A visit to Königsee and Obersee lake

How to visit Königsee and Obersee lake

The federal state of Bavaria in Germany is home to some of the most beautiful and scenic lakes all over Germany. If you are doing a roadtrip along the Alpine lakes in Germany, you cannot miss either Eibsee or Walchensee.

Lake Königsee is another postcard picture from Germany located at Berchtesgaden National Park. As opposed to some of its surrounding lakes, here you can do a relatively long boat ride to admire its stunning landscape. You will find Lake Obersee just 10 min after arriving at the final pier of Salet.

Keep reading, as I will tell you everything you need to know before planning a visit to Königsee and Obersee lake: how to get there, what you can do, where to park your car, as well as the services available.

Panorama from Konigsee Lake in Bavaria, Germany

Konigsee Lake, Bavaria, Germany

HOW TO GET TO KÖNIGSEE AND OBERSEE LAKE IN BAVARIA, GERMANY?

Königsee and Obersee lakes are located at Berchtesgaden National Park , around 2 hours by car from Munich.

For a visit to Konigsee and Obersee lakes, the closest airport is Munich International Airport or Innsbruck Airport in Austria. In order to explore this area, the most flexible way is travelling by car.

I fully recommend booking your car at SIXT right after landing at Munich Airport. I always choose a car insurance against all risks.

During Winter time, just be aware snow kettles are compulsory on the road.

WHAT IS THE BEST TIME TO VISIT KONIGSEE AND OBERSEE LAKE ?

Königsee and Obersee lakes can be visited all year round.

During Autumn the landscape is the most beautiful with its hot tones.

When you visit Königsee and Obersee lakes, you cannot do a proper walk around the lakes. Instead, you buy a boat ticket and take a long boat ride (until 1 hour) to the final station of Sankt Bartholomä or Salet. Once in Salet, there are many hiking trails. Obersee just lies a 10-minute hike away from the pier.

All in all, just pick the best season according to your travel plans. Since it is one of the greatest tourist attractions in Germany, I recommend avoiding if possible, weekends, school holidays and national holidays.

WHERE TO PARK THE CAR AT KÖNIGSEE LAKE?

You can park your car straight at Königsee lake (just follow the parking signs), which is the most convenient.

A full day ticket will cost you €8. You can pay by card at the machines.

If you are staying at the region for a couple of days, you can get a discount fee using the Region Card.

BOAT TICKETS AT LAKE KÖNIGSEE

Once you arrive at Lake Königsee, you will have to buy a boat ticket at the office counter.

You can buy online and check the timetables of the boat ride .

Boat ride at Konigsee Lake in Bavaria, Germany

Boat ride at Konigsee Lake in Bavaria, Germany

There are 2 piers to choose from: Sankt Bartholomä or Salet.

  • Sankt Bartholomä

Price: €22 both ways

35 minute ride

This is where the iconic Sankt Bartholomä church is located.

  • Salet

Price: €25 both ways

50 minute ride

I recommend getting off at Salet. It is the longest distance and the place to get off to see Obersee lake and hike to the waterfall, if you want to.

In my personal opinion, the views at Salet are incredibly scenic. Therefore, I would spend much more time here.

The advantage of buying the Salet boat ticket is that on the way back you can still stop by and explore Sankt Bartholomä . Only make sure to catch the last boat departing from Salet pier at 5:40 pm.

Views of Salet pier, last stop at the boat ride in Konigsee Lake, Bavaria, Germany

Views at Salet in Konigsee Lake, Germany

HOW TO ARRIVE TO OBERSEE LAKE?

Once you get off at Salet pier, just follow the hiking signs towards Obersee Lake. It will take you around 10 minutes.

If you have more time, you can also hike until the waterfalls, which will take 90 minutes.

Obersee Lake in Bavaria, Germany

Obersee Lake, Bavaria, Germany

WHICH SERVICES ARE AVAILABLE AT KÖNIGSEE LAKE?

Königsee Lake is quite a touristy place. Therefore, you will have plenty of services at your disposal:

  • Restaurants: I recommend trying freshly-made Kaiserschmarrn, an Austrian dessert
  • Clothing stores
  • Several Hotels and Guest houses: they are fully booked, so look for accommodation as early as you can.
  • Souvenir shop

I hope this guide will help you on your visit ! Just let me know in the comments!

A visit to Königsee and Obersee lake in Bavaria, Germany is definitely a lifetime experience! Make to save and share this post.

A VISIT TO KONIGSEE AND OBERSEE LAKE

TRAVEL RESOURCES IN GERMANY
  • Finding accommodation in Bavaria, Germany: booking.com is the best option to find your accommodation in Germany.
  •  Renting a car in Germany: Some of the best places Germany has to offer are only accessible by car. Moreover, it is a great country to roadtrip as there are no speed limits or tolls. I recommend renting a car at Sixt.
  • Finding flights to Germany: I recommend checking for connections at Skyscanner but to always book directly at the airlines. The German airline Lufthansa is one of the best in the world with excellent connections around the world.
  • Need help planning your trip to Germany: I offer you personalized travel planning consultancy. Just contact me so that we can discuss and prepare a tailormade plan for your trip.