Eifel National Park – Fostering Natural Beauty

The Eifel National Park is the first in the area of North Rhine-Westfalia and it is the 14th national park in Germany. It is a wonderland for nature lovers with over 110 square kilometres of beautiful landscapes and is full of natural wildlife including some endangered species of plants and animals.

The International Union of Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources states that a national park must allow 75% of its area to develop naturally. This means that the park is a protectorate for wood rush and beech trees which are both native to the area.

Exploring The National Park

There is so much to see and do in the park and it would take a lot more than one visit to explore it all. Forests and lakes are mixed with grasslands and shrubs so the landscape is constantly changing. The rangers who look after the park are fully committed to making all of it sustainable and as much as possible is made accessible for visitors.

Barrier Free Travel In The Eifel National Park

One of the aims of the rangers and the bodies who are keen to promote tourism in the park is to make it available to everyone. Staff are keen to help anyone with a disability to get the most out of their experience as a visitor and this policy also extends to the local hotels.

The Information Centre At Eifel

The staff at the Information Centre at Eifel National Park are keen to help everyone who comes to visit. You can find all the information you need about tours and programmes that are on offer from the knowledgeable guides and rangers.

Organised Walks And Trails

Rangers will organise walks and if you are very fit you can try the hike along the Wilderness Trail. Starting in the south at Monschau-Höfen, the trail goes north across all kinds of terrain and lasts for four days.

Of course, you can do this as an independent hiker but often it is nicer to enjoy the company of like minded souls who love the great outdoors. An arranged hike will take care of the accommodation aspects and all you need to do is take part in an amazing experience at the Eifel National Park. Exploring the surreal wilderness of the park might just encourage a love of the outdoors that you will never lose.

Where To Stay At The Eifel National Park

Zauberhof 10-7-2

The Zauberhof 10-7-2 is an historic 300 year old building that offers holiday homes for visitors to the Eifel National Park. It is 2.18 kilometres from the park and has every modern amenity you could want from flat screen TV to a complimentary bottle of wine on arrival. Apartments each have a terrace and guests can use the barbecue area. There are restaurants just two minutes drive from the apartments.

Ferienwohnung Dürbaum

Ferienwohnung Dürbaum is a four star holiday apartment situated 6.89 kilometres from the entrance to the park and has views overlooking the scenic area. It is fully equipped and guests can cook their own meals or dine out in one of the restaurants that are nearby. Close to the cycling paths in the forest and near to the border with Belgium, the apartment also has good transport links for Cologne.

Der Seehof

A four star hotel overlooking Lake Rursee, the Der Seehof has both rooms and suites. Choose one with a private balcony and enjoy a drink while you gaze at the lake or sit on the summer terrace. Each morning you will get a rich breakfast buffet with lots of choice. There is a self service restaurant that is open all day and the hotel is 7.8 kilometres from the park.

How To Get To Eifel National Park

By Air

Frankfurt airport is 80 kilometres away from Eifel National Park and the airport at Cologne is 72 kilometres. From Cologne there are regional trains that run every hour and the route by road is easy using the motorway network.

By Train

Take a regional train from Cologne airport (Flughafen) to Cologne HBF (main station) then a train to Duren where you change to a train to Bahnhof and then finally a bus to Wilder Kermeter, Heimbach. You will end up just a five minute walk to the park. Alternatively, take a train from Cologne to Kall and then change to a bus to Gemünd Mitte, Schleiden. It is a 10 minute walk to the park.

By Road

There are four motorways that can be used to get to the park. Take the A1 from Cologne and exit at 111 Wißkirchen. Then use the B266 into Gemünd and follow signposts to the park.

Buses from Cologne using the 63, 231, SB82 and 829 all stop at Gemünd Mitte, Schleiden and from there it is a 10 minute walk to the park.

Attractions Close by To The Eifel National Park

The Rursee River And Rur Lake

Boat trips on the river and lake run from April until October every year. This is wonderful way to see the beautiful scenery around the area and if you go on either the first or third Thursday of the month you will get a guided commentary from a park ranger.

Museums And History

The Museum Hurtgenwald 1944 und im Frieden is quite huge and contain many artifacts from the wear. You can soon spend around 2 hours looking through this slice of German history.

Vogelsang is a complex that was built by the National Socialists and it was used for ideological training up to 1934. After the war it was used by Belgian and British soldiers for military training and since 2006 it has been open to the public. Soon to be made a place of commemoration, it is a site that allows you to contemplate history.

Dramatic Landscapes

The dramatic landscapes of the Eifel National Park allow visitors to enjoy a unique view of the wonderful area that is the North Rhine-Westphalia. With over 1600 endangered species and animals and birds like the wildcats and black storks to gaze at, a trip to the Eifel National Park is one not to be missed.

Take a look at our holiday destinations for those who love nature and adventure.