Itinerary at a glance

Osterode charms with its half-timbered buildings, and Clausthal-Zellerfeld is known as a lively university town. In the heart of the Harz Mountains, you'll ascend the Brocken, and the descent is made by narrow-gauge railway. The tour ends in Thale, near the famous Hexentanzplatz (Witches' Dance Square).

Explore the half-timbered town of Osterode am Harz during a stroll through the pedestrian zone.

At first you will go uphill along old trade routes, where you will discover the first harbingers of the Upper Harz water shelf, before you reach the university town of Clausthal-Zellerfeld. Marvel at the largest wooden church in Germany.

Leaving the mountain town, you now walk at the same altitude, mainly on forest paths and narrow trails, along the fascinating system of dams. You pass the iron spring and end in the town of Altenau with its herb park.

Today the highlight of your hiking tour awaits you: the ascent to the Brocken in the middle of the core area of the transnational Harz National Park. On well developed and varied paths you climb the summit. Down to Schierke or Wernigerode you will take the Harz narrow-gauge railroad.

On the ‘Pfarrsteig’ you reach the hiking trail again. Passing the ‘Trudenstein’ with its distant view you walk downhill to the Königshütter waterfall. Now you meet the small river Bode and a new landscape appears, here the limestone mining is still going on above ground.

Your companion on this day tour is the small river Bode. Sometimes on small paths, on wide trails or high above the Wendefurth dam you follow the course of the river to Altenbrak or Treseburg.

On the last day you hike through the mythical and legendary Bodetal. Between towering granite rocks the narrow path always leads along the river. The hiking tour ends in the village of Thale, below the famous witches' dance floor.

The transmitter of the Brocken, a spectacular view

City center of the beautiful small town Osterode

Cozy bench to relax with a beautiful view

Great view of the upper Nassenwieser pond

Nice place directly at the dam Wendefurt

Difficulty level

Walking

A good basic fitness level and surefootedness are required. However, the hiking trail is also suitable for beginners, as it is well developed for tourism. You almost always hike on well passable paths such as forest or shore paths and through less populated regions. More demanding ascents and descents can only be mastered in the area of the Brocken.

Prices & Dates

Prices per person in EUR

Services & Information

Further details about this tour

Services

Included

Accommodation in pretty 3***-hotels
Breakfast
Luggage transfer
Carefully elaborated route description
Detailed travel documents 1x per room (German, English)
Service hotline

Optional

return transfer to Osterode, costs per fare EUR 199 (max. 7 people), reservation required, payable in advance.

Information

Arrival / Parking / Departure

Arrival by train to Osterode at Harz. From the station in a few minutes on foot to the hotel.
Leipzig or Hanover airport
Parking: limited number of hotel parking spaces, approx. EUR 4,- per day, pre-booking possible directly through the hotel. At the entrance of the Harz-Witches-Trail public unguarded parking lot ‘Bleichstelle’, no pre-reservation possible.

Things to note

Tourist tax, if due, is not included in the price
Harz narrow-gauge railroad Brocken, about EUR 30 per person
The last overnight stay is also possible in Quedlingburg on request (with surcharge).
Further important information according to the package travel law can be found here!
This tour is a partner tour.