A white building with a sign that says vollbrenlie
a train going over a bridge
Signpost indicates direction and distance to nearby locations.
A highway leads to a city's distant skyline.
Row of historic half-timbered houses on a street.
Photo by Evin Biju on Unsplash

Holiday in Walchensee

Lake in Germany — tips, highlights & best time to visit 🇩🇪

Country

Germany

Type

Lake

Best time to travel

June to September (16-26 °C, swimming season, hiking time). Autumn for colors and clear visibility. Winter only for the hardy.

Budget/day

50-90 €

Getting there from Germany

By car from Munich about 1.5 hours (A95 + B11). Bus 9608 from Kochel am See. Train to Kochel, then bus.

About Walchensee

Walchensee is often referred to as the "Caribbean of Bavaria" — and indeed, the water of this mountain lake shines in an unreal turquoise blue that one would expect more in the South Seas than in the Bavarian Alps. With a depth of up to 190 meters, it is one of the deepest and largest alpine lakes in Germany and is nestled at an altitude of 800 meters between the peaks of the Karwendel and Ester mountains. The color of Walchensee is created by the extremely clear, calcium-rich glacial water and the depth of the lake — a phenomenon that attracts photographers and nature lovers from all over Europe. The Herzogstand (1,731 m) and the Jochberg (1,565 m) offer spectacular panoramic hikes with views of the turquoise lake and the entire Alpine range. The cable car to Herzogstand transports hikers to 1,600 meters in just a few minutes and opens up one of the most beautiful ridge tours in the Bavarian Alps: the panoramic path to Heimgarten (1,790 m), with views down to both Walchensee and Kochelsee at the same time. Walchensee is one of the best surf and kite spots in the German Alps — the thermal south wind reliably blows on summer afternoons. The historic Walchensee power plant by Oskar von Miller (1924) was the largest storage power plant in the world at its opening and is now an industrial monument.

Nature
90
Safety
90
Relaxation
70
Adventure
65
Romance
65

Top 6 highlights in Walchensee

The places you absolutely must not miss.

1

Turquoise Water

The 'Caribbean of Bavaria': unreal turquoise mountain lake with 190 m depth and crystal-clear glacial water.

2

Herzogstand Cable Car

Cable car to 1,600 m with panoramic path to Heimgarten: ridge tour with double lake view of Walchensee and Kochelsee.

3

Jochberg Hike

Popular summit tour (1,565 m) with spectacular views of the turquoise lake: about 2.5 hours ascent.

4

Surfing and Kiting

One of the best surf spots in the Alps: thermal south wind on summer afternoons for windsurfers and kiters.

5

Walchensee Power Plant

Historic storage power plant from 1924: the largest in the world at its opening, now an impressive industrial monument.

6

Zwergern Peninsula

Hidden bathing spot with Caribbean flair: turquoise water, pebble beach, and shady trees on the west side.

Hotels in Walchensee

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Pauschalreisen & Rundreisen

Berge & Meer – 170 Tage Cookie

Best time to travel for Walchensee

Recommended travel time

June to September (16-26 °C, swimming season, hiking time). Autumn for colors and clear visibility. Winter only for the hardy.

Summer

16-26 °C, cool by the lake, warm in the sun, risk of thunderstorms in the afternoons

Winter

-5 to 3 °C, cold with snow, lake rarely freezes over

How much does a holiday in Walchensee cost?

Average costs per person per day

🎒

Budget

25-45 €

Hostel, Street food, Public transport

🏨

Mid-range

50-90 €

Hotel, Restaurant, Excursions

🌟

Luxury

100-220 €

Boutique hotel, Fine dining

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5 travel tips for Walchensee

Insider knowledge that makes your holiday better.

Arrive early — on weekends, the parking lot at the northern shore fills up by 9 AM. Much quieter during the week or early in the morning.

Herzogstand-Heimgarten ridge — the tour (about 5 hours) is dangerous in wet conditions. Only in dry weather and with sure-footedness.

Water temperature — the lake reaches a maximum of 20-22 °C in midsummer. Wetsuit recommended for longer stays in the water.

Surfing — the best conditions from 1 PM, when the thermal wind kicks in. Surf rental available at the northern shore.

Zwergern Peninsula — accessible via a hiking trail (about 20 min.) from the Walchensee South parking lot. The most beautiful but hidden bathing spot.

Food & drink in Walchensee

These specialties you must try!

Walchensee Char — freshly caught lake char, fried with butter sauce and parsley potatoes: alpine delicacy.
Snack by the Lake — farmer's bread with mountain cheese, ham, radishes, and sweet mustard: Bavarian snack tradition by the lakeshore.
Germknödel — steamed yeast dumpling with vanilla sauce, poppy seeds, and butter: the perfect boost after the Herzogstand tour.
Kaspressknödel — fried cheese dumplings in hearty beef broth: a hut classic in every alpine lodge in the region.
Elderflower Spritzer — homemade elderflower syrup with sparkling water: refreshing after hiking, available everywhere in the inns.
Suitable for:TurquoiseMountain LakeSurfingHikingAlpsBavariaMountain Lake

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