Bavarian Lakes: 5 Must-Visit Lakes For Your Next Road Trip

Hello and welcome back, fellow hikers! Today, we will explore the most beautiful Bavarian Lakes, where picturesque landscapes, crystal-clear waters, and idyllic charm await.

The lakes in the German region of Bavaria will captivate you with their pristine beauty and serene atmosphere. Picture yourself strolling along the shores of these enchanting bodies of water, where emerald green hues blend seamlessly with the earth tones of the mountains and trees. Whether you’re seeking relaxation or adventure, these lakes have something for everyone. From the majestic beauty of Konigssee Lake to the idyllic charm of Eibsee, with its little islands, each lake has its unique character. So get ready to explore them with me!

pLAN yOUR ROAD tRIP TO bAVARIA, GERMANY

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Find the best activities to do like this full-day trip to Neuschwanstein Castle.
Don’t forget to pack your hiking boots, a rain jacket, and a power bank.
Read Munich and the Bavarian Alps as a preparation for your trip and Walking in the Bavarian Alps to choose the best hikes.

FOR A MORE DETAILED PLANNING, READ MY POST ABOUT PLANNING A TRIP TO BAVARIA

Things to know before you visit these lakes

Here are some things that are good to know before you visit these lakes.

If you want to hike along the lakes, you’re going to need hiking shoes. The trails that surround these alpine lakes are not paved, so they are full of roots and loose rocks. Wearing proper hiking shoes will help you from twisting your ankle or slipping in rainy weather conditions.
These lakes are alpine lakes, which means that even in the summer weather conditions can change very quickly. You might want to consider bringing a light rain jacket.
There’s always plenty of parking space near these lakes. However, most of them are not free and only accept cash. Make sure to have some coins available.

5 Must-vIsit Lakes in Bavaria

The German region of Bavaria has many alpine lakes, each with a unique beauty and charm that sets him aside from the others. Visiting all of them in a week or a 10-day road trip in this area is impossible, so here are the 5 Bavarian lakes that I think are a must in your next trip to Bavaria.

To make it easier for you to plan your itinerary, I have compiled all of them in the following map.

Before I dive into the list, just want to clarify that this list is in no particular order.

1. Konigssee

Konigssee or the King’s Lake in English, is a beautiful lake located in Berchtesgaden National Park in the south of Germany and very close to the Austrian border. This lake with its crystal-clear waters and huge mountains around it will be one of the most beautiful lakes you will see in Germany.

Due to the high mountains that surround the lake, it is not possible to walk around it. The only way you can visit this lake is by hopping on a small electric boat and admiring it from the water. But don’t worry, this boat ride is amazing and of course, you will be able to get off the boat two times and explore the area around it a little bit.

The boat departs every 30 minutes from Schonau am Konigssee and will take you to two different stops on the lake. The first one is St. Bartholomew’s Church (35-minute ride) and the second one is to Salet (approximately 1h ride).

From both stops you will be able to enjoy super beautiful views of the lake and if you’re looking for more adventurous activities, go on some amazing hikes. I have written a more detailed blog on everything you can do if you want to spend a day at Konigssee.

MAKE SURE TO READ MY POST ABOUT KONIGSSEE, FOR A MORE DETAILED GUIDE ON EVERYTHING THERE IS TO DO IN THIS BEAUTIFUL LAKE IN BERCHTESGADEN NATIONAL PARK

2. Obersee am Konigssee

Obersee is a smaller lake that is right after Konigssee, in Berchtesgaden National Park. The only way to reach it is by taking an electric boat from Schonau am Konigssee and getting off at Salet. The boat ride takes a little bit over an hour but trust me, it is so worth it!

If Konigsee is a beautiful lake, Obersee is just in another league! The water is so clear and calm that it looks more like a mirror than a lake. The views, with the mountains and the huts reflecting on the water, will make you fall in love with this place. David and I, both agree that this was our favorite lake of the trip.

If you want you can go on a short hike along one side of the lake from Salet to Fischunkelalm. This hike is only 5,5 km long (both ways) and the views you will get are just insane. You can find more details about this hike, in my blog about spending a day at Kongissee.

3. Hintersee

Hintersee is another small lake in Berchtesgaden National Park, not far from Konigssee in the small village of Ramsau. Surrounded by impressive mountain peaks it offers crystal-clear waters, forests, and moss-covered rocks.

These days, Hintersee attracts many photography lovers that want to take impressive photos of the mountains reflecting on the lake. However, this is not new. In the past, many painters like Carl Rottmann, Ferdinand Waldmüller, Friedrich Gauermann, and Wilhelm Busch painted this lake as well.

There are many things to do in this lake:

Rent a pedal or a rowing boat and admire the beauty of this place from the water.
Enjoy a delicious coffee and cake while you admire its beauty.
Hike around the lake.
Go for one of the many longer hikes at Berchtesgaden that begin at this lake.

We did the short hike around the lake and it was so pretty! Even on a rainy afternoon, the views were something else! And, the best part is that it is not a demanding hike at all. It is only a 2,5km hike and with almost no elevation gain at all.

4. Eibsee

Eibsee, located near Garmisch-Parterkirchen will surely become another of the highlights of your Bavarian Road Trip. At 1000 meters above sea level, Eibsee is a blind lake. This means that water enters and exits the lake via underwater streams. The lake was created approximately 3700 years ago when the Isar-Loisach Glacier backed out and the lake’s basin was formed.

Did you know that Eibsee is private property? It was bought by August Terne in 1844 and has been in its family ever since.

One of the many things that you can do in this lake is to go for a hike along the lake. The trail is 7,5 km long and it will take you around the lake under beautiful trees with entries to small pebbled beaches where you can rest and admire the views of the lake with the majestic Zugspitze in the background.

Unfortunately, during our visit here, it was raining and very cloudy so we could not see the Zugspitze from the lake, but the lake was impressive nevertheless.

But hiking along the lake is not the only activity you can do at Eibsee. There are many possibilities depending on the time of the year that you visit:

During the summer months, it is possible to go for a swim in the lake.
It is also possible to rent a boat or a SUP and explore the lake from the water.
Cycling around the lake and the surroundings is another thing that you can do. There are many cycling routes that you can follow.
Take a gondola ride to the Zugspitze, the highest peak in Germany. While going up on the gondola, you will be able to enjoy magnificent views of the lake from above.
If you’re visiting during the winter months, why not go skying?

5. Alpsee

The Alpsee is a lake close to the Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau castles in Bavaria, Germany. The lake has 5 km of shoreline and a depth of up to 62 meters.

This lake is quite popular given its proximity to the castles and also for the wild swans that inhabit it. However, if you visit it early in the morning, you will have big chance of being there almost alone. Most people, visit this lake after visiting both castles which makes it a very peaceful place in the mornings.

Hiking along its shore you will enjoy beautiful views of the lake with Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau castles in the back.

And that’s it for my blog about the 5 must-visit lakes in Bavaria. I hope you liked it and found it useful. Let me know what you thought in the comments!

Happy lake hiking!

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Bavarian Lakes: 5 Must-Visit Lakes To Include In Your Next Bavarian Road Trip