Camping in Berchtesgaden, Germany – A Nature-Lover’s Dream Trip

by altuggle

There are those days where I really hate living in Germany. Especially after a long, grey and cold winter! I was having a couple of those days recently. And as spring was approaching, I wasn’t getting my hopes up very much because Germany also tends to have LOTS of rain during this time of year. So more clouds and more grey. But Germany surprised us with some amazingly sunny and warm early spring weather and I couldn’t be more happy! Casey and I packed our bags and headed down to Berchtesgaden for some hiking, relaxing and lake time. After this weekend, I truly fell in love with Germany all over again.

WHERE WE STAYED

I want to start off with talking about where we stayed because this really is where our trip stemmed from. Casey and I have always heard about glamping (for those that don’t know, it’s glorified camping) around Europe and wanted to give it a try. After some research, we came across a 5 star campsite called Camping Resort Allweglehen. Y’all this place is AMAZING! Even those that aren’t big campers will like this place. It has everything from tent spots to RV’s to cabins. It has super clean facilities, a heated pool that’s open year-round, saunas, a restaurant and of course breathtaking mountain views. We went the middle route and chose the wood lodge and we loved it! It’s also very dog-friendly which is a huge plus on my end!

WHAT WE DID

HIKED AROUND LAKE königssee

I should be looking at the view, but this pup is the cutest! 😉

The lakes in Germany are some of the prettiest lakes I have ever seen. They’re crystal clear and the most gorgeous blue. You almost forget it’s a lake when you’re out on the water and feel like you’re somewhere in the Caribbean.

There are many trails here all ranging in difficulty level. There is something for everyone! So whether you’re looking for an easy hike with good views or a more difficult multi-day hike, you’ll find it here. We decided to take the trail that does a quick 1 hour loop and it was perfect for us.

TOOK A BOAT TAXI/TOUR

Right in the main little town by the lake, you’ll see a stand where you can buy tickets to take a boat taxi out on the lake. You can choose to take it to the small church in the middle (the only way to access it) or you can take the route that takes you across to the other side where you can get out and hike to the smaller lake Obersee. We chose the latter. This route is typically only available in the summer months, so plan accordingly. It also makes a stop at the church on the way there and way back. If you do take the trip across the lake and back, plan for a 2 hour journey and make sure to pay attention to the last return boat trip if you get off to explore!

St. Bartholomä

Along the way, the guide will talk about the lake and will point out some areas of interest. The tour part is unfortunately only in German, but you’ll be able to follow along well enough. About halfway through he will even play a trumpet from the boat to show you how the sound echos across the lake. It’s a neat experience!

Gazing at Obersee lake.

RELAXED POOLSIDE

As I mentioned before, Germany blessed us with some warm and sunshiney weather a bit early this year. And with a heated pool right at our campsite, we had to take advantage of it! Grab some beers and a lounge chair and enjoy the views of the Watzmann mountain (the 3rd largest peak in Germany) while sitting poolside. It’s the perfect way to unwind after a day of hiking or site-seeing.

SALTMINE TOUR

We actually didn’t take part in this tour on this trip. We did it with our family a few months back, but I feel like it’s worth mentioning. It is right by the campsite, kid-friendly, and is a fun tour! They even have handhelds that can give the tour in english. I recommend purchasing your tickets online ahead of time if you can. Check out their website here.

WHERE WE ATE

  • Allweglehen Restaurant – This restaurant is located right there at the campsite. It’s convenient and has delicious local German cuisine. Even if you aren’t staying at the campsite, I’d recommend coming here even just for the view!
  • Biergarten am Königssee – You can’t miss this biergarten right at the shores of the lake. Stop here for a cold beer and some German food right there on the water.
  • Gasthof Bier Adam – Once again, a delicious German restaurant worth visiting right in the middle of the Berchtesgaden city center.
  • L´Osteria al Parco – Looking for something more low key? Come here for some good pizza or Italian food.

TIPS/RECOMMENDATIONS

If you decide the campsite is where you’d like to stay, here are a few things I’d recommend bringing:

  • Cheap flip flops for shower shoes. Yes, the bathrooms were SUPER clean, but I like to be on the safe side and I always wear shower shoes in public showers.
  • Paper towels
  • Wet Wipes/Hand Sanitizer – You don’t have running water in the wood lodges so it’s nice to have some on hand without having to make the trek to the shared bathroom.
  • Soap/body wash – This seems like a no-brainer, but just fyi this place doesn’t provide toiletries in the showers.
  • A dog muzzle – This is for those who would like to take their pups on the boat taxi across the lake. Dogs are allowed, but they require a muzzle. (They’re strict on this, no matter the breed.)
  • Beach towels – They do provide bath towels for showering, but not for the pool.
  • Hiking Boots – This also seems obvious, but Casey forgot his.
  • Bathing suits – Their pool is open year-round!

There is so much to do in this area that you could easily spend a week here. It’s very family friendly as well! We couldn’t do it all, but here are some other things we saw that we would try out ourselves if we had time:

  • Rafting – This is done in the summer months and looked like lots of fun!
  • High Ropes Course – The offer this at the base of the campsite.
  • Sommerrodelbahn – Picture an alpine coaster, but you’re on a giant slide-like course on a cart. Looks like so much fun!
  • Eagle’s Nest – This wasn’t open during our trip, but it’s close by.
  • Salzburg – Berchtesgaden is right on the Austrian border and only about a 40 min drive away from the famous city of Salzburg.

Now if you aren’t convinced to visit Berchtesgaden and the surrounding area by now, you’re crazy! Kidding…. but really! We had such an amazing trip and I’m thinking we will make this a yearly thing.