Harz-Witches-Trail
From Osterode over the Brocken to Thale.

Arrival in Osterode
Explore the half-timbered town of Osterode am Harz during a stroll through the pedestrian zone.
At first you will go uphill along old trade routes, where you will discover the first harbingers of the Upper Harz water shelf, before you reach the university town of Clausthal-Zellerfeld. Marvel at the largest wooden church in Germany.
Leaving the mountain town, you now walk at the same altitude, mainly on forest paths and narrow trails, along the fascinating system of dams. You pass the iron spring and end in the town of Altenau with its herb park.
Today the highlight of your hiking tour awaits you: the ascent to the Brocken in the middle of the core area of the transnational Harz National Park. On well developed and varied paths you climb the summit. Down to Schierke or Wernigerode you will take the Harz narrow-gauge railroad.
On the ‘Pfarrsteig’ you reach the hiking trail again. Passing the ‘Trudenstein’ with its distant view you walk downhill to the Königshütter waterfall. Now you meet the small river Bode and a new landscape appears, here the limestone mining is still going on above ground.
Your companion on this day tour is the small river Bode. Sometimes on small paths, on wide trails or high above the Wendefurth dam you follow the course of the river to Altenbrak or Treseburg.
On the last day you hike through the mythical and legendary Bodetal. Between towering granite rocks the narrow path always leads along the river. The hiking tour ends in the village of Thale, below the famous witches' dance floor.
Departure or extension
Characteristics of the route
A good basic fitness level and surefootedness are required. However, the hiking trail is also suitable for beginners, as it is well developed for tourism. You almost always hike on well passable paths such as forest or shore paths and through less populated regions. More demanding ascents and descents can only be mastered in the area of the Brocken.
Season 1 01.04.2023 - 11.05.2023 03.09.2023 - 31.10.2023 Arrival daily | Season 2 12.05.2023 - 02.09.2023 Arrival daily | |
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Harz-Witches-Trail, 8 days, DE-HAWOA-08X | ||
Base price | 669.00 | 729.00 |
Surcharge single room | 199.00 | 199.00 |
Category: pretty 3***-hotels
You can book extra nights for any day of your tour. Prices upon request!
Season 1 Apr 1, 2023 - May 11, 2023 Sep 3, 2023 - Oct 31, 2023 Arrival daily | Season 2 May 12, 2023 - Sep 2, 2023 Arrival daily | |
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Osterode | ||
Double room p. P. | 69.00 | 69.00 |
Surcharge single room | 25.00 | 25.00 |
Clausthal-Zellerfeld | ||
Double room p. P. | 69.00 | 69.00 |
Surcharge single room | 25.00 | 25.00 |
Altenau | ||
Double room p. P. | 55.00 | 55.00 |
Surcharge single room | 19.00 | 19.00 |
Schierke | ||
Double room p. P. | 69.00 | 69.00 |
Surcharge single room | 25.00 | 25.00 |
Hasselfelde | ||
Double room p. P. | 55.00 | 55.00 |
Surcharge single room | 19.00 | 19.00 |
Thale | ||
Double room p. P. | 55.00 | 55.00 |
Surcharge single room | 19.00 | 19.00 |
Included:
- Accommodation as already mentioned
- Breakfast
- Luggage transfer
- Carefully elaborated route description
- Detailed travel documents 1x per room (German, English)
- Service-Hotline
Optional:
- return transfer to Osterode, costs per fare EUR 230 (max. 7 people), reservation required, payable in advance.
Arrival / Parking / Departure:
- Arrival by train to Osterode at Harz. From the station in a few minutes on foot to the hotel.
- Leipzig or Hanover airport
- Parking: limited number of hotel parking spaces, approx. EUR 4,- per day, pre-booking possible directly through the hotel. At the entrance of the Harz-Witches-Trail public unguarded parking lot ‘Bleichstelle’, no pre-reservation possible.
Things to note:
- Tourist tax, if due, is not included in the price
- Harz narrow-gauge railroad Brocken, about EUR 30 per person
- The last overnight stay is also possible in Quedlingburg on request (with surcharge).
- Further important information according to the package travel law can be found here!
