Partnach Gorge Waterfalls! Hiking Map and Photo Tips for Nature Enthusiasts

Partnach Gorge is a true tourist attraction in the Bavarian Alps, and it only takes 2.5 hours – and 7 kilometers – to reach it from Mountain Moment’s usual gathering place when we start a photo tour here. It all starts at Olympiahaus/Partnachklamm car park, and the award for your efforts on this easy hiking route are impressive waterfalls, beautiful mountain peaks, and endless photo opportunities.

We bring you reasons to visit, expert hiking advice, professional photo tips, and trips as a part of comprehensive photography workshops, route maps, and much more! So now:

What’s so special about this hiking route? This is what awaits you on the location

In some places in the Partnach Gorge, which is only a few meters wide, it drops more than 80 meters. The water has found its way here from the mountain peaks into the valleys. For millions of years, the flow of water has eaten its way from the Schneeferner on the Zugspitzplatt through the calcareous Wetterstein mountains.

This easy hike is the perfect opportunity for mountain photographers to brave the bad weather. Because it’s damp and dark here anyway – with subdued ambient light or even fog and snow, the pictures look even more impressive.

This 7-kilometer route can be covered in less than 3 hours.
From below or from above, the Partnach Gorge is a beautiful natural sight near Garmisch. This 7-kilometer route can be covered in less than 3 hours.

Directions! This is how your hiking adventure looks like on a map

The starting point is Garmisch-Kainzenbach train station or the Olympiahaus (car park). From here, follow the well-signposted valley road in the direction of Partnachklamm. The gorge begins at the ticket booth.

After numerous photo spots in the narrow gorge, the path ends on a forest road. In principle, you can go back via the gorge or on both sides via well-signposted hiking and forest trails.

We turn right and walk uphill along the hiking trail in the direction of the Partnach Alm. Follow the road and toboggan run downhill in the direction of Garmisch. You reach the valley path and logically go back to the starting point.

Alternative! At the end of the gorge, you can also turn left. The path leads no less wildly romantic over the Graseck back to the entrance of the gorge path. Other similar worthwhile canyons can be found in many places in the German Alps.

Alternative! At the end of the gorge, you can also turn left. The path leads no less wildly romantic over the Graseck back to the entrance of the gorge path. Other similar worthwhile canyons can be found in many places in the German Alps.
Hiking map Partnach Gorge near Garmisch Partenkirchen. An Easy hike and especially well suited for a rainy/ bad weather day in the German Alps. Start in Garmisch-Kainzenbach station.

Photo tips that will make your Instagram pop! Using the complementary colors

The Partnachklamm is typical of the numerous gorges in the German Alps – and also one of the most popular destinations! Photographers take advantage of the narrow, damp gorge best on a bad weather day. In this way, the contrasts between sky and gorge are not too strong.

Both with a wide-angle and standard zoom lens, you can look for many exciting perspectives here.

Mountain Moments Photo Workshops provide Photo Tours for everybody, Alpine Experience for beginners and intermediate-level photographers with 3 to 6-hour routes, as well as Summit Experience for more advanced photographers and hikers. We have private workshops and group classes.

The important thing is to capture the special feeling that we experience there. A person as a size comparison makes the proportions clear. Here we learn to use complementary colors: yellow-orange-red clothing contrasts particularly well with the often bluish-dark green mood lighting.

Any pro knows how to add emotion to nature photography. Here at Mountain Moments, we will share our nuggets of wisdom with you, so you can produce the portfolio of your dreams.
The Partnach Gorge on a rainy day and just a short hike from Garmisch-Partenkirchen centre is aan impressive walk. Photo: Benedikt Höhny. Any pro knows how to add emotion to nature photography. Here at Mountain Moments, we will share our nuggets of wisdom with you, so you can produce the portfolio of your dreams.

More information about your trip – from arrival to the finish line!

Arrival: A95 to Garmisch-Partenkirchen, through the town center in the direction of Austria. At the end of town, turn right to the Olympiahaus/Partnachklamm car park (subject to a charge).

Public transport: By train to Garmisch, change in the direction of Kainzenbach (train or bus) to the Olympiahaus/Kaizenbach stop, from Garmisch train station you can also walk to the starting point (approx. 30 minutes).

Difficulty: easy

Duration: 2.5 hours

Distance: 7km

Ascent/descent: 300hm/300hm

Highest/lowest point: 985m/730m

Refreshment stops: Olympiahaus, Lenz’n Hütte, Klamm Haus, Das Graseck

Start/finish: Garmisch-Partenkirchen train station Kaizenbach (coordinates: geogr. 47.482605, 11.116882) 

Special dangers: The gorge is closed if there is a risk of flooding (www.partnachklamm.de).

Tip: Plan as a bad weather alternative to the other mountain hikes described around Garmisch-Partenkirchen.

The most beautiful photo spots and hikes in the German Alps – experience this hiking tour and 29 other exceptional mountains now.

Fancy more hikes in the mountains – and beautiful photos? Get out into nature! Experience the best hikes and locations with our new book: German Alps – Photo and Hiking Guide. The 90 best Photo Locations and 30 most panoramic Hikes.

Here we have compiled the most beautiful locations and photo opportunities. 30 hikes with 90 photo spots are selected and described in such a way that you can easily experience these wonderful landscapes in Bavaria for yourself – including GPS tracks and hiking map and all other information.

You can take a closer look at the ebook here– – why not give it as a gift to someone you want to visit and p

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