A lake that shimmers in the most beautiful shades of blue and green. A beautiful mountain scenery in the background and small forested islands in the centre. The Bavarian Caribbean. All this can be found in Germany, more precisely near Garmisch-Partenkirchen. Lake Eibsee is one of the most famous and beautiful lakes in Germany and is not inferior to the lakes in New Zealand. Everything you need to know about the mountain lake can be found here.
Fast facts
- Lake Eibsee is located in Bavaria, more precisely directly below the Zugspitze in the Wetterstein Mountains in the community of Grainau.
- The lake is 2450 m long and 850 m wide. Its size is 1.796 km².
- The Eibsee itself is privately owned by the Rieppel family / the Eibsee Hotel.
- Lake Eibsee is a lake, where the water flows in and out subterraneously and it is supplied by streams.
- The lake got its present shape and colour by the break-off of the western flank of the Zugspitz massif. This is also known as the Eibsee rockslide. This mass movement of the Alps created this natural paradise.
- The very special thing about this mountain lake: the eight islands that lie in the middle of the lake: Steinbühl, Alpenbühl, Maximiliansinsel, Sasseninsel, Schönbühl, Ludwigsinsel, Scheibeninsel and Braxeninsel.
- Very close to the Eibsee are the gondolas that take you up to the Zugspitze. The Zugspitze cable car takes you from the valley station at Eibsee to the mountain station at the Zugspitze summit within 9 minutes.
Entrance Fee
A tour around the Eibsee is free of charge. The only thing you have to pay on site are parking or rental fees.
The car parks are open every day from 5 am to 10 pm. The prices are the following:
Car – up to 4 hours: 6 Euros
Each additional hour: 1 Euro
Parking from 5 to 9:30 am: 2 Euros
You also have the option of taking either the Eibsee bus or the cogwheel railway. You should check the official pages for the respective times.
Activities at the Eibsee
Lake Eibsee offers many different ways to spend your free time. Although the lake is privately owned, bathing is allowed at the Eibsee. The only exception is the lido at the Eibsee Hotel. Well, what better way to cool off than in turquoise blue water? The water might be relatively cold, as the lake is at an altitude of 1000 m, but it is almost drinking water quality. There is no bathing season, but the best bathing weather is clearly in summer. The Eibsee is up to 32.5 m deep and in summer it reaches refreshing temperatures of around 20 to 22 °C. There is also a small, fenced-off nudist area where you can take off your clothes.
You can also take a long walk around the Eibsee. The tour takes about 2.5 to 3 hours, as the path is 9 km long. You can not only take great photos, but also arrange a little picnic very close to the water.
In addition, you can even cast your fishing rod at the Eibsee and revel in nature with the Zugspitze in view. However, this is only permitted for overnight guests of the Eibsee Hotel who also carry a valid fishing licence and a fishing permit from the hotel.
Not to forget, of course, the opportunity to fill your belly in the restaurant seeRestaurant EIBSEE Pavillon or in the beer garden nearby. You can choose among many traditional Bavarian dishes, as well as other delicious meals. However, pay attention to the opening hours and don’t forget the end of the season.
Activities on Lake Eibsee
You thought that was all? Not by a long shot! Lake Eibsee still offers many different water sports activities. The countless opportunities for water sports offer just the right amount of adrenaline! Stand Up Paddling (SUP) requires a great sense of balance, as you stand on a board and try to move around using only a paddle.
You can also hire a boat of your choice or even bring your own canoe or rubber dinghy. All you have to do is choose between a rowing boat, a pedal boat or a slide boat. Another option would be a tour with the excursion boat “Reserl”, where you can relax and let yourself be shown the most beautiful corners of the lake.
For these activities, however, you should be aware that there are no more opportunities to rent boats or SUPs after the end of the season.
