Impressive mountain panorama: tips for excursions on the Königssee

Created: 01/05/2022, 10:08 AM

From: Verena Möckl

The Königssee is one of the top excursion destinations in the Berchtesgaden Alps.

© KH Spremberg / imago images

It is the top excursion destination in the Berchtesgadener Land: the Königssee.

A small selection of the most beautiful sights around the fjord-like mountain lake.

Berchtesgadener Land

- It towers majestically in front of the east face of the Watzmann and lives up to its name: The Königssee.

It is known for its emerald green water and the mighty mountain backdrop of the Berchtesgaden Alps, in which the water is embedded.

There is a lot to discover here for visitors.

The specialty is that the fjord-like lake can only be explored by boat.

A selection of the best excursion destinations and an overview of all the important information for visitors.

By boat on the Königssee: the best excursion destinations

St. Bartholomä

A must for everyone who wants to discover the Königssee: St. Bartholomä.

However, the idyllic peninsula can only be reached by boat.

The drive there takes around half an hour.

The baroque pilgrimage church dedicated to St. Bartholomä is particularly worth seeing.

It is one of the most photographed motifs of the Königsee in the world.

In the royal hunting lodge, which is now a beer garden, visitors can enjoy a typical Bavarian meal in front of the mountain panorama of the Watzmann east face.

However, access to the restaurant is currently only possible with 2G.

Adventure seekers who want more action can go on safari with a national park ranger and explore the flora and fauna of the peninsula.

St. Bartholomä is the name of the famous peninsula on the Königssee.

© Bavarian Palace Administration

Waterfalls on the Obersee

Fans of waterfalls will also get their money's worth at Königssee.

Because in the immediate vicinity is the highest waterfall in Germany.

The water masses fall over 400 meters.

To see this natural spectacle, visitors from St. Bartholomä have to take the boat 20 minutes further north to the Salet stop.

Here lies the Obersee, which was once separated from the Königssee by a moraine.

From here it takes half an hour to reach the Röthbach waterfall.

The Röthbach waterfall near the Königsee is the highest waterfall in Germany.

© Christian Zappel / imago images

The Königsbachfall is also a much sought-after place with tourists and influencers - so popular that it is now closed to visitors.

With its natural pools, the waterfall has attracted more and more people from all over the world, to the chagrin of nature and animals.

The infinity pool, the pool above the Königssees, is now closed for five years.

Nature should recover from the onslaught of people.

Mountain tours from Kessel

If you want to hike on the Königssee, we recommend taking the ship to Kessel.

From here there are numerous mountain tours - whether for beginners, advanced or professionals.

All hikers get their money's worth here.

The tour to the Königsbachalm and on to the Gotzenalm is one of the absolute classics.

For the strenuous ascent, hikers are rewarded with a unique mountain panorama, which stretches from the flat Hochkönigsplateau over the pyramid of the Schönfeldspitze to the Watzmann east face towering opposite.

Swimming and boating on the Königssee

How

to get there : The Königssee is about 160 kilometers southeast of Munich, in the Upper Bavarian district of Berchtesgadener Land.

Drivers can easily reach the Königssee via the A8 Munich-Salzburg, exit Bad Reichenhall.

Visitors approaching from the south can get to Königssee via the Tauern Autobahn at the Salzburg Süd exit.

There is a chargeable car park in Königssee Seelände, about five minutes from the boat dock.

The Königssee can also be reached by public transport.

Visitors can take the regional train from Freilassing via Bad Reichenhall to Berchtesgaden.

There you get on the bus, line 841, of the Oberbayern regional transport in the direction of Königssee.

Five facts about the Königssee

The state of Bavaria owns the lake.

The Königssee is one of the cleanest lakes in Germany.

At its deepest point, the Königssee measures 192 meters.

In addition to visitors, local cows and their shepherds also sail across the Königssee to get to the alpine pastures in the Berchtesgadener Land National Park.

The last time the Königssee was completely frozen was 15 years ago.

Shipping: prices and timetable

The ships run every half hour.

3G applies to shipping.

The passengers must therefore be vaccinated, recovered or tested.

The return trip from Königssee to St. Bartholomä costs 20 euros for adults.

A one-way trip there or back costs ten euros.

According to the boiler, the price is currently seven euros one way.

The stop will probably not be used until mid-January due to work on the footbridge.

There are reduced prices for families.

The boat trip is free for children up to the age of five.

Children up to 17 years only pay half the price.

Visitors can also explore the Königssee on their own.

However, only rowing boats are allowed.

Rafting or stand up paddling is prohibited on the Königssee.

Air mattresses are also taboo.

(By the way: Our Bavaria newsletter informs you about all the important stories from the Free State. Register here.)

Bathing at the Koenigssee

The Königssee shimmers emerald green, surrounded by the Berchtesgaden Alps.

© Frank Peters / imago images

With its deep green water, the mountain lake is also ideal for swimming.

But attention swimmers!

Even with long lasting beautiful weather, the lake only reaches a water temperature of just 20 degrees.

The shipping company warns hard-boiled people who go into the water despite the cold to watch out for boat traffic and not to swim in the shipping line.

However, a dramatic accident did not take place on the water in the summer of 2021, but in the air.

A hang-glider pilot suddenly fell out of his aircraft at Königssee - and fell from a great height to the ground.