In the German Bavarian Alps resides a small scenic town called Berchtesgaden, which is near the Germany-Austria border. Our self-guided tour of Berchtesgaden was scheduled as part of a day trip from Salzburg which is only 30 km away. Berchtesgaden is a major tourist draw and it is renowned for two attractions, the Kehlsteinhaus (also known as the Eagle's Nest) and Konigsee.

For those familiar with the history of World War 2 or the popular TV series Band of Brothers, Kehlsteinhaus probably needs no further introduction. For the uninitiated though, Kehlsteinhaus is a house built specially for the infamous German dictator Hitler as a birthday present. The house sits atop the peak of the mountain Kehlstein which stands at just below 2000 m. During World War 2 and towards the end of the Band of Brothers series, Kehlsteinhaus was one of the final and main objectives of the allies. Despite the war, Kehlsteinhaus was left unmolested and today, it has become a historical site and popular tourist destination.

Due to its lofty location at the peak of the mountain Kehlstein, there are only two ways of getting to Kehlsteinhaus from the foot of the mountain; public buses or by foot. Private vehicles are not allowed to travel up the mountain roads. Therefore, the only comfortable option for a leisure tourist is to make the ascent via the specialized tour buses. Tickets can be bought at the ticketing office located at the foot of the mountain. The timing for the return journey from Kehlsteinhaus has to be specified as well, and as these buses are the only mechanized transport along the mountain roads, failure to adhere to the return bus timing may result in unnecessary delay when one decides to descend from Kehlsteinhaus. For the adventurous, the only other alternative is to hike up the mountain via a footpath. At the upper heights of the mountain, a short walk into a tunnel will bring you to an elevator which will then lift you straight up to the interior of Kehlsteinhaus.

At present day, a restaurant operates within the Eagle's Nest and for those who are interested in the heritage of the building can pay for a guided tour. Otherwise, tourists are allowed to roam freely outside the main building. As I stepped out of the relative sheltered comfort of the building, I was slapped by waves of cold breeze. The visibility though, was clear and the views were astounding.

Standing near the top of this part of the Alps, the grandeur of the mountains make a person seem so insignificant. They were all green in some stretches, and rocky on others. The mountains, lined with the remnants of snow left over from winter season were mesmerizing. In the distance, the legendary lake, Konigsee was partially visible. The majestic mountains, the vastness of the horizons, and the elegance and pureness of the lake Konigsee seemed to enhance and accentuate their individual beauty. It was truly a “Kodak” moment for many of those armed with the latest camera technology as the vantage point of the peak provided numerous photo-taking opportunities, no matter which way you turn or look.

After the initial exhilaration, the bitter cold of the mountain air struck us but we could do nothing about it as we were already dressed to the occasion, including gloves and scarves for some of us. Exploring the width of the peak, we were not surprised to see that the mountain was packed with people, as previously we had to queue for quite some time while queuing for the elevator. It soon became clear that a picture can really speak a thousand words, or even more.

Our time on Eagle's Nest soon expired and the descent down the mountain provided further photo-taking opportunities as there were allocated areas for buses to stop and allow people to capture the moment. It was a nice thought by travel operators, as the meandering mountain roads, riddled with hairpin turns, offers impressive sights for those not averse to the alpine heights.

After some bus transfers and shortly after, we arrived at our next destination, Konigsee. It was previously visible from the Kehlsteinhaus but now, standing on the edge of the lake, it brings out an entirely new experience; panoramic views of the lake and mountains, as far as the eyes could see. The lake is a gem set amongst the mountains of Berchtesgaden and it was beyond doubt, the most beautiful lake I have ever seen.

The imagery of Konigsee is frankly, beyond metaphors and its natural beauty has been very well-preserved despite the influx of tourists to the area. The Konigsee spans a length of about 8 km and a boat ride, which happens to be the only form of transport on the lake, is mandatory if one wishes to explore the areas along it. To preserve the purity and ecology of the lake, the boats are powered by electricity. While I was not surprised by the quietness of the electric boat, I quickly observed that most people are silent as well, which is not normally expected from a tourist boat filled to capacity. Everyone must be captivated by the peace and serenity of the boat ride on the Konigsee which is surrounded on both sides by towering alpine cliffs. Also, there seemed to be something quiescent and sedate in the impression Kongisee makes on the mind as it appears so insulated from the world by the towering Alps.

There are numerous stops along Konigsee that one can choose to alight, but the most popular ones are at St. Bartholoma and Salet. Shortly before the first stop at St. Bartholoma, the boat came to a complete halt in the middle of the lake and what happens after further allures us to the scenic charm. The guide positioned his body out of the boat and proceeded to play a simple tune on his trumpet. Because of the location of the lake, the tunes rebounded off the cliff walls and everyone was amazed by the simple but yet enthralling performance. After the performance, it was as commercial as it gets, as the guide proceeded to collect tips from everyone in the boat.

We alighted at the first stop at St. Bartholoma, which is home to an old but world-famous pilgrimage church. In the ancient days, the surrounding open area was a hunting ground for the Bavarian kings. Today, one can visit an “ice chapel” that never melts, or participate in a nature tour led by a national park ranger. Without time and an adventurous mind, we were content to just explore the areas proximate to the jetty. The clean air, cool weather and beautiful location makes it a perfect place to relax.

After about an hour, we embarked on the second leg of our boat ride to the furthest point of Konigsee at Salet. At Salet, there are marvelous views of several waterfalls. A fifteen minutes walk from the jetty will bring you to another smaller lake, Obersee. While Obersee could hardly be compared to Konigsee, it was nevertheless beautiful in its own right. In contrast to Konigsee which was aggressively commercialized (albeit preserving its natural beauty), there were no commercial activities taking place at Obersee. Children were left to splash around the shallow and clear waters around the edge, and a tiny hut built on the lake a short distance from the shore provide a perfect photo-taking opportunity against the backdrop of Obersee and the mountains.

This concludes the end of our Berchtesgaden tour and to surmise, Berchtesgaden is a very beautiful place and no words or metaphors, however descriptive, can do justice to the beauty and charm of the area. For a casual tourist who is only interested in sightseeing, a day trip is sufficient to explore both Kehlsteinhaus and Konigsee. However, if one wishes to trek up the Kehlsteinhaus, or to visit the ice chapel at Konigsee, then in that case a day is probably insufficient to visit both places.

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