Visiting Lake Königssee in Berchtesgaden National Park, Bavaria, Germany

Lake Königssee is a mountain lake nestled between the steep flanks of the Watzmann and Hagen mountains in the Berchtesgaden Alps of Bavaria, Germany.  

Königssee is located almost entirely within Berchtesgaden National Park in the municipality of Schönau am Königssee, 5 km south of Berchtesgaden. 

Kati and I spontaneously planned a trip to Lake Königssee in mid-August, the hottest and busiest time of year. Though we usually try to avoid popular destinations in high summer, we were desperate to escape to the mountains, specifically to a place we could swim.

Unlike many national parks and nature reserves across Europe, swimming is allowed in all the mountain lakes of Berchtesgaden National Park. 

We spent 4 restorative days hiking and swimming around Lake Königssee and didn’t want to leave. This guide chronicles what we did and what we learned, so you can plan a smooth trip to the crown jewel of the Berchtesgaden Alps.

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Königssee and Berchtesgaden National Park Map

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Lake Königssee Access

The northern shore is the only area of Lake Königssee that’s accessible by car, or by bus. 

Car | There is a massive car park – Parkplatz Königssee / Google Maps –  located about 400 meters away from the lake. The Königssee car park address is Seestraße 3, 83471 Schönau am Königssee. See current prices. 

Bus | There are frequent bus connections to Lake Königssee from Schönau am Königssee, Berchtesgaden, and the surrounding communities. The bus timetables are synced with Google Maps, but you can also review the official timetables on koenigssee.de. Transit on regional buses is included in the Berchtesgaden Guest Card, which is distributed to hotel/accommodation guests. 

Foot | Some hotels in Schönau am Königssee like Explorer Hotel Berchtesgaden are walking distance to the lake. 

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Lake Königsee Boat Ride

The most popular activity at Lake Königsee is riding an electric-powered boat to St. Bartholomä and further to Salet.

St. Bartholomä is the famous lakeside church with the red onion domes. From St. Bartholomä, it’s possible to hike to Eiskapelle (Ice Chapel), or to start the Aussichtspunkt Archenkanzel to Schönau am Königssee point-to-point hike.

From Salet, located at the southern end of Königssee, you can walk to Obersee, a wildly beautiful mountain lake, located just south of Königssee. 

The 19 electric passenger boats are operated by Bayerische Seenschifffahrt, the Bavaria shipping company. They run at 30-minute intervals during operating times. See timetable. 

Each wooden boat measures 20 meters long and can carry 93 people. There is bench seating along the perimeter of the boat as well as in the middle. Seating is not assigned. Dogs are allowed on the boats, but must wear muzzles. 

There are no toilets on board, but there are free public toilets at Königssee Seelände, St. Bartholomä, and Salet. 

The boat ride is slow. It takes 35 minutes to reach St. Bartholomä and an additional 20 minutes to arrive at Salet. 

Periodically, an attendant provides insights about the lake and the surroundings (in German only). 

On the way to St. Bartholomä, there is also a trumpet demonstration to showcase the echo in the mountains. 

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Königsee Boat Tickets

You can purchase the boat ride tickets at the ticket office (Kasse in German), directly next to the jetties along the north shore.

However, we recommend purchasing your tickets online in advance to secure your desired time slot. Online tickets can neither be canceled, nor exchanged. 

While you must choose a time slot for the outward journey, you can hop on any boat on the return journey. 

Despite what’s stated online, you don’t need to print your online ticket, as scanning the QR code on your phone suffices. 

When purchasing your ticket, passengers can choose between one-way and return (out-and-back) tickets to St. Bartholomä and Salet. 

All boats stop at St. Bartholomä to/from Salet. If you purchase a ticket to Salet, you can disembark at St. Bartholomä and then hop on another boat to resume your journey. 

Tip: For those that want to visit both St. Bartholomä and Salet, we recommend getting an early start and stopping at St. Bartholomä first. In reverse, waiting times for return boats can exceed 2 hours. 

Kessel | It’s also possible to disembark at Kessel, a starting point for hikes to Gotzenalm and Aussichtspunkt Feuerpalfen. The boats only stop at Kessel upon request. 

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Salet to Lake Obersee Hike

Salet is the gateway to Lake Obersee. 

From the Salet jetty, or pier, it’s only a 15-minute walk to Lake Obersee. From the northwestern bank, you can continue hiking around the lake to Fischunkelalm and further to the Röthbach Waterfall viewpoint.

There are public toilets across from the Salet pier. 

Continue following the lakeside trail, passing by Gaststätte Saletalm along the way. This restaurant is self-service, cash only, and has indoor and outdoor seating. The toilets are reserved for guests only. 

Soon after passing the kiosk and restaurant, a trail branches off on the right side to Mooskaser Saletalm. This alpine pasture hut serves fresh buttermilk, drinks, and cold snacks. 

Follow the main trail through pockets of forest to reach Lake Obersee. The first thing you’ll see is the “Fischerhütte am Obersee” timber boat house, a popular photo motif. 

The Fischunkelamweg path swings right and hugs the western shore, ultimately leading to the Fischunkelalm mountain pasture.

A little more than halfway to the alpine pasture hut, the lakeside trail ascends up a rugged, timber-bolstered and cabled-secured path. This trail is easy and there is no exposure, but it’s uneven.

After the path descends and smooths out, you’ll pass by several lovely coves, perfect for swimming. 

After visiting Fischunkelalm and hiking up to the Röthbach Waterfall viewpoint, we returned to Lake Obersee to swim and enjoy the godly mountain views for a good 2 hours. It was divine!! 

The hike from Salet to Röthbach Waterfall viewpoint is 9.6 km out-and-back and takes 3 hours. 

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Swimming in Lake Königssee and Lake Obersee

In summer, swimming in Lake Königssee and Lake Obersee is incredibly refreshing. The water temperature warms to a comfortable 20°C. 

There are no “designated” swimming areas. You can swim wherever you want, so long as you’re not boorishly trampling through nature to access the swimming area, or swimming in the boat line of the Königgssee electric boats. 

In Königssee, we recommend swimming in the cove beyond the Malerwinkel viewpoint. There are many entry points, some steeper than others. 

Air mattresses and inflatable boats are prohibited in Berchtesgaden National Park. 

People also swim and dip along the northern shore, where the lake drains into the Königsseer Ache river. 

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More Things to Do around Lake Königssee

The Jenner gondola valley station is located near Lake Königssee. There are a number of hikes that begin at both the middle station and the mountain station. 

We opted for the Kleine Reibn hiking trail, which links Schneibstein summit with Lake Seeleinsee and Priesbergalm. 

We also visited Wimbach Gorge and Lake Hintersee in Ramsau bei Berchtesgaden. 

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Where to Stay near Lake Königssee

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Schönau am Königssee

Schönau am Königssee is a municipality in the district of Berchtesgadener Land. It’s the gateway to Lake Königssee. Though it doesn’t offer a “village” atmosphere, its advantageous location allows for convenient access to the lake, the Jenner cableway, and the Grünstein via ferrata. 

Kati and I booked a very spontaneous trip to Berchtesgaden National Park. We stayed 3 nights at Explorer Hotel Berchtesgaden, so that we could be walking distance to Lake Königssee (20 minutes).

Explorer Hotels are geared towards active travelers. They serve breakfast starting at 6:30 am, which allows hikers/bikers to start tours early.

Rooms are functional, clean, and quiet (excellent soundproofing).

They provide outdoor parking (1 EUR/day) as well as garage parking (8 EUR/day).

There’s even a wellness area (steam bath/Finnish sauna) and an on-site bar with a terrace. If you’re active and want to spend most of your time outdoors, don’t hesitate to book Explorer Hotel Berchtesgaden. 

Also check out Hotel Bergheimat (midrange), located near the Jenner cableway valley station, Stoll´s Hotel Alpina (midrange) and Alm- & Wellnesshotel Alpenhof (luxury).

Look for accommodation in Schönau am Königssee. 

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Berchtesgaden 

The Old Town of Berchtesgaden is a charming and lively destination filled with shops, restaurants, and beer gardens. There are two notable accommodations directly in the town center including Hotel EDELWEISS Berchtesgaden Superior (luxury) and Hotel AlpinaRos (midrange). 

Just outside the town center, you’ll find Die schlafende Goass – Pub und Gästehaus (budget) and the alpine-modern Kulturhof Stanggass with an outdoor swimming pool (luxury).

Those seeking adults-only accommodations ought to check out Alpenhotel Fischer 4 Sterne (luxury). 

If you’re craving a quiet mountain retreat with excellent facilities, check out Kempinski Hotel Berchtesgaden (luxury). 

Look for accommodation in Berchtesgaden.

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Ramsau bei Berchtesgaden 

Ramsau bei Berchtegsaden is a Bergsteigerdorf (mountaineering village) and the entryway to Lake Hintersee and the Zauberwald (magic forest), Wimbachklamm gorge, and the Wimbachtal Valley. 

The finest accommodation in the region is Berghotel Rehlegg, located in the heart of Ramsau near St. Sebastian’s Church. This alpine hotel offers sumptuous rooms, two swimming pools, saunas, spa treatments, and a delicious half board offering (breakfast and dinner are included in the room rate). 

For a budget-friendly stay, take a look at Gästehaus Hinterponholz, situated between Ramsau and Lake Hintersee. Offering a playground and a petting zoo, this accommodation is ideal for families with children. 

Look for accommodation in Ramsau bei Berchtesgaden.

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