Hello! Welcome back, my fellow travelers and hikers! Today I want to share with you the captivating day I spent at Konigssee Lake, located in the awe-inspiring Berchtesgaden National Park. Brace yourself for a day of breathtaking landscapes, exhilarating hikes, and the serenity of crystal-clear waters.
Imagine gliding along the surface of Konigssee Lake, surrounded by majestic mountains that seem to reach the sky. The boat ride here is an absolute must-do! The emerald green hues of the lake against the backdrop of the towering peaks create a postcard-worthy scene that will leave you in awe. And once you step ashore, the real adventure begins. Are you ready? Keep reading to get all the best tips to visit this beautiful part of Bavaria.
Konigssee lake
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. But this lake is much more than a beautiful lake, here are some interesting facts about it.
- Konigssee is the cleanest lake in Germany.
- Only row/pedal or electric boats are allowed in its waters to preserve the water conditions.
- At 600 meters of altitude, it is the highest alpine lake in Germany.
- The deepest point of the lake is 190 meters deep.
- It is 8 km long and it is flanged on its eastern side by Mount Watzmann.
Is it possible to visit konigssee Lake in one day?
Yes, absolutely! In one day you will be able to visit the main sites of Konigssee Lake without having to rush at all. In fact, if you’re not planning on hiking at all, half a day will be just enough. However, I do recommend you include at least a hike along Obersee (I will explain more later about this).
In my case, I spent a day here, and not only did I visit the lake’s main sights, but I also went on two beautiful hikes. In fact, if the weather had been a little bit better, I would have been able to squeeze in a third hike.
How to get to Konigssee?
This beautiful lake is located in Berchtesgaden National Park, in the southeast of Germany, and very close to the Austrian border.
There are two airports nearby that offer international flights, Salzburg Airport (only 25 km away) and Munich Airport (183 km away). Once you’re there, the easiest way is to rent a car and drive to Schonau am Konigssee. Alternatively, if you don’t feel like driving you can get there by public transport (from Salzburg Airport) or join an organized tour departing from Munich.
- By Car: Drive to Schonau am Konigssee and park your car in the parking lot next to the lake docks. If you’re staying at a hotel in Konigssee, most hotels give you a discount card that will reduce the parking fee.
- By Public Transport: From Salzburg Airport, you will have to take two buses and 1 hour and 30 minutes to reach this place. First, take bus 260 in the direction of Zell am See Bahnhof for 16 stops and then switch to bus 841 until the parking lot at Konigssee.
- With an Organized Tour: Here’s an option of a day trip from Munich and a half-day trip from Salzburg.
Accommodation near konigssee
There is plenty of options for accommodation near Konigssee, suitable for all budgets and tastes. If possible, I recommend staying at a hotel in Schonau am Konigssee, this way you can even walk to the boat docks from your hotel if you feel like it. However, you can also book a hotel in the nearby village of Ramsau, also within Berchtesgaden.
I stayed at the Hotel Explorer Berchtesgaden and it was a good hotel for its price. The hotel was very comfortable and even had a small sauna to relax after a day of hiking and exploring the surroundings. In this photo, you can see the view from our room’s balcony.
how to visit konigssee lake?
Konigssee has a very unique characteristic. It is surrounded by really steep mountains that make building roads around the lake impossible. Because of this, the only way to visit and explore Konigssee is by an electric boat that will take you from Schonau am Konigssee to either St Bartholomew church or Salet. This has also helped preserve the lake in its original beautiful state.
Königssee Boat Ride
- The boat service is year-round unless the lake is frozen (which sometimes happens).
- The first boat leaves at 9 am in low season, 8:30 during mid-season, and 8:00 during the summer months with a boat every 30 minutes.
- It takes approximately 35 minutes to reach the first stop, St. Bartholomew’s Church, and 1 hour to reach Salet.
- The last boat leaves at 17:10 from Salet and stops at 17:40 in St. Bartholomew’s Church before heading back to Schonau am Königssee.
- It is very important that you don’t miss the last boat unless you want to have to pay an exorbitant amount of money to have them pick you up.
- You can buy your tickets either online or directly at the dock. I recommend buying them online to avoid waiting lines (especially if you’re visiting during the summer holidays).
- When buying your tickets, you can choose between getting return tickets to St. Bartholomew’s church (1 stop) or return tickets to Salet (2 stops).
Map from www.seenschifffahrt.de
Things To Do At Konigssee Lake
These are the things you can do at Konigssee Lake and that you shouldn’t miss. To make it easier for you, I have compiled them all in this map.
Go On A Boat Ride On Konigssee Lake
Going on a boat ride on Konigsee is the first thing you should do when visiting this magical place. The view from the water is just something else. It is so peaceful with no other boats in the lake and the towering mountains on the sides.
The boat ride, will either take you to St. Bartholomew’s Church or to Salet. I recommend you get boat tickets all the way to Salet. This way you will be able to get off the boat in both places. The ride to St. Bartholomew’s takes approximately 35 minutes. To reach Salet, it will take a little bit more than an hour. But don’t worry, with these views time will fly.
While you’re sailing along the lake, there is a guide that will explain interesting things about Konigssee and Berchtesgaden National Park. In addition, halfway between the depart and St. Bartholomew’s, the boat will stop and play a song on a flugelhorn (similar to a trumpet) for you to enjoy the echo that bounces off the mountains!
The first stop the boat will make is at St. Bartholomew’s but I recommend you keep going all the way until Salet first (unless you only got tickets to St. Bartholomew’s of course).
Tip #1: Book your tickets in advance and if possible, book the first boat ride of the day. This way you will be one of the first people out there and you will also be able to enjoy more hours at the lake. Remember that the last boat leaves at 17h from Salet and even though this seems like it’s a lot of time, it is not.
Tip #2: In the boat, I recommend you seat on the right side of the boat if you’re going from Schonau to Salet. We sat on the left side and even though the views are also really pretty, the other side seemed a bit better in my opinion.
Hike along Oberssee until Fischunkelalm
Hike Summary
- Trail Start/End: Salet docks
- Distance: 5 km
- Elevation Gain: 150 m
- Route type: Linear route
- Time needed: 3 h (I just couldn’t stop taking photos every few hundred meters)
Once you’re off the boat, it is time for your first hike of the day. To do so, you just need to follow the trail in front of you that will take you to another beautiful lake, Obersee. But before you start, I recommend you turn around and enjoy the view of Königssee Lake from this end of the lake.
Good to know: If you need a bathroom, there are free ones at the docks where you get off the boat.
The hike to Fischunkelalm is approximately 5 km long (both ways) and it is relatively easy. There are only a few rocky stairs halfway. These are not that hard but they can be a bit slippery, especially if you’re visiting on a rainy day like we did.
The first part of the hike will take you along the valley that connects Konigssee and Obersee. The views are amazing with tall mountains, a small river, and cows peacefully eating. But the real highlight of this hike begins when you reach Obersee.
The first view of Obersee is the famous hut which I am sure you have seen a thousand times on Instagram. It is so pretty. The hut with the backdrop mountains reflecting on the crystal clear waters. It’s impossible not to be impressed by this view.
The hike along Obersee is so pretty, every 200 meters I couldn’t resist stopping to admire the view. The water was so calm it was almost as if it was a mirror.
At the end of the trail, you will find Fischunkelalm, a small hut where you can buy some drinks and snacks as well as some tables. It is the perfect place to have a picnic while you enjoy the views of the lake.
Extend your hike until Rothbachfall
Hike Summary
- Trail Start/End: Fischunkelalm hut
- Distance: 3 km
- Elevation Gain: 200 m
- Route type: Linear route
- Time needed: 1 h
At Fischunkelalm, you can either walk back to Salet or, if you’re up for it, extend your hike to Rothbachfall. Rothbachfall is the highest waterfall in Germany, with a vertical drop of 470 m.
To get to Rothbachfall you will have to go uphill for approximately 30 minutes but it is not that steep. On the way out, you will trade the lake views for amazing tall mountains and the waterfall in the middle.
And if the views on the way out are impressive, the return doesn’t fall behind. You will be rewarded with breathtaking views of Obersee from above!
Visit St. Bartholomew's church
Once you’re back at Salet, it is time to hop back on the boat and head to St. Bartholomew’s Church Stop. Here, you will be able to enjoy again some beautiful views of the lake and St. Bartholomew’s Church next to its shore. St. Bartholomew’s is a Roman Catholic pilgrimage church. It is named after Saint Bartholomew the Apostle, patron of alpine farmers and dairymen.
Although the best views of this church are from the lake, take some time to walk along the shore of the lake while you admire the contrast of the lake, the mountains, and the church.
Hike to Eiskapelle (Ice Cave)
Hike Summary
- Trail Start/End: St. Bartholomew’s Church
- Distance: 6,92 km
- Elevation Gain: 315 m
- Route type: Linear route
- Time needed: 1,5 h
This hike will take you through a small forest of trees in a constant zigzag while you gain altitude. For most of the trail, the views are not as impressive as the ones in the previous hikes but it is very peaceful.
Unfortunately, we did not make it all the way to the cave. There had been so much rain in the previous days before we visited that in order to reach it we had to cross quite a big creek. This would mean that despite being waterproof, our boots would get wet so we decided to turn around. However, right before this creek, we reached a fantastic viewpoint of the Watzmann so the effort was totally worth it.
Important: If you’re doing this hike in the afternoon, after the Obersee and Rothbachfall ones, make sure to keep an eye on your watch. You don’t want to miss the last boat back!
Hike to Schrainbach Waterfall
Hike Summary
- Trail Start/End: St. Bartholomew’s Church
- Distance: 4,2 km
- Elevation Gain: 100 m
- Route type: Linear route
- Time needed: 1 h
This hike is a little bit less demanding than the Eiskapelle one. To do this hike, just walk left following the trail as soon as you get off the boat. First, you will reach a small beach, and if you keep going a little further you will get to this waterfall.
I didn’t do this hike, due to time constraints. We had to choose between the Ice Cave one or this one and we decided on the first one.
Hike to Malerwinkel and Rabenwand Viewpoints
Hike Summary
- Trail Start/End: Schonau am Konigssee Docks
- Distance: 4,8 km
- Elevation Gain: 180 m
- Route type: Linear route
- Time needed: 1,5 h
Unfortunately, I didn’t do this hike as by the time I got back on the last boat I was a bit tired. Looking back on it, I regret not making one last effort to see these viewpoints. Especially since after a whole day of rain, the sun had finally come out.
Contrary to the Scrainbach Waterfall hike, Once you’re back at Schonau, you don’t have to worry about the time anymore. If you want to do this hike to end your one-day visit to this beautiful lake, it is perfectly possible.
tips for visiting Konigssee Lake
To end this blog, I would like to share some general tips for visiting this lake:
- Bring some cash: If you want to buy some snacks and drinks either at Fischunkelalm, you will need some cash.
- Bring proper hiking shoes: Most of the hikes I mentioned in this blog are not very demanding. However, this is still an alpine environment so proper hiking shoes are a must.
- Request your discount card at your hotel: If you’re lodging in Schonau am Konigssee, your hotel can give you a discount card that will entitle you to many discounts in the village, parking fees, and restaurants.
And that’s it for my blog spending a day at Konigssee Lake. I hope you liked it and found it useful. Let me know what you thought in the comments!
Happy hiking!
DISCLAIMER: Did you know? This blog uses affiliate partnerships. When you click and book or make a purchase through one of my blog posts, I may receive a small commission (at no extra cost to you). Thank you for supporting The Travelling Hiker!
Other articles about Germany
- BEST THINGS TO DO IN ULM
- BAVARIA ROAD TRIP: THE PERFECT 10-DAY ITINERARY
- BAVARIAN LAKES: 5 MUST-VISIT ALPINE LAKES TO INCLUDE IN YOUR NEXT VISIT TO BAVARIA
- A WEEKEND IN MUNICH: 20 UNIQUE THINGS TO DO
- VISITING NEUSCHWANSTEIN CASTLE AND ITS SURROUNDINGS
- THINGS TO DO IN GARMISCH PARTENKIRCHEN
- PLAN A ROAD TRIP IN BAVARIA
Enjoyed this guide? Pin it for later!
Pingback: Bavarian Lakes: 5 Must-Visit Lakes For Your Next Road Trip