AugustusTours: Circular hiking tour Elbe Sandstone Mountains

AugustusTours GmbH & Co. KG
Proprietor: Anke Herrmann
Turnerweg 6
01097 Dresden

• Day 1: Individual journey to Bad Schandau
• Use the afternoon for a short stroll through the tranquil spa town.
• Day 2: Bad Schandau - Brand - Hohnstein - Rathen spa town (approx. 18 km, approx. 6 h)
• After the first ascent of today's stage, enjoy the breathtaking panoramic views. Continue over the Brand steps to the balcony of Saxon Switzerland, the Brand. Passing Hohnstein Castle and the Amselsee lake, you reach the spa town of Rathen.
• Day 3: Circular hike Rathen spa town - Bastei - Rauenstein - Rathen/Königstein spa town (approx. 11 km, approx. 4 h)
• Your day begins with the ascent to the Bastei rock with the famous Bastei bridge. The route continues over the Höllengrund to Stadt Wehlen. You hike back to Rathen via the Rauenstein table mountain or on to Königstein (depending on hotel availability).
• Day 4: Rathen/Königstein spa town - Königstein Fortress - Pfaffenstein - Gohrisch spa town (approx. 17 km, approx. 5.5 h)
• After spending the night in Rathen, you ascend via Weißig to Königstein Fortress, the largest fortress in Europe. On easy forest paths you reach the Pfaffenstein with the famous Barbarine rock needle. Enjoy a beautiful view of the famous Lilienstein. Via the Muselweg you soon reach the pretty spa town of Gohrisch, which is situated in a quiet, wooded location.
• Day 5: Circular hike to the Lilienstein from/to the spa town of Gohrisch (approx. 11 km, approx. 4 h)
• Today's breathtaking hike takes you from Gohrisch to the Lilienstein, the landmark of Saxon Switzerland.
• Day 6: Spa town of Gohrisch - Papststein - Krippen/Bad Schandau (approx. 10 km, approx. 4 h)
• The region around Gohrisch is known as the realm of stones. After a leisurely run across the plateau, you first climb Gohrisch and then Papststein. You pass the Kleinhennersdorf caves and reach the Liethen valley with the old mill shortly before Krippen.
• Overnight stay in Krippen or Bad Schandau
• Day 7: Bad Schandau/Krippen - Schrammsteine - Kirnitzschtal (approx. 14 km, approx. 4.5 h)
• Today you hike to the Schrammsteine. There are some steep climbs and metal steps to negotiate. You walk on forest paths along the Affensteig trail and then follow the Malerweg trail to the Lichtenhain waterfall. From here, you can take the traditional Kirnitzschtal railway or the hiking bus back to Bad Schandau.
• Day 8: Individual return journey

IMPORTANT!

The routes indicated in the itinerary are purely hiking stages. The accommodation locations may differ from the starting and finishing points of the hikes depending on availability.