Cornelius Amann
October 06, 2026
5/5
Bavaria and Salzburg: Oktoberfest, Neuschwanstein and Lake Chiemsee
6 days from Munich during Oktoberfest: four nights in Munich with a reserved beer-tent table, days at Andechs and Neuschwanstein, then Lake Chiemsee and a last night in Salzburg.
6 days · Round trip from Munich · up to 12 guests
The Imperial Hall of the Munich Residenz; we tour the Residenz Museum on day 2 Photo: Wilfredor, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Imperial_Hall,_Residenz_Munich,_Germany.jpg)
The facts
At a glance
- Length
- 6 days, 5 nights
- Start and end
- Round trip from Munich
- Group size
- 7 to 12 guests
- Activity level
Moderate
Walking 6 to 10 km a day on cobbles and some hills, with a 30 to 40 minute uphill walk to Neuschwanstein (horse carriage or shuttle bus as the easy option) and several hours standing or sitting in a crowded, loud beer tent on the festival day. Hohensalzburg is reached by funicular. Any walk, the brewery tour or the tent session can be cut short, and the van is never far away except on the festival day, when the U-Bahn is.
- Meals included
- 5 breakfasts, 4 lunches, 1 dinner
- Room of your own
- + CAD 660 (estimated price)
- Season
- Oktoberfest
Highlights
Why this trip
- A reserved table in a Munich beer tent for the midday session, with beer and roast chicken vouchers
- The Oide Wiesn, the historic corner of the festival, with your guide before the crowds
- The Munich Residenz at 9 am opening: the Antiquarium, the Ancestral Gallery and the Rich Rooms
- Lunch and a brewery tour at Andechs Monastery above the Ammersee
- The Wieskirche, then Neuschwanstein on a late-afternoon entry after the day-trip coaches leave
- By boat to Herrenchiemsee Palace and its Hall of Mirrors on Lake Chiemsee
- An evening at Salzburg's Augustiner Bräustübl and Getreidegasse before the shops open
What makes this trip different
Free time is part of the plan
Free time and choices are marked on the days they fall.
Solo without the penalty
A room of your own is + CAD 660 (estimated price).
Day by day
Itinerary
Tap any stop on the map to open that dayClick any stop on the map to open that day
Arrive in Munich
Munich Airport to your hotel in central Munich, then the old town
- Dinner
- Stay in Munich
- Drive about 45 min
Morning
Fly into Munich Airport (MUC); most overnight flights from North America land in the morning.
Afternoon
A driver meets you in arrivals for the drive of about 40 minutes into the city, and your room is ready from mid-afternoon (we hold your bags if you arrive earlier). The hotel is central, within walking distance of Marienplatz, so you can rest or wander out on your own. At 4 pm your See Sight Tours guide meets the group for a briefing on the week: how the festival works, what the tent day involves, and where the quieter beer gardens are. Then a short walk through the old town: Marienplatz and the New Town Hall, the twin domed towers of the Frauenkirche, and the Hofbräuhaus from the outside, packed in festival week.
Evening
Dinner together is the welcome dinner, Bavarian cooking at a traditional restaurant in the old town. We keep the first night short on purpose, since most of you will have flown overnight and the week ahead is long.
Included
- Pick-up at Munich Airport (MUC)
- Welcome briefing with your guide
- Old-town walk: Marienplatz, the New Town Hall and the Frauenkirche
- Welcome dinner
Free time: Free until the 4 pm briefing
Activity: Plan to land by early afternoon to join the briefing and walk.
Munich Residenz and Andechs Monastery
Munich Residenz, then Andechs Monastery above the Ammersee and back
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Munich
- Drive about 1.5 h
We are at the Munich Residenz when it opens at 9 am, before the festival crowds wake up. For four centuries this was the palace of the Wittelsbach dukes, electors and kings of Bavaria, and in about two hours your guide takes you through the long Renaissance Antiquarium, the gilded Ancestral Gallery lined with portraits of the family, and the Rococo Rich Rooms (Reiche Zimmer). At 11:30 am we drive about 50 minutes southwest to Andechs, a Benedictine monastery on a hill above the Ammersee, where the monks have brewed beer for centuries.
Afternoon
Lunch is together in the monastery's Bräustüberl: roast pork, dumplings and a glass of the house beer, or a soft drink. Then the pilgrimage church, with its Rococo interior, and a guided tour of the monastery brewery, booked for the group. We are back in Munich by about 5 pm.
Evening
The evening is free: a first look at the Theresienwiese on your own, or a beer garden that stays calm in festival week.
Included
- Munich Residenz Museum with your guide: the Antiquarium, the Ancestral Gallery and the Rich Rooms
- Lunch at the Andechs Bräustüberl
- Andechs pilgrimage church
- Guided tour of the Andechs Monastery brewery
Optional experiences
- Residenz Treasury
- Evening at the Theresienwiese on your own
Easier option: Stay in Munich after the Residenz; the Hofgarten and the Englischer Garten are a short walk away.
More active option: Walk up to the monastery from Herrsching on the Ammersee, about an hour on a forest path, and meet the group for lunch.
Free time: Free evening and dinner
The Wieskirche and Neuschwanstein
Munich to the Wieskirche, then Hohenschwangau and Neuschwanstein, and back
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Munich
- Drive about 4 h
This is the longest driving day, about 255 km and three and three-quarter hours in all, broken into three parts. We leave at 9 am and drive about an hour and a half south to the Wieskirche, the pilgrimage church standing alone in the meadows near Steingaden, its white and gold Rococo interior listed by UNESCO.
Afternoon
Then about 40 minutes on to Hohenschwangau, below the castles, for a sit-down lunch. We book a timed entry to Neuschwanstein for about 3:30 pm, well before the last tours of the day, after the coaches from Munich have taken their midday slots and started home. Before it, walk up to the Marienbrücke, the footbridge over the Pöllat gorge, for the view of the castle against the mountains, or take the horse carriage most of the way. The guided tour inside runs about 35 minutes through the rooms King Ludwig II finished, including the Throne Hall and the Singers' Hall. We leave at about 5 pm and are back in Munich by about 7 pm.
Included
- The Wieskirche
- Sit-down lunch at Hohenschwangau
- Neuschwanstein Castle timed entry and guided tour
Optional experiences
- Horse carriage up to the castle
- Hohenschwangau Castle
Easier option: Take the horse carriage or shuttle bus up to the castle instead of the 30 to 40 minute walk.
More active option: Walk up to the Marienbrücke and on to the castle on foot, about 2.5 km and 150 m of climb.
Free time: Free evening and dinner
Activity: The longest drive of the trip, broken by the Wieskirche and lunch; no stretch is longer than about 1.75 hours.
Oktoberfest: a reserved table in a beer tent
Central Munich to the Theresienwiese and back
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Munich
- By train
A slow start, then at 10:30 am your guide walks you to the Theresienwiese, about 25 minutes on foot from the old town or two stops on the U-Bahn from Karlsplatz (Stachus).
Afternoon
We go round the grounds before the midday crowds: the rows of brewery tents along the main street, the Bavaria statue above the meadow, and the Oide Wiesn, the historic section with old rides, brass bands and a smaller tent, which has its own entry fee that we cover. At about noon we take our reserved table in one of the large beer tents for the midday session, which usually runs until about 4 pm. Without a reservation, getting a whole group seated together is hard, which is why we hold the table weeks in advance. The reservation comes with vouchers, usually for two litres of beer (or soft drinks) and half a roast chicken per person; the exact tent and package are confirmed when the tent confirms. After the session, stay on the grounds, try the rides, or walk back to rest.
Evening
The evening is free.
Included
- Guided walk round the Theresienwiese
- Entry to the Oide Wiesn
- Reserved table in a beer tent for the midday session, with food and drink vouchers
Optional experiences
- Bavaria statue viewing platform
- Fairground rides
Easier option: Leave the tent early; the guide shows you the U-Bahn back to the hotel.
More active option: Climb the stairs inside the Bavaria statue to the viewing platform in its head.
Free time: Free late afternoon, evening and dinner
Activity: Tents are loud and crowded; soft drinks are always available and no one has to drink beer.
Lake Chiemsee and Salzburg
Munich to Prien am Chiemsee and Herreninsel by boat, then Salzburg
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Salzburg
- Drive about 2 h
We leave Munich at 8:30 am for Prien am Chiemsee, about 90 km and an hour east, and take the scheduled boat across to Herreninsel. A walk through the woods brings us to Herrenchiemsee Palace, King Ludwig II's copy of Versailles, where the guided tour takes in the Hall of Mirrors.
Afternoon
Lunch is together on the island, then the boat back and about 45 minutes on to the border and Salzburg, arriving by about 3 pm. After check-in, your guide walks you through the old town on the left bank of the Salzach: the cathedral squares, the Franciscan church, and up by the FestungsBahn funicular to Hohensalzburg Fortress for the view over the domes and south to the Alps. At about 6 pm we walk along the river to the Mülln quarter and up Augustinergasse to the Augustiner Bräustübl, the monastery brewery's beer hall, where beer is drawn from wooden barrels and you buy food from the stalls in the hall. Stay as long as you like.
Included
- Chiemsee boat from Prien to Herreninsel and back
- Herrenchiemsee Palace guided tour
- Lunch on Herreninsel
- Salzburg old-town walk with your guide
- FestungsBahn funicular and Hohensalzburg Fortress
- Walk to the Augustiner Bräustübl in Mülln
Easier option: Take the horse carriage from the boat landing to the palace (it runs in summer; we confirm it for your dates), or walk the 15 to 20 minutes at an easy pace.
More active option: Walk down from Hohensalzburg to Mülln along the Mönchsberg path instead of returning to the old town first.
Free time: Free dinner and evening
Salzburg to Munich Airport
Salzburg old town, then Munich Airport (MUC)
- Breakfast
- Drive about 2 h
Morning
Breakfast early, then at 8 am your guide walks you up Getreidegasse before the shops open, when the wrought-iron signs and the narrow passages between the houses are quiet. We stop outside Mozart's birthplace at number 9 and finish in the University Square, where, on market days (Monday to Saturday), the stalls are setting up. At about 9:45 am we load the van for Munich Airport (MUC), about 175 km and two hours back through Bavaria, arriving by about noon. Book a flight leaving after about 3 pm. Your guide travels with you and sees you to the right terminal. If you would rather fly from Salzburg Airport, 15 minutes from the old town, or stay on in Salzburg or Munich after the festival, tell us when you book and we drop you there or leave you at the hotel instead. A note for packing: beer steins and glass souvenirs travel best wrapped in clothes in your checked bag.
Included
- Early walk on Getreidegasse to Mozart's birthplace and the University Square
- Drop-off at Munich Airport (MUC), or Salzburg Airport on request
Activity: Book a flight from Munich leaving after about 3 pm.
- Munich4 nights
- Salzburg1 night
- Munichend
- Overnight stop
- Day trip
- By boat or train
Wildlife and weather: Late September in Bavaria usually brings daytime highs of 15 to 20 °C, cool evenings and a day or two of rain. The Alps are often clear on dry days, which is when the Marienbrücke and Hohensalzburg views are best.
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Before you book
Right for you?
Good for you if you want
- First-timers who want Oktoberfest with a seat in a tent and someone who knows how it works
- Travellers who want the festival and Bavaria's palaces and Salzburg in one short trip
- Solo travellers and couples who prefer 12 guests to a full coach
- Non-drinkers travelling with beer lovers: the tent is one day of six
Not for you if you want
- Travellers who want every evening in a beer tent: dinners and evenings are free, but only one table is reserved
- Step-free access: cobbles, the Neuschwanstein walk and crowded festival grounds
- Anyone who dislikes crowds and noise
- Innsbruck, Vienna or Rothenburg, which this trip does not visit (see our other Bavaria trips)
Book flights after we confirm your seat.
5 nights
Where you'll stay
Your hotels are named in your trip confirmation.
- Munich4 nights
- Salzburg1 night
One price
What's in the price
Included
Accommodation
- 5 nights in central hotels of at least a 3-star-plus standard: 4 in Munich, within walking distance of Marienplatz, and 1 in Salzburg's old town
- Rooms shared, or your own for a supplement
- We name each hotel when we confirm your dates
Transport
- Pick-up at Munich Airport (MUC) on day 1 and drop-off there (or at Salzburg Airport) on day 6
- Our own vehicle and driver for the group on every day out: Andechs, the Wieskirche and Neuschwanstein, Lake Chiemsee and Salzburg
- U-Bahn tickets on the festival day
- Chiemsee boat from Prien to Herreninsel and back
- FestungsBahn funicular to Hohensalzburg Fortress
Your guide
- A See Sight Tours guide with the group for the whole trip
- Site guides at Neuschwanstein, Herrenchiemsee and the Andechs brewery
Activities
- Munich: old-town walk, the Residenz Museum, a guided walk round the Theresienwiese, the Oide Wiesn, a reserved beer-tent table for the midday session
- Andechs: the monastery church and a guided brewery tour
- The Wieskirche, and Neuschwanstein Castle with a timed entry
- Lake Chiemsee: Herrenchiemsee Palace
- Salzburg: old-town walk, Hohensalzburg Fortress, the Augustiner Bräustübl, an early walk on Getreidegasse
Meals
- Breakfast daily (5)
- 4 lunches: Andechs Bräustüberl, Hohenschwangau, the tent reservation package (beer or soft drinks and half a roast chicken, usually), Herreninsel
- 1 dinner: the welcome dinner in Munich
Not included
- International flights to and from Munich
- Travel insurance
- ETIAS or other entry fees, where they apply
- Meals not listed, including dinners from day 2
- Drinks beyond the tent vouchers and the Andechs lunch
- Tips, including for tent waiting staff
- Optional activities: rides, the Bavaria statue platform, the Residenz Treasury, Hohenschwangau Castle, the horse carriage at Neuschwanstein
- Tracht and festival shopping
- Personal expenses
Extras
- Room of your own
- CAD 660 (estimated price)
When you can go
Dates and prices
Pick your start date when you request to book. We check that date and confirm it in your quote.
Prefer to travel without a group or guide? Ask us about arranging hotels, transport and city tours for you to travel independently.
Before you book
Booking terms
Nothing is charged now. Full terms and the cancellation schedule come with your quote, before you accept.
Business addresses
See Sight Tours Trips (USA): 3172 N Rainbow Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89108, United StatesSee Sight Tours Trips (Canada): 5305 50 Avenue, #1091, Red Deer, AB T4N 4B6, Canada+1-888-961-6584Guest reviews
What guests say
Reviews from guests on our day tours.
Jane
October 06, 2026
5/5
Susan
October 06, 2026
5/5
Tom L
October 05, 2026
5/5
MandL83
October 05, 2026
5/5
Darren O
October 05, 2026
5/5
Good to know
Questions
What does the price include?
Five nights in central hotels, breakfast daily, four lunches including the tent reservation package, a welcome dinner, airport transfers, our own vehicle and driver, your See Sight Tours guide throughout, and every visit in the day plan: the Residenz, Andechs brewery tour, Wieskirche and Neuschwanstein, a reserved Oktoberfest table, Herrenchiemsee with the boat, and Hohensalzburg.
How big is the group?
The small-group trip runs with 7 to 12 guests. That fits one or two tables in a beer tent, which matters: tents seat reservations by the table, and a group of forty cannot sit together at Oktoberfest. It also means the guide can be heard inside the Residenz and at Neuschwanstein.
Who leads the trip?
A See Sight Tours guide travels with the group for all six days, from the airport on arrival to the airport on departure. Neuschwanstein, Herrenchiemsee and the Andechs brewery are shown by their own guides, as those sites require. Our own driver and vehicle handle every transfer.
Do I need a ticket for Oktoberfest, and how do you get a table?
Entry to the Oktoberfest grounds and the tents is free; only the Oide Wiesn has a small fee, which we pay. Seats are the hard part. We reserve a table in a large beer tent for a weekday midday session well in advance, and the reservation includes vouchers for beer or soft drinks and half a roast chicken per person.
Do I have to drink beer?
No. Every tent serves soft drinks, and the voucher can be used for them. The trip is as much about the Residenz, Neuschwanstein, Herrenchiemsee and Salzburg as the festival, and the tent session ends mid-afternoon, so you can leave early or skip the evening crowds entirely.
How fit do I need to be?
You should be comfortable walking 6 to 10 km a day, on cobbles and some hills, and standing in crowds on the festival day. The walk up to Neuschwanstein is about 30 to 40 minutes uphill, with a horse carriage or shuttle bus as the easy option, and Hohensalzburg is reached by funicular.
I'm travelling solo. Do I pay a single supplement?
Your own room costs a supplement of about CAD 660 (indicative), shown before you request to book, with no surprise later. Munich single rooms in festival week cost nearly as much as doubles, which is why it is not lower. Otherwise solo travellers pay the same price and sit at the same table.
When does this trip run?
Only during Oktoberfest, which starts on a Saturday in mid to late September and ends on the first Sunday of October, or on 3 October if that is later. In 2027 that is expected to be 18 September to 3 October. Departures are set so the tent day falls on a weekday, and we publish them once the tents confirm reservations.
How does booking work?
You request to book on a departure date and we confirm within 24 hours. No payment is taken when you send the request. Once we confirm your place, we send the hotels, the tent details, the payment schedule and the booking terms for you to accept before anything is charged.
Can I do this trip on my own dates?
Yes, as a private trip for your party only, on dates you choose during the festival, with your own guide and vehicle; the tent table depends on what the tents still have. If you would rather travel independently, ask us from the dates section and we can quote the hotels, transfers and entries without a guide.
Do I need a visa for Germany and Austria?
Canadian and US passport holders do not need a visa for a short stay in the Schengen area, which covers both countries. The EU's Entry/Exit System records your fingerprints and photo at the first border, the ETIAS travel authorisation is not yet in operation and has no confirmed start date. We confirm what applies to your passport when you book.
What is the weather like in late September?
Expect daytime highs around 15 to 20 °C and cool evenings around 7 to 10 °C, with rain likely on a day or two. It can be colder at Neuschwanstein. Bring layers, a rain jacket and comfortable shoes; many people wear Tracht to the festival, but ordinary clothes are fine.
See Sight Tours has been providing travel services across North America since 2006. Operating in 20 cities across Canada and the USA, the company specializes in small group tours that offer personalized, high-quality experiences for travelers.
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