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Bavaria's Soaring Peaks

Berchtesgadener Land & Königssee
 
Staying at a high-quality hotel offering typically warm Bavarian hospitality, you’ll enjoy rewarding routes through breathtaking scenery. This single-centre walking holiday also includes a sailing across fjord-like Lake König, and can be easily reached from Salzburg.
Bavaria's Soaring Peaks. 3 nights
+44 (0)1653 617001 Call now
Bavaria's Soaring Peaks. 3 nights
+44 (0)1653 617001 Call now
 

Holiday information

 

A walking holiday in the Bavarian Alps

Surrounded on three sides by the mighty snow-capped peaks of the Austrian Alps, Berchtesgadener Land is almost cut off from the rest of Germany – a hidden gem in the country's south-eastern corner. At its heart, the spectacular landscapes of the Berchtesgaden National Park are centred on enchanting Königssee, a fjord-like, emerald green lake that sits serenely beneath mighty Watzmann Mountain and the rocky promontory of the Eagle's Nest. This is Germany's deepest, and purest, lake, making the views here some of the most impressive in the entire country.
Situated high above the lake, the luxurious Hotel Alpenhof awaits, offering excellent Bavarian hospitality and hearty cuisine. It's the perfect base from which to explore this spectacularly beautiful region: strike out on foot to visit the Eagle's Nest (Kehlsteinhaus ), Hitler's former teahouse; or sail across the tranquil lake to the iconic pilgrims’ church of St Bartholomä to explore the Eiskapelle glacier.
 

Book with confidence

What we’re doing so you can book and travel with confidence >
Our flexible booking policies >
Check the destination entry requirements >
 
Gallery
 

Walking & more

The key to Inntravel holidays is flexibility. You can start on the day of your choice, and are free to add extra nights.
  • The average maximum daytime temperatures and monthly rainfall relate to the nearest weather station and are intended as a guide only.
    Average temperatures and rainfall
      Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
    °C 2 4 8 13 18 21 23 22 19 14 7 2
    mm 74 71 78 97 126 167 176 157 99 79 84 88
  • An introduction
    Surrounded by magnificent mountain scenery, the village of Schönau am Königssee offers a fine choice of superb routes and panoramas to enjoy. There’s no fixed itinerary, so you can take your pick of the options as the mood takes you.
    You will be given a guest card at the hotel, entitling you to free travel on most local trains and buses. Pay locally for cable-car tickets.
  • 9.5km to 19km

    Eagle’s Nest walk: 9.5km, 3.5hrs; 490m ascent/250m descent
    Ascend through forest to a low ridge of the Hoher Göll mountain range and the base of the Kehlstein, to reach the Dokumentation Obersalzberg where the compelling history of Berchtesgaden during the Third Reich is chronicled. From there, a special bus climbs the seven kilometres of winding mountain road to reach a tunnel and elevator inside the mountain which take you to the Kehlsteinhaus, or Eagle's Nest, now a popular tourist destination with a restaurant and beer garden offering jaw-dropping views over Berchtesgaden National Park to the Alps and the Salzburg basin.

    Lakes walk: 19km, 6.5hrs; 640m ascent/descent
    Sail the full length of beautiful, fjord-like Königssee (pay locally) and enjoy the peace and relative silence – since 1909, only electric boats have been allowed to sail on Königssee, hence its purity. At the far end, alight for a short, but hugely rewarding walk to Obersee, a hidden lake whose still surface reflects the granite splendour of the Hagen mountains. Follow the path round to its furthest shore where a Hütte sits overlooking the water. Enjoy refreshments here, or continue to the head of the valley to see the Röthbach-Wasserfall, the highest waterfall in Germany. Back on Königssee, break the return journey at St Bartholomä where a path leads from behind its iconic pilgrims’ church to a viewpoint over the Eiskapelle, a dome-like glacier at the foot of the east face of the mighty Watzmann. Back on the lakeside, you could enjoy lunch at the restaurant in the former hunting lodge next to the church, which serves fresh and smoked trout and whitefish, pulled straight from the lake.

    Mount Jenner walk: 17km, 6.5hrs; 430m ascent/1050m descent
    Take the Jenner cable car to the 1874-metre summit of Mount Jenner, from where you gaze down onto the shimmering emerald waters of Lake Königssee lying at the foot of the sheer east wall of Watzmann. Your route continues through granite peaks, pine-covered slopes and flower-filled meadows where the tinkling bells of grazing cattle provide a gentle soundtrack to nature's stunning canvas in the high Almen. There is the option to shorten this route slightly by travelling to and from the cable car station by bus.
    Views from the Eagle's Nest
    Eagle’s Nest walk: 9.5km
    Lakes walk (Obersee): 8km from far shores of Königssee
    Lakes walk (Eiskapelle): 6km from St Bartholomä
    Ascend Mount Jenner by cable car
    Mount Jenner walk: 12.5km from upper cable car station
  • Berchtesgaden, Bad Reichenhall & Salzburg

    Berchtesgaden
    Jump on the bus to the nearby town of Berchtesgaden where you can browse the heavily laden stalls of the weekly Bauernmarkt  (farmers’ market); visit the Salzbergwerk Berchtesgaden (salt mines) for a great visitor experience; wander the streets of the historic Rococo town centre with its royal palace, arcaded shops and colourful façades; or follow one of the stages of the SalzAlpenSteig long-distance walking route alongside the river (notes not provided, but it's well signposted).

    Bad Reichenhall
    Bad Reichenhall, known as Bayerisches Staatbad (or Bavaria’s spa town) is also just a short bus ride away. Here, naturally occurring brine springs are used in many varied treatments which you can try; you can visit Alte Saline – the old brine works – too. During the summer, the Bad Reichenhall Philharmonic Orchestra stage outdoor concerts in the Kurpark, while the Predigtstuhlbahn (the oldest working cable car in the world) is well worth a ride for the breathtaking views.

    Salzburg
    It's not far over the border if you wish to spend a day exploring the wonderful Austrian city of Salzburg  (which you can reach by bus via Berchtesgaden). The ornate buildings, elegant squares and elaborate fountains are the work of craftsmen from Italy who, at the beginning of the 17th century, transformed Salzburg into one of the finest Baroque cities north of the Alps. This also being Mozart’s city of birth, there is a busy calendar of concerts and recitals throughout the year, the centrepiece of which is the annual Salzburg Festival, a five-week-long extravaganza in July and August celebrating opera, orchestral music and theatre.
 

Accommodation

The luxurious Hotel Alpenhof is located a short walk away from the village of Schönau am Königssee.

Please note: most beds in German hotels are normally one large base with two mattresses/duvets. We refer to these as 'Austrian Twins' and they are locally regarded to serve requests for both double and twin bedded rooms. Separate twin beds or traditional double beds with one large mattress are rare and cannot be guaranteed.
Alpenhof

Bedrooms

 

Extend your stay

 
Prices & travel options
All prices are in £ sterling (GBP). If you'd like to see what they equate to in your currency, use the converter. For general information on pricing, see the 'your holiday price explained' page.
Currency converter

We can only accept payment in GBP, but you can use this converter to find out how much the holiday equates to in your own currency.

Please enter an amount Please enter a valid amount British Pound Sterling (GBP)
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NB: this should be used as a guide only. Fluctuations in exchange rates could result in significant variation by the time you come to pay.

  • 3 nights: 01 June 2022 - 01 October 2022 & 01 June 2023 - 01 October 2023

    Start any day | End by latest date(s) shown above

    Starting Price Single room
    1 - 12 Jun 2022 £670 £25
    13 - 26 Jun 2022 £690 £25
    27 Jun - 31 Aug 2022 £715 £30
    1 - 27 Sep 2022 £690 £25
    1 - 12 Jun 2023 £740 £30
    13 - 26 Jun 2023 £760 £30
    27 Jun - 31 Aug 2023 £790 £35
    1 - 27 Sep 2023 £760 £30
    3rd & 4th person discount -£60 to -£70
    Single traveller supplement £60 to £70

    Includes accommodation, meals and services integral to the holiday as described, plus walking notes and maps, but no travel from the UK, nor any connecting travel from the airport unless stated below.

    Included travel: return taxi from Salzburg & return boat journey on Königssee

    Book your flights through us and we'll find the best route and times to suit you. Please contact us to find out more about our flight booking service. We can also book connecting travel - see below.

  • Extra nights (£ per person per night) in a double or single room

    Alpenhof, Schönau am Königssee (with dinner) Double room Single room
    01 Jun - 27 Jun 2022 £168 £174
    28 Jun - 01 Oct 2022 £178 £184
    01 Jun - 27 Jun 2023 £186 £194
    28 Jun - 01 Oct 2023 £196 £204
  • RECOMMENDED AIRPORT(S):
    Salzburg
    ALTERNATIVE AIRPORT(S):
    Munich

    As an alternative to flying, we can arrange rail travel from London

    Travelling from the UK

    Travelling from outside the UK

    If you are flying from outside Europe,  we recommend flying via Munich. To discuss onward connecting travel to the start of your holiday, please contact us.

    Travelling from outside the UK
    We have many years' experience catering for customers who live outside the UK, and will be happy to make tailored arrangements to fit with your plans.

    You have two options:

    1) Book your own flights to London, from where we can book flights and onward connecting travel to your hotel.

    2) Book your own flights direct to an airport appropriate to your chosen holiday. You can either make your own way from the airport to the hotel, or we'll be happy to book onward connecting travel for you. Please consult with us before booking your flights, so that we can advise you on the suitability of your proposed route and timings.
    Outward route Airline
    Aberdeen - Salzburg (via Frankfurt) Lufthansa 
    Outward route Airline
    Belfast Intl. - Salzburg easyJet,  jet2 
    Outward route Airline
    Birmingham - Munich Lufthansa 
    Birmingham - Munich (via Frankfurt) Lufthansa 
    Birmingham - Salzburg Eurowings,  jet2,  TUI 
    Birmingham - Salzburg (via Düsseldorf) Eurowings 
    Birmingham - Salzburg (via Frankfurt) Lufthansa 
    Outward route Airline
    Bristol - Salzburg jet2 
    Outward route Airline
    Edinburgh - Munich easyJet,  Eurowings,  Lufthansa 
    Edinburgh - Munich (via Frankfurt) Lufthansa 
    Edinburgh - Salzburg (via Frankfurt) Lufthansa 
    Outward route Airline
    Glasgow - Munich Lufthansa 
    Glasgow - Salzburg (via Amsterdam Schiphol) KLM 
    Glasgow - Salzburg (via Frankfurt) Lufthansa 
    Outward route Airline
    London City - Munich British Airways 
    London City - Salzburg (via Frankfurt) Lufthansa 
    Outward route Airline
    Gatwick - Munich easyJet 
    Gatwick - Salzburg British Airways,  TUI 
    Outward route Airline
    Heathrow - Munich British Airways,  Lufthansa 
    Heathrow - Salzburg Eurowings 
    Heathrow - Salzburg (via Frankfurt) Lufthansa 
    Outward route Airline
    Luton - Munich easyJet 
    Outward route Airline
    Stansted - Munich easyJet 
    Stansted - Salzburg jet2,  Ryanair 
    Outward route Airline
    Manchester - Munich easyJet,  Lufthansa 
    Manchester - Munich (via Frankfurt) Lufthansa 
    Manchester - Salzburg TUI 
    Manchester - Salzburg (via Düsseldorf) Eurowings 
    Manchester - Salzburg (via Frankfurt) Lufthansa 
    Manchester - Salzburg (via Hamburg) Eurowings 
    Outward route Airline
    Newcastle - Munich Lufthansa 
    Newcastle - Munich (via Amsterdam Schiphol) KLM 
    Newcastle - Munich (via Düsseldorf) Lufthansa 
    Newcastle - Salzburg TUI 
    Outward route Airline
    Norwich - Munich (via Amsterdam Schiphol) KLM 
    Travelling from outside the UK

    If you are flying from outside Europe,  we recommend flying via Munich. To discuss onward connecting travel to the start of your holiday, please contact us.

    This list of flight options should be used as a guide only, and you should check each airline’s website for current routes, frequency and schedules. Not all flights operate daily, and may not run for the entire season. You should also heed the latest flight arrival time and earliest flight departure time stated in the connecting travel section, as it may not be possible to arrange connecting travel outside these times. Please do not book your flights until we have confirmed your accommodation to you. Alternatively, our expert reservations team will be happy to offer advice and to make flight bookings for you for any of the options listed above except those operated by Ryanair. We charge £35 per person for our flight booking service. Your flights are then covered by our package-booking conditions, which give you greater protection in the event of delay or cancellation, as well as providing ATOL cover.

  • Prices below are based on 2 people travelling together. If you are travelling solo or as a party of 3 or more and our arrangements include a taxi, please contact us for prices; additional passengers often pay less.

    Connecting travel options - flying via Munich

    Outward route Price per person Latest flight
    arrival time
    rail Munich airport to Berchtesgaden (3h10), taxi Berchtesgaden to hotel (0h20) £6-£8 1730
    Homeward route Price per person Earliest flight
    departure time
    taxi hotel to Berchtesgaden (0h20), rail Berchtesgaden to Munich airport (3h10) £6-£8 1230

    Connecting travel options - flying via Salzburg

    Outward route Price per person Latest flight
    arrival time
    direct taxi Salzburg airport to hotel (0h35) included flexible
    Homeward route Price per person Earliest flight
    departure time
    direct taxi hotel to Salzburg airport (0h35) included flexible
What is included
  • 3 nights
  • 3 dinners
    3 breakfasts
  • route notes and maps
  • GPS navigation
  • return transfers from Salzburg
 
Reviews

If you've experienced this holiday first hand, why not write a review?

We are keen for as many customers as possible to review their holiday. To make it easier to do so, we include a specific review section on our post-holiday questionnaire, and this is what we publish here, unedited. Read our full review policy >

 

FAQs

If you have any questions relating to this or any other Inntravel holiday, our friendly travel experts will be happy to help. You might also find our General FAQs section helpful.
  • If your holiday plans go awry because of Coronavirus, rest assured that we’ll do right by you. Since the start of the pandemic, our flexible booking policy and prompt issuing of refunds to customers who prefer not to defer their holiday have earned us high praise in the national press.
  • We sincerely hope that your holiday experience will be as enjoyable as it would have been before the pandemic – walking holidays are ideal in these times of social distancing, and we’re not operating holidays if the key highlights can no longer be delivered – but, naturally, there will be some changes to ensure your and other people’s safety, not least proving your vaccination status or taking a test in order to travel.
    Your holiday experience: what to expect >
    Safety measures being taken by hoteliers & others >
    Entry requirements for non-UK destinations & for re-entering the UK >
  • We’ll send you route notes and maps 2-3 weeks before your holiday. The route notes not only contain directions to get from A to B, but also include practical information about places of interest and eateries along each route, plus cultural information about the area. If/when you are moving between hotels, you leave your luggage in reception as you leave, and it will be transferred ahead to your next accommodation, meaning that all you need to take with you are a camera, sun cream, drinks, food and waterproofs.

    For more detailed information, see our walking holidays in Europe page.
  • Yes, prior to going on holiday you will be able to download GPX tracks so that you can follow your route on your smartphone or dedicated GPS device if you wish. It’s entirely up to you whether or not you use them – our detailed, step-by-step route notes remain the principal means of guiding you from A to B – but we provide them as a secondary means of navigation for additional reassurance when walking.
  • We can book a wide range of routes from the UK with a variety of airlines (but not, currently, with Ryanair). As well as being more convenient for you to book all elements of your holiday together, it also means that we’ll accept liability for your travel arrangements, so if things go wrong, such as the airline going bust, we’ll make suitable alternative arrangements for you. The fee for this service is £35 per person (£15 for children aged 2-11). More information on flights >
  • We can’t book flights that originate outside the UK, but if you wanted to book your own flights to London (or elsewhere in the UK), we can make all onward travel arrangements (including flights) from there. Alternatively, if you are booking your own flights to an airport in continental Europe that’s appropriate for your holiday, we can book onward rail travel and/or taxis. More information about how we can tailor holidays for customers outside the UK >
  • Since our holidays are self-guided, we recommend calling us for a chat about your plans before making a booking, especially if it’s the first time you’ve booked with us.
    The price panel shows the supplement for a single room and also the single traveller charge (this covers (luggage) transfers and other costs which are usually shared between two people).
  • Once you’ve decided on your exact itinerary (our travel experts will be happy to offer advice), you need to provide us with your party’s details, either by phone or via our booking form. At this point we also ask you to pay a deposit so that we can secure a room for you immediately on confirming availability with the hotel(s). If it turns out that we can’t secure the accommodation for the holiday you’ve requested, or offer an acceptable alternative, we’ll refund your deposit promptly and in full. After booking your accommodation and other key elements, we'll then book your travel (or you can do so if you’re making your own arrangements) and send you a Booking Confirmation and Invoice.

    More information about the booking process >
    Information about accommodation, general practicalities and more >
    Booking conditions >
  • Yes, it’s something we insist on, even for holidays in the UK. The vast majority of holidays go smoothly, but when things go wrong, it can be expensive to put them right. Buying a new pair of walking boots after your suitcase is stolen mightn’t seem so bad, but the bill for being airlifted down from a mountain with a broken leg or flown home while still recovering from an illness or accident can cost tens of thousands of pounds.

    You don’t have to take out a policy with our recommended provider (if you live outside the UK you’ll definitely need to make your own arrangements, as the policy is only for UK residents), but you do need to make sure that you’re covered for medical emergencies – including falling ill with Covid-19 while on holiday – and repatriation. We also recommend that you are covered for other eventualities, such as cancellation and loss of luggage and passports.

    We'll ask you for the details of your policy (insurer, policy number and medical emergency phone number) so that we can help out if the worst happens while you are on holiday. It's up to you, though, to check that your policy covers the activities you'll be doing on holiday and that it is adequate for your own individual needs; we don't check alternative policies.
  • It is your responsibility to ensure you are in possession of the correct travel documents, with the correct validity. If you’re a UK citizen, you need a full British passport to travel to Germany, but not a visa. If you are a citizen of another country, you’ll need to check requirements with the national embassy or your own consulate.

    Current information regarding vaccinations and travel health advice for UK citizens can be found through the Travel Health Pro website. You must make sure you have adequate insurance cover for illness, accidents and repatriation (see the insurance question). You should also apply for a Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) if your EHIC has expired (if you have a still-valid EHIC, you can use this until it expires).
  • The official language is German. The currency is the Euro. German time is GMT/UTC + 1. It uses Daylight Saving Time, so in summer is on BST + 1.
  • For information on the practicalities of travel now that the UK is no longer part of the European Union, visit www.gov.uk/visit-eu-switzerland-norway-iceland-liechtenstein.

    At Inntravel we work in close partnership with our hoteliers, taxi drivers and other local suppliers to provide our self-guided holidays directly to you. We are entirely confident that you will continue to receive the usual warm welcome from them, regardless of what is happening in the European political sphere.
  • The UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) provides up-to-date, country-by-country travel advice, as well as information on security, local laws, passports and visas for UK citizens.

    If you live outside the UK, see our essential travel information page for a list of relevant websites.
  • You are the best judge of your child’s/children’s capabilities. We are happy to take bookings for families of older children/teenagers if they walk regularly, love the outdoors and are comfortable with the distances and ascent/descent involved. Please note that the bedrooms at most of the accommodation we use will normally only sleep a maximum of 3 people, and sometimes only 2.
Last fetch time is : 7/2/2022 1:59:23 PM