From Alpine peaks to the Auenwald — 7 stages on the Isar cycle path

The nursery on the Isar is truly idyllic: surrounded by Alpine peaks, the Isar sees the light of day in the impressive Karwendel nature reserve. As a fresh mountain stream, the Isar splashes happily along as it slowly grows until it tells its native Austria "Pfiat-di" in the Tyrolean village of Scharnitz to experience new adventures in picturesque Upper Bavaria. Passing idyllic beer gardens, houses with artistic paintings and the breathtaking scenery of the foothills of the Alps, the small river slowly grows up until it leaves the rural idyll behind Bad Tölz to seek its fortune in the big city of Munich. Afterwards it becomes calm again. The Isar flows as a sublime river through the floodplain forests of the district of Freising, where it is dammed up here and there and is a source of electricity for the people, but also a habitat for countless water birds. Behind Plattling, the Isar River blooms once more and forms its wonderful estuary before it merges forever with the Danube near Deggendorf.

In seven stages you will accompany the Isar on its journey from Austria to Lower Bavaria. The river cycle path runs mostly car-free on cycle paths that are sometimes paved, but mostly gravelled. If you follow the path from the source of the river Isar to its mouth, it tends to go downhill, so that the individual stages can also be easily mastered by occasional cyclists. On the way you will always find beautiful bike rest areas, restaurants and beer gardens as well as all kinds of cultural highlights such as exciting museums, picturesque old towns and historic castles and palaces.

In every stage there are enough accommodations, which provide for a pleasant stay. Every town has at least one Bett+Bike accommodation — these are ADFC-certified, especially cyclist-friendly establishments, which have specially adapted to cyclists like you. You can find more information here: bettundbike.de. The Isar cycle path is also listed in the ADFC brochure "Discover Germany by bike".

To get to the start of the Isar cycle path, you can drive to Scharnitz by car. The train will bring you back from the finish of the tour in Deggendorf in about five hours, so that you can pick up your car again. Alternatively, we recommend the following arrival concept: park your car in Munich and take the train to Scharnitz. In Deggendorf there is only a two-hour train drive back to Munich waiting for you. Maybe you'll even spend another day exploring the Bavarian capital in peace and quiet?