1 Day at Berchtesgaden National Park’s Obersee, Königssee

Last Updated on February 2, 2024 by Deanne

Berchtesgaden National Park in Germany’s Bavarian Alps is high on many traveler’s bucket lists – and for good reason. The area consists of crystal-clear turquoise lakes, like the Obersee and Königssee, salt mines, a scenic ride up the Jennerbahn to dramatic mountain views, and gorgeous valleys and gorges.

History buffs know the area as the site of Eagle’s Nest, Hitler’s retreat during World War II, but the region was a hotspot long before that time. Berchtesgaden’s natural beauty and rich salt deposits made the area famous, with the first salt mines operating in the 16^th century.

You could easily spend 2-3 days exploring Berchtesgaden National Park with its numerous scenic hikes, adventures, and attractions. We only had one day to work with, so we carefully researched and prioritized what to include in our itinerary.

Below, we compile our thoughts on the best 1-day must-do’s along with important tips to make the most of your short time in Berchtesgaden. We also provide ideas and insight if you have more than one day to explore this alpine wonderland.

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Salzburg to Berchtesgaden National Park

During our visit to Berchtesgaden, we were staying in Salzburg. We drove into the National Park just for the day since Salzburg to Berchtesgaden is only a half-hour drive. Public transportation is available to this part of Germany, but we recommend renting a car. It’s faster and allows more flexibility, especially since Berchtesgaden National Park is large and spread out.

(If you’re making a daytrip from Munich, it’s about 1 hour and 40 minutes from Munich to Berchtesgaden.)

Berchtesgaden’s Obersee and Königssee are a must-see!

With only one day in Berchtesgaden National Park, we packed it full of striking scenery from morning to night. We got an early start and drove to the town of Schönau am Königssee to catch a 9 a.m. ferry on the vividly blue-green Königssee, or King’s Lake. A great way to start the day!

Königssee parking

There is ample parking available with just a short walk through town to the ferry dock. But know that parking is pre-paid. You pay when you arrive and you’ll need to estimate how long you’ll be there. It’s better to overestimate otherwise you may end up having a parking ticket on your car when you get back. (That happened to us, unfortunately.)

Königssee boat tour

A boat ride on the Königssee should be on the top of your list of Berchtesgaden activities. This stunning lake is surrounded by tall mountain walls and is known for its dramatic color – take a look!

The electric wooden boat takes awe-struck tourists 5 miles (about an hour) across the long, narrow lake. The immense beauty is accentuated by the tall cliffs and complete and utter silence surrounding you. That is, until you get about halfway there. Then a member of the boat crew treats you to a trumpet solo showcasing the sound echoing off the mountains.

The boat makes two stops along the way – at St. Bartholomew church and then further along at a stop called Salet. At St. Bartholomew you can exit the boat and explore the area, including a red-domed Catholic church, small restaurant, and walk some trails.

We decided to save time and not get off at this stop, instead going straight to Salet. We highly recommend getting off the boat at Salet for a spectacular hike to Obersee, another brilliantly colored lake.

Berchtesgaden’s hike to Obersee Lake

When you exit the boat at Salet, follow signs to Obersee. The Obersee Lake hike is 3-1/2-miles round trip on an out-and-back trail. The trail begins wide and flat and then narrows gaining some elevation as you climb up and down sets of stairs.

Walking beside the crazy colored lake there will be plenty of opportunity to stop and soak in the surroundings. Literally, you can soak in the water during a short swim in the crisp, cool lake.

There are also benches to sit on while taking in the beauty.

At the southern end of Obersee Lake you’ll come to Fischunkelalm, a restaurant selling meats, cheeses, and drinks. Bring cash along if you plan to buy something here as they don’t take credit cards.

If you have time, you can hike another mile or so to a tall, narrow waterfall, the Röthbachfall. (Although I’ve heard it often runs dry at the end of summer.) With only one day here we chose not to continue on that part of the Berchtesgaden hike. Instead, we headed back to the dock to board the boat back across the Königssee.

Tips for seeing Obersee and Königssee

• Reserve your Königssee boat tickets in advance, especially if you’re visiting during the peak summer season. We reserved our 9 a.m. ferry in advance and were able to walk right on. The ferry was full that morning and there were lines of people waiting to buy tickets.
• The Königssee boat tour is beautiful but the hike to the far end of Obersee is even better. You won’t want to skip it. Plan on roughly four hours for the entire excursion. We boarded the boat at 9 a.m. and returned just before 1 p.m. It was an excellent use of time. Keep in mind the trip would be more than 4 hours if you stopped at St. Bartholomew during the Königssee boat tour.
• After the Obersee Lake hike, allow plenty of time to catch the ferry back. Lines of people waiting to get back can be very long.
• During peak season, if you exit the boat at St. Bartholomew church, be aware that you may wait a long time (some say a couple hours) to get back on the ferry. This is because many people board at Königssee and ride it all the way to Salet.

Grab lunch in town after you return.

After the boat docks back in Schönau am Königssee, walk up the street and grab lunch at one of the restaurants in town. The town is essentially one long street of cafes, hotels, and souvenir and ice cream shops. It’s a bit touristy with not much to explore unless you’re interested in wooden souvenirs like clocks and birdhouses. After lunch, walk to the Jennerbahn to begin your next Berchtesgaden adventure.

Ride the Jennerbahn to unbelievable views.

The Jennerbahn is a cable car taking tourists high up Jenner Mountain. Once at the top, you’ll be on a terrace overlooking the verdant valley below. These views are incredible, but it’s even more dramatic from the Jenner Mountain summit – just a short, but steep, hike further. We highly recommend venturing another 15 minutes up to the summit. The 360-degree views from the top are incomparable and include a  breathtaking panorama of the winding Königssee and surrounding mountains and towns below.

(We created a detailed guide for the Jennerbahn here.)

Tips for riding the Jennerbahn

• You can buy the Jennerbahn tickets in advance, but we didn’t because we didn’t know when we would be done with the Obersee and Königssee. Surprisingly, the Jennerbahn had no lines when we arrived in the early afternoon even though it was peak season and a beautiful clear sunny day with blue skies.
• The Jennerbahn is expensive but absolutely worth it if you have good weather – and don’t forget to hike all the way to the summit.

Drive to the fairytale view of St. Sebastian church in Ramsau.

Whether you realize it or not, you’ve likely seen a picture of St. Sebastian church located in Ramsau, Germany in northern Berchtesgaden. The church sits amidst a fairytale setting – in a valley next to a bridge and flowing stream with a scenic mountain backdrop. The picturesque panorama is popular among photographers and well worth a short visit.

Tips for seeing St. Sebastian church

• The drive from the Königssee and Jennerbahn area to St. Sebastian church is roughly 35 minutes. Parking is available along the street right by the church.
• You don’t need much time here. We stayed for about 15-20 minutes walking around taking pictures.
• Stand on the bridge that crosses the stream for the iconic view of the church.

Keys to making the most of your 1 day in Berchtesgaden National Park

1. Get an early start to maximize your time and to beat the crowds and heat.
2. Rent a car to provide more flexibility since not all the sites are right next to each other.
3. Figure out what’s important to you since you won’t have time to see everything Berchtesgaden has to offer in just one day.
4. If you are spending 2-3 days in Berchtesgaden, stay in accommodations in or near Berchtesgaden versus commuting from Salzburg or Munich. If, like us, you only have time for 1 day in the park then make it a day trip from Salzburg (or better yet– from the stunning lake district, Salzkammergut).

Berchtesgaden webcam

If you want to check on weather conditions or just get a sneak peak of the National Park, click here: Berchtesgaden webcam

Things to do if you have more than 1 day in Berchtesgaden National Park

With more time to spend in Berchtesgaden, you may want to tack on a visit to Hitler’s Eagle’s Nest, explore the scenic gorges of Almbachklamm and Wimbachklamm, tour Berchtesgaden’s salt mines or embark on other Berchtesgaden hikes. Here is a link to guided Berchtesgaden tours and activities.

Visiting Hitler’s retreat called Eagle’s Nest is a popular attraction, however we heard mixed reviews about that experience, such as:

• The area is extremely scenic, but it’s often very foggy which hinders the view.
• The actual Eagle’s Nest is a small chalet (called Kehlsteinhaus) taken up mostly by a restaurant and many visitors are disappointed. However, the elevator and tunnel to get to the lodge are supposedly very impressive.
• Touring Kehlsteinhaus is best done together with a visit to the Obersalzberg Documentation Center (a museum of Nazi history). All the displays at the Documentation Center are written in German, but you can pay extra for an English audio guide.

Instead of Eagle’s Nest, we prioritized seeing Obersee and Königssee and riding the Jennerbahn. We’re glad we did. With more time, however, we probably would have included Eagle’s Nest and exploring scenic gorges in our itinerary.

No matter how you decide to spend your day in Berchtesgaden, you will be wowed by the surrounding scenery. Plan ahead so you know what you want to accomplish while there and then go enjoy yourself in this beautiful Bavarian paradise.

Have you been to Berchtesgaden National Park? Do you agree the Obersee and Königssee are a must-see? Let us know in the comments. We’d love to hear from you!