Just a few hours’ drive away lies Germany’s Eifel National Park: a rolling landscape of deep forests, tranquil rivers, and challenging hills. Here, we’ll experience the ultimate micro-adventure: packrafting! This sustainable form of Slow travel combines hiking, biking, and paddling. With a lightweight inflatable raft (everything fits in the special backpack) and a food pack for the journey, we’re setting off on a three-day packrafting adventure.
Upon arrival at the campground, the Packrafting signs lead us to “base camp”; a section of the campground is reserved for packrafters. A charming “village” of dome tents, glamping tents, and a large “living room tent” form a cohesive whole. The glamping tent we rented is more spacious than expected, tastefully decorated, and equipped with everything you need—except for a toilet and shower, but the restroom building is nearby. That way, it still feels like real camping.
Packrafting is a form of microadventure in which you travel on foot, by bike, and on the water using an ultralight inflatable raft. You carry your gear, including the boat and accessories, in a specially designed backpack. It allows for active travel through areas where trails and rivers alternate. Sustainable, adventurous, and surprisingly versatile.
The first day of packrafting begins with a hike of about 16 kilometers through the southern part of the Eifel. Right after breakfast, there’s a short briefing on the equipment, and then the real adventure begins. A challenging climb follows shortly after, but the reward is well worth it: panoramic views, tranquil forests, and unexpected encounters—including a (harmless) snake on the trail.
Along the way is a well-preserved castle, Burg Hengebach, a lovely spot for a break. Around noon, we reach the river, where we inflate the raft with its lightweight air bladder. It takes a while, but then the raft is all set in the water. With no significant current and a light headwind, the paddling is intense, but the silence on the water and the birdsong more than make up for it. After bobbing along among the greenery for about four kilometers, a well-deserved terrace awaits for an ice-cold drink.
Then comes the final leg: a five-kilometer walk back to the campground. After a refreshing shower, we wrap up the day in good company around a crackling campfire with fellow packrafters.
The next day’s packrafting trip starts early. On our rugged mountain bikes, the route takes us uphill again. The first ten kilometers are the toughest, with steep sections that really put our legs to work. Every now and then we walk uphill for a bit to slow down the muscle soreness, but once again, the panoramic views and the feeling of freedom more than make up for it. After the climb, we’re rewarded with the best part: the descent. Winding trails, speed, and the wind in your face.
Eventually, we reach the boarding point for the bike-rafting trip again. Now the bike is going on the raft, too. It’s a logistical challenge, but thanks to the thorough briefing this morning, the bike is securely fastened. Unfortunately, there’s quite a bit of headwind on the river, so it’s tough going; stopping means drifting backward, and there’s no chance to give our arms a rest. The trip does, however, provide stunning views of an intensely green riverside landscape.
After the boat ride, we pack everything up again and cycle the last stretch back to the campground. Tired but satisfied, it’s all over. What a fun little adventure this was. Two days of completely immersing ourselves in the nature of the Eifel, cycling uphill while sweating and paddling silently through a green valley. We felt almost every muscle in our bodies, but every kilometer was worth it. We had fantastic weather, great people around us, and the feeling that we’d truly gotten away from it all for a while.
Met een passie voor reizen en fotografie én meer dan 30 jaar ervaring in de reisbranche, deel ik graag mijn bijzondere natuur-reistips. Reizen is heerlijk en belangrijk, je ontmoet nieuwe mensen en culturen en het opent je blik op de wereld.
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Laat je inspireren
Ben je op zoek naar de mooiste wandel- en fietsroutes? Of wil je informatie over reizen met de trein of advies voor de mooiste roadtrips door de natuur. Laat je inspireren voor je volgende reis in het groen; ideeën om je eigen reis te plannen of te kiezen voor een georganiseerde reis.
