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Tour test: Hiking around Lake Königssee

At the end of a wonderful hiking season I am using the last bit of the great Autumn weather to test out one of our tours in the Bavarian and Salzburg Alps. The start and end point was Lake Königssee - what a joy! I spent the first and last day doing extensive exploratory tours around the lake, which enabled me to really experience the magic of this very special and natural jewel!

Lake Königssee is the deepest lake in Germany and is located at the foot of the famous towering mountain in the Berchtesgaden national park, the Watzmann. Despite its wildness and remoteness (or maybe due to it?), this mountain gives off a magical attractiveness that lures people here. The deep-blue waters stretch out like a fjord for 7km between the steep mountain sides of the “Steinernes-Meer” mountain range, which separates Bavaria and the Salzburger Land region.

The greatest thing about about Lake Königsee for me is certain: you can walk from it, to it and in vast areas around it. For days… or even weeks!

Through Eurohike you have four different walking holidays to choose between to discover the beauty of this lake and the surrounding area.

Our Lake Königssee – Lake Chiemsee route takes you from Bavaria’s deepest lake to Bavaria’s largest lake. Even though this tour starts and ends in Bavaria, you will spend three days in Austria along the way! First you visit Pinzgau and then you cross the border and walk into Tyrol where on the Dreiländerberg, three regions meet. You are going to need a good pair of walking boots and plenty of wanderlust. You will go via the famous holiday resort Reit im Winkel and up to the ‘Kampenwand’, which has a 12m high summit cross. You then take the cable car up the edge of Lake Chiemsee. A tour for those who enjoy high paths and cosy little mountain huts!

On the Bavarian & Salzburg Alps tour you circumnavigate the giant limestone formation - the “Steinernes Meer”. Upon the Hochkönig, the highest peak in the Steinernes Meer, is a hut called Matrashaus. You start the tour at the legendary Königssee. You walk through the Pinzgauer Grasberge along the southern side of the Hochkönig and you end the day at the Jennerbahn cable car. They have got a huge panoramic platform, which gives you a great view across Lake Königssee! The blue shimmering surface combined with the mountain views is a perfect end to a remarkable week’s walking!

Our tour Salzalpensteig - Hiking Trail 1 goes from Lake Chiemsee through the Bavarian Alps to Bad Reichenhall and via the exciting salt trails to Grünstein. From this peak you are standing right above your destination, Lake Königssee. You will even have a bird’s eye view of the little boats and the hustle and bustle by the landing stages. You then head down to a beer garden on the lake’s edge. After all you really have earnt yourself a cool beer right by the water’s side after such an adventurous week’s walking.

Our tour Salzalpensteig - Hiking Trail 2 starts by Lake Königssee and goes through the salt mining village of Berchtesgaden via the Salzburg Alps until you get to the UNESCO World Heritage Region of the Dachstein mountains. Once you get to Lake Hallstatt you will have reached your destination and can visit the oldest salt mine and get to know the world of the white gold. The visits to the mines are possible all over the place (Berchtesgaden, Hallein and Hallstatt) and are wonderfully entertaining and unforgettable! Just like the walks to get there!

My tip for your arrival/departure day and any additional days: Make sure you go on a boat ride to St. Bartholomä. The small pilgrimage church (with its guest house) is a truly wonderful place of natural beauty. In the summer you can sit in a magnificent beer garden and go for a walk in the national park or to the ice chapel. All of that is far away from traffic, stress and everyday life!

Whilst on a boat ride you will experience the traditional echo that is caused by the famous echo wall! The acoustics for the echo of the flugelhorn are so unique and fantastic - it doesn’t matter how often I hear it, I am always in awe!

You now receive special conditions when you book a trip.