Experience nature, understand wilderness
Fancy some wilderness? Then join a ranger tour in the Eifel National Park and discover how fascinating nature can be when humans don't intervene. Together with one of the rangers, you will hike through unspoiled beech forests, along tranquil lakes and into a landscape that has been left to its own devices since 2004 - the "primeval forest of tomorrow".
The tours are free of charge, take place regularly and start in Rurberg, Gemünd or at the barrier-free nature experience area Wilder Kermeter. Whether you want to find out more about beavers, black storks or Eifel gold broom - or simply want to get out and about with all your senses: What counts here is not who arrives first. It's what you discover along the way that counts.
Rangers like Sascha Wilden accompany you with knowledge, wit and a real understanding of nature. They will show you what is important in the protected area - and why a hike through the Eifel National Park is much more than just a walk. It is an invitation to look, ask questions and be amazed.
The ranger tours are conducted in German.
Every 2nd and 4th Friday of the month | Depending on the participants' wishes, you will either hike on the narrow paths of the Dedenborn beech forest or on the Dreiborn plateau. The tour includes ascents and is classified as moderate to difficult.
every 2nd and 4th Saturday of the month | The national park rangers offer guided hikes several times a week - free of charge and without registration. There is a suitable tour for every visitor! The starting times and meeting points of the tours are always the same - this makes planning easier for you.
every 2nd and 4th Sunday of the month | The national park rangers offer guided hikes several times a week - free of charge and without registration. There is a suitable tour for every visitor! The starting times and meeting points of the tours are always the same - this makes planning easier for you.
Tuesdays | In the south of the Eifel National Park, you will experience a constantly changing forest and natural stream valleys with lush meadows. An easy hike mainly through flat terrain, suitable for children and all-terrain baby carriages.
Wednesdays | The hike of medium difficulty in the Eifel National Park leads from Mariawald Abbey into the natural beech forests and the habitat of woodpeckers. It is suitable for children and all-terrain baby carriages.
Every 1st, 3rd and 5th Friday of the month | A ranger leads you first along the Heimbach reservoir and then along challenging paths through the beech forests of the Kermeter, a centerpiece of the Eifel National Park.
On the way with a view of the lake landscape You hike where wall lizards and smooth snakes feel at home. The group climbs the Honigberg in rocky terrain - at the top, a fantastic view of the Eifel lake landscape makes up for the effort.
Every 1st, 3rd and 5th Sunday of the month | The national park rangers offer guided hikes several times a week - free of charge and without registration. There is a suitable tour for every visitor! The starting times and meeting points of the tours are always the same - this makes planning easier for you.
No. Participation is free and possible without registration. Simply come to the specified meeting point.
Depending on the route, a tour takes between two and five hours. The routes vary in length - from around 5 to 12 kilometers - but are usually easy to manage.
Sturdy shoes and clothing suitable for the weather are sufficient. Don't forget something to drink and, depending on the time of year, sun or rain protection.
Yes - many tours are also suitable for families. The content is prepared in such a way that it is understandable and exciting for different age groups.
Some tours are also possible with all-terrain baby carriages:
There is also a family day in the national park on the first Sunday of every month (and on Tuesdays and Thursdays during the vacations). Children are the focus of a free guided tour. Several times a year, the motto is "Children lead children" - junior rangers then offer free family tours for children and their families.
Yes, the barrier-free nature discovery trail at Wilden Kermeter is particularly suitable. Specially designed guided tours also take place there regularly.
The tours take place in all weathers - except in the event of severe weather warnings. Weatherproof clothing is therefore important. If in doubt, please call the national park's information hotline: +49 2444 9510-0
Yes, but please only on a short lead (a lead is compulsory). In a protected area such as the Eifel National Park, consideration for wild animals is particularly important.
With a bit of luck, you may spot tracks of wild cats, beavers or black storks. The rangers will often point out indirect clues - tracks, nests or feeding traces.