This is a guest post by Christine, a Berlin-based blogger who writes about active, adventurous, and authentic travel in Germany. In this article, she kindly shares her knowledge on where to go camping in Brandenburg with the Berlin & Around community. For more hiking and adventure travel tips, check out her blog, Chris-Crossing Germany.
Discover Where to Go Camping in Brandenburg in 2023
The nature all around Berlin makes for a great weekend playground – and camping is a fun way to experience many of the region’s highlights and landscapes. If you’re wondering where to go camping in Brandenburg, read on. You’ll discover 3 beautiful campsites that offer total immersion in nature, plus endless hiking, biking and swimming possibilities.
Where to Go Camping in Brandenburg for Aquatic Adventures: NaturCamping am Ellbogensee
If you’re thinking of where to go camping in Brandenburg for “Natur pur”, as they say in German, check out NaturCamping am Ellbogensee.
Located in the Naturschutzgebiet (nature preserve) Stechlin, NaturCamping am Ellbogensee is on the border of the Brandenburg and Mecklenburg Lake Districts, which means you can also paddle and swim from this site.
The area is surrounded by other nature preserves and parks including the LSG Ruppiner Wald- und Seengebiet, Naturpark Stechlin-Ruppiner
The NaturCamping am Ellbogensee is hard to reach via public transportation, but is worth the extra effort: it is just that much quieter and not filled with everyone from the big city. What more could an active holiday-maker want from a campsite than that?
The nearest bus stop is Steinförde in Großmenow, or you can hike/bike to Ellbogensee from the regional train station in Fürstenberg. If staying in a tent isn’t your thing or just too much work to carry around, you can rent one of their tiny houses or wooden tent bungalows instead.
Hiking
Besides many local hiking routes, the European Long Distance Route 10 (E10) and Ruppiner-Land-Rundwanderweg are nearby. If hiking from Fürstenberg, you’ll pass the Röblinsee, Peetschsee, Dagowsee, and Großer Stechlinsee (depending on your route) before arriving at the Ellbogensee.
Boating
Canoe rentals are available from NaturCamping am Elbogensee. Exploring the waterways is a lot of fun, as Ellbogensee is part of a chain of connected lakes. An interesting destination paddling westward is Strasen, where you can see the locks, check out the church, and get a bite to eat. Eastwards, you can head all the way back to Fürstenberg, passing through the mill and locks in Steinhavel.
NaturCamping am Elbogensee is a perfect example of where to go camping in Brandenburg to make the most of the waters and experience quaint little villages.
Biking
Many well-known bike routes pass by NaturCamping am Ellbogensee including the Berlin-Kopenhagen Radweg, Königin Luise Route, Eiszeitroute, and Havel-Radweg. To hike from Fürstenberg, we followed the E10 and then the Berlin-Kopenhagen Radweg.
By the way! If you’re wondering where to go camping in Brandenburg, you might also like to visit Saxon Switzerland’s sandstone mountains for even more scenic landscapes.
Where to Go Camping in Brandenburg for Caribbean Vibes: Camping und Wohnmobil Waldsieversdorf
My favourite place to go hiking in Brandenburg is in the Naturpark Märkische Schweiz. The vibrancy of the forests here is unparalleled in the state and the aquamarine colour of the Schermützelsee will leave you asking if you’re in Germany or the Caribbean.
A direct connection from Berlin Ostkreuz to Müncheberg takes less than an hour. So if you’re searching for where to go in camping in Brandenburg with easy access to the city, look no further!
From the station, you can hike or bike to Camping und Wohnmobil Waldsieversdorf or take the historical train (weekends and holidays only). An hourly bus runs daily as well.
Camping und Wohnmobil Waldsieversdorf is less than 100m from the Waldsieversdorf station. This very simple, quiet, and tiny campground is a fantastic gateway to the Märkische Schweiz.
What the campground doesn‘t have in glamour, is made up for by the nature. Buckow is the tourist hotspot in the Märkische Schweiz, while Waldsieversdorf is for those looking to get away from all the hubbub.
In town is the crystal clear Großer Däbersee, whose busy beach is still calmer than the one on Schermützelsee in Buckow. If camping isn’t for you, there’s the Ferienpark am Däbersee across the street, with recently renovated bungalows.
Hiking
Top hikes include the 22km Märkische Schweiz Rundweg (red dot), which is an award-certified Quality Hike, and the 7 km Klobichsee Rundweg (yellow dot).
The former passes directly through Waldsieversdorf and makes a loop around Buckow and the Schermützelsee. The closer you get to Buckow, the more people you will meet on the trail.
The latter is about 3 km from Waldsieversdorf, but you’ll have the trail to yourself. The Poetensteig takes you to some of the tallest peaks, while the Kalorienpromenade trail teaches how long one has to hike to equal the calories in some German dishes.
Passing through the region is the European Long Distance Route 11 (E11). There are a plethora of trails and these are just a selection!
Biking
Where to go camping in Brandenburg depends on your interests, of course. While the Märkische Schweiz is best discovered by foot, there are several bike routes through the region including the European Bike Route R1, Tour Brandenburg, Märkische Schlössertour, Rund um die Märkische Schweiz, and the Theodor-Fontane-Radweg.
Sights
Buckow is an adorable little town with a lovely market square. The many restaurants have been influenced by Berlin tourists because you can find vegan and vegetarian options everywhere. There are a few places to stop for an afternoon cake or ice cream break.
Plus, there’s the azure Schermützelsee, and the Schlosspark to enjoy. A few mills are scattered about the Märkische Schweiz, like the Pritzhagener Mühle and the Eichendorfer Mühle. Waldsieversdorf used to be an anerkannte Erholungsort (a state-recognized recreation place) and has some spots of interest like the water tower, flower clock, and Himmelsleiter (stairway to heaven).
Where to Go Camping in Brandenburg for Lakeside Sights: Waldcamp Seeblick
Next, let’s look at where to camping in Brandenburg along the famous 66-Lakes-Trail. Hiking the 66-Lakes-Trail was one of the first adventures I went on when I moved to Berlin, so this campsite has a special spot in my heart.
Two sections of the trail, namely 12 and 13, have no weekend bus connection in between, meaning they must be hiked back to back. This is how I found Waldcamp Seeblick. This five-star section of the trail through the Spreewald is so wonderful that I have hiked it twice.
Location
Waldcamp Seeblick, as stated in the name, is located on a lake: Neuendorfer See. If you’ve brought your tent, you can camp directly on the shore. Although, from experience, I don’t suggest this in months with cooler, windier nights because you’ll freeze! If staying in a tent isn’t for you, Waldcamp Seeblick also has bungalows and huts for rent.
Wondering where to go camping in Brandenburg no matter the season? An unusual fact about Waldcamp Seeblick is that they are open year-round. In Germany, it can be hard to even find a place open in March or November, so this is a welcome rarity.
In terms of access, there are bus stops in Höhenbrück, Leibsch, and Neu Lübbenau, though connections are seldom, if at all, on weekends.
Hiking and Swimming
Like the name suggests, the 66-Lakes-Trail hikes by a number of bodies of water. Hiking to Waldcamp Seeblick from Wendisch Rietz, you pass nine lakes. The following day the trail heads to Halbe via Leibsch and Märkisch Buchholz, encountering another six. You can go swimming in several of them, including the beautiful Köthener See.
More Sights
For cyclists, the Gurkenradweg and Spreeradweg pass by Waldcamp Seeblick. There are several places to eat around the Neuendorfer See, including a Biergarten in the woods on the way. Leibsch hosts a pair of storks in their stork nest every year. Instead of hiking to Halbe, you can head to Tropical Islands, the indoor water park.
Runner up: RELAX Camping am Teupitzer See
Still deciding where to go camping in Brandenburg? Also on the 66-Lakes-Trail (heading onwards from Halbe), RELAX Camping am Teupitzer See is another great spot. The lake is gorgeous and the campground has its own beach. They have a volleyball court, soccer pitch, table tennis, and badminton nets. To explore the four islands in the lake, a variety of boats and SUP boards are available for rent.
Camping in Brandenburg makes for endless adventures
Brandenburg is home to an abundance of great campsites. These here are just a few of my favourites for the nature, hiking, and water! Hopefully this blog post helped answer the question of where to go camping in Brandenburg for your next adventure!
Thanks so much for the opportunity to guest post!! 🙂 I hope everyone has a great camping trip to Brandenburg!! 🙂
Very good post. Highly informative for travellers who want to camp in Brandenburg. Nicely written. Keep up the good work.