Walking in Oberammergau

A transfer (90 mins) is provided from Munich airport to your hotel in Oberammergau (subject to a minimum of 2 people booked on a departure in total). Stay: Hotel Landhaus Feldmeier (D).

You start the day with a short (15 mins) ride on the little red train to Bad Kohlgrub. From here, you walk through the rolling Ammer Valley's string of sleepy farming villages - Unterammergau, in particular, has a splendid Rococo church. Then head across the Pulvermoos, a wildlife sanctuary and habitat for 60 bird species including corncrake, dipper, whinchat and even snipe. Staying at Hotel Landhaus Feldmeier. Optional shorter walk: 2. 5hrs, distance 9km/6mi (B).

Today you take the cable car to the top of the Laber (1685m) for panoramic views of Germany's highest mountain - the Zugspitze (2962m) - and the Austrian Alps beyond. You then wind your way down through cool pine forests to the village of Ettal. After lunch, visit the amazing C14 former Benedictine monastery, an outstanding example of Bavarian Baroque architecture. Return on an easy path along the pretty valley, passing the Barenhohle cave where there's a figure of the resurrected Christ. Staying at Hotel Landhaus Feldmeier. Optional shorter walk: 4hrs, distance 12km/7. 5mi (B).

Staffelsee is one of the larger of the many picturesque blue lakes dotted around this part of Bavaria. This beautiful stretch of water offers easy walking along the shoreline with plenty of swimming opportunities. Stop off in the attractive riverside village of Uffing (the boat landing station is a fantastic place for lunch and offers magnificent views of the lake backed by mountains). In the afternoon, either relax in the sun on the panorama deck of the little lake cruiser (pay locally), passing hidden coves and the lake's 7 islands (one even has its own tiny chapel), or return on foot along the quiet side of the lake. Staying at Hotel Landhaus Feldmeier. Optional shorter walk: 3. 5hrs, distance 12km/7. 5mi 3 options: walking time 3. 5hr, distance 12km/7. 5mi or walking time 5hr, distance 18km/11. 5mi or walking time 6hr, distance 22km/14mi (B).

Today's walk includes an unmissable visit to Schloss Linderhof, the gloriously over-the-top Rococo palace built by Mad King Ludwig in 1878, inspired by Louis XIV's chateau in Versailles. There are gorgeous French and Italianate terraced gardens and a golden fountain which erupts once every hour with a 30m plume of water. Return to the hotel along a tranquil path which winds back down the Linder Valley, through the village of Graswang with its beautifully preserved old farmhouses and pretty 17th century frescoed church. Staying at Hotel Landhaus Feldmeier. Optional shorter walk: 1. 5hrs, distance 6km/4mi (B).

The tour itself ends here after breakfast. A transfer back to Munich Airport is included (subject to a minimum of 2 people booked on a departure in total) (B).