Wimsen Cave

The Wimsener Höhle (Wimsen Cave) near Hayingen in the Swabian Jura is the only cave in Germany you can explore by boat. A boatman guides a small punt across crystal-clear, turquoise water into the mountain while explaining how the cave formed. Outside, the Zwiefalter Ach river springs from the rock beside a historic inn and a water playground, which makes this one of the most charming family day trips in southern Baden-Württemberg.

The Boat Ride

According to the operator, the cave is about 1,260 meters (0.8 miles) long, but visitors only ride the first 70 meters (230 feet). Beyond that point the ceiling dips into the water, and only cave divers can continue. The tour lasts about 10 minutes, preceded by a short safety video at the entrance. Each boat holds 10 passengers plus the boatman. Photos are allowed, but no flash.

The cave is a protected geotope and a highlight of the Swabian Alb UNESCO Global Geopark. It was first documented in 1447. After Elector Frederick of Württemberg (later King Frederick I) visited in 1803, it was renamed Friedrichshöhle and opened to visitors. Electric lighting followed in 1927. From 1961 to 1975, diver Jochen Hasenmayer pushed up to 400 meters into the flooded passages and 40 meters deep.

Tickets and Opening Hours

As of October 2026, boats run daily from 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., and the cave closes for winter, roughly from early November to the end of March.

• Adults €7, children 6–12 €6, children 2–5 €5
• Free with the regional AlbCard

Book online. Some tickets are sold on site, but on weekends and holidays that allocation often sells out by early afternoon, and waits of three hours or more are possible.

Good to Know

• Children can ride from age 2 if they can sit on their own.
• Dogs are not allowed in the boats.
• Boarding means stepping about 50 cm (20 inches) down from the jetty, so wheelchairs cannot come along.
• The organic Gasthof Friedrichshöhle, a kiosk, and a water playground are right next to the cave.

How to Get There

Wimsen lies about 85 km (53 miles) south of Stuttgart, roughly 1 hour 25 minutes by car, and about 50 km from Ulm or Tübingen. The nearest major airport is Stuttgart. Public transport in this rural corner of the Swabian Jura is limited, so a car is the easiest option. The parking lot is only a 2 to 3-minute walk from the cave but fills up quickly in summer. Many visitors park in Gossenzugen and walk about 30 minutes along the river, or hike through the lovely Glastal valley from Zwiefalten or Hayingen.

Is It Worth Visiting?

The boat ride itself is short, so think of Wimsen as a half-day outing: combine the cave with a riverside walk, lunch at the inn, and perhaps the Baroque abbey church in nearby Zwiefalten. Families and anyone curious about karst landscapes will love it.