Claudio led our group on bus rides from Salzburg City Center to Berchtesgaden and then a 2-3 hour hike to the Eagle's Nest where there was ultimately an opportunity to... read more eat lunch and enjoy amazing 360 degree views of Bavarian Alps. The tour also included walking tour by other relevant sites nearby where there are partial remains (Hitler's home, SS Barracks and more) as well as an ongoing informative history discussion about the Third Reich, Hitler, Kehlsteinhaus (Eagle's Nest) the area and much more. Claudio was superb, well studied in WWII history, and very professional. He also kindly adjusted the hiking pace of the trip to account for the abilities of all group members. It was a fantastic way to visit this site and see more than the top of the mountain and have an in depth history lesson. I highly recommend!!

  We absolutely LOVED our day with Claudio and could not more strongly recommend making this tour a priority if visiting Salzburg (if we ever come back we might even do... read more it again!). The review of the other travelers are all accurate -- Claudio is professional, kind, and extremely knowledgeable. Our party of 5 people joined Claudio and about 9 other people for this full-day hike/tour. Claudio instantly learned everyone's name and addressed us by name throughout the day, making our little group feel like a private tour. And what makes this tour truly a don't-miss is that Claudio has extensive knowledge about WWII and the Eagle's Nest surrounding area and does an amazing job of explaining the details of history throughout the entire tour. He also patiently, and knowledgeably, answers all additional questions! We loved that we also visited sites that the typical Eagles Nest bus tour doesn't visit. Claudio is super easy to communicate with via email to coordinate everything ahead of time -- just visit his website Monkey Business Tours and send him an email!

  100% recommend this tour!
Experience
Get to hike up to Eagle’s Nest and there’s so much nature has to offer which will be missed if you take other tours... read more that offer a couch ride to the top (Eg. listening to the cuckoo birds, tasting the fresh pine leaf, and breathing the fresh air).

I went on a cold and wet day; while it is presumingly less enjoyable to others, I strongly urge you not to cancel it. I believe that different weather brings different experiences-
my hike felt mystic as I was constantly in clouds. I couldn’t see the view because it was blocked by the clouds. But a couple and I (who are in the group) decided to gamble and wait, and yes, we managed to have a glimpse of it and we started cheering!

Guide
Claudio is a really nice guy! He offered his own snacks, poncho, trekking poles, and heat warmer to hikers who need it; providing an excellent guest experiences. He was also friendly to others, greeting the bus drivers, giving way, and the locals seem to know him well too. Apart from his amicable personality, he is knowledgeable. He shared with us different genres: history, sounds of music, nature, local tips of Salzburg such as food and sites.

I had a great time being in his tour. It is not a typical leisure tour, but an authentic, sensorial and active experience.

  We loved our Eagle’s Nest tour with Claudio and did the hike with our 3 boys aged 13, 13 and 10.
Claudio is very welcoming and is very easy... read more to get along with. He took us up the mountain at a nice gentle pace with frequent stops and even brought some extra water for us on such a hot day.
He explained all about the history of the site and even showed some old footage of it in it’s heyday.
When we got back to Salzburg, Claudio helped us out with getting the correct bus line home.
We hope to met up again when we return to Salzburg.
I can highly recommend Claudio for a brilliant day out in the Bavarian Alps. More

  Wonderful hike for nature and history lovers alike. Claudio was a truly excellent guide. Good age representation as well. Highly recommended for anyone looking for something a little different in... read more Central Europe.

  We had a group of 7 and we're all extremely pleased with the decision to spend a day with Claudio. He was very helpful in making sure we were all... read more comfortable in our hike up the mountain. Claudio provided great information throughout the day about all the sites we saw and even some sites that we didn't see any other tour groups go to. So glad we didn't just take a bus to the top like almost everyone else! Learned a ton during the hike and you cannot beat the feeling of accomplishment when you reach the top! Claudio even made sure we were setup with dinner reservations at one of his favorite restaurants for the evening after the tour. Claudio was not only knowledgeable, but also just a genuine good guy who kept us entertained throughout the day. Definitely the highlight of my 10 days in Europe! More

  We had a group of 7 and we're all extremely pleased with the decision to spend a day with Claudio. He was very helpful in making sure we were all... read more comfortable in our hike up the mountain. Claudio provided great information throughout the day about all the sites we saw and even

  We can't recommend this experience highly enough. Most tours to Obersalzburg and the "Eagles Nest" involve simply being bussed up to the top parking lot and then taking the... read more elevator to the peak - all very "canned" and impersonal. The walking tour with Claudio gives you the time and space to fully immerse yourself in the history of whole site. It is during this time that Claudio's deep, broad knowledge of history and genuine passion really make their presence felt - if you enjoy taking a deep dive into history, philosophy and politics whilst you hike then this is trip for you. Be warned though that the 6km ascent along the walking trail is a decent challenge though one which Claudio paces perfectly. Did I mention that the views are stunning too? All round 10/10.

  Awesome trip! Very unique experience as you literally hike up the “switch-backs” to get to the Eagles nest as opposed to taking a bus. The trails are clear and... read more easy to hike but it is a bit steep. The trail is about 4 miles and takes a couple of hours to make it up. Helps to be in decent shape! Take water and light snacks. Our guide Claudio was excellent as he told stories along the way and talked about the history leading up to the Eagles Nest. I attached a few pics of the trail to give an idea. Beautiful!! Also, we visited the ruins of Hitlers old house and office (do not miss!). Not sure this is included on the bigger bus tours. Definite must if you are ok with a little effort and sweat!

  This was a great hike with Claudio. We had bad weather, as it rained, but the area desperately needs the rain so I have no complaints about that. Claudio was... read more knowledgeable and friendly. He knows the area and the history well. The hike is not difficult in terms of terrain, but it is a 2 hour uphill hike. So, you should be prepared with water and snacks, and appropriate footwear. Beer and goulash at the restaurant were great. I recommend this experience.

  Claudio knows the history of the region well. He also has a good sense of humor. His extra excursions into the woods, where we would never have gone except for... read more him, were the icing on the cake. The climb took around 2 ½ hours at a moderate pace, and he took good rest stops. The climb has everything one could ask for, history, exercise, nature with the colors of autumn and great view, which unfortunately was sometimes a bit limited because of fog and rain. This is the perfect thing to do for people who love nature and history. The only thing I can point out to future travelers is that if you need walking sticks, you must let Claudio know in advance.

  Claudio was truly an awesome tour guide. He communicated super well leading up to us meeting and once we arrived he demonstrated his extensive knowledge as well as being a... read more very personable guy. I highly recommend this experience to anyone that enjoys hiking, history, and spending time with good people. I was really looking forward to the tour and Claudio over delivered! I will no doubt reach back out if I’m in the area

  If you are aiming to discover the beauty of Salzburg area and you are not that excited about those crowdy mainstream bus tours than you should definitely book this one!... read more It's more than just a tour, it's a real journey! Me and my wife had a great time exploring amazingly beautiful locations of Mondsee, enjoying biking, walking and even some hiking leaded by an experienced and knowledgeable tour guide. Our group was pretty compact so we felt very comfortable and cozy! I'd say it's an absolut "must do" for all nature lovers out there!

  Claudio was awesome. He took us up and despite the poor weather and limited view it was still worth it. His knowledge is outstanding and he really points out the... read more details of the area as you hike around and even on the ride in a few things further out. He even helped recommend me some decent hikes in the area since I was interested. 10/10 would recommend.

  Claudio was an amazing tour guide. He's extremely knowledgeable about the area and the World War II history associated with it. It was a rainy day but he came prepared... read more with ponchos, which was more prepared than my group was. It's definitely better than taking a bus up the hill and Claudio handles everything so all you need to do is follow along. …

  Claudio was wonderful, would definitely recommend his hiking tour to eagles nest. He always checked to make sure everyone was doing well and made sure we took enough breaks. Claudio... read more also went into great detail about WW2 and Eagles nest. This tour is great for anyone who wants to learn the history behind Eagles nest and the surrounding area.

  Claudio did an excellent job guiding us up to the Eagles Nest!! Went hiked from the bottom by the bus stop all the way to the parking lot at the... read more brass elevator up to the Eagles nest. The hike itself was on a well maintained trail and was paved part of the way. The views were amazing! The hike was not too difficult if you are used to hiking, the last part was fairly steep, but if you are in shape it won’t be a problem. Once at the top you take a ride to the Eagles Nest and get fantastic views!!
Claudio was an excellent guide and knew when to take breaks with the group he had. He is also very friendly and talkative and knows a lot about WWII history. He was flexible with the trip as well because it was pouring rain for part of our journey. Thanks again Claudio!

  Claudio is a wonderful tour guide, very knowledgeable about the history of the area and he shows you a lot of places you would not get to see on a... read more bus tour. The hike is also beautiful and well worth it! One of the best tours we have been on. You’ll also be supporting a local vs a large company.

  My girlfriend and I loved our hike to the Eagles Nest with Claudio!

We started by visiting the remains of Hitler's Berghof residence, which we would not have seen... read more on a larger group tour. We were also shown the remains of several interesting places such as a building used for storage of supplies during the war and also a place where the SS barracks used to be.

The hike took us around 2.5 hours, my girlfriend and I have not hiked before but are physically fit. Claudio is more than happy to vary the pace based on the groups abilities. To gauge the fitness required I would say if you need to be able to do a 5k run or comfortably do 20,000 steps in a day you will be absolutely fine.

Claudio is very knowledgeable and answered all of our questions as we ascended the mountain.

Once we were at the top, there is a tunnel (100m?) to the original brass elevator that takes you up to the eagles nest and summit of the mountain.

We were told that the queue can be quite long for the lift, but there was no queue in mid June when we went. If queues are expected a jumper might be handy for the wait in the tunnel is it is very cold (maybe 5 degrees C).

Once at the summit we saw the eagles nest building at the top which is also a restaurant. We got some lunch here and enjoyed the stunning views.

Claudio also took us to a part of the mountain near the summit that we wouldn't have known about without a guide, the landscape at this point is rocky but worth the 1 minute walk for the fantastic view from this point that is off the beaten track.

We chose to descend using the bus to save time (this did have an additional cost of around 10 euros), or Claudio was up for hiking back down as well for no additional cost.

Claudio is incredibly friendly, knowledgeable and you can tell he is extremely passionate about the Eagles nest tour which made it the best day out we had in Salzburg. We highly recommend this over a hot coach tour, go with Claudio instead for a real adventure!

THANK YOU!! for a fantastic tour!

  Claudio, a sweet spirited, curly haired guy, shares his knowledge about Hitler with much enthusiasm. His superb story telling helps one to relive the history. Though tiring, Claudio knows when... read more a rest point is necessary.

  Claudia is one of the most genuine, knowledgeable, and adventurous guides I've met! Despite the rainy weather, we enjoyed the hike and the astonishing view! 100% recommend.

  This was by far one of the best tours my husband and I have been on! We did the hiking up to the Eagles Nest as well as the bike... read more ride around Mondsee Lake. We had such an amazing time and Claudio was so passionate and knowledgeable about the history of Salzburg and WWII. We explored the bunkers which was a huge highlight and spoke of all the history. The bike ride was magical around the crystal blue lake. We even stopped at a waterfall which was a nice surprise. The whole time Claudio was very professional, helpful, and so much fun to be around. We would highly recommend any of the two tours we did!

  Amazing experience! Claudio was so friendly and his passion for the hike really shone through. Full of interesting stories and facts about Hitler’s life, German and Austrian politics in the... read more early 20th century, and about the surrounding geography and history of the area. Thanks a lot for this, a truly memorable experience. Highly recommend!

  Claudio, our guide, is the reason we booked this hike tour to begin with. The comments from others on trip advisor touted his acumen as a guide. After completing... read more our tour of Nest at his side, we can only agree with them! Claudio meets you at the Mcdonald’s by the central train station with a smile and gives you tid bits of history from the moment you meet. He seamlessly navigates a somewhat complex public bus system and along the drive to the base of the site, answers any burning questions you may have about the site, the hike, and the region. Hiking is the best way to really know Eagle’s nest. Claudio provides detailed notes on the construction process to build the trail-up, the reason behind the unique elevator access and different roadway paths, why the Fireplace at eagles nest is missing bits of marble from its side, plus hundreds of other morsels or intelligence your a average history book may leave out. He takes you to places no bus tour can ever go! After describing our experience to others who had come from a bus tour, it was clear, Claudio’s attention to detail and level of intel from his deep studies on the subject are unmatched. At the end of the trip he even suggested some more challenging hikes to my husband and I which were fabulous. What you need to know before you go: There are two... Claudio, our guide, is the reason we booked this hike tour to begin with. The comments from others on trip advisor touted his acumen as a guide. After completing our tour of Nest at his side, we can only agree with them!

Claudio meets you at the Mcdonald’s by the central train station with a smile and gives you tid bits of history from the moment you meet.

He seamlessly navigates a somewhat complex
public bus system and along the drive to the base of the site, answers any burning questions you may have about the site, the hike, and the region.

Hiking is the best way to really know Eagle’s nest. Claudio provides detailed notes on the construction process to build the trail-up, the reason behind the unique elevator access and different roadway paths, why the Fireplace at eagles nest is missing bits of marble from its side, plus hundreds of other morsels or intelligence your a average history book may leave out.

He takes you to places no bus tour can ever go!
After describing our experience to others who had come from a bus tour, it was clear, Claudio’s attention to detail and level of intel from his deep studies on the subject are unmatched.

At the end of the trip he even suggested some more challenging hikes to my husband and I which were fabulous.

What you need to know before you go:
There are two buses you take to get to the base of the mountain.

The trip is roughly a full day event departing at nine am and returning around five thirty pm to the central train station.

Bring layers depending on when you hike. The dramatic elevation means it may be cold at the top.

You hike up and bus down.

If it rains bring plastic bags to keep your non waterproof gear dry.

If it’s raining, it’s still worth the trip for the history, fresh air and good company! More

  When we were planning our vacation in Salzburg we were looking for an unusual tour where we could be physically active and could experience beautiful nature of Austrian lakes and... read more mountains. This tour looked like a perfect match,and it certainly did not disappoint us. Our friendly guide spent whole day with us, telling us history and legends of Salzkammergut and taking us to many amazing places. We're still under the impression and will be recommending this tour to our friends!
P.S. Claudio's homemade energy balls were really tasty and great! 🙂

  I went with my two other friends to celebrate my 18th birthday and it was absolutely breathtaking. We are traveling around Europe and this was one of the best days... read more that we’ve had. The tour guide was extremely nice and knew his stuff. It was world the money and the time!! We stopped at the most beautiful spots and they are great for taking pictures. It was a great way to see the outside of Salzburg and get a little history. You go to the church where there was the wedding in The Sound of Music and it was the most beautiful church I have ever seen!! Highly recommend this tour. No complaints!! We loved the tour guide!!!! More

  Despite due the corona outbreak, the busses were not going, but Claudio did! The only way to get to the top of the mounting was by foot. With Claudio we’ve... read more had an amazing experience. His knowledge about WW2 and the Kehlsteinhaus (eagles nest) was excellent. We really recommand this tour to all of our friends and family. Everybody needs to know the history to make brighter future. …

  This was such an incredible way to take in the views, get some exercise and learn about the history of Eagles Nest as well as the deep and dark history... read more of the area. Claudio was awesome and we learned so much and thoroughly enjoyed his company and the interesting facts he shared along the hike. The views were magnificent- the rain held out for us and the skies didn’t open until we reached the peak but it did not dampen the great day. This is a must do! Don’t waste time or money taking a bus to the top- this is the only way to see it and you won’t regret! One of the best experiences of our time here.

  Breathtaking experience - Claudia is one of the most genuine, knowledgeable, and adventurous guides I've met! Despite the rainy weather, we enjoyed the hike and the astonishing view! 100% recommend.

  We cannot thank Claudio enough for his incredible tour! I booked the Eagle’s Nest tour months ago, but due to inclement weather, we thought we would have to cancel. Claudio... read more was so responsive to my emails and answered every question and concern. He modified our tour to include WWII sites further down the mountain so that we would get some exposure to the history and the Alps. He is so knowledgeable about history and took us on a very off-the-beaten track tour. Then, the weather cleared a bit, so he suggested hiking to the Eagle’s Nest on the road instead of the trail. We are avid hikers from California, but this was one of the best hikes we’ve ever taken! He guided us on the hike despite rain and snow (we loved it!). We made it all the way up to the Eagle’s Nest and back down. He was so informative, positive, and easy to work with. Despite bad weather (not dangerous, just wet), he made the best tour we could have hoped for. I couldn’t imagine experiencing the Eagle’s Nest with any other guide. This is a must-book tour! Thank you SO much to Claudio for his time and energy!! We will be back, and hopefully during a time when it’s not snowing 🙂 THANK YOU!!!! More