For lovers of snow and nature, paradise lies in the Bavarian Forest; a place where the locals greet you with open arms and where the scenery is magical. Low-sweeping mountains are covered with snow-clad, untouched primeval forests that stretch for miles; the National Parks are filled with wildlife, and fine open ridges offer grand views over white meadows.

Discover a different world. The Bavarian Forest, an area of great natural beauty and a little-known, deeply traditional region, is situated close to the Danube valley in southeast Germany.

Enjoy scenic winter walking paths and endless miles of well-prepared cross-country skiing trails. Get up close and personal with wolf, lynx and wild boar during a walk in the magnificent National Park Bavarian Forest. Whether it’s leisurely winter walking, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, horse-drawn sleigh rides or drinking mulled wine in rustic country inns in idyllic villages, the Bavarian Forest offers everything you could wish for in a perfect winter break.

Thoughts of Bavaria conjure up images of Lederhosen, fairytale castles and Alpine peaks. However, the Bavarian Forest, an area rich with culture and traditions, could not be more different. 

Much of it is protected as the Nature Park Bavarian Forest, which spans 3,077 square kilometres (1,188 square miles) and is the largest in the country.  This Nature Park contains the National Park Bavarian Forest, a 243 square kilometre (94 square miles) heavily protected area, where nature is left to take its course without human interference.  It stretches across the Czech and Austrian borders and seamlessly blends into the much larger Šumava National Park on the Czech Republic side (Bohemian Forest) and the Mühlviertel region in Austria.  Together, these three regions form the largest contiguous woodland area in Central Europe – one of the last true wildernesses left in Western Europe. 

A paradise for outdoor enthusiasts and lovers of nature, the Bavarian Forest is criss-crossed by hundreds of kilometres of superbly marked walking, cycling and cross-country skiing trails.  The hills and mountains of the Bavarian Forest are fairly modest and so the walking is relatively gentle.  The highest mountains in the Bavarian Forest are Mt. Arber (1,456 metres / 4,777 ft) followed by Mt. Rachel, Mt. Lusen and Mt. Falkenstein (1,300 metres / 4,256 ft – 1,450 metres / 4,757 ft).  

Tucked away in the very heart of the National Park Bavarian Forest, amid undulating forest-clad hills is the park’s “central region” with its tranquil and authentic villages and hamlets.  Usually, snow is plentiful throughout the winter here and roads are kept clear with great efficiency, making travel a real pleasure.  There are around 100 km / 62 miles of cleared winter walking trails in the area and several delightful winter walks start right on the doorstep.  The scenery is enchanting, the cross-country trails superbly organised, and the terrain for snow-shoeing excellent  (rental of both cross-country skies and snowshoes is uncomplicated and relatively inexpensive).  Other possible local winter activities include tobogganing and horse-drawn sleigh rides. 

Where you’ll stay…

In a central but quiet location, in the little village of Neuschönau, at an altitude of 800 metres, we have selected our favourite traditional country inn for you to stay at.  It is family-run, full of character and unpretentious, and is perfectly positioned for such a unique discovery of wild winter beauty.  The inn has 15 comfortable ensuite bedrooms and all have a TV and either a private terrace or a balcony.  Guest car parking is adjacent to the hotel. 

A hearty Bavarian breakfast is served for guests every morning to help you start the day. And, on your return, join the locals and enjoy more of the delicious regional cuisine that the restaurant has to offer by choosing from an array of mouth-watering home-baked cakes, pastries and gateaus to keep you going until dinner time.

Hotel availability: in case our partner hotel is booked out will propose alternative dates or the most suitable alternative hotel if one is available.  The alternative will be offered to you at a similar cost via email and you will have 48 hours from the time you made the booking request to accept this alternative, once accepted your credit card will be charged.  If you do not choose the alternative offered your booking request will automatically be cancelled without payment. 

Hotel details: it is not our policy to provide the hotel’s contact details before full payment has been received.  The hotel’s name, telephone number and address will be sent to you as part of your tour pack 3-4 weeks prior to the start of your walking holiday.

It is a land of wooded mountains, old traditions, beer, Baroque … and glass.  One of the great craft traditions and pride of the Bavarian Forest is glassware - glass blowing was popular in some regions as far back as the 13th century.  The Bavarian Forest is peppered with glass workshops, studios, galleries, glass museums and exhibitions.  Watch glassmakers, glass lamp blowers, painters, cutters and engravers as they create beautiful objects.  This makes a great souvenir too!  Visit the very pretty Baroque-style city of Passau, magnificently positioned on the banks of three rivers; the Danube, the Inn and the Ilz.  Just across the border, in the Czech Republic, is the Bohemian Forest.  The Bohemian Forest, as a border region, has a complicated history:  in the 20th century it was part of the ‘Iron Curtain’ and large areas were stripped of human settlement. These unique circumstances led to the preservation of unspoilt nature and forest ecosystems relatively unaffected by human activity. Nowadays, the Bohemian Forest is a popular holiday destination, easy to access, with excellent hiking, cycling and skiing country. The most valuable areas are protected as the Šumava National Park and the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.       

If humans had not intervened, most of Central Europe would be covered with mixed deciduous woodland, whilst only a relatively small area would consist of coniferous forest.  But thousands of years ago humans settled in Europe and gradually cleared most of the woodlands for farming and used the remaining wooded areas commercially.  However, in a few remote areas, such as the Bavarian Forest, the settlers have only recently arrived and this has enabled virtually all the animals and plants that occur here naturally to survive.  Today, the National Park Bavarian Forest contains the largest area of protected natural forest in Central, Southern and Western Europe.  Trees in this forest wilderness can at last grow old again – or at least be destroyed by forces of nature rather than man.  Gradually, young seedlings will replace the old giants, which slowly decay into the soil and release their nutrients.  National Park Bavarian Forest is renowned as an excellent place to observe mammals.  Roe and red deer, red fox and red squirrels are common, whilst wild boar and otters are more elusive.  Raven, ural owl and lynx have been reintroduced and are again breeding successfully in the wild.

The capercaillie, the largest of the grouse family, has also made its home in the extended forests along the German-Czech border. Woodpeckers are well represented within the park, where no less than eight species can be regularly observed. 

In summer, sub-alpine meadows are replete with colourful wildflowers. Rocky slopes, ancient forests, peat bogs and riverside woods provide a fine variety of habitats for plant treasures from the last Ice Age such as the Rock Bent (Agrostis rupestris) and the Parsley Fern (Cryptogramma crispa).

We truly love the nature trails surrounding the ‘Hans Eisenmann House’ National Park Information Centre.  Here you can walk for hours, past large outdoor habitats where you can observe wolf, lynx, brown bear and many other native species (admission free, open 24 hours all year round, trails are cleared in winter).

Explore the picturesque town of Passau, which boasts a history that spans over 2,500 years.  Wedged between the rivers Inn and Danube, the old town is a maze of narrow cobblestone streets lined with well-preserved burgher and patrician houses.  There is a great atmosphere, nice restaurants and cosy coffee shops - and it’s a good place for shopping too!

Relive the days of times gone by in the open-air ‘Farm Museum’ in the mountain village of Finsterau.  Old farm buildings and implements as well as homemade crafts can be viewed.  Alternatively, the rich and dramatic history of the forest and its people is told under one roof through models, information panels, artefacts and interactive exhibits in the ‘Forest Museum’ in the village of St. Oswald. 

Nearest Airport(s): We recommend Munich, Linz, Salzburg or Nuremberg as the main points of entry for travel to the Bavarian Forest.  The approximate travel time by car from the airport to your holiday destination is as follows:  

• Munich, Germany – 1 ½ hours
• Linz, Austria – 2 hours
• Salzburg, Austria – 2 ½ hours
• Nuremberg, Germany - 2 ½ hours

When to go: this great winter experience holiday is available from arrival date 15 December to 15 March. The climate, which is characteristic of this region, is continental with a “Nordic touch” - distinct seasons: short medium-hot summers, and rather harsh and long winters with high snowfall.  

For more information and prices please refer to the relevant page on this website.

We are always happy to answer any queries about our walking holidays, so if you need any help deciding whether a holiday is right for you, please contact one of our friendly team on
telephone +49 8161 549795 or email us at touchingnature@email.de