Spectacular: a hike through the Partnach Gorge

It is one of Bavaria's most fascinating natural monuments and is worth seeing all year round: the Partnach Gorge. A hike through this wild, millennia-old mountain gorge is suitable for adults and children and offers a unique nature experience for all age groups, in summer and winter alike. But please note: unfortunately, pushchairs cannot be taken into the gorge!

Tip for your hike: don't forget your rain gear

Once you have passed the ticket booth at the entrance, you enter another world: the rock faces of the gorge rise vertically up to 80 metres. Water drips and trickles from them all year round - rainwear and sturdy shoes are therefore part of the basic equipment for your hike through the Partnach Gorge. Umbrellas are not suitable, however, as the path often runs through tunnels and caves that are lower than 1.75 metres in places.

Natural spectacle: thundering waterfalls and rapids

Below the narrow but well-surfaced footpaths, the Partnach, the torrent that gives the trail its name, rushes with its rapids. In many places, small and large waterfalls plunge into the depths, making the Partnach Gorge a fascinating natural spectacle even in winter when they freeze into ice. On hot summer days, the spray provides welcome cooling.

How to get to the Partnachklamm gorge

Start from Garmisch-Partenkirchen railway station. The hike from here to Partnachklamm Gorge is around 3.7 kilometres and takes about 40 minutes.

The Bahnhofsstraße starts from the station square. This is where the gorge hike starts. After passing the Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten, turn onto Partnachauenstraße after about 170 metres and continue until the Partnachauenstraße forks with Gehfeldstraße. Turn left here to stay on Partnachauenstraße, which leads into the street "Am Holzhof" and becomes the street "Am Königreich" after about 50 metres. The road "Am Königreich" finally ends at Soiernweg, where you turn left to cross the Partnach. Immediately after the bridge, turn right onto the Geological Path and after about 170 metres you will reach Wildenauer Straße. The Olympic ski jump is within sight. Continuing along the Partnach, you follow Wildenauerstraße past the Olympic site and the ski lift until the path becomes narrower and you finally reach your intermediate destination - the entrance to the gorge.

The hike from the Partnachklamm gorge to Eckbauer takes about 1.5 hours.

The Olympic ski jump can also be reached by bus using local lines 1 and 2. From the ski jump, it's about a 25-minute walk to Wildenau and the entrance to the gorge.

Aiming high: hike up to the Eckbauer

After the 700 metre tour through the gorge, continue along the stream to the turn-off towards Graseck and Eckbauer. You reach the Kaiserschmarrn-Alm via idyllic meadow slopes and a flight of steps. The trail then takes you along winding paths and through the forest up to 1236 metres to the Eckbauer mountain inn.

The panoramic view of the Zugspitze, Alpspitze, Wetterstein and Karwendel is magnificent. The descent of the Partnachklamm gorge hike leads from Eckbauer via one of the highest church villages in Germany. Wamberg lies at an altitude of around 1000 metres and has a population of just under 30. From there, it's back down to the ski stadium. And onwards by bus line 1 or 2, or on foot to Garmisch railway station.

Secret restaurant tip for the way home

A pretty and lovingly run café awaits you on the way home from the day trip from Munich after the gorge hike: Café Hey Schaffner offers delicious homemade cakes, tarts and other dishes in organic quality directly in the railway station of the small village of Huglfing. There are also changing exhibitions by artists from the Blue Country and often live music. A worthwhile stopover on the Garmisch-Munich railway line and the perfect end to your Partnach Gorge hike!

Get inspired and plan your own exciting tour through the Partnach Gorge. Take a look now!