All About our private Eagle’s Nest Historical Tour
What’s so special about this tour?
Created by David and Christine Harper in 1990, this original and comprehensive tour, offered in English only, covers the Eagle’s Nest, as well as Hitler’s former HQs compound and includes a visit to the site of Hitler’s former home, the Berghof (now a ruin). This history-intensive tour is conducted by professional guides who are accredited in Third Reich / WWII history and whose mother tongue is English. They conduct the tour in an objective and comprehensive manner, making the history of the area easily understandable to all.
What is the “Eagle’s Nest Historical Tour”?
Our private, 3,5 – 4-hour, educational, 3-part tour emphasizes the historical significance of the whole mountain, not just the Eagle’s Nest teahouse.
1. Eagle’s Nest
You will board a specially equipped mountain bus for a breathtaking drive up the 6.5 km (4 mile) road with its 27% incline to a high mountain parking lot, just below the ‘Eagle’s Nest’. The original brass-lined elevator will then transport you up through the heart of Kehlstein mountain straight into the building itself. After an in-depth tour of the Eagle’s Nest (now a restaurant) you’ll have some free time to enjoy the views or refreshments.
2. Hitler’s Headquarters Compound
Your guide will take you on a driving tour around Obersalzberg, a small mountain community above Berchtesgaden. Here the history of the area’s takeover by the National Socialist Party and the transformation of the mountain into Hitler’s Southern Headquarters will be recounted. Numerous original buildings or sites where structures once stood will be pointed out and explained with the help of photographs.
3. Site of Hitler’s Former Home
Spending well over one-fourth of his twelve years in power at his “Berghof,” as the estate was named, the National Socialist Party’s effective propaganda apparatus made use of Hitler’s move to the Obersalzberg mountain to present him as a man close to nature and whose Wahlheimat (chosen homeland) was Berchtesgaden in the Bavarian Alps.
On the one hand, the repeated focus on the Führer’s presence on the mountain lent him the German roots that he did not possess, on the other, it created an image of Germany’s future leader as a man living close to the common people in an idyllic alpine countryside. Hitler and his home on the Obersalzberg provided a subsequent mass-merchandizing of the politician as an allegedly friendly and hospitable man who made time to receive and welcome hordes of German admirers and followers.
Photos of these large pilgrimage-like events, as well as postcards and picture-books of Hitler relaxing with and entertaining his associates such as Goebbels, Göring, Speer and Bormann, were widely distributed in an effort to create a Hitler myth. This “superstar” spotlighting was extraordinarily successful in contributing to Hitler’s popularity both before and after his rise to power.
However, it was also at this alpine retreat – the Berghof – that many of Hitler’s sinister plans were forged, leading to war and genocide. Though the building itself was destroyed by bombing and later demolished, our guides, with the help of photographs, recreate the Berghof’s former appearance and offer an in-depth narrative to outline the significant role Hitler’s former estate played in world history.
.
Times & Prices
The Eagle’s Nest Historical Tour can be booked, depending on availability, at either 8:30 a.m. or at 1:00 p.m. The meeting point for those arriving by car is Eagle’s Nest Historical Tours, located above the Berggasthof Obersalzberg Restaurant (next to Parking 1) at Obersalzberg (Salzbergstrasse 41) in Berchterchtesgaden (Germany). The tour is offered, on request and depending on availability, when the Eagle’s Nest is open, (usually from mid-May through October, weather permitting) and lasts approximately 3,5 to 4 hours. The price of the tour in 2024 is 330 € for private parties of up to six participants. The price includes our transportation around Obersalzberg and the half-day of professional guiding but does not include the Eagle’s Nest mountain bus (the price in 2023 was 30,80 € per person).
Children
Due to the intense historical focus of this tour we do not recommend booking this tour if you have children under 8 years of age. We, as parents, find that the four-hour history-intensive tour that we offer is tough on a young child’s patience. The Eagle’s Nest can also be visited without our guided tour (see below).
How much walking is involved?
– Walk through tunnel (406 ft / 124m) for elevator ride into the Eagle’s Nest
– Tour of building (about 20 steps)
Limited Mobility and Wheelchair Access
For those with limited mobility we can tailor the program to a slower pace. The Eagle’s Nest mountain buses have wheelchair ramps, however up at the Eagle’s Nest our tour participants need to go down two different flights of stairs to get into the main rooms of the building and climb back up them as well.
For those who do not feel this tour is for them or if our tour is sold out for the date you need, an alternative would be to visit the sites on you own. You simply take the Eagle’s Nest mountain bus from the Eagle’s Nest bus departure point (address: Salzbergstr. 43, Berchtesgaden, Germany). Buses depart every 25 minutes and you do not require an advance reservation.