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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.
Top 6 highlights in Walchensee
The places you absolutely must not miss.
Turquoise Water
The 'Caribbean of Bavaria': unreal turquoise mountain lake with 190 m depth and crystal-clear glacial water.
Herzogstand Cable Car
Cable car to 1,600 m with panoramic path to Heimgarten: ridge tour with double lake view of Walchensee and Kochelsee.
Jochberg Hike
Popular summit tour (1,565 m) with spectacular views of the turquoise lake: about 2.5 hours ascent.
Surfing and Kiting
One of the best surf spots in the Alps: thermal south wind on summer afternoons for windsurfers and kiters.
Walchensee Power Plant
Historic storage power plant from 1924: the largest in the world at its opening, now an impressive industrial monument.
Zwergern Peninsula
Hidden bathing spot with Caribbean flair: turquoise water, pebble beach, and shady trees on the west side.
Hotels in Walchensee
Vergleiche tausende Hotels, Apartments und Resorts auf Expedia – mit Bestpreis-Garantie, kostenloser Stornierung und Bonuspunkten.
* Weiterleitung zu Expedia.de. Es gelten die dortigen Nutzungsbedingungen.
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
Book a package holiday to Walchensee
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Compare package holidays now5 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!
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