Long-distance hikes in Bavaria

Many trails lead you into nature when long-distance hiking in Bavaria. This applies in particular to the Nibelungensteig, a long-distance hiking trail with a length of around 130 kilometres. You hike this trail from Zwingenberg to Freudenberg am Main and have to reckon with a time expenditure of 42 hours. You should allow approx. 8 days for all stages. You will cross the Odenwald Forest and follow in the footsteps of the Nibelungen. On the mountain road you will encounter partly untouched nature.

Are you looking for a shorter tour for long-distance hiking? Then the Donkey Trail is a good choice for you. It is only 111 kilometres long and since you hike almost constantly at 400 to 500 metres, the differences in altitude are kept within limits. Parts of the route take you through a dense deciduous forest, so you can also tackle the long-distance trail in high summer.

Where does the Donkey Trail end?

The Donkey Trail begins in Schlüchtern and ends in Großheubach on the Main. On this long-distance trail, you will follow in the footsteps of the Celts and the Orber salt caravans - the latter used donkeys to transport salt along the route, which is the reason for the name.

If you are not afraid of taking risks and are fit enough, you can attempt the E5 Alpine Crossing from Oberstdorf to Merano. Bear in mind that the 173.9-kilometre long-distance trail is a difficult route. Over the course of 6 days, you will climb over 8,200 metres of altitude.

It starts in Untereichenstein - a town in the north of Franconia - and takes you from here on a total of 500 kilometres through Franconian Switzerland, the Upper Main Valley, the Franconian Lake District, the Altmühltal Nature Park and the castle world of the Franconian Alps - in the latter section you can discover one or two castles.

On the 21 stages you will not only enjoy an impressive natural spectacle, but you will also get to know the culture of the region better. The estimated walking time for the Frankenweg is around 138 hours. Be prepared to climb over 9,000 metres of altitude, so sturdy shoes are a must.

Some long-distance hiking trails also take you close to waters. The Bodensee Rundweg is particularly popular with hikers in this context. It takes you once around the lake, while you need to plan around 90 hours for this. On top of that, you will pass numerous places of interest in Austria, Germany and Switzerland - the pilgrimage church of Birnau, for example, is worth a visit.

With only around 1,525 metres of altitude, the Bodensee Rundweg is a rather flat long-distance hiking trail.