Elstra: Nature, Trails and the Mammoth Garden

Elstra is located within the West Lusatia protected landscape area. The Mammoth Garden is also in the district of Prietitz. These different themes shape the experience of a stay: hiking and cycling in the region, as well as a garden experience.

Tours and Activities in Elstra

Elstra is a starting point for extensive hiking and cycling tours in the region between Bischofswerda and Kamenz. Route conditions may vary; take this into account when planning. Paths near Schwarzenberg are also used for Nordic walking, jogging and mountain biking. This offers different ways to plan: the extensive tours cover the region between the two towns, while the other activities mentioned take place on paths near Schwarzenberg. When choosing, you can consider whether to plan a hiking or cycling tour in the region, or focus on one of the other activities on these paths.

The tours and uses of the paths appeal to different interests, without requiring you to settle on a single activity. If you plan a tour, take the variable route conditions into account as you prepare.

The Mammoth Garden in Prietitz

The Mammoth Garden covers seven hectares and brings together plants, aesthetics, leisure and family-oriented activities. Its focus differs from the tours through the countryside: here, the garden and its plants take centre stage, while hiking and cycling offer ways to explore the region. You can therefore weigh up a garden visit and tours as different activities during your stay. Opening arrangements may vary; check them before your visit.

When choosing what to include in your itinerary, the garden offers a distinct way to experience the landscape and leisure activities in Elstra. The family-oriented activities are part of the garden experience; their focus differs from that of the paths and tours. This lets you consider how much of your trip to devote to a garden visit and how much to outdoor activities.

Cycling Tours in the Wider Destination of the District of Bautzen

The wider destination of the district of Bautzen has several cycling routes with different route types and themes. The Bautzen North Tour is a 43.1-kilometre cycling tour from Bautzen via Quatitz, Großdubrau, Milkel, Klix and Malschwitz, returning to Bautzen. It passes through the heath and pond landscape and along the nature trail in Crosta. Its length and the places described define a clearly laid-out regional route.

The Hill and Valley Route is a regional circuit through the West Lusatian Hills in the district of Bautzen. The Krabat Cycle Route is also a regional circuit in the district of Bautzen; it follows in the footsteps of Krabat, the hero of Sorbian legends. These two routes therefore have different thematic focuses: the hills on the Hill and Valley Route, and the figure of Krabat on the Krabat Cycle Route.

For a broader regional perspective, two other route descriptions extend beyond the region. The Central Route is a long-distance cycle route from Zittau to Aachen; one section passes through the Upper Lusatian Highlands in the district of Bautzen. The Spree Cycle Route runs from its source in Upper Lusatia to Berlin; the section from Taubenheim to Zerre lies in the district of Bautzen. When choosing a route, you can therefore distinguish between a named circuit, regional themed routes, and cycle routes with destinations beyond the region.

Upper Lusatian carnival is also part of the regional picture in the district of Bautzen. Its strongholds are in the towns of Schirgiswalde and Wittichenau.

Discover more destinations: Laussnitz, Koenigswartha, Guttau, Kamenz, Schmoelln-Putzkau, Steinigtwolmsdorf, Bernsdorf, Neukirch/Lausitz

Back to the wider travel overview: District of Bautzen.