Canoe tour through the Spreewald UNESCO Biosphere Reserve

About an hour's drive south of Berlin, rivers and ditches criss-cross the landscape like a labyrinth. Here you will find timber houses and villages typical of the Spreewald, often only accessible by water. It is wonderfully quiet here: you will hear nothing but the sounds of nature and your own paddle strokes through the water. The views of the Spreewald UNESCO Biosphere Reserve are simply stunning, and water tourers can look forward to spotting a wide variety of well-protected animals and plants. It is quite possible you will come across storks, kingfishers, ospreys or cranes during this multi-day round trip on the Spreewald waterways.
Besides impressive natural surroundings, each place along the route has fascinating myths and stories about the Snake King, the Lutken and especially the people of this region and their vibrant traditions – namely the Sorbs and Wends. Paddling adventures can start at Lübben or at any other town along the route. The tour can be comfortably completed in 3 to 4 daily stages (15 to 20 kilometres per day) with overnight stays in Lübben, Lübbenau and Burg. A boat with accessories and tips for the tour is available from the local boat rental company.

Length/duration: 52 kilometres / 3 – 4 days)

Start/finish: Lübben

How to get there:

• Public transport from Berlin central station on the RE2 (Cottbus) to Lübben (approximately 1 hour) 
• Car from Berlin via the A113/A13 to Freiwalde, then via the B115 to Lübben (approximately 1 hour 30 minutes)

Return journey:

• Public transport from Lübben on the RE2 (Wismar) to Berlin central station (Hauptbahnhof) (approximately 1 hour) 
• Car from Lübben via the B115 to Dreieck Freiwalde, then A13/A113 going north to Berlin (approximately 1 hour 30 minutes)

Route: The tour leads through the Innerer Oberspreewald. On the Großer Fließ, Weidengraben, Neue Spree past Kauperinsel, along the Ostgraben through the colony of Burg, along the Spree, the Burg-Lübben canal with weir canal, Lehder Graben, Bürgerfließ to Lübben

On-shore outings

• Lübben: Palace and park, Spreelagune bathing lake, Paul Gerhardt church Spreewaldhafen Burg, herb manufactory, spa gardens, Bismarck Tower, local history parlour
• Leipe: Leipe local history parlour
• Lehde: Lehde open-air museum, farmhouse and gherkin museum
• Lübbenau: Spreewald-Museum, Gasthaus Wotschofska, Großer Kahnfährhafen

Recommendation:       

• Detour from Burg to Straupitz with visit to Schinkel church, Dreifachwindmühle (windmill), granary and palace
• Visit to the Spreewald UNESCO Biosphere Reserve information centres in Burg and Lübbenau

Nautical information: unique aquatic labyrinth, 300 kilometres of riverways can be accessed. Observe nature conservation rules! In the core zone of the Spreewald you may not depart from the waterways or paddle down individual riverways; paddling is only allowed until 1 hour after sunset; no motorboats until Leibsch; Spreewald punts always have right of way; lots of branch-offs; numerous smaller manually operated locks, in some cases with boat hoists.

Maps/Literature: "Kanu Kompakt Spreewald - mit topografischen Wasserwanderkarten", Spiralbindung, Thomas Kettler Verlag, 4. aktualisierte Auflage 2019, ISBN: 978-3-934014-80-0, Euro 12.90