If you want to be active in nature and experience new adventures during your vacation, then the Harz Mountains are your ideal destination! This northernmost low mountain range offers countless opportunities and destinations for health-conscious individuals, adventurers, active vacationers, and even adrenaline junkies.
Who is an active holiday in the Harz Mountains suitable for?
Perfect for friends and clubs, because it offers plenty of action-packed and fun experiences. Entertaining themed hiking trails with interactive stations and exciting routes through diverse landscapes featuring caves, rocks, mountains, numerous legends, and wildlife ensure a unique and enjoyable hiking experience.
For couples, because you can embark on an adventure together and encourage each other to experience challenges like mega zipline, wall running or rock climbing together with fun.
For singles, because you can enjoy complete peace and quiet in the extensive forest areas in the mountains and valleys and go on a personal discovery tour, or meet like-minded active people at the many action-packed excursion destinations.
Right next to the Rappbode Dam, you can cross the 458,5-meter-long "Titan-RT" by Harzdrenalin, 100 meters above the Bode reservoir, and enjoy breathtaking views of the Harz mountain peaks. Crossing the bridge requires a little courage. The facility meets all applicable safety standards. For those seeking a more thrilling experience, the "GigaSwing," located directly below the Titan-RT, is described by its operators as one of the most spectacular pendulum jumps in Europe.
Another superlative experience at the Rappbode Dam in the Harz Mountains is offered by Harzdrenalin, one of Europe's largest double zip lines, 120 meters above the abyss. Here, after prior arrangement, you can zip headfirst along a 1.000-meter-long steel cable to the other side of the dam. A helmet camera can be used to record the experience, so even the most reluctant members of your travel group can share in the adventure afterward.
Secured in a special harness, you'll "walk" face down, at your own pace, 43 meters down the dam wall of the Wendefurth Reservoir. It takes a bit of courage, but it'll give you an adrenaline rush you won't soon forget! Once you reach the bottom, you can look back up to the starting point and be justifiably proud of yourself. As proof, you can have yourself filmed here or capture the incredible perspectives of your descent with an action camera mounted on your helmet.
The Harz Mountains are a popular destination for cyclists because our beautiful landscape is best experienced on two wheels. Our town is an ideal starting point for exploring the region by bike. You can directly access the European long-distance cycle route R1, the Harz-Aller Cycle Route, the Holtem Cycle Route, and the Mobi-Harz routes. Furthermore, you have access to the "Volksbank Arena" mountain bike network from here.
If you arrive with your own bicycle, you can store it in our lockable bicycle room . We also work with a bicycle rental company ; please feel free to ask us about this.
With the free BlankenBike app, you're always on the right track. It provides an overview of the cycle path network and numerous destinations in Blankenburg and the surrounding area. The app also allows you to calculate your personal CO2 footprint.
In the heart of the legendary Bode Valley, thrill-seeking mountain bikers will find a unique downhill experience. The chairlift at the Rosstrappe in Thale takes you and your bike up to the downhill track, which then descends 250 meters over 2 kilometers into the Bode Valley. The Harz Mountains offer seven more varied trails along narrow, root-strewn paths through rugged rocky valleys, featuring impressive viewpoints.
On a Segway tour with Harzdrenalin, you can explore the diverse landscapes and towns of the Harz Mountains in a completely new way after intensive instruction and safety training. With swift, gliding movement and intuitive body control through weight shifting, this tour offers fun for young and young-at-heart alike.
The valley station in Thale and the surrounding mountain ranges, including the Hexentanzplatz (accessible by cable car) and the Roßtrappe (reachable by chairlift), offer a wealth of experiences for the whole family. The Harzbob summer toboggan run lets you race down approximately 1.000 meters at speeds of up to 40 km/h. At the mini-golf course below the cable car station, 18 lovingly designed courses await you in a stunning setting. The fun park and the "fun island" at the valley station, with their many attractions, offer plenty of fun and exercise.
The Blankenburg climbing forest in the Harz Mountains near the Teufelsmauer (Devil's Wall) with a 150 m cable car, a climbing wall and various courses, also for children, invites you to an adventure between masts and trees.
In the Thale climbing forest, right next to the valley station of the chairlift to the Roßtrappe, you can climb on over 110 elements between the trees, cross wobbly bridges, swing on ropes, jump into nets and balance on tires and beams.
Do you dream of reaching the summit under your own power, conquering legendary rock formations, and then proudly enjoying the unparalleled view? Climbing in the great outdoors is about overcoming fears and pushing your limits. The Harz Mountains, with their diverse routes of varying difficulty, offer ideal climbing opportunities for beginners and professionals alike. The Steinbachtal climbing area near the Hexentanzplatz (Witches' Dance Floor) offers fantastic views, and courses in abseiling and belaying techniques are also available. In the more challenging Okertal climbing area in the Upper Harz, experienced climbers will find numerous very high granite cliffs. Climbing is also possible on sections of the Teufelsmauer (Devil's Wall), a steep, layered ridge of Heidelberg sandstone, near Blankenburg.
Experience a little thrill with a ride on a monster scooter, an oversized, knobby-tired kick scooter equipped with disc brakes. Visitors aged 10 and up can rent a monster scooter at the Wurmberg cable car valley station in Braunlage and then take the cable car up to 971 meters. The approximately 4,5-kilometer-long downhill run takes you over rocks and roots into the valley, covering a vertical drop of 411 meters. Treat yourself to this adventure – be a kid again!
Right in the flower town of Blankenburg, you'll find a Nordic walking center with special routes of varying difficulty. Information about the routes to the Luisenburg ruins, Regenstein Fortress, and Michaelstein Monastery, as well as Nordic walking pole rentals, can be found at the tourist information office directly opposite our castle hotel.
The fantastic Harz region is, of course, also ideal for hiking, offering a huge selection of trails through ancient forests, along the Teufelsmauer (Devil's Wall) or the Bode River, all the way up to mountain peaks with magnificent views. We've compiled all the information you need about hiking here on our hiking page.
In Wendefurth near Thale, you can rent a pedal boat, a rowboat, or a dragon boat and cruise between the Wendefurth dam and the Rappbode Dam, which boasts the highest dam in Germany. Whether you prefer a leisurely pace or a full-throttle adventure, explore the reservoir and enjoy the stunning natural scenery.
The 18-hole Harz Golf Club in Bad Harzburg offers ideal conditions for both beginners and advanced players. The rolling landscape, impressive old trees, former stud farm meadows, and idyllic water hazards create a stunning setting in the Harz Mountains, perfect for a round of golf.
If you and your partner enjoy a good game of tennis, we recommend a match during your holiday in the Harz Mountains. In Blankenburg, you can work up a sweat on the four clay courts at the Blankenburg Tennis Club (TC eV). They also offer coaching sessions and racket rentals. Our team at the castle hotel will be happy to put you in touch with the Blankenburg Tennis Club.
Your refreshment is guaranteed on hot summer days in the Harz Mountains' waters! Experience pure bathing fun or tone your muscles and endurance while swimming at the Thale Water World, the Wernigerode Forest Bath, the Hasselfelde Forest Lake Bath, or the Halberstadt Leisure and Sports Centre.
For divers, the ponds and reservoirs in the Harz Mountains offer fascinating treasures. Popular diving areas include the gravel pits in the Harz foothills with their very clear water, the Sundhäuser See with its sunken fishing cutter wrecks, the Möwensee with its schools of perch and thousands of crayfish, and the challenging diving area in the Schwarzwasser section of the Oker Reservoir.
Around the Harz National Park, anglers will find numerous clear mountain lakes, trout ponds, reservoirs, tranquil rivers, and cold mountain streams. The Veckenstedt fish farm, on the northern edge of the Harz Mountains, about 12 km from Wernigerode, offers three ponds in a beautiful, peaceful location with views of the Brocken massif, where you can fish for rainbow trout, salmon trout, zander, brook trout, carp, pike, and eel, among other species. Trout, in particular, thrive in the crystal-clear waters of the Bode River – a true paradise for fly fishermen! To fish in the Bode, you must purchase a guest fishing permit from the Treseburg Tourist Information Office.
The Harz Mountains, Germany's northernmost low mountain range, boast numerous peaks reaching up to 1.141 meters (Brocken), making them ideal for winter sports. Cross-country skiers and ski tourers can indulge their passion on approximately 500 kilometers of groomed trails through the snow-covered forests of the Harz, taking a break at one of the many cozy forest inns and mountain huts along the way. Modern cable cars, chairlifts, and drag lifts, as well as mountain restaurants, alpine huts, and even illuminated slopes, make the Harz an excellent downhill skiing destination for all skiers and snowboarders. Ski rental shops, ski and snowboard schools, and après-ski venues are also plentiful in the Harz. And if no snowfall is expected, snowmaking systems ensure the perfect amount of snow on the mountain. In addition, the Harz offers several facilities where you can enjoy ice skating, ice hockey, ice discos, or curling, providing plenty of icy fun. Numerous toboggan runs, some with lifts, offer exhilarating winter fun for the whole family. You can warm up in our wellness area with saunas or with a visit to the nearby Bodetal Therme spa in Thale.
Enjoy 4 nights, pay for only 3! When you book 4 nights directly through our website, we'll give you one night free. Offer subject to availability. GET INFORMATION & BOOK NOW!
