Walchensee & Kesselberg
Walchensee / Kesselbergstraße
An emerald-coloured high-mountain lake in the Bavarian Alps. The Kesselberg serpentine road and the Herzogstand cable car views make it a classic Munich driving day trip.
Walchensee lies about 75 km south of Munich at an elevation of roughly 800 metres. It is one of Germany's deepest alpine lakes, and on sunny days its water turns a Caribbean-like emerald blue, earning it the nickname 'the Caribbean of Bavaria'. From Kochelsee, take the B11 Kesselberg Pass serpentine road (part of the German Alpine Road) up to the lake. The road has dense hairpin bends and offers views over both lakes, and it sees plenty of motorcycles on weekends. On the western shore, in the village of Walchensee, take the Herzogstand cable car (Herzogstandbahn, about 30 euros return) up the mountain, then walk about 30 minutes to the 1,731-metre summit for 360° views of the lake and the Alpine peaks. In summer you can swim, stand-up paddle and windsurf. Public transport: take the train from Munich to Kochel, about an hour, then transfer to bus 9608 to the lake. Driving is the most convenient option.
Opening hours
Lake area open all day; Herzogstand cable car approx. 09:00–17:00 (seasonal changes)
Nearby sights
- Lake Starnberg
- Andechs Abbey
- Tegernsee
- Bavaria Filmstadt
- Hellabrunn Zoo
- Theresienwiese & Bavaria Statue
- Alter Südfriedhof
- Asam Church (St. Johann Nepomuk)