Paddling tour on the Altmühl

Child-friendly tour with 9 relaxed stages from Gunzenhausen to Töging, approx. 125 km

The most beautiful canoe and SUP tours in Bavaria ⦿Bavaria, Franconia

Canoe tour, multi-day tour, family tour: Altmühl

The Altmühl is the second longest river in Bavaria and one of the most popular canoeing destinations. More than any other body of water, the Altmühl is ideal for tours with children. The gentle gradient means that even inexperienced canoeists can enjoy the trip. The two hundred kilometer long river winds through a flourishing valley framed by Jura rocks, past romantic towns, medieval bridges, monasteries and castles. Designated access points and camp sites with fireplaces, boat hire with transport service and accompanying cycle paths provide the perfect infrastructure.

The river flows through the largest nature park in the Federal Republic of Germany. Celts and Romans settled and shaped this region. In 2005, the Limes, which touches the Altmühltal, was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Several quarries are ideal for hobby geologists looking for fossils. The Altmühl has its source at Hornauer Weiher near Rothenburg ob der Tauber. It meanders leisurely through a wide valley basin. Some paddlers start paddling in the small town of Ornbau, but soon end up in the Altmühlsee. Most canoeists therefore only start in Gunzenhausen, a town of 15,000 inhabitants. The ruins of a Roman fort and the local history museum with prehistoric finds are among the sights in this town, which was founded around the year 800. In spring, you float with a good current towards Treuchtlingen. The town is the gateway to the romantic Altmühltal valley and is conveniently located. The actual breakthrough section begins behind Dietfurt. The historic town of Pappenheim, with its castle ruins, St. Gallus church, castle and Augustinian monastery, is a real highlight and the next stop on the river trip. The route continues via the Jura village of Zimmern to Solnhofen. This place is the site where the prehistoric bird (Archaeopteryx) was found. The local museum has a rich selection of fossilized plants and animals. After bypassing the weir at the end of the village, paddlers soon catch sight of the Twelve Apostles, a striking group of sponge-algae limestones. The rest of the route is also full of highlights, although the ICE trains that regularly speed past briefly disturb the idyll.

Stages

Gunzenhausen - Gundelsheim ... 10 km

Gundelsheim - Treuchtlingen ... 17.5 km

Treuchtlingen - Dietfurt - Pappenheim - Solnhofen ... 16 km

Solnhofen - Eßlingen - Hammermühle-Dollnstein ... 12 km

Dollnstein - Eichstätt ... 17 km

Eichstätt - Walting ... 12 km

Walting - Kipfenberg ... 15.5 km

Kipfenberg - Beilngries ... 17 km

Beilngries - Töging ... 9 km

What should I bear in mind when paddling the Altmühl tour?

Best time: End of April to mid-October, in the Altmühltal Nature Park all tributaries are closed all year round without exception.