Tests of courage in the lion's den

Four-and-a-half-year-old Maximilian takes another short breather. Then, holding his parents' hand, he bravely climbs the last few metres to the wrought-iron summit cross of the Hochfelln. We've done it! From the "viewing terrace of the Chiemgau" , as not only the people of Bergen call their 1,674 metre-high local mountain, you have a fantastic view when the weather is right: to the north, the Chiemgau with Lake Chiemsee, the "Bavarian Sea"; to the south, the horizon stretches far into the Central Alps with the Großvenediger and Zillertal Alps.

Time with the family

The family of Alexander, Simone and their little summiteer are treating themselves to an eventful family outing full of adventure today. The Chiemgau holiday region has plenty to offer. The combination of an educational hike around the Hochfelln summit, a visit to the natural history and mammoth museum in Siegsdorf and an end to the day with music at the KulTSommer in Traunstein is the perfect way to experience nature and discover it.

Educational trail shows the formation of the mountain giants

"What's that strange white flower?" asks Maximilian and his parents can't believe their eyes. The little man has discovered a real edelweiss on a patch of grass between the crevices in the rocks. After closely examining this strictly protected Alpine rarity , the family hikes past the Taborkircherl to the circular hiking trail on the geological nature trail.

On an easy tour of around 45 minutes , you can learn more about the formation of the Hochfelln and the former Chiemsee glacier from 22 information boards and striking landscape formations. Who knows that today's summit rocks are fossilised seabed? Our three mountain adventurers take a break on one of the numerous benches.

From the valley to the summit in 15 minutes

They savour the aroma of the mountain meadows and mountain pines and the magnificent view. "It's hard to believe that it only takes 15 minutes by cable car to get up here to this magnificent summit," enthuses Simone. This is what makes the Hochfelln so attractive for families with small children. The previous day's rain has washed away the haze from the air. The characteristic jagged line of the Wilder Kaiser stands out against the sky in the early morning sunlight, razor-sharp and close enough to touch.

Mountain air makes you hungry. And so we take the next gondola from the mountain station to the Hochfelln middle station. Here, landlady Sabine Parzinger welcomes the guests to the "Hochfellnblick" panoramic restaurant with a lovingly prepared breakfast . While the three of them laugh and bite heartily into their sandwiches, Maximilian's gaze on the sun terrace naturally doesn't miss the children's playground nearby. It goes without saying that the wooden toys and the obstacle course are put to the test. Before the gondola ride down, the excursionists are well prepared for the next item on the programme.

Grassau mountain pastures

Those who prefer to explore the impressive mountain world of the Chiemgau on foot will find the Grassauer Almen the perfect destination for a varied hike. The Grassau Alpine pastures are among the most beautiful hiking areas in the region and offer a harmonious blend of nature experience, relaxation and Bavarian hospitality. Well-signposted trails and numerous mountain huts invite you to enjoy enjoyable tours - ideal for families and nature lovers. One particularly recommended route starts at the valley station of the Hochplattenbahn cable car in Marquartstein. From there, an easily accessible forest path leads up to the Rachlalm at an altitude of 920 metres. After a short rest, the route continues to the Hufnagelalm and finally to the Hefteralm at 930 metres. There, hikers can fortify themselves with homemade specialities such as fresh cheese, crusty bread and delicious cakes. There is plenty for children to discover at the Hefteralm: In addition to cows , there are also goats and ponies grazing there, which will make your eyes light up. The entire hike offers breathtaking views of the Chiemgau and Lake Chiemsee. The varied trail leads through dense forests, past wide alpine meadows that glow in bright colours depending on the season. A particular highlight is the "Chiemseeblick" viewpoint. From here, you can enjoy a wide panoramic view of the lake and the surrounding landscape - a perfect place to savour the beauty of the region to the full.

Best preserved mammoth skeleton in Europe

It soon becomes clear why the Natural History and Mammoth Museum in neighbouring Siegsdorf is a national attraction that attracts around 50,000 visitors a year. It is not only home to the largest and best-preserved mammoth skeleton in Europe. Its bones, which are around 45,000 years old, were found not far from the site. You will also need courage if you venture into the reconstructed bear cave with the Stone Age hunters or want to take on the imposing cave lion. You can safely approach the lion in full life size in a scenically designed wall passage with Neanderthals on the hunt.

Maximilian prefers to explore the situation with his dad before venturing back into the bear cave on his own. Well done! Immediately afterwards, the next test of courage beckons: who can fearlessly climb through a hole into the wide-open mouth of the primeval basking shark full of sharp teeth to take a photo? After initially taking a deep breath and a questioning look, the little hero finally looks laughing and proudly into the face of his parents, who are watching the scene.

Insights into life in the Stone Age

But there are more than just small tests of courage to pass here. With the help of models, display boards, hands-on stations and extraordinary fossilised exhibits, visitors to the natural history and mammoth museum gain fascinating insights into 250 million years of the earth's history. Detailed paintings show the harsh life and survival of Stone Age people and animals in what was then the Chiemgau region. Everything is designed to be family-friendly.

The windows of the SteinZeitWerkstatt are like glimpses into distant times , combining landscapes, skins, flints, horns and antlers, rubbing stones, bones and fire drills to create impressive scenes. In summer, the SteinZeitGarten (StoneAgeGarden ), located directly outside, with its backdrop of a fireplace, cave and paintings, also entices visitors to travel back in time.

Adventures in the SteinZeitGarten

Especially on activity days, the place is teeming with "young Neanderthals " who try their hand at drilling stones, making dream catchers, weaving feather ribbons or searching for stones and fossils in the sand . "Come on, let's try that too," Simone encourages her men. After exhausting manual labour with a sharp flint, their patience in digging in the gravel is finally rewarded with small "treasures": Maximilian has unearthed cat gold, shark teeth and shimmering metallic gemstones . After a quick snack while baking bread on skins by the fire, this eventful visit comes to an end.

The Chiemgau holiday world shows how exciting nature excursions, culture and culinary delights can be ideally combined in six locations: In addition to Bergen and Siegsdorf , the communities of Nussdorf, Vachendorf and Surberg are also part of the network. And of course Traunstein, the "heart of Chiemgau".

Combining culture and cuisine on the "Piaz-za"

This is where our family ends the day with the relaxed sounds of music from the KulTSommer festival on the town square. Three evenings a week from June to September , the town offers guests and locals the opportunity to meet up for a cosy chat at free concerts. As in an Italian piazza, a variety of gastronomic delights, cultural enjoyment and a lively family atmosphere are combined to create an atmospheric ambience. The music ranges from brass band music , salsa and world music to rock, jazz, singer-songwriters and pop songs.

Simone, Alexander and Maximilian also enjoy the cosy end to the day in the shadow of the parish church of St. Oswald - a jewel of a building from the Baroque era. "Do you remember sitting on the summit throne and having fun?" With roast onions, schnitzel and the right drinks, the thoughts and conversations of the three of them flow easily in a cosy atmosphere.

Good humour on stage and in the audience

The good humour from the stage has long since spread to the audience in the deckchairs of the KulTSommer and in the guest gardens. It is obvious that the musicians of Bob Sattle and his "Hot Hoagascht Quartett" have fun giving jazz classics a specifically "Bavarian twist", at least lyrically. So on this evening in the Chiemgau holiday world, culture and culinary delights become a really well-rounded affair.