Best time for a walking holiday... May to October Fly to... Munich (DE) Linz (AT) Prague (CZ) Salzburg (AT) Nuremberg (DE) The Bavarian Forest Tips, History & Culture, Flora & Fauna Walking Areas in the Bavarian Alps MAPS, BOOKS & INSPIRATION

The Bavarian Forest

Thoughts of Bavaria conjure up images of Lederhosen, fairytale castles and Alpine peaks. However, the Bavarian Forest, an area rich with culture and traditions, could not be more different.

About this Germany walking region
If you feel like venturing off the beaten track, look no further than the Bavarian Forest; a beautifully wild and unspoilt highland landscape of undulating scenery, colourful wildflower meadows, crystal clear streams, and picturesque lakes, which date back to the Ice Age – all embraced by ancient forests as deep and mystical as you would find in a fairy tale.

There are few quieter, more refreshing places to go walking and to unwind than this deeply traditional region. This area of great natural beauty is a walking destination that is little-known by all but the Germans. It is a gentle region not dominated by vast mountains but caressed by verdant woodlands and hills; stretching as far as the eye can see. Situated close to the Danube valley in southeast Germany, it knows no man-made boundaries and spreads across the borders of the Czech Republic and Austria into much of western and southern Bohemia, forming Central Europe’s largest woodland area.     

Much of it is protected, as the Nature Park Bavarian Forest, which spans 3,077 square kilometres (1,188 square miles) and is the largest in the country. This Nature Park contains the National Park Bavarian Forest, a 243 square kilometre (94 square miles) heavily protected area, where nature is left to take its course without human interference. It stretches across the Czech and Austrian borders and seamlessly blends into the much larger Šumava National Park on the Czech Republic side (Bohemian Forest), Germany’s Upper Palatine and the Mühlviertel region in Austria. Together, they form the largest contiguous woodland area in Central Europe – one of the last true wildernesses left in Western Europe. 

Walking in the Bavarian Forest
For an active and peaceful time out: choose a walking holiday in the pristine wooded mountains of Central Europe’s largest forest. A paradise for outdoor enthusiasts and lovers of nature, the Bavarian Forest is criss-crossed by hundreds of kilometres of superbly marked walking trails. The hills and mountains of the Bavarian Forest are fairly modest and so the walking is relatively gentle. The highest mountains in the region are Mt. Arber (1,456m/4,777ft) followed by Mt. Rachel, Mt. Lusen, Mt. Falkenstein and Mt. Dreisessel (1,300m/4,256ft–1,450m/4,757ft).