The ranger-led tours of the "Alpinium – Center for Alpine Nature Experience" offer insights into the fascinating natural landscape of the Allgäu region. At the Fellhorn, we observe the habitat of the marmot.
Discover the Rock Ptarmigan in the High Mountains
We'll have to go high up for the Rock Ptarmigan tour! The Rock Ptarmigan is a well-camouflaged inhabitant of the high mountains. With its mottled plumage, it blends in so well with the rocky landscape that it can only be spotted with a trained eye. Even in winter, it leaves its predators, like the golden eagle, no chance. The Rock Ptarmigan is ideally adapted to cold and barren conditions—no wonder, since its closest relatives live in the Arctic.
All information about the bird migration: Together we'll look for the Rock Ptarmigan.
All important information about the Rock Ptarmigan hike for you at a glance:
Organizer: Alpinium – Center for Alpine Nature Experience
Dates: Every Thursday, June 26th Until September 11, 2025
Start: 9:00 a.m.
Duration: Approx. 3 hours
Meeting point: Nebelhornbahn valley station / NTC entrance
Registration: Oberstdorf Tourist Information the day before by 4:00 p.m. | Tel.: +49 (0)8322 7000 or online at www.oberstdorf.de | Minimum of 5 participants
Important: Group ascent to the summit station, the starting point of the hike. The cable car ride is not included; a corresponding ticket must be purchased on site. Please purchase your cable car ticket before the tour begins! Please bring sturdy, ankle-high shoes, sunscreen, weatherproof clothing, drinks, and perhaps a small snack.
Important: Group ascent to the summit station, the starting point of the hike.
Rock ptarmigan migration: bird excursion to lofty heights
The Rock Ptarmigan exhibits unusual breeding behavior: The females build nests in shallow depressions in the ground, which they line with vegetation and feathers. The breeding takes place in secret, with the female incubating the eggs alone. After hatching, the chicks are able to walk and feed independently.
An interesting bird that we are trying to discover: The Nebelhornbahn cable car takes you through the various altitudes up to the summit – as if through the Earth's climate zones all the way to the Arctic. From there, a short hike through this extreme habitat offers the chance to discover many adaptable birds: With a bit of luck and a sharp eye, you might even spot the perfectly camouflaged ptarmigan.
Information about the organizer
Alpinium – Alpine Nature Experience Center
With its team of experts from the fields of nature conservation, tourism, and land use, the Alpinium is a center of expertise for current challenges in Alpine conservation. These topics are developed as models in the southern Oberallgäu district and disseminated to interested regions in the Bavarian Alpine region.
The Alpinium's mission, among other things, is to create the foundations for safeguarding biodiversity and for the conception and implementation of species conservation projects.
Current key tasks:
- Visitor guidance and monitoring, as well as addressing and educating people on the site, and raising awareness of environmentally friendly behavior.
- Development of a spatial concept for the Oberallgäu district.
- Design and implementation of guided tours and nature observations on nature conservation topics.
- Monitoring rare species and their population trends.
- Presence and advisory function at sites of importance for nature conservation.
- Initiation and support of coordination processes between the various nature user groups.
- Conducting training courses for multipliers and commercial providers in the outdoor sector.
The Rangers
The Alpinium rangers work in close coordination with the rangers of the Nagelfluhkette Nature Park and are primarily responsible for the Allgäu High Alps Nature Reserve and the other Upper Allgäu communities east of the Iller River.
The area is characterized by a great diversity of habitats, some of them rare, and, as a result, a large number of animal and plant species. It is a refuge and habitat for endangered species such as the black grouse, the Apollo butterfly, the sundew, and others. It also provides space for around 8 million overnight visitors each year, as well as numerous day visitors and locals. The rangers develop opportunities for respectful coexistence between people and nature and implement these in the area.
They are available at any time to provide information and tips on environmentally friendly behavior in the area and offer a wide range of guided tours for locals and guests alike.
On the "Out and About with the Alpinium" tours, you'll learn fascinating facts about the unique natural surroundings of the Upper Allgäu and gain insight into the daily lives of the rangers.
Address:
Alpinium – Alpine Nature Experience Center
Kirchgasse 2
87538 Obermaiselstein
Tel: (0821) 327-3465
alpinium@reg-schw.bayern.de
Other hikes that might interest you
Whether it's our popular Winter Hikes in the Allgäu or a sunny Hike in the Allgäu in the summer – we've put together numerous great options for you. And why not check out our other "Big Five Hike," the Marmot Hike?
