes walk from Taubensee, where you can enjoy a typical Bavarian snack and regional delicacies. You continue this fantastic day trip from alpine meadow to an alpine meadow to where the Achental finally awaits you.
After a short descent, you walk uphill again through the forest to the meadows of the Hochplatte and the Kampenwand from where you have the Chiemsee in view. Continue from hut to hut via the Kampenwand, a mountain with the highest cross (12m) on top of the Bavarian Alps, the Gipfelkreuz Hochplatte 1587m. You go comfortably downhill with the Kampenwandseilbahn to Aschau, from where you reach the Chiemsee with a short train ride.
The Chiemsee, the third largest lake in Germany, was created by melting glacial ice. In the Chiemsee are the islands Herrenchiemsee (Herreninsel) and Frauenchiemsee (Fraueninsel) which can be visited with a historic ferry service. Stroll along the promenade of the Kneipp spa town of Prien am Chiemsee, enjoy the sunset and a delicious meal in one of the excellent waterside restaurants, and once again let the many highlights of this walking holiday pass you by.
This walking holiday ends after breakfast, you can also extend it.
Route information
Every day you make varied walks of 12 to 19 kilometres that take about four to six hours. The smaller, steep climbs require good basic fitness. If you want to take it easy, you can choose easier alternatives to the mountain trails.
Luggage transfer(s) max. 1 piece of luggage 20 kg per person
Travel folder 1 x per room (German, English with route and overview maps, detailed route description, places of interest, important telephone numbers, luggage labels)
GPS data available on request
Service Hotline
Not included
Tourist tax, if applicable, to be paid locally
Bus trip Winklmoos Alm-Reit im Winkl, approx. €10 per person
Train journey Aschau-Prien approx. €3 per person
(Optional) Return transfer to Schönau am Königssee €95 per person for 2 persons, €190 per person for 1 person, only on Saturday and Sunday. Pre-booking necessary, to be paid in advance
Arrival information
Distance: 880km from Arnhem
Train: Berchtesgaden station and further by bus/taxi to Schönau / Königssee (approx. 15 minutes)
Parking: Public parking spaces at the hotel, approximately €8 per day, or €40 per week, no reservation
Return journey to Königssee by train/bus in approximately 2.5 hours (one change)
General information
Half board: Dinner in the hotel restaurant or in a restaurant in the immediate vicinity with a voucher
Sample hotel list
This is a sample hotel list. Hotels will be booked depending on availability.