See fairtytale Germany spring to life before your eyes during this 8-day hiking tour through Germany’s Bavarian Tyrol. Beginning just outside of Munich, and hiking westward to Garmisch-Partenkirchen, you’ll experience the rugged mountains, sparkling lakes, and quiet villages that make this one of Germany’s most beloved regions.
Hiking along high mountain footpaths, mellow farmroads, and sinuous singletrack, you'll traverse notable Tyrolean mountains like the Fockenstein, Benediktenwand and Zugspitze-Germany’s tallest peak. You'll enjoy traditional Bavarian meals like
Speckknödelsuppe and
Apfelkuchen, served at working farmhouses high in the Alps, and you'll refresh with tall steins of German lager, served in the most ubiquitous of German traditions, the beer garden.
Spend one night living the life of a mountaineer at the Tutzingerhutte, then pull out your camera for awesome views of the Otzal and Zillertal Alps lying across the border in Austria.
Tour Highlights:
- Hiking along the Wallberg-Blankenstein, Glaswandscharte and Herzogstand, mountain destinations long-favored by the kings of Bavaria for their stunning views.
- Oompah bands, beer gardens, and locals dressed in Dirndls and Ledershosen.
- Onion domed churches, cute little frescoed houses and tranquil villages.
- Visits to the Tegernsee and Walchensee, two of the most beautiful lakes in all of Bavaria.
Itinerary
Day 1 Arrival in Munich. Meet guides and group for dinner. Relax.
Arrive Munich. Enjoy a brisk, one and-a-half minute transfer by rail and bus to the idyllic village of Rottach Egern. Meet your trip leaders and group for an orientation, cocktails and dinner at 7:00 pm. Overnight in a classic Tyrolean 4 Star hotel on the shores of the sparkling Tegernsee, one of the most beautiful lakes in all of Bavaria.
Day 2 Loop hike through the Bavarian Alps. Alpine meadows, mountain picnic, views of the German and Austrian Alps. Rottach Egern-Wallberg-Rottach Egern
We'll begin the day with a short transfer to the trailhead at Winterstube. Here begins one of Bavaria’s favorite hikes, up the Wallberg-Blankenstein to high meadows with otherworldly views. Following a mountain picnic, we'll take in more big views over the Tegernsee and the Otzal and Zillertal Alps in Austria, as we walk to the top station of the Wallberg gondola. The gondola whisks us back down to the outskirts of Rottach Egern and our Tyrolean hotel.
Day 3 Point-to-point hike. Lakeside ramble, farmhouse lunch, craggy summits. Rottach Egern-Lenggries
Beginning with a lakeside ramble that you'll wish would go on forever, we'll continue to the Bavarian resort of Bad Weissee, famous for its curative springs and quiet atmosphere on the north side of the Alps. Ascend out the back of this charming village on a steepening forest road to Aueralm where a traditional lunch awaits at a farmhouse. Continue over the Fockenstein, notable for its craggy summit and views into the high Alps. Descend on trails and farmroads to Lenggries, a village which time and tourism seem to have forgotten. Overnight in a rambling and original three star hotel.
Day 4 Point-to-point hike. Rugged mountains, ridgeline hiking, paths less-traveled. Overnight in a mountain hut. Lenggries-Tutzingerhutte
Today we'll cross the famous Isar river en route to the Brauneck cable car station. This is the last time we'll see our luggage as we prepare for a night in a comfortable hut below the Benediktenwand, a craggy mountain famous for its sheer 1,600 foot limestone wall, and its position at the start of the alpine chain heading south out of Munich. We'll admire the views of the mountains and lowlands from the cable car high point before embarking on one of Bavaria’s most famous and fabulous hikes. After a fun and tortuous trail along the ridge, (the other hikers turn around to return to the cable car), we'll continue on less traveled paths to the Tutzingerhutte, our hut for the night (private rooms and gender segregated showers).
Day 5 Point-to-point hike. Mountain paths, steinbock herds, quintessential villages in upper Bavaria. Tutzingerhutte-Kochel am See
Ascend to the western ridge of the Benediktenwand keeping an eye out for the playful Steinbock herds that roam these slopes. After a steep but brief descent of the Glaswandscharte, we'll reach one of the most delightful single track traverses in all the country. This atmospheric journey ends at the Staffel Alm farmhouse where a simple, but delicious, lunch refuels our spirits. Continue on trails and farmroads into Kochel am See. Overnight in a comfortable three star inn.
Day 6 Point-to-point hike. Kochel am See-Garmisch Partenkirchen
A short and dramatic transfer takes us to the Herzogstand cable car high above the Walchensee, one of Bavaria’s most cherished lakes. We'll begin our hike here and enjoy the otherworldly views of the Wetterstein and Karwendel mountains near the top. Enjoy a popular hut lunch near the Herzogstand summit before returning to the Walchensee by cable car. Transfer to Garmisch Partenkirchen. Stay in a classic three or four star hostelry in the cheerful old town.
Day 7 Loop hike in the mountains. Sightseeing on Germany's tallest peak. Garmisch-Garmisch
Garmisch Partenkirchen was the home of the 1936 Winter Olympics and rests at the foot of Germany’s highest peak, the Zugspitze. Following an energetic week of hiking, some guests may wish to ride the dramatic cog railway to the summit of the busy Zugspitze. Others may enjoy a spectacular local hike into the barren and rocky heart of the Zugspitze range, continuing to the Hollentalhutte for an atmospheric lunch.
Day 8 Awake to a delicious alpine breakfast, then depart.
Click here to request an expanded itinerary (including distance and elevation gains).
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