Have you ever been into a Gorge ? ( or Klamm in Deutsch)

I’ve been spelunking 2,500 feet underground inside the caves in the Philippines and hiking through waterfalls but I have no idea what is a Gorge! I had to google it first when I was looking for something to see in GaPa. Personally, this is my very first encounter with this unique nature wonder . Luckily, this summer we were able to see the flaming mountains in Mittenwald and explored around again the Zugspitze area in GaPa or also known as Garmisch-Partenkirchen . GaPa is another beautiful Bavarian city that is well-known magnet for Ski enthusiasts and winter sports because of the Zugspitze (the highest peak in Germany 2,962 m). It’s only approx. 2.5 hours drive from Ingolstadt, Bavaria thru A9 and A95 and only an hour trip if you’ll be coming from Munich!

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Our summer this year were mostly into nature, mostly wandering in beautiful valleys and playing tourists! We grabbed the opportunity to do short trips because its Sommerferien here in South Germany ( Bavaria), my daughter had almost 3 weeks vacation ! Me and my husband divided our vacation days to stay with her while the Kindergarten is closed and in between the weeks, we both had vacation days from work. We’ve been trekking mountains, admiring glaciers and exploring the giant Alpine water reservoirs with my Little traveller , cruised into historical rivers and visited the oldest Monastery , following torquoise -blue lakes, soaking into the mighty waterfalls, and not but not the least–hiked through glorious Gorges- the Partnachklamm!

Visiting this gorge should be on your bucket list if you’re around Munich or southern Germany. The 5 Euros entrance fee is totally worth it. I’ll share with you some pictures I’ve took from our hike but I think photos don’t do justice when you see it personally. Now I understand why it is being visited by roughly 200,000 people every year!

First I did my research because I cannot really write about things I don’t know. So if you’re willing to learn something from Geography, here it is.

What is a GORGE exactly?

A gorge is a narrow steep valley formed millions dinosaur years ago and usually a powerful river flows and cut through the rocks and forms deep incisions. They’re like gaps in between mountain rocks! A walk inside a Gorge will leave you speechless and you will really cramped your neck looking up high and ogling through the narrow slits and limestone rocks! If you look closely at the rock textures, you would be amazed from the amount of beautiful changes it went through to be in its state now. They even found numerous fossils on the rocks so imagine the living things that thrived all through those centuries in this place. But just imagine the amount of water that gushed through these rocks!

Partnachklamm is the most famous Gorge in Bavaria. It lies in the Reintal Valley in GaPa and strategically located near the Olympic Ski Stadium in Garmisch-Partenkirchen . This stadium is quite famous for Winter Olympics 1936 and this is where they held the Winter Olympics long time ago (yes, during the Nazi regime ) ! You can even see where Hitler stood to watch the games. The gorge is 702 metres long and, in places, over 80 metres deep. It was designated a natural monument in 1912.

I need to mention it here because this is actually the place where we managed to park. Going to the Partnachklamm from the Ski Stadium is reachable only by walking ( ON FOOT!) around 2 km for half an hour doable hiking. We actually enjoyed the scenery going to the Gorge, it was quite peaceful, and the sound of the waters is really relaxing. If you feel lazy or challenged, then you can also take the horse -drawn carriage for 5 Euros per person. We took this option on our way back to the car because it was raining and it would be a challenge for my parents-in-law to walk again and my daughter is already whining because she is tired.

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It’s really a beautiful experience for all of us. So imagine my wonder when I’ve seen these massive walls of rocks with the massive thundering sound of water gush. It was deafening, intimidating, and overwhelmingly beautiful. I am appalled that beautiful things are always hidden and you really need to exert an effort to find them.

One thing, the water’s color is crazy beautiful! For almost an hour, all I can hear is its thundering gush. The showers and foaming vapors in rage and the color changes from clear to icy bluish then greenish and torquoise are really unforgettable! I have read that when rocks weathered down through times, the minerals from the rocks are dissolved and small pieces are released into the water causing color changes. Iron, manganese, and calcium carbonate from limestone rocks can cause the water to change colors.It is a long natural metamorphosis. I have observed this as well when we were in Kaprun in the Hochgebirgsstauseen and watching the Salzsach river in Salzburg.

Experiencing the Partnachklamm with my 5 year old is also very special as she is so bewildered by the stones and walking in darkness. The trail going to the Gorge is safe for all ages, properly marked and with guide railings. The only thing that I regret was I wore the wrong shoes! My poor white shoes was a total fail! I was not prepared with the right shoes but at least I have a waterproof jacket on because we were drenched by the showers and water splashes.

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If you’re around GaPa, make sure you pass by to Partnachklamm and be amazed by this natural setting. Another adventure is to experience it in Winter where the frozen water formations is something different. Seeing the icy stalactites is also something on my list.It is a great family excursion to combine with other activities you can enjoy around the Zugspitze region. If you’re ambitious and in good shape, you can continue on for another eight or nine hours to the glacier near the top of the Zugspitze!

If you are interested on doing a hike through the Gorge, you can check it in Here for more details on opening times and prices. Other interesting places to combine with this activity can be found Here.

Now I can’t forget how I celebrated my birthday this year.What a threat indeed. Partnachklamm, you are beautiful!

How about you, what family adventures you’ve been doing lately?

Interested to explore all the Gorges in Bavaria? Check out this informative article Here, also what do you think of this piece of Art?

Thank you for dropping by, and see you next time in my next Expat adventure! Tschüss!