Camping near spectacular caves in Germany - a top 10 selection

Many people are fascinated by caves, as there is something mystical, adventurous and imaginative about their history. There are numerous show caves in our country, but also others that are (still) unexplored and not open to the public. A high density of caves can be found in Franconia, the Swabian Alb, the Harz Mountains and the Thuringian Forest – with variations ranging from classic dripstone caves and shaft caves to ice or crystal caves . Would you like to go on a cave tour with your camper? In this article, we have compiled a top 10 of well-known and popular show caves from north to south in Germany.

Segeberger Kalkberg Cave (Schleswig-Holstein)

The Kalkberg Cave is Germany’s northernmost show cave and, together with the rest of the Kalkberg and the small Segeberger See lake, is a unique natural monument. On the guided tour, you will not only get to know the cave and its history, but also meet the inhabitants of the cave, almost 20,000 bats. A separate exhibition, unique in Europe, is also dedicated to them: Noctalis shows the world of bats on four floors.

tip

Campsite
Seecamping Segeberg
Address: Kastanienweg 8, 23795 Bad Segeberg
Distance to the cave: 1.5 km

Situated by the forest and lake, this Campsite not only the perfect starting point for a cave tour – the annual concerts in the Kalkberg arena in May, the Karl May plays in the open-air theater starting at the end of June and the nearby excursion destinations such as the Hansapark or the cities of Lübeck and Hamburg are also within easy reach from here.

tip

Pitch
Address: Kastanienweg 1, 23795 Bad Segeberg
Distance to the cave: 1.5 km

Small parking space at the Kurpark with supply and disposal. The cave is within easy walking distance from here. You can find more tips on the topic in this article: “Camping at UNESCO World Heritage Sites: discover culture and nature by motorhome”.

Rübeländer stalactite caves (Saxony-Anhalt)

The highest mountain in the Harz Mountains, cozy little towns and two of the oldest natural show caves in Germany: the area around Wernigerode has a lot to offer. The Baumannshöhle and Hermannshöhle caves, together known as the Rübeländer stalactite caves, are definitely worth a visit. The Baumann Cave is home to a Goethe Hall, named after the cave’s most famous visitor. The Goethesaal is used as a backdrop for theater performances, concerts and weddings . The columned hall is characterized by a special wealth of unique stalactite formations, impressive stalactites and stalagmites. In the adjacent Hermann’s Cave, you may be lucky enough to see the cave olm and, as in the Baumann’s Cave, take part in a one-hour guided tour of the cave.

tip

Campsite
Camping at the Brocken
Address: Schützenring 6, 38875 Elbingerode
Distance to the cave: 5 km

This idyllic spot is located above the village of Elbingerode, right next to the forest. The town center is within walking distance, the caves can be reached by car, bike, foot or bus (free of charge with a spa card). If you like being active, the Harz Mountains are also ideal for hiking and cycling tours.

Unicorn Cave Scharzfeld (Lower Saxony)

The Unicorn Cave, the largest accessible cave in the western Harz, is located in the district of Osterode. The cave is almost 700 meters long, and you can explore the main 300-meter section, which is lined with several large halls and domes. And where did the name come from? According to legend, the cave was frequented by bone collectors for centuries, and in the 16th century there were reports of digging for unicorns. The cave turned out to be a rich source of the unicorn, which was coveted as a medicine and remedy. It later turned out to be true that the bone finds were fossilized remains of large mammals… but the legend persists.

tip

Campsite
Campingpark Wiesenbeker Teich
Address: Wiesenbek, 37431 Bad Lauterberg
Distance to the cave: 8 km

The Wiesenbeker Teich camping park is located directly on a mountain lake surrounded by the beautiful landscape of the Harz mountains. The pitches are laid out in terraces so that almost every pitch offers a clear view of the lake.

tip

Motorhome site at the Südharz
Address: Fliederweg 3, 37412 Herzberg
Distance to the cave: 3 km

Another option for overnight stays is the motorhome parking area at the Fricke car dealership in Scharzfeld. From here, you can also reach the unicorn cave on foot via the karst hiking trail. The owners also offer parking for the day only.

Atta Cave, Attendorn (North Rhine-Westphalia)

Do you like stalactite caves and cheese? You can combine both passions in the Atta Cave. Located to the east of the Ruhr area to the north of Siegen, the Atta Cave offers a 1.8-kilometer tour of discovery and a visit is also suitable for health regeneration . The air in the health grotto is not polluted by fine dust or allergens and is even cleaner than sea or mountain air . And what about the cheese? The tangy, delicate Atta cheese matures for almost three months at a constant 95 percent humidity in the cave passages of Attendorn, with an average of around 400 cheese wheels stored in the cave.

tip

Campsite
EuroParcs Biggesee
Address: Waldenburger Bucht 11, 57439 Attendorn
Distance to the cave: 3 kmDefault text

The Biggesee vacation and recreation area is located at the south-western tip of the Sauerland in a landscape of lakes and forests. From here, you can easily reach the Atta Cave on foot or by bike, and there are also numerous leisure activities and excursion destinations nearby, such as the small towns of Attendorn and Olpe.

tip

Parking space Attendorn
Address: Finnentroper Straße 32, 57439 Attendorn
Distance to the cave: 100 m

The paved pitch is located directly below the Atta Cave and offers electricity, supply and disposal, making it ideal for a stop to visit the cave.

Saalfeld Fairy Grottoes (Thuringia)

Its richness of color has made it famous: Originating from a former mine, the stalactite world of the Saalfeld Fairy Grottoes Today a visitor magnet at three floors with grotto lakes and dripstones several hundred years old as well as a healing gallery, an adventure museum, adventure trail and special guided tours for children, who can go on a discovery tour with a red dwarf cap and miner’s lamp. Wedding ceremonies are also offered against this fascinating backdrop.

tip

Campsite
Saalthal-Alter campsite
Saalthal 7, 07333 Unterwellenborn/Buchta
Distance to the cave: 18 km

This beautifully situated terraced site by the reservoir is a little further away, but in summer you have the added bonus of being able to cool off in the Hohenwarte reservoir after a cave tour. You can reach the cave by train, van, camper van or car, and a bike tour is also recommended for sporty campers. 10 idyllic hiking trails in Germany incl. You can find camping tips in this article.

tip

Motorhome parking space Saalfelder Feengrotten
Address: Feengrottenweg 5, 07318 Saalfeld/Saale
Distance to the cave: 300 m

From the pitch, the path to the caves is very short: located directly at the Saalfeld Fairy Caves, this pitch offers electricity, supply and disposal (except gray water) as well as WC and shower. According to the reviews of numerous campers, the pitches are relatively sloping – don’t forget the wedges.

Syrau Dragon Cave (Saxony)

North of the small town of Plauen, you will find this show cave with unique stalactite and sinter formations, underground lakes and a fascinating cave panorama. Discovered by chance in 1928, almost 350 meters of the cave are now open to tourists and offer a fascinating world of stalactite and clay formations. From May to August, the Syrau dragon saga is also told in a laser show .

tip

Campsite
Campsite Gunzenberg Pöhl Dam
Address: Hauptstraße 38, 08543 Pöhl
Distance to the cave: 12 km

The family-friendly 4-star Gunzenberg campsite right next to the dam offers a wide range of leisure activities from hiking to water sports, plus more than 120 pitches, a camping meadow, modern, barrier-free sanitary facilities, free Wi-Fi throughout the site and numerous excursion destinations nearby. The cave can be reached by car, train and bicycle from here.

tip

Parking space Syrau
Address: Ernst-Thälmann-Straße 5, 08548 Syrau
Distance to the cave: 100 m

Located directly at the Drachenhöhle, this small pitch offers electricity, toilets and a bakery nearby.

Kubach Crystal Cave (Hesse)

In the eastern Hintertaunus, between Koblenz and Giessen, you will find limestone up to 350 million years old, cave passages up to 70 meters deep and countless calcite crystals and pearl sinter. The Kubach calcite crystal cave was formed during the Ice Age and only a small part of it has been uncovered so far. You can learn more about this cave, which is also one of the information centers of the Westerwald-Lahn-Taunus Geopark established in 2010, on a guided tour lasting just under an hour.

tip

Campsite
Camping ground Odersbach
Address: Runkeler Straße 5a, 35781 Weilburg-Odersbach
Distance to the cave: 8 km

The modern, quiet campsite on the Lahn is located close to the town center – bakery, shops etc. are within walking distance. On the site itself you will find comfortable pitches, well-kept sanitary facilities, a washing machine and tumble dryer, a swimming pool and children’s playground as well as boat and bike hire.

Devil’s Cave, Pottenstein (Bavaria)

Caves are as much a part of Franconian Switzerland as beer breweries and sausages. The density of caves is enormous, just like in the Swabian Alb. One of the largest caves is located north-east of Nuremberg – the Devil’s Cave in Pottenstein. At three kilometers long , it is the largest in the region and you can visit about half of the cave. Just under an hour’s adventure awaits you here, with impressive stalactite formations, almost 400 steps, several halls, tunnel-like corridors and an interior temperature of around 9 degrees Celsius. The huge rock grotto at the entrance, one of the largest in Germany, regularly hosts concerts, cabaret and other events in summer.

tip

Campsite
Camping Bärenschlucht
Address: Bärenschlucht 1, 91278 Pottenstein
Distance to the cave: 5 km

The almost five-hectare campsite offers a meadow area with trees in a river valley of the Püttlach framed by steep cliffs. Here you can choose between shady and sunny spots, and there is also an extra meadow for tents. The distance to the Devil’s Cave can be easily covered by bike or car, and there is also a train connection.

tip

Caravan site Pottenstein
Address: Am langen Berg 5, 91278 Pottenstein
Distance to the cave: 3 km

A classic pitch with electricity and supply and disposal, centrally located between the summer toboggan run, the outdoor pool and the Devil’s Cave. You will also find numerous shopping facilities nearby. Would you like to really unwind while wellness camping? Then take a look at our 12 favorites now.

Schlossberghöhlen Homburg (Saarland)

Below the ruins of Homburg Fortress, between Saarbrücken and Kaiserslautern, are Europe’s largest red sandstone caves: the Schlossberghöhlen Homburg. The labyrinth of corridors on a total of twelve floors was not created by the power of nature, it was made by human hands. The labyrinth of caves was created between the 15th and 17th centuries to mine the sand with its high quartz content and use it for glass production. There are also various legends about the use and origins of the cave. Later, during the Second World War, the population of Homburg also found shelter from air raids. A bunker area adjoins the sandstone caves.

tip

Campsite
Camping site Volkssonnengarten
Address: Kirkeler Straße, 66538 Neunkirchen
Distance to the cave: 18 km

Beautifully situated in a valley hollow, surrounded by forests and hiking trails, the Sonnengarten campsite is a good starting point for a visit to the Schlossberg caves (access by car or camper van) and also offers many leisure activities in the immediate vicinity.

tip

Motorhome site Homburg
Address: Kaiserslauterer Straße 17, 66424 Homburg
Distance to the cave: 3.5 km

This pitch with electricity, supply and disposal is located within walking or cycling distance of the cave and is ideal for visiting the Schlossberg caves.

Laichingen Deep Cave (Baden-Württemberg)

The Swabian Alb is known for its numerous caves – and the Laichingen deep cave between Ulm and Reutlingen is a very special one: It is almost 1.3 kilometers long, reaches about 80 meters below the surface and is the Germany’s only accessible shaft cave. In one part of the cave you can marvel at numerous stalactite formations, and in the small cave museum you can learn about the geology and formation of the cave.

tip

Campsite
Campsite Heidehof
Address: Heidehofstraße 50, 89150 Laichingen-Machtolsheim
Distance to the cave: 8 km

On 22 hectares in the heart of the Swabian Alb, the Heidehof campsite offers spacious pitches for vans, motorhomes, caravans and tents, modern sanitary facilities, an Italian restaurant, communal areas and numerous hiking and leisure opportunities in the immediate vicinity. You can reach the Laichinger Tiefenhöhle from here by car, camper van or bike.

And another superlative: the longest and deepest cave in Germany

We don’t want to leave this cave unmentioned, even though it’s not a show cave – that’s why we’re adding it to the top 10 as an extra: the Riesending-Schachthöhle in the Berchtesgaden Alps, Bavaria, is, as far as we know, the longest and deepest cave in Germany. At 22.6 kilometers long and 1,149 meters deep, it is impressive in size and is currently being explored further.

Cover picture: © Saalfelder Feengrotten und Toursimus GmbH