Surroundings

Disocver the Bavarian Alps, one of Europe's most beautiful and varied landscapes, featuring majestic mountains, crystal-clear lakes, rushing streams, gaping canyons, untouched forests, idyllic valleys and the fairy tale castles of King Ludwig II., 65 miles south of Munich, 28 miles north of Innsbruck, and just a short drive from Garmisch-Partenkirchen.

All places worth seeing between Munich and Innsbruck can be reached within one hour: Oberammergau, Schloss Linderhof Castle, Schloss Neuschwanstein Castle, Wieskirche Church, Abbey Ettal, Gabriele Münter & Vassily Kandinsky Museum in Murnau, Franz Marc Museum at the Kochelsee Lake, Buchheim Museum at the Starnberger Lake, Walchensee Lake, Eibsee Lake, Tegernsee Lake, Achensee Lake, Zugspitz Glacier and much more....

King Ludwig II.s royal retreat features the most spectacular philosophical and political interior design concept to be found in Europe. Built in 1868-1872 and located 1800m above sea level in the Wetterstein Mountains, the Schachen not only offers breathing taking views of the spectacular scenery, but also a unique cosmopolitan interior design beyond imgagination. While the ground floor represents his bavarian heritage, the upper floor reflects the King´s fascination with a distant Orient and India. It is here, in a world of contradiction, alienation and appropriation, where he felt free and at home and where he celebrated his birthdays.

Equally impressive is his cosmopolitical botancical garden just below his retreat which features the most beautiful mountain lowers from all over the world.

The Schachenhaus can be reached from Schloss Elmau in one hour with an E-Mountainbike or after an easy 3 1/2 hours hike. You can even stay over night at the Schachenhaus or continue to the Meilerhütte in another hour and stay there overnight to climb up on the next morning to the Dreitorspitze, which is 2900m above sea level.

The crystal-clear Ferchensee Lake located just 3km from the Elmau Valley and is ideally suited for wild-swimming from June-October. It reaches refreshing temperatures between 22-24C in the months of July and August. The beautiful trail along the rushing Ferchenbach creek and around the lake is perfect for jogging with a total distance of up to 9 km.
 

Our Mountain Restaurant is located 1200 m above sea-level on a sunny hill offering breathtaking panoramic views of the Alps. 45 Min hike or a 20 min e-mountainbike ride rom Schloss Elmau.

Discover one of the most beautiful gorges and some of the best hiking and mountain biking trails in the Alps between Schloss Elmau and Garmisch-Partenkirchen.

Discover the incredibly beauitfuly Soiern Lakes where that King Ludwig II.build his first hunting lodge at 1400 m above sea-level. You can reach the lakes from Schloss Elmau after a two hour e-mountaibike and an easy one hour hike or after a 1 1/2 e-mountainbike and adventurous two hour hike tour offering specacular views of the surrounding mountains and valleys. You can also easly climb to the top of the Soiern mountains at 2100m above sea-level from the lodge which serves hot meals and drinks.

The idyllic Geroldsee Lake is ideal for wild-swimming from early June until late Occtober with water temeperatures between 24-28C. You can reach the lake from Schloss Elmau with an e-bike or e-mountainbike withing 20 minutes and continue from here on a two hour five lakes and nature sightseeing tour which leads you back to Schloss Elmau. The Ester Mountains above the lake offer spectacular views and fauna.

You can reach the wonderful Barmsee Lake from Schloss Elmau with an e-bike or e-mountainbike within 20 minutes. After a refresing bath you can return to Schloss Elmau via the famous Buckelwiese offering breathaking panoramic views, the idyllic Bavarian village of Mittenwald and the Lautersee and Ferchensee lakes.

The spectactular Walchensee lake offers phantastic conditions for kite-surfing, wind-surfing, rowing and stand-up paddling as well as idyllic beaches for sun-bathing and swimming. You can reach the lake from Schloss Elmau within 35 minutes with an e-bike, mountain-bike or race bike or in 15 minutes with one of our all-electric BMW models. You can return to Schloss Elmau via some of the most idylic roads in the Alps for cycling via Jachenau and Sylvenstein lake.

The turqoise Eibsee lake at the foot the Zugspitze, Germany´s highest mountain and glacier, is probably the most beautiful lake of the Alps offering a caribean feeling. The lake is ideal for swimming, sun-bathing, rowing and stand-up paddling. it can be reached from Schloss Elmau with a e-bike in about 1 1/2 and with an all-electric BMW in 35 minutes. You may also want to take the cable car from the lake up to the Zugspitze and enjoy breathtaking views of the Alps from Switzerland all the way to Munich.

Take the cable car or  train or climb to top of Germany at 2964m above sea.level and enjoy breathtaking views of the Alps from Switzerland all the way to Munich You can ski on the glacier from Dezember until the end of April.

The untouched Karwendel Mountains between Schloss Elmau and Innsbruck are one of the most beautiful mountain ranges in all the Alps and offer the best of extreme hiking, extreme rock climbing and mountain-biking.