The Partnachklamm gorge in the Reintal valley near Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Bavaria, stretches over a length of 700 metres and owes its name to the Partnach torrent. Several million years ago, meltwater and debris hollowed out the hard rock. In some places, the torrent has cut over 80 metres into the gorge, providing spectacular views.
Arrival
The Partnachklamm is only a short walk from Garmisch-Partenkirchen railway station (approx. 50 minutes) and is therefore easy to reach by train from Munich. There is also a local bus (line 1 or 2) that runs between Garmisch-Partenkirchen railway station and the Olympic ski stadium. From there it is about 25 minutes on foot to the ticket office of the Partnachklamm.
Access by car is also possible and there are plenty of parking spaces available opposite the Olympic ski stadium.
Prices and opening hours
Tickets can be purchased either at the ticket office on site or online. You can pay by card or cash. I opted for an online ticket during my visit. Although these are linked to the selected date, you can simply skip the queue at the ticket office and walk straight to the entrance of the gorge. I can particularly recommend this during the holiday season, as it was already very busy when I visited in March. The prices can be found in the following table.
| Adults | Tourists1 | Locals2 | Children / Teens (6-17 Years) | People with disabilities3 | Dog4 |
| 7,50 € | 6,50 € | 6 € | 3 € | 5 € | 2 € |
Pricing Details
1Tourists with the “Alpenwelt Karwendel” with a valid guest card or the “Tiroler Zugspitz Arena” with a valid guest card
2Locals from Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Farchant, Oberau, und Eschenlohe
3from 50% degree of disability (proof required)
4dogs have to be kept on a leash
The opening hours vary at different times of the year.
June – September 08:00 – 20:00
October – May 08:00 – 18:00
The last admission is 30 minutes before the gorge closes.
Visit
I would plan another 20 – 30 minutes for a visit to the gorge, especially if there are more visitors. The path always runs along one side of the gorge and is partly cut into the rock. Sometimes the ceiling height drops to just 1.75 metres and some people might have to stoop to avoid hitting their heads. It’s really worth stopping every now and then to enjoy the view: the wild stream, the many small waterfalls and the rock formations are truly spectacular. I would recommend wearing a jacket, preferably with a hood, as it is quite damp and there is a lot of mist in the air from the small waterfalls and the stream. The sound of the gorge is truly unique and you can feel the immense power of nature. I have read that even 100 decibels have been measured in some places – crazy! At the end of the gorge, you can either walk back the same way or take the path above the gorge. This is also said to be very beautiful, but unfortunately it was closed during my visit as the winter had caused trees to fall and the clearing work was still ongoing.
miscellaneous
Buggies are not allowed in the gorge due to the narrow path and unfortunately this path is also not suitable for wheelchair users. It is possible to visit with a dog, but they must be kept on a leash. Apart from that, there is nothing else to worry about and hiking boots are not required, although they are of course recommended if you want to go on a short hike through the beautiful natural surroundings afterwards.
Conclusion
In my opinion, a visit to the gorge is a great excursion destination in Bavaria and can also be easily combined with an extended hike or a visit to Garmisch-Partenkirchen. It’s easy to get there and the path to the gorge is suitable even for non-hikers. The only disadvantage is the large crowds of visitors, but of course this is often unavoidable at such an excursion destination. You probably have the best chance of a quiet tour if you visit the gorge when it opens or 30 minutes before it closes. I would also use the online ticket next time and save a few minutes waiting time. I will also do the hike back via the top of the gorge next time, as the view is certainly quite breathtaking.
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