Walking around the Zugspitze Bavaria Germany: Self-Guided Walking The Zugspitze is a dramatic mountain peak high above the picturesque town of Garmisch Partenkirchen in Southern Bavaria, Germany, on the border with Austria. It is one of the best known summits of the Alps and offers breathtaking 360 degrees panoramic views over countless peaks in Austria, Italy, Switzerland, and Germany - an experience you’ll never forget. Part of the Wetterstein Mountain Range, it belongs to Bavaria (Germany) and Tyrol (Austria). The summit can be reached quite easily by cable car and is a popular European tourist destination. We’ve designed a spectacular walk around the Zugspitze Massive, viewing it from different angles and exploring gorgeous hiking territory. On both sides of the Wetterstein Range you’ll stay in charming inns and hotels for tranquil, relaxing nights. On this beautiful alpine tour there will be adventurous and sensational crossings of gorges with thundering waters that leave unforgettable impressions, but also quiet, idyllic alpine pastures offering time for reflection. Your tour will last 7 days and 6 nights. Included in the Tour Price • 6 nights of lodging in charming 3- star hotels with private facilities • 4 three-course dinners and 6 breakfasts • Luggage transfer • Transfer Leutasch Valley • One tour book per room • All taxes and gratuities for the hotel and restaurant portions of the tour Daily Itinerary Day 1: Individual arrival in Garmisch Partenkirchen Garmisch Partenkirchen is known as one of the most important health resorts in the Bavarian Alps, as well as the “Mecca” for winter sports in Germany - in fact, Garmisch was the site of the 1936 Winter Olympics. The two separate 1,100 year old towns of Partenkirchen and Garmisch were later obliged to unite into one town. The fresco-filled, cobblestoned streets of Partenkirchen offer a glimpse into times past, while Garmisch has a slightly more progressive feel. Day 2: Garmisch – Klais - Mittenwald - 10 miles (15.5 km, 5 hours) + 500 meters, - 250 meters The day's climb will start from Garmisch Partenkirchen at 700m. From there the route follows through the Partnachklamm, an extraordinary narrow gorge created by the runoff from melted snow off the Zugspitze. Afterward you’ll walk across soft hills and alpine pastures to Klais, then take a train to Mittenwald. Mittenwald is famous for the manufacturing of string instruments and is a popular stop for tourists. The German writer, Goethe, called Mittenwald a "living picture book" and it remains as such today. The most significant landmark in the Van Gogh Tours Inc. • (781)-646-0096 • [email protected] village is the pink-colored Roman Catholic Church of Saints Peter and Paul, a typical example of the region's style. The church and many of the surrounding buildings, both businesses and private residences, are decorated with elaborate paintings on the exterior walls. You’ll find many elegant shops and cafes in the center of town. You can visit the church, one of the finest in the Bavarian Alps, or the famous Violin Museum for a demonstration of a violin maker at work. Day 3: Mittenwald - Geisterklamm (Ghost Gorge) - Leutasch Valley - 9 miles (14 km, 4 hours) + 200 meters, - 100 meters To make the gorge passable today's path was hewn with extreme precision into the rock, and bold bridges cross up to 40 meters above the water. The impressive route also has an equally spectacular steel walkway, clinging to the side of a dramatic gorge high above the teeming Leutascher Ache (don’t worry - you're fully enclosed and quite safe!). The path crisscrosses the ravine below by a series of footbridges, allowing you to admire not only the scenery but the feat of engineering which made this experience possible. Then you'll relax on a comfortable stroll into the sunny Leutasch Valley, one of the most picturesque valleys in Tyrol. There are no crowds here: rather, open flower-filled meadows, forest trails, pretty villages, and tiny hamlets which run alongside the river with the Wetterstein Mountain Range forming a stunning backdrop. Day 4: Rest Day or Lake Walk to Seefeld - 7 miles (11.5 km, 4.5 hours) + 200 m, - 100 m Today you will be free to relax or take an optional walk to one of the many lakes in and around Seefeld. You can return to the hotel by public bus. Day 5: Paradise Gaistal Valley - 9 miles (14 km, 5 hours) + 500 meters Summer in the secluded and totally unspoiled Gaistal Valley is blissful with light brown ponies and grey and brown cattle grazing in the meadows. Breathe the fresh mountain air and soak up the sun while walking through this mountain paradise surrounded by jagged peaks. You’ll certainly agree this is picture book scenery. Your route along the Ganghofer Trail winds through high pastures in the footsteps of Ludwig Ganghofer, a local writer who spent many months here each year. We’ll cross over the Ehrwalder Alm and will descend by cable car to your hotel in Ehrwald. Day 6: Up the Zugspitze to Lake Eibsee - 8 miles (13 km, 4 hours) + 520 meters, - 520 meters Bit by bit, you'll ascend to the foot of the Zugspitze and its famous scenic view on Lake Eibsee or Lake Eib, at the foot of the Zugspitze. The final walk of your tour is here at this lovely lake with spectacular views over the gorgeous Zugspitze-Garmisch panorama. You will return to Garmisch by train or bus. Day 7 – Tour Ends Your tour ends today with departure after breakfast. Starting Point To reach Garmisch Partenkirchen, fly into Munich or Innsbruck and then take the train to Garmisch Partenkirchen. Take a taxi from the train station to the first hotel. For last minute train schedules visit the website of the German Railways, http://www.bahn.de. Van Gogh Tours Inc. • (781)-646-0096 • [email protected] Level of Difficulty We rate the difficulty level of the tour as "moderate to challenging." This is a varied walking tour (easier day walks are interspersed with more strenuous sections) requiring good basic stamina. You'll walk on well maintained, sometimes stony hiking paths and partly on forest roads. Any significant changes in altitude are covered by transfers or cable car. Daily walking times are a maximum of 5 comfortable hours. If possible, a more challenging option is offered each day, reaching into higher mountain territory. Well fitting, supportive, “broken in” hiking boots are very strongly recommended for this tour, not because it involves dangerous mountain hiking but because they give a better grip on the occasionally loose, rocky surface. Walking sticks are also recommended. WiFi WiFi is available on a limited basis in hotels. Don't expect to have a perfect internet connection for your entire stay. Usually during the busiest hours when many people are online the speed gets slower, and some people may have trouble connecting. Not included in the tour • Air fare • Alcoholic and bar beverages • Lunches (Hotels offer a picnic, prices vary. Food can also be purchased in supermarkets) • Two dinners • Transportation other than scheduled VGT transfers • Entrance fees and public bus service • Extras (approximately €35) - cable car Ehrwald, train/bus Elbsee to Garmisch, train Klais to Mittenwald Van Gogh Tours Inc. • (781)-646-0096 • [email protected] .