Hintersee in Ramsau, Germany

Hintersee and its Magic Forest in Ramsau, Germany is one of the most beautiful and romantic places to visit in the Bavarian Alps. Hintersee is located in the Berchtesgaden National Park, only 15 minutes away by car from Lake Königsee, the largest lake in this area.

The scenery of Hintersee mountain lake is awe-inspiring, surrounded by pristine crystal clear water and gorgeous mountain background. As opposed to Königsee Lake,  you can do a hiking trail around Lake Hintersee (Rund um den Hintersee)for about 45 minutes.

The whole landscape and setting are so dreamy that the forest bordering Hintersee was named Zauberwald (magic forest). Lake Hintersee with its fairy-tale magic forest is an absolute must-visit in Bavaria, Germany! Combining Königsee and Hintersee lakes on a day is doable, but it depends on how much you want to hike. Since both lakes offer a wide range of hiking trails and unique sceneries, take it slowly. It is best to visit one lake at a time.

Panorama of Lake Hintersee in Ramsau, Bavaria, Germany. An unique mountain lake with pristine crystal clear water in the Bavarian Alps.

Lake Hintersee in Ramsau Panorama

How to arrive to Hintersee in Ramsau?

Hintersee in Ramsau, Germany is set at Berchtesgaden National Park , around 2 hours by car from Munich.

By plane

For a visit to Hintersee, the closest airport is Munich International Airport or Salzburg Airport in Austria. In order to explore this area, the most flexible way is travelling by car.

Take a look at the best flight options by Lufthansa.

By car

In order to arrive at Hintersee in Ramsau, you need to follow the motorway A8 (Munich-Salzburg). If you are coming from Munich, you need to take the exit at Traunstein-Siegsdorf  and from there continue until B305 federal road to Ramsau.

I fully recommend booking your car at SIXT with insurance against all risks.

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

Where to park the car at Hintersee in Ramsau?

You can park your car straight at Hintersee in Ramsau, just follow the parking signs.

The daily parking fee ranges between 5 – 8 euros. You can pay by card at the parking machines.

P1 is directly at the magic forest (Google Maps) and I recommend using it if you want to see the magic forest and a part of the lake route. Coming back to this parking place after the hiking trail was a bit confusing.

Therefore, my recommendation would be to drive a little further until parking lot 3, almost on the other side of the Hintersee (Google Maps).

Renting boats and swimming

During the Summer months, you can take a small electric boat at Hintersee, which takes you to the other side of the lake. Upon request, making a tour of the lake using such a boat is also possible. Crossing the shores of the lake has a cost of €2 for adults and €1 for children.

On the other side of the lake, there is a pier where you can rent different types of boats.

Hintersee is one of the cleanest lakes in Bavaria and at the same time, has a very cold water temperature because of the steady inflow of fresh glacier water.

You can swim at Hintersee and you will see some people doing it during the Summer. Just be aware it is quite fresh in comparison to other Alpine lakes in the region, for example Eibsee.

Hiking trails at Hintersee in Berchtesgadener Land

There are many hiking trails and mountain tours starting at Hintersee. One of them is the 2,5 km hiking circular trail (Prinzregent-Luitpold-Weg) that you can take along Hintersee for 45 minutes.

There are other hiking trails in the area, which you can do if you plan on staying a couple of days.

Hiking trails around Hintersee in Ramsau, Bavaria, Germany

Hiking trails in Hintersee in Ramsau

Hiking trail lake view at Hintersee in Ramsau, Bavaria, Germany. This hiking circle around Hintersee in Ramsau takes 45 minutes.

Hintersee Lake Route, Bavaria, Germany

Hotel recommendation in Ruhpolding

Accommodation around Ramsau can be quite full. Therefore, book as early as you can.

When I stayed there, I could only find accommodation 1 hour away by car in the beautiful Bavarian village of Ruhpolding.

If you do not mind staying a bit further away, I have the following accommodation recommendation for you: The guesthouse Berggasthaus Weingarten is a traditional Bavarian pension with beautifully wooden furnished double rooms and appartments located on an incredible mountain viewpoint. There is also a restaurant serving traditional dishes. A rich breakfast is also included in the price. For just 80 Euros you can stay in an appartment with balcony and view of the mountains.

Staff is very friendly and the atmosphere very cosy.

View from Berggasthaus Weingarten in Ruhpolding, Bavarian village in Germany

Ruhpolding Panorama from Berggasthaus Weingarten

Book a stay at Berggasthaus Weingarten

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

Hintersee in Ramsau in Bavaria, Germany is one of the most unique places in Germany and should be a must stop on your roadtrip along Bavaria.  Make to save and share this post.

Excursions near Hintersee Lake

There are a lot of possibilities for excursions near the Hintersee in the Berchtesgadener Land. The most famous of them is definitely Königsee Lake, which is only 15 minutes away by car. There, you can take a boat tour around the lake, as well as many hiking trails in the region.

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. I recommend booking at the German airline Lufthansa which is one of the best in the world with excellent connections.
  • 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.