From: 75,00 

Includes 19% VAT

From: 75,00 

Includes 19% VAT

Description


3 days: 75 € (per Adult) / 53 € (per Child)

  2-day-trip – Difficulty: Medium
  3-day-trip – Difficulty: Easy

 

in canoe / kayak

  • incl. equipment
  • Distance: 50 km / Duration: 3 days / approx. 5-6 hrs. per day
  • Pass-around points and/or Locks: 5 – 6
  • 3-day-trip:
    1st day 17km, 2nd day 21 km, 3rd day 12 km

10:00 am Meeting at Canoe-Station in Jena, Am Gries

The meeting location for your tour is the entry-point in Jena, Am Gries closeby the bridge “Griesbrücke”. For arriving by car, there are parking lots available on site. In case of arriving by public transportation, exit at the train station “Saalbahnhof” or the tram station “Spittelplatz”.

10:15 am Handing out boats and equipment at the entry-point

Here our team will equip you with a life-vest, paddle and waterproof packing bin. After a short safety and route instruction you are good to go.

10:30 am Non-guided paddle-tour to Naumburg

You can expect a relaxed, non-guided paddle-tour in the Saale valley.

Recommended Overnight Stay Camping: https://www.saalerastplatz.de/) 2nd night:  https://www.campingbadkoesen.de/  

Recommended Overnight Stay Hotel/Guesthouse: https://www.hotel-dornburger-schloesser.de/ 2nd night: https://www.gutshof-grossheringen.de/) . 

As requested by the owners, we kindly ask to book by yourself upfront.

Day 3 – 04:00 pm Arriving in Naumburg, returning the boats and equipment at the end of the tour

On arriving in the afternoon in Naumburg, our team welcomes you and returning the boats will take place.

Day 3 – 04:13pm or 04:50 pm Taking the train back to Jena with DB Regio

There will be a transfer to the train station in Naumburg.  As transportation to Jena (Saalbahnhof) we currently recommend the safe and sustainable ride with the Regionalbahn train (Hopper Ticket 6,10 € / adult, children until the age of 6 free of charge, Th. University students free of charge, departing every 60 mins). The train station in Jena is only a walk of couple of minutes away from the Meeting-point the day before, the train ride ends at Saalbahnhof. (Lavatories and Wi-Fi available in the trains, Mandatory: Face Mask for using public transportation). 

The transportation back to Jena using a taxi can also be booked via our cooperation partner (~ 80,00 € / van for max. 8 persons).

Guests organising the ride back privately or those who want to place a car at the tour destination, can find the location here: https://goo.gl/maps/ABSWaba4hNsHZSoz6

Jena – Naumburg

This tour begins in the vibrant city of Jena at the “Gries-Bridge” and goes in the direction of Porstendorf.  It’s well worth your time to discover Jena’s lovely City Centre, Botanical Gardens, Paradies-Park, and more before you start with your tour.

Throughout the tour you will experience 5 or 6 “Pass-around Points” for which you will have to exit the river with your canoe, and re-enter a short distance down stream.

As you make your way down the Saale River and surrounding forests, you may catch a glimpse of several native animals; the turquoise river kingfisher, various types of heron, cormorants and/or nutrias all in their natural habitat. If you are lucky, you may even see turtles and European Otters!

Before you reach Porstendorf the river splits into two branches. You can choose between the shorter, more vigorous branch, and a longer, more scenic way. The short tour passes a camping site and beer garden at Porstendorf, and the longer tour goes along the old river branch of the Saale making its way passed the Rabeninsel or “Raven’s Island”.

Nearing Dornburg you can see to your left the Dornburger Palaces: the Renaissance Castle, the Rococo Castle and the Old Castle, where Johann Wolfgang Goethe used to vacation.

Throughout the tour you will paddle by small islands, and experience small rapids, which keep the tour adventurous.  From Dornburg to Camburg the Saale continues to wind through the Saale River Valley along impressive cliffs and teaming forests.

In Kaatschen you will begin to notice the first of many vineyards, as you are entering Germany’s Northern-most wine growing region.

At this part of the trip you will pass some small islands in the river. You will also pass two ruins, which are located high above the river on your right side– the Medieval Rudelsburg and Saaleck Forts

It was during his stay at the Rudelsburg in 1826, that poet and historian, Franz Kugler, was inspired to write the song “An der Saale Hellem Strande”.

If you like, you can take a small rest in the quaint therapeutic city of Bad Kösen. Here you can breathe the rejuvenating salty sea air produced from the “Gradierwerk” twig towers, or literally translated, “Graduation Towers”. The steam from the towers passes through the twigs, and it is said that the salty air helps to improve the health and wellbeing of its visitors.

Continuing down the Saale you will pass picturesque vineyards of Bad Kösen and Kloster Pforta Monastery. The views here are breath taking, as towering cliffs seem to appear directly out of the water.

Shortly before arriving in Naumburg the river quickens, creating a rapid..  As you continue on your way down the Saale you will be able to experience the joining of the Unstrut River and the Saale.

It is important to note that in the last stretch of the river, motorboats are permitted and could cross your path.

Finally, the city of Naumburg will appear on the right side of the river, with its famous Cathedral and Wenzel-Church, designed in the late gothic style.  Here the Saale spreads into a wide riverbed as it continues its journey through the Saale River Valley.

  • Safety instruction und rules of paddling on rivers
  • Introduction in the handling of the boats and paddling-techniques
  • Route-explanation and notes on pass-around points and locks
  • A relaxing tour in the Saale/Unstrut valley
  • Duration: 3 days / approx. 6 hours per day
  • Organized transfer after the tour back to Jena
  • Canoe, kayak or raft
  • Paddle
  • Life-jackets / swimming vests
  • Waterproof luggage-box
  • Map
  • Appropriate clothes / shoes according to weather conditions
  • i.e. sunscreen / headgear
  • 2nd outfit / towel
  • Weekend: 9:30 o´clock
  • Weekday: negotiable