We wanted to see even more of the unique natural beauty of the Alps. So we set off toward Garmisch Partenkirchen. Even the journey there was an absolute feast for the eyes. Before us lay the majestic Alpine mountain range, crystal-clear lakes, vast green landscapes, and incredible anticipation for the day. Our readers had recommended the hike to Herzogstand, and so we plunged straight into this adventure.

• Walchen am Walchensee
• The hike to Herzogstand
• Arriving at the Gasthof Herzogstand
• Out on Lake Walchen in a pedal boat
• Further activities
• Accommodations at Lake Walchen

Walchen am Walchensee

Then we reached the crystal-clear, turquoise Walchensee, surrounded by lush green mountains. The view was somehow reminiscent of Canada. I had never seen anything so beautiful with my own eyes. We immediately stopped, parked the car to the side, and walked to a jetty. The sky was a beautiful blue, the sun was shining, and we enjoyed this unreal, picture-perfect panorama.

“Bavaria – you are so beautiful! Here, you forget all sense of time, stress, and everyday life. You are closer to nature than ever before.”

We drove a little further and looked for a parking space. The town of “Walchen” is located on the western shore of the lake and has a few restaurants, cafés, and boat rentals. But first on the agenda for that day was a hike. So the lake had to wait a few more hours for us.

The Hike to Herzogstand

We parked the car in a large parking lot near the cable car. If we remember correctly, we only had to pay €3 for the whole day. We grabbed our camera, our backpack, something to drink, a few snacks, and our hiking poles. There are countless great hikes in the region, and at first we couldn’t quite decide. Unfortunately, since we had a date in Munich that day, we only had half a day.

And so we decided against the 6- to 8-hour Königstour over Herzogstand and Heimgarten (ridge hike). Instead, we took the easier and, above all, shorter tour (H6) from the valley station of the funicular up to the Herzogstand mountain inn. This gave us a little time to explore Lake Walchensee. Here you can find all the information about hikes at Lake Walchensee.

Arriving at the Herzogstand Inn

We took off our shoes and sat down on a small wooden bench next to the inn. In front of us were the beautiful green valleys and the mountains all around. Luckily, we had plenty of water and a few snacks with us. It was truly Bavarian! Just how I always imagined Bavaria: mountains, green meadows, flowers, cowbells, women in dirndls, hikers, and lederhosen. Okay, the dirndls and lederhosen were only there because the inn staff were dressed that way. But no matter! It simply made the picture perfect!

From the Herzogstand Inn with its beautiful sun terrace, the path continues gently uphill, then climbs in many switchbacks to the Herzogstand summit with its pavilion. At the summit is a large summit cross. From here, you have a breathtaking view of the Benediktenwand, the Heimgarten, the Karwendel and Wetterstein mountains, and the Tyrolean Alps. From the mountain station, it’s about 15 minutes to the inn, and then allow 30-45 minutes to reach the summit.

Further Hikes

• Summit climbs (Martinskopf 1674m, Herzogstand 1731m, Jochberg 1567m)
• Ridge hike between Heimgarten and Herzogstand (H1)
• Heimgarten Hut (1780m) (H5)
• Ohlstädter Alm (1423m)
• Rotwanderkopf (1518m)
• To the gorge and the Justweg

Out on Lake Walchen in a pedal boat

After our break, we took the cable car back. We would have loved to hike further, but we were running out of time, and we really wanted to go to Lake Walchen. We paid €7 for the ride back down to the valley and reached it in just under four minutes. We ordered some Vienna sausages at a small snack bar. Everything was closed that day, so it was really difficult to find something to eat in this small town.

Now we finally wanted to get out on the water. Next to the “Café am See” we rented a pedal boat for €12 (2 hours) and set off. Did we mention that the weather was simply fantastic that day? Marco was unafraid and jumped straight from the boat into the ice-cold water. The water of this turquoise-green mountain lake comes from the mountains. Most of it flows into Lake Walchen near Obermach. With a depth of up to 193 meters, Lake Walchen is one of the largest and deepest lakes in Bavaria.

“We could stay here for two months and explore this beautiful nature. Imagine if we had a small holiday cabin here and could enjoy this scenery every day!”

This silence, this vastness, this nature – it simply felt good to be in this place. We simply drifted along in the boat, lying on our towels and in our swimwear on the deck. Once again, we were in the right place at the right time. Germany is an incredibly diverse, exciting, and varied country.

During our tour through our home country, we realized that we should spend more time here, too. We don’t have to travel far; look at everything Germany has to offer! We highly recommend you discover this region in Bavaria.

Other Activities

• Bicycle tour or hike around the lake (explanation and route here)
• Rent an electric boat, rowing boat, or pedal boat (boat rental at Walchensee)
• Relax and swim on the beach
• Camping at Walchensee (campsite & info here)
• Stand-up paddling on the lake (prices & info here)
• Windsurfing and kitesurfing at Walchensee
• Take a detour to Kochelsee, right next door

Accommodations at Walchensee

Here at Lake Walchen (and also at Lake Kochel), there are a variety of accommodations for your short break. How about the Hotel Restaurant Karwendelblick*, for example? This panoramic hotel is located in Urfeld, right at the beginning of Lake Walchen when approaching from the direction of Lake Kochel. All rooms are equipped with a flat-screen TV, have a private bathroom, and offer lake or mountain views.

In Walchen, you’ll find a few more accommodations. There, for example, is the Pension Seehof*, which has a beautiful garden, a terrace, and views of Lake Walchen. All rooms and each apartment have a private bathroom and a TV. The apartments also have a kitchenette, so you can cook for yourself.

You can also find great private accommodations on Airbnb* or Holidu. There’s a great vacation apartment* in Urfeld with a balcony and a view of the lake. The house also has a sauna and a heated pool. Whether it’s spring, summer, fall, or winter—you can only feel good within these four walls.