Altmühltal-Panorama-Path
Through the Heart of Bavaria from Treuchtlingen to Kelheim 🌿🏞️
The Altmühltal Panoramaweg awaits you with a week of hiking through one of Bavaria's most diverse landscapes. Rugged dolomite rocks 🏔️, warm juniper heaths ☀️, gently rolling river valleys 🌊, and wide forests accompany you on your way. A tranquil, romantic natural backdrop, perfectly created for enjoyable hiking days. At the same time, you are hiking through a region steeped in history: Celts, Romans, and Bavarian noble families have left impressive traces here. Mighty ramparts, reconstructed forts (castles), castles, and monasteries 🏰 lend a special flair to the stages. And the Altmühltal also shows its best side culinarily. From savory specialties to regionally brewed beer 🍺.
The seven-day route offers easy to moderate stages, ideal for beginners, families, and anyone who wants to hike at a relaxed pace 👣. Picturesque towns like Eichstätt with its impressive Willibaldsburg Castle, scenic high-altitude trails between Kipfenberg and Beilngries, and varied nature paths provide new impressions day after day 🌄. It's no wonder the Altmühltal Panoramaweg has been recognized as one of the most beautiful quality hiking trails in Germany 🥇.
Whether nature, culture, or indulgence, in the Altmühltal you will find everything in perfect balance. The well-maintained paths, the magnificent views, and the Bavarian hospitality make this hiking trip an experience that will be remembered for a long time 💚. And four-legged companions also feel completely at home here, ideal for a relaxed hiking holiday with a dog 🐕.
Day 1
Arrival in Treuchtlingen/surroundings
The idyllic little Altmühl-town Treuchtlingen is situated in the centre of the nature park ‚Altmühltal’, the second biggest Nature Park in Germany. We recommend you seize the first day and relax in the well-known Altmühl-Thermal Spa.
Hotel (example): Hotel Via Vita
Day 2
Treuchtlingen/surroundings – Pappenheim/surroundings
With views onto the river Altmühl meandering through the valley you continue via the ‚Devil’s Pulpit’ towards Medieval Pappenheim. You descend again to the river Altmühl via the viewpoint Hollerstein and continue leisurely along the course of the river to your Day Finish, where you are greeted by the impressive castle, seat of the former ‚Reichserbmarschälle’-marshals.
Hotel (example): Hotel-Gasthof zur Sonne
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Day 3
Pappenheim/surroundings – Mörnsheim/surroundings
Via a high-altitude path with great views you walk over to Solnhofen, the mining place of the well-known Solnhofer limestone slabs and site of over 140 million-year-old fossils. Soon after an amazing and very popular photo opportunity awaits: the nature monument ‚Twelve Apostles’, steep limestone rocks embedded in juniper heaths. The route leads you to Dollnstein into the primeval Danube valley.
Hotel (example): Gasthof zum Kirchenschmied
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Day 4
Mörnsheim/surroundings – Eichstätt
You pass the Geo-monument ‚Burgsteinfelsen’ and continue through forests and juniper heaths and later on on a mountain path with great views all the way to Eichstätt. With Willibalds castle towering over this diocesan town, it is a complete Baroque work of art with prestigious buildings as well as dreamy little alleyways.
Hotel (example): Hotel Garni Fuchs
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Day 5
Eichstätt – Kipfenberg
With a lovely view onto the striking Osterberg mountain and the Roman fort Vetoniana, you walk to the Buchenhüller mammoth cave. You will walk across wonderful alpine paths above Altmühl and you will get fantastic views of the valley and the rock faces whilst walking along the panoramic path. You will walk through the Gugoldinger Wacholderheide, which is a fantastic nature protection area before you will go past the Arnsberger Leite and the Limes watch tower to Kipfenberg.
Hotel (example): Der Postwirt Gasthof-Hotel
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Day 6
Kipfenberg – Beilngries
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Day 7
Beilngries – Riedenburg
Via the Arzberg mountain plateau into the ‚Seven Valley Town’ of Dietfurt, where water in the form of the Main-Danube canal, rivers and springs plays a major role. Enjoy the view onto Eggersberg palace, past rock formations and along the Altmühltal-boardwalk into the pretty village of Gundlfing. From the ‚Devil’s Rock’ -Teufelsfelsen into the 3-castle town of Riedenburg.
Hotel (example): Gasthof zur Post Riedenburg
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Day 8
Riedenburg – Kelheim
Gnarly trees and rock towers line your – in parts – steep path up to Prunn castle. Pass the blue glittering karst spring "Blautopf" and continue along the Main-Danube Canal. As a reward enjoy a grandiose view into the distance. Back again in the valley, you walk along the Jura rock to the ‚Celt’s Wall’, which leads you immediately back to the Danube – the view down to the mighty Danube crevasse is awe-inspiring. After that the impressive finale of your tour: the boat ride through the Danube crevasse to Kelheim.
Hotel (example): Dormero Hotel Kelheim
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9. Tag
Departure or extension
You can now individually extend your stay in Bavaria and explore the rest independently.
Requirements for hikers
Summary
- Total approx 158 km over 7 hiking days
- 8 nights
- Breakfast
- Luggage transfer
- Boat trip from Weltenburg to Kelheim
- Travel documents and GPS data
- Service hotline
- from 929,- € per person
Facts about the Altmühltal Nature Park
- The Altmühltal Panoramaweg is certified as a "Quality Trail Wanderbares Deutschland" (Quality Trail Hiking Germany)
- This long-distance hiking trail extends approx. 200 km through the Altmühltal Nature Park
- The Altmühltal Nature Park (Southern Franconian Jura) is located in the geographical center of Bavaria
- The park covers an area of about 2,962 km²
- There are striking limestone cliffs, former reef and layered limestones, which were formed about 140–150 million years ago
- The nature park was launched on July 25, 1969 in Pappenheim by the association "Naturpark Altmühltal (Südliche Frankenalb)"
Climate in the Altmühltal Nature Park
Cuisine in the Altmühltal Nature Park
The cuisine of the Altmühltal Nature Park combines traditional Bavarian cooking with Franconian influences. Down-to-earth, regional, and full of characteristic flavors. Along the Altmühltal Panoramaweg, numerous inns, beer gardens, farm shops, and small producers invite you to discover the region through its taste. Typical of the Altmühltal are products from local agriculture: aromatic Altmühltal cheese, fresh vegetables from the river valleys, farm-produced meat and sausage specialties, and homemade "Brotzeiten" (traditional snacks/light meals). The region is particularly known for its Altmühltal lamb dishes, which are prepared according to traditional recipes and are deeply rooted in the regional food culture. The Franconian and Bavarian beer culture also plays a major role: numerous small breweries and pubs serve regional beers ranging from spicy dark to pale lagers ("Helles") and naturally cloudy specialties. In the summer months, shady beer gardens along the Altmühl entice visitors with hearty delicacies such as roasts ("Braten"), cheese spaetzle ("Käsespätzle"), or warm meatloaf ("Leberkäs"). For those with a sweet tooth, the cafés in the towns offer homemade cakes, crumble tarts ("Streuseltaler"), and regional desserts, often accompanied by a view of the river valleys or historic market squares. The cuisine of the Altmühltal is not just sustenance for the journey but an integral part of the nature and culture experience: honest, regionally rooted, and full of moments of indulgence.