Basic information about the King-Ludwig-Way
Hikers have been enjoying the wonderful paths on the popular King-Ludwig-Way, a long-distance hiking trail in the Bavarian Alpine foothills in Germany, since 1977. The hiking trail owes its name to the former Bavarian king, Ludwig II. Otto Friedrich Wilhelm. But what does a hiking trail have in common with the former King of Bavaria? King Ludwig II was not only a talented builder who created his own legacy through numerous buildings, he also loved to express a fairy tale majesty in his buildings. His famous monuments include, for example, Neuschwanstein Castle, Herrenchiemsee Castle, Linderhof Castle, the Königshaus on Schachen and many more. Come with us on a unique hiking tour in the footsteps of the fairy tale king and experience your individual hiking joy in the beautiful nature in Bavaria.
In the footsteps of the fairy tale king in the alpine foothills
On our hiking holiday on the King-Ludwig-Way, 8 days you will explore the most beautiful hiking routes and stages on this long-distance hiking trail on foot. Starting from Bernried am Starnberger See you walk through a wonderful nature reserve, through idyllic Bavarian villages with typical beer gardens and relax in the stage destination of Dießen. From there you hike the next day on quiet meadow paths and through forests to Wessobrunn. The next day your hiking tour will lead you high up: the route takes you to the Hohen Peißenberg, where you will be rewarded with an impressive panoramic view. After a relaxing overnight stay in Peiting, you continue to Wildsteig and on the following day to Buching. On the way there you have the opportunity to visit the Wieskirche, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The last day of your hiking holiday on the King-Ludwig-Way also has plenty of sights in store for you: Neuschwanstein Castle and Hohenschwangau Castle. When you arrive at your final destination in Füssen, you can relax with a traditional ‘Brotzeit’ and review your fairy tale and culturally rich hiking holiday on the long-distance hiking trail in the Bavarian alpine foothills.
Our Eurohike moments on the King-Ludwig-Way
- As far as the eye can see: A unique panorama awaits you on the fourth day of your hiking holiday. From the Hohen Peißenberg at 988 metres above sea level, marvel at the impressive Alps from the Großvenediger to the Allgäu.
- Endless cultural sights: This hiking holiday is a real highlight for true culture fans. During the entire trip there are plenty of cultural treasures to marvel at, such as Neuschwanstein Castle and Hohenschwangau Castle, the Wieskirche – a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the historic bell tower and the Tassilolinde natural monument in Wessobrunn.
- This is how Bavaria tastes: Have a good time on the hiking holiday on the King-Ludwig-Way and treat yourself to a typical Bavarian ‘Brotzeit’ including pretzels, cheese, obazda and much more.
- Hiking with your dog: This hiking holiday on the King-Ludwig-Way can also be booked as a hiking holiday with a dog and guarantees wonderful hiking moments for two and four-legged friends.
You can find more information about Sightseeing along the King-Ludwig-Way on our Eurohike HikingBlog.
Multi-faceted hikes in Bavaria
The hiking route on the King-Ludwig-Way begins where, according to tradition the former Bavarian king King Ludwig II, who was also known as the fairy tale king, died in 1866 – Lake Sternberg. The hiking trails on the long-distance route are well signposted and generally considered to be leisurely. The route is always multi-faceted and leads on good hiking and forest trails, as well as paved roads. For the stages in the somewhat hilly foothills of the Alps, a good basic level of fitness and stamina are required.
All the facts and details about the popular long-distance hiking trail in the Bavarian alpine foothills can be found here at a glance:
- Location: In the Bavarian alpine foothills, Germany
- Length: Around 120 kilometres
- Route: The route of our hiking tour on the King-Ludwig-Way leads from Bernried on Lake Starnberg to the destination town of Füssen.
- Season: The ideal time for hiking tours on the King-Ludwig-Way is from April – October
- Difference in altitude: Ascent 2,378 metres / descent 2,181 metres
- Highest point: Hoher Peißenberg at 988 metres above sea level
- Lowest point: 532 metres above sea level
- Route marking: White sign with a blue ‘K’ and the words ‘König Ludwig Weg’
- Interesting facts: King Ludwig II grew up at Hohenschwangau Castle near Füssen. Did you know that the Austrian Empress Sisi was the cousin of King Ludwig II?
The King-Ludwig-Way is located in the Bavarian Alpine foothills in Germany.
The King-Ludwig-Way is 120 kilometres long.
The King-Ludwig-Way falls under our category hiking. The route leads over good hiking paths through the beautiful natural landscape of Bavaria. With a good basic level of fitness and stamina, this hiking tour on the King-Ludwig-Way is guaranteed to be a successful active experience.
- Our tip: Our hiking holiday King-Ludwig-Way, 8 days, is also wonderfully suitable for hiking with your dog.
A wonderful combination of nature, culture and cuisine awaits you while hiking on the King-Ludwig-Way. The hiking paths leads you through the picturesque nature in Bavaria to special cultural treasures such as Neuschwanstein Castle, Hohenschwangau Castle or the UNESCO World Heritage Site “Church in the Wies”.
- On our Eurohike HikingBlog you can find out more about sightseeing along the King-Ludwig-Way.
On the daily stages of our hiking holiday on King-Ludwig-Way, you cover between 13 and 21 kilometres of hiking per day.
Read more details about the route on our hiking tour on the King-Ludwig-Way:
- Hiking holiday King-Ludwig-Way, 8 days: Starting from Bernried am Starnberger See in Bavaria, the hiking route leads to Dießen am Ammersee and on the following day to Wessobrunn. Here you can marvel at the highest mountain in Germany, the Zugspitze, from afar. The fourth day of this hiking tour takes you to Peiting. The next day to the Ammer Gorge and the stage destination of Wildsteig/Bad Bayersoien. The last two stages lead to Buching and the final destination of Füssen.
The best time to travel for a hiking tour on the King-Ludwig-Way is from April to October.
On our hiking tour along the King-Ludwig-Way you will spend the night in cosy hotels and inns.
Perfectly organised hiking holidays on the King-Ludwig-Way
On our hiking holiday on the King-Ludwig-Way, you will immerse yourself even further into the wonderful natural landscapes in the Bavarian alpine foothills with every step. Follow in the footsteps of the former Bavarian king and experience your fairy tale adventure. Thanks to our fully organised hiking tours, there is enough time for that. We ensure the perfect planning of your hiking holiday including our detailed travel documents, personal support on-site, cosy hotels and accommodation, luggage transfer on-site, as well as availability on our Eurohike service-hotline.
- Read more about why a hiking holiday with Eurohike is the perfect kind of active break.
