Perlesreut: Hiking between the Ilz and Ohe

Perlesreut lies between the valleys of the Ilz and Ohe and is a market town in the district of Freyung-Grafenau in Lower Bavaria. The street market, various hiking trails, and the Ilztalperle provide concrete points of reference when choosing a hotel destination for a trip that combines a visit to the town with nature experiences.

Townscape between the valleys

Perlesreut lies at an elevation of about 546 metres above sea level and is a state-recognized health resort. Along the street market, predominantly two-storey gabled houses line the street. The row of houses provides an architectural focal point in the townscape, while the location between the river valleys forms a scenic backdrop.

Hiking on circular trails and sections

The nature discovery trail in the Valley of the Mills is a circular route just under 11 kilometres long, for which about three hours are allowed. The Pandurensteig, by contrast, focuses on individual sections and route options: one option for the sixth stage ends in Perlesreut after 4.5 kilometres from Heinrichsreit. Another option leads from Perlesreut for four kilometres through hilly countryside to the Ilz nature reserve at Dießenstein. Within Perlesreut, the Pandurensteig also follows about two kilometres of a paved walking and cycling path to Kirchberg.

The details describe different types of route: a longer circular trail and shorter sections of the Pandurensteig, each with its own destination and course. You can use the route lengths and the approximate duration of the circular trail in your planning, without treating them as the same hike. Trail conditions may change; check them before setting out.

Swimming and play areas

The Ilztalperle offers accessible swimming and is considered Lower Bavaria’s first inclusive swimming pool. A multi-generational adventure area includes play areas for different age groups. The two facilities have different focuses; details about facilities may change. Check the latest information for each facility before visiting.

Getting here and types of accommodation

At the northern entrance to town, RBO 6182 serves the Perlesreut–Ringelai–Freyung route; on the western edge of town, RBO 8663 serves the Passau–Fürsteneck–Perlesreut–Grafenau route. Check the timetable before travelling. Perlesreut has a motorhome site on Friedhofstraße; a tent campsite is located at Messerschmidmühle. Facilities and operating conditions may change. Confirm current details before your trip.

Freyung-Grafenau in its wider regional setting

Within the wider travel destination of Freyung-Grafenau, the Bavarian Forest National Park extends into the district; it opened on 7 October 1970 as Germany’s first national park. The 2024 zoning map designates 75.37 percent of its area as natural zones.

Another landscape within the wider travel destination of Freyung-Grafenau is the Buchberger Leite. There, steep rock ridges force the Wolfsteiner Ohe, with its boulder-strewn bed and cascades, through a deeply confined gorge. Remnants of primeval forest have survived in the gorge woodlands rich in mosses and ferns. An eight-kilometre themed hiking trail, with information boards and an accompanying brochure, runs through the Leite between Freyung and Ringelai. Historic log-driving walls, tunnels hewn into the rock, and open-air canals bear witness to centuries of human activity there.

Discover more destinations: Hohenau, Zenting, Röhrnbach, Eppenschlag, Schönberg, Waldkirchen, Spiegelau, Thurmansbang

Back to the wider travel overview: Freyung-Grafenau.