Baden-Wuerttemberg is ideally suited for canoeing. There is the right canoe tour for every taste: from sparkling mountain rivers to leisurely river courses. The infrastructure in Baden-Wuerttemberg also invites you to paddle: Overnight stays directly on the river are just as easy as arriving, transferring or carrying over at weirs.
A canoe – no matter if canadier or kayak, a tent and a waterproof container with suitable clothes and provisions: you don’t need much more for a successful boat trip over several days. The nature experience is something very special – while paddling on the river you will experience the landscape from an unexpected, new perspective.
Route planning for canoeing
If you are planning a canoe tour lasting several days, there are countless possibilities in Baden-Wuerttemberg, from sporty to leisurely. Route descriptions including the degree of difficulty can be found online as well as in various boat guides. It is important that you set yourself a realistic goal:
- Do you want a sporty challenge or a more leisurely drift?
- How fast is the river flowing?
- What kind of boat do you want to use?
- Allow for a bit of a buffer!
So how many kilometers you cover per day is very personal. For beginners, 15-20 kilometers per day is a pretty good guideline. At the end of the day, paddling is not about counting miles, it’s about enjoying them!
Tatonka tip: Waterway maps give you information about the different routes in your desired region and help you plan daily stages. They also give you information about flow speeds. They are available both online and in printed form.
Also interesting: Basic knowledge: Paddling the Canadian Canoe
Spending the night while canoeing in Baden-Wuerttemberg
On a canoe tour lasting several days, it is a good idea to spend the night in a tent. Although wild camping is prohibited in Germany, there are numerous legal overnight accommodations on most rivers:
Tent and camping sites
Where there are beautiful spots along the water, a campground is usually not far away. If a campground is located on a river, it often has its own dock or even its own boat rental. The infrastructure there offers canoeists the best comfort, sanitary facilities are available as well as various refreshment facilities. At the same time, the nature experience is probably the least pronounced here.
Boat rest areas
Along busy rivers there are often so-called boat rest areas. Usually they are very simple and close to nature: a simple tent meadow directly at the river, a small sanitary facility as well as a drinking water tap. Many of these places are free of charge, at others a caretaker comes by every day and collects about five euros per night.
DKV canoe stations
Many canoe clubs offer overnight accommodations for boaters on their premises. The prerequisite is that you are a member of the German Canoe Association (DKV). You should also register in advance. Chances are good that you will meet like-minded people and spend a sociable evening. Contact details and the DKV water guide can be found on the website of the Baden-Wuerttemberg Canoe Association (just in German).
Tour 1: Boat Hiking from Hausen im Tal to Sigmaringen
The “young Danube”, which flows through Baden-Wuerttemberg, is still a rather tranquil river there. However, this does not at all mean that it is boring. Exposed rock faces of white Jurassic limestone rise up to 200 meters on the banks of the Danube near Hausen im Tal.
The reason for this special landscape is the Swabian Alb. “Danube breakthrough” is the name of the section and that is exactly what happens here: The Danube breaks through the rocks of the low mountain range and provides impressive rock formations with constant flow.
Protect your equipment and clothing with our ultra-lightweight and waterproof packsacks. Available in different sizes and colors or as a set.
On the section between Hausen and Sigmaringen there are two campsites, numerous fireplaces and plenty of places to stop for refreshments. So the area is well prepared for boat hikers. And if you need solid ground after a while, you can visit one of the sights in the area. Numerous castle ruins here are reminders of times gone by.
The Danube Valley Tourist Information (website just in German) provides information about boat rentals, accommodations and everything else you need to know about canoeing on the young Danube.
Tour 2: Canoeing on the Tauber from Tauberrettersheim to Wertheim
The canoe tour from Tauberrettersheim to Wertheim offers 70 kilometers of pure paddling pleasure through the idyllic Tauber valley. On some sections you will feel like you are in a primeval forest. With a little luck, you may spot kingfishers or traces of beavers. Grey herons are almost a daily sight along the Tauber. This tour can also be done by families in three days. However, the canoe must be transferred at some weirs. Depending on the water level, the Tauber can be somewhat shallow and rocky at the beginning of the tour near Weikersheim.
You can camp along the river in Rothenburg, Igersheim, Mergentheim and Reichholzheim. So you can arrange the tour according to your wishes.
The journey is possible by train or by car. Due to the connection to the railway network you can get back to your starting point stress-free by public transport after the paddle tour.
An overview of canoe rentals along the route can be found at the tourist information office “Liebliches Taubertal”.
Tour 3: Canoe tour on the Enz and Neckar rivers
Our third canoe tour is waiting for you near Stuttgart. You can paddle on the Enz and Neckar rivers from Mühlacker to Lauffen. You have a total of 50 kilometers at your disposal, which you can divide up as you wish. You can also choose to start in Bietigheim and complete the tour in two days.
The Enz is idyllic at first, the river is often quite narrow and its banks densely overgrown. The river is ideally suited for families. The Neckar, on the other hand, is much wider and the scenery with its vineyards on the river banks is also very impressive.
If you want to rent a canoe, there are several providers to choose from: “Die Zugvögel” or the “Kanuverleih im Hexenwinkel”. You can book multi-day tours with these providers, which also include an overnight stay at a campsite on the riverbank. For those who do not want to sleep in a tent, there are also other accommodations as well as the possibility to store boats overnight.
