Excursions in the southern Sauerland

The best tips for excursion destinations in the Sauerland

The Sauerland is a very wooded region with high recreational value.
The region in the southeast of North Rhine-Westphalia is criss-crossed by many small streams and rivers and offers great opportunities for hiking, cycling or water sports. Visit historical castles and palaces, lovingly restored half-timbered houses and gain an insight into a long mining tradition.
The most famous attractions undoubtedly include the stalactite caves, the passenger boat trip on the Biggesee, the Karl May Festival in Elspe and the Panoramapark Sauerland. But there is much more to marvel at here. A small selection:

The Atta cave in Attendorn
The stalactite cave in the Atta cave in the Sauerland inspires with its splendor of colors and diversity. The cave near Attendorn is one of the most beautiful and largest accessible stalactite caves in Germany. It is 6,770 m long; a third of it is open to the public. The temperature here is a constant 9°C all year round.

The Sauerland Caves
Unique nature experiences in the Sauerland are waiting to be discovered by you. It is not for nothing that the Sauerland is called the land of 1,000 mountains and caves.
In addition to the Attahöhle, the Dechenhöhle in Iserlohn, the Balverhöhle in Balve and Bildsteinhöhle in Warstein are also very interesting. The five show caves also include the Reckenhöhle in Balve and the Heinrichshöhle. It is worth your while visiting these caves!

The PanoPark in the Sauerland
The PanoPark is a leisure, family and panorama wildlife park with numerous attractions. In the wildlife park you can marvel at wolves, lynxes and raccoons' bison as well as red deer and wild boar are also crowd pullers. There is plenty of fun on the summer toboggan run, giant trampoline and the giant “wave rider” slides.
Of course there are also playgrounds for the little ones.

The Galileo Park in the Sauerland
The seven pyramids of the Galileo Park are visible from afar above the Lennetal.
The knowledge and puzzle park is a fascinating destination for families. Put your knowledge to the test in the exciting scientific exhibitions. The focus is always on learning while having fun.

The Biggesee in the Sauerland
The 895 hectare Biggesee between Attendorn and Olpe is one of the Sauerland's leisure hot spots. The lake is a real attraction thanks to countless leisure activities and a huge range of water sports. Hikers and cyclists will also get their money's worth here, as there is an extensive network of trails around the lake. You can go sailing, fishing, diving or soaking up the sun in the beach resorts.

Sauerland lakes
In addition to the Biggesee, the Sauerland has other lakes with high recreational value to offer. The four large lakes Diemelsee, Möhnesee, Hennesee and Sorpesee with their beautiful nature are ideal vacation destinations. The clear water of the Möhnsee, but also the long-distance hiking trail "Sauerland-Waldroute", which grazes the south bank, is perfect to enjoy.

Karl May Festival in Elspe
On one of the largest open-air stages in Germany in Lennestadt-Elspe, the Karl May Festival attracts thousands and thousands of Winnetou fans every year. The Western Railway is also an attraction. The stage offers 4,000 seats and protects its visitors from wind and weather by an impressive roof structure. The acrobatic stunts and horse shows inspire people of all ages.
More tips for excursions in the heart of the Sauerland

The "Siciliaschacht" Mining Museum, Meggen
The mining facilities in Lennestadt-Meggen were in operation for more than 140 years. For a long time they were one of the world's most important zinc ore and pebble pits. In 1992 the deposits were largely exhausted, and there were cheaper ore mining options. Anyone interested in mining technology has come to the right place.

Lennestadt City Museum
The Lennestadt City Museum is small but nice. A lovingly arranged exhibition provides information about village life in the Sauerland in the 19th century. The influence of railways and mining are also discussed.

Lennestadt exercise and nature park
Lennestadt-Saalhausen is an idyllic climatic health resort with a remarkable exercise park. Refreshing water adventures on the Lenne, new Kneipp facilities with hammocks and the beautiful Lenne balconies beckon here. In the health resort of Oberhunden, visitors can also tread water using the Kneipp method and play a round of mini golf.

Observation tower on the Weilenscheid
An observation tower was built on the hilltop of Weilenscheid in 1938, which burned down in the last days of the war, but was rebuilt in 1997.
After 60 steps you reach the observation deck of the tower.
You can easily get to Weilenscheid (481 m) via the village of Elspe.

Altena Castle
The picturesque Altena Castle is the perfect destination for all knightly romantics.
It is one of the most beautiful hilltop castles in the country and has a history of over 900 years.
Over this period, the weir system has been heavily modified several times. The youth hostel built in 1914 is still in its original state. Visitors are even allowed to try out the beds from back then.
The adventure lift takes you barrier-free from Altena directly to the castle courtyard.