Discover Eckenhagen: Wildlife Park, Spa Gardens and Local History
Accommodation in Eckenhagen
Eckenhagen offers varied days on holiday combining animal experiences, regional history, activity and peaceful moments in the spa gardens. The mix of activities for different age groups is particularly appealing: you can shape your stay in many different ways by following the trail of local history, visiting the museum, riding the pump track or taking a walk through unique landscapes.
Wildlife park and adventure world for shared discoveries
Eckenhagen Monkey and Bird Park is home to more than 180 different animal species. The eight-hectare site combines a wildlife park and adventure world. Facilities include a petting zoo, large playgrounds, barbecue huts, a garden café, an indoor adventure hall and a three-kilometre circular trail. Many enclosures are open to visitors, including walk-through free-flight aviaries and monkey enclosures.
The opportunity to observe the animals up close in the seven walk-through free-flight aviaries is particularly unusual. There, visitors can observe and feed parakeets, owls and flamingos, among others, without a separating grille. The open enclosures for Barbary macaques and squirrel monkeys can also be entered. This gives the park a range of experiences for a day out in which children and adults can each find their own particular highlights.
History, crafts and culture in Eckenhagen
The Eckenhagen Historic Trail leads through the history of the village via 15 information panels. Each station provides further information via a QR code. The Eckenhagen Farm Museum presents the life of the local population over the past 200 years in a half-timbered house converted into a museum. The neighbouring bakehouse provides insights into agricultural work; more than 4,000 objects illustrate life and work on the farm in earlier times.
The Doll’s Room and the Mining Exhibition offer further unusual insights. The Doll’s Room displays an extensive collection of traditional costume and folk dolls from around the world. Its exhibition is accessible without barriers; guided tours and an educational museum programme are also offered regularly. The Mining Exhibition explores the history of mining, the everyday life of mine workers, as well as geographical and technical aspects of the mining tradition and coin minting. Organ concerts are held regularly in Eckenhagen’s Protestant Baroque Church.
Spa gardens, pump track and trails for active days
The approximately 1.5-hectare Eckenhagen Spa Gardens are characterised by a pond and fountain area, benches and forest sofas. A barefoot trail and an adjacent Kneipp wading pool add to the options for a peaceful or active break. Regular spa concerts and other events take place in the music pavilion. Heilklimaweg 1, also known as the Yoga Hiking Trail, comprises five stations, starts and ends at the spa gardens on Zöper Weg in Reichshof-Eckenhagen, and is also used for guided hikes.
For families with different age groups, the Eckenhagen Pump Track is another practical option. It is located on Hahnbucher Straße, to the right of the sports field, and offers two circuits. The pump track is 280 metres long. One circuit is intended for children aged 3 to 8 with balance bikes and bicycles; the larger circuit is permitted for ages 8 and up. The facility is freely accessible every day from 06:00 to 22:00.
Landscape and excursions around Eckenhagen
The Branscheid juniper heath is one of the last juniper heaths in the Oberberg region. With human assistance and the help of flocks of sheep and goats, it is protected from being overgrown by forest. Anyone looking for an excursion idea involving a regional tour can also consider the Reichshof-Erleben Tour. It starts in Eckenhagen, passes through Wildbergerhütte and Denklingen, and ends back in Eckenhagen. The tour uses a minibus with seating for eight passengers, travelling along particularly beautiful, scenic “forgotten” routes.
The right holiday apartment for planning your trip
When looking for a holiday apartment in Eckenhagen, you can tailor your travel plans to the experiences you want. The wildlife park and pump track offer ideas for active excursions, while museums, historic stations, organ concerts and the spa gardens make other types of holiday days possible. Anyone wanting to discover several different facets can put together the destinations mentioned according to age, interests and preferred daily rhythm, and plan Eckenhagen as the starting and ending point of the Reichshof-Erleben Tour.
For the higher-level travel overview: Reichshof.
