# Granite, monasteries and Thaya meanders – by camper through the Waldviertel and Mühlviertel to the Schlögen Loop

> From Krems through the Kamp Valley to Altenburg Abbey, into the Thayatal National Park and across the rugged Waldviertel uplands to Gmünd, then through the…

Source: https://camping-spirit.com/guides/rf-393-waldviertel-muehlviertel/

**At a glance:** 7-day road trip of about 336 km (209 mi) with 14 stops, from Krems an der Donau to Schlögen. About 4 h 38 min of driving in total. Best time to go: May–September. Tolls and vignettes for a car: about €13 (Austria, Vignette). From Krems through the Kamp Valley to Altenburg Abbey, into the Thayatal National Park and across the rugged Waldviertel uplands to Gmünd, then through the Mühlviertel into the Bohemian Forest and down to the Danube: around 520 kilometres of back roads on which the vignette can mostly stay in the glovebox.

| | |
|---|---|
| Distance | approx. 336 km (209 mi) |
| Driving | 4 h 38 min |
| Suggested days | 7 |
| Stops | 14 |
| Route | Krems an der Donau → Schlögen |
| Countries | Austria |
| Best time to go | May–September |
| Tolls and vignettes | ≈ €13 |
| Updated | October 1, 2026 |

[Download GPX file](https://camping-spirit.com/gpx/rf-393-waldviertel-muehlviertel.gpx)

Practical guides for this route: [Switzerland and Austria by motorhome: vignettes, limits and overnight rules](https://camping-spirit.com/magazine/eu-switzerland-austria-by-motorhome/)

*From Krems through the Kamp Valley to Altenburg Abbey, into the Thayatal National Park and across the rugged Waldviertel uplands to Gmünd, then through the Mühlviertel into the Bohemian Forest and down to the Danube: around 520 kilometres of back roads on which the vignette can mostly stay in the glovebox.*

## The spirit of the route

North of the Danube, Austria goes quiet. Beyond the vineyard terraces of the Kamp Valley the land rises to a high plateau where granite boulders lie in meadows and pine heaths as if left behind, fish ponds steam and villages stand far apart. The Thaya cuts deep meanders into the rock, castles sit above every bend, and at the Czech border the road often ends at a footbridge. From the sliding door you see reservoirs in the morning mist, monastery towers above fields and, in the evening, the Bohemian Forest as a dark line on the horizon. The Mühlviertel feels gentler, with strip fields, granite farmsteads and the scent of gingerbread, until beyond Rohrbach the route drops steeply to the Danube, which at Schlögen almost winds back on itself. The climate is harsh, the nights are cool, the pitches are small – those who travel here are looking for peace, not a programme.

## Stage-by-stage plan

### Stage 1: Krems an der Donau to Horn (through the Kamp Valley) (approx. 55 km)

- **The drive:** From Krems head briefly north to Langenlois, then follow the river on the B34 Kamptalstraße via Zöbing, Schönberg and Gars am Kamp to Rosenburg and Horn. In the lower section there are vineyards and loess terraces; from Schönberg the valley becomes narrower, wooded and winding. Village through-roads are narrow, and at weekends there are many motorcyclists and cyclists. Around 1.25 hours of pure driving time, no vignette needed as long as you avoid the S5 expressway.
- **Highlights & must-sees:**
  - Zöbinger Heiligenstein: the vineyard hill above the Kamp, reached by a wine trail – at the top, views over Langenlois and the valley.
  - Gars am Kamp: the Babenberg castle ruin above the town and the footpath up from the Kamp.
  - Rosenburg Castle: Renaissance castle above the valley with a large tournament courtyard; birds of prey displays take place in season.
- **Official campsite or RV park:** In Horn there is the motorhome stopover by the festival grounds, close to the centre, with water and waste disposal; check facilities and fee on site, and it may be occupied during events. If you want to spend the night in the wine town: Weingut und Heuriger Nastl in Langenlois has a few pitches (according to the motorhome stopover guide with fresh water and cassette disposal, no electricity); ask the business in advance about conditions and whether dogs are allowed.
- **Free camping or nature tip (where legal):** Lower Austria prohibits setting up and parking motorhomes, caravans and tents in open countryside outside approved campsites; a violation is an administrative offence. The gravel lay-bys along the Kamp, vineyard tracks and forest car parks in the valley are therefore off limits – use motorhome stopovers, campsites or winery farms.
- **Insider tip for campers:** Krems as your starting point: before setting off, fill up with water and empty your tanks at Donaupark Camping Krems or at a petrol station – disposal points are few and far between in the Kamp Valley. In Langenlois, Heuriger wine taverns and wine shops are close together; park the motorhome on the edge of town rather than driving into the narrow cellar lanes.

### Stage 2: Horn to Hardegg (Thayatal National Park) (approx. 55 km)

- **The drive:** From Horn a few kilometres west to Altenburg, back via Horn and north-east across the open uplands via Geras and Riegersburg towards Hardegg. Wide country roads through fields and forests, little traffic. The final approach into the little town of Hardegg drops steeply and narrowly into the Thaya Valley; with large vehicles, stay up by the national park centre. Around 1.25 hours of driving time without sightseeing.
- **Highlights & must-sees:**
  - Altenburg Abbey: Benedictine abbey with a Baroque library, ceiling frescoes by Paul Troger and the painted crypt; visits seasonal.
  - Thayatal National Park Centre with an exhibition and wildcat enclosure, starting point for the hiking trails to the Umlaufberg.
  - Hardegg: castle above the river, a small old town and the Thaya bridge across to Čížov in the Czech Republic, for pedestrians and cyclists.
- **Official campsite or RV park:** Wohnmobilstellplatz Nationalpark Thayatal by the national park centre above Hardegg, quiet at the edge of the forest; basic facilities, check conditions on the national park website. For electricity and sanitary facilities: Seecamping Langau on the bathing lake, a good 10 kilometres to the west, or the small Zeltplatz Waldbad Hardegg (mainly for tents and small vehicles).
- **Free camping or nature tip (where legal):** In the Thayatal National Park, overnight stays outside designated areas are prohibited, you must not leave the paths, and dogs must be kept on a lead. The same applies at the hikers' car parks around Merkersdorf: parking during the day yes, camping no – the Lower Austrian ban applies anyway.
- **Insider tip for campers:** The loop from the national park centre via the Umlaufberg viewpoint down to the Thaya and back takes around three hours with steep climbs; start early, as in summer it gets humid in the valley. Pitches at the national park centre are limited – arrive in the afternoon.

### Stage 3: Hardegg to Ottenstein Reservoir (via Drosendorf, Raabs and Zwettl) (approx. 100 km)

- **The drive:** West via Langau to Drosendorf, then following the Thaya to Raabs an der Thaya, on south-west via Groß-Siegharts to Zwettl and down to the Ottenstein Reservoir. Hilly, winding, narrow bridges in the Thaya villages. South of the route, between Zwettl, Allentsteig and Horn, lies the Allentsteig military training area, a large restricted military zone – there are no satnav shortcuts through it. Around 2 hours of driving time.
- **Highlights & must-sees:**
  - Drosendorf: small town with an almost complete medieval town wall, walk along the wall path.
  - Raabs Castle on the rock above the confluence of the German and Moravian Thaya; view from the bridge down by the river.
  - Ottenstein Castle and the Dobra ruin above the reservoir on the Kamp with its many inlets.
- **Official campsite or RV park:** There are several sites at the Ottenstein Reservoir: Camping Ottenstein near the castle, Campingplatz Lichtenfels nearby, Seecamp Dobra and Seecamping Krumau on the Dobra Reservoir further east; electricity and sanitary facilities are available, the season is usually only during the warmer months – check in advance. Along the way: the Wohnmobilabstellplatz in Drosendorf-Zissersdorf and the municipal motorhome stopover of Karlstein an der Thaya, a short detour north-west of Raabs.
- **Free camping or nature tip (where legal):** Lakeside car parks at the reservoir are for bathers, not for overnight stays; checks are common in summer. In Lower Austria, camping outside approved sites remains prohibited.
- **Insider tip for campers:** In Zwettl there is a motorhome stopover at the Kampparkplatz within walking distance of the old town – handy for shopping, emptying tanks or as an alternative to the lake. Fill up with fuel in Zwettl, the villages at the reservoir have hardly any shops or services.

### Stage 4: Ottenstein Reservoir to Gmünd (via Zwettl Abbey) (approx. 65 km)

- **The drive:** Back to Zwettl, briefly to Zwettl Abbey in the Kamp Valley and then across the Waldviertel uplands to Gmünd on the Czech border. Wide country roads over plateaus at around 600 metres, spruce forest, ponds, granite boulders in the fields; hardly any villages with narrow sections. Around 1 hour of pure driving time.
- **Highlights & must-sees:**
  - Zwettl Abbey: Cistercian monastery with a Gothic hall choir and one of the oldest surviving cloisters in Austria.
  - Naturpark Blockheide near Gmünd: residual granite blocks and rocking stones among pines and heath, observation tower and circular trails.
  - Waldviertelbahn: the narrow-gauge railway from Gmünd, south to Groß Gerungs and north to Litschau, with heritage trains hauled by steam or diesel locomotives and the Golden Railcar; season roughly from May to the end of October.
- **Official campsite or RV park:** Campingplatz Sole-Felsen-Bad in Gmünd, next to the thermal baths and close to the Blockheide, with electric hook-ups and sanitary facilities; alongside it a motorhome stopover. Alternative a few kilometres to the south: Camping Waldenstein.
- **Free camping or nature tip (where legal):** In the Blockheide too, nature park quiet and Lower Austrian law apply – no overnight stays at the nature park car parks. The Czech Republic, just across the border, has its own rules; if you want to cross over, stay overnight at campsites or stopovers.
- **Insider tip for campers:** The Waldviertelbahn runs daily during the summer holidays, otherwise only on certain days; check the timetable on the Waldviertelbahn (Niederösterreich Bahnen) website, reserve bike transport in advance and leave the camper at Gmünd station. At the reservoir and in the uplands the nights are cool even in summer – plan for heating and a gas supply.

### Stage 5: Gmünd to Freistadt (via Weitra and the horse-drawn railway) (approx. 80 km)

- **The drive:** From Gmünd west to Weitra, then over the border ridge near Karlstift and Sandl into the Upper Austrian Mühlviertel to Freistadt. Beyond Weitra the section is lonely, heavily forested and climbs to around 900 metres; watch for deer crossing at dusk. Short detour to Kerschbaum for the horse-drawn railway. Around 1.5 hours of pure driving time.
- **Highlights & must-sees:**
  - Weitra: castle above the Lainsitz, sgraffito houses on Rathausplatz and a brewing tradition that has earned Weitra the nickname beer town.
  - Pferdeeisenbahn Kerschbaum: museum on the former 19th-century Budweis–Linz horse-drawn railway, with a reconstructed section of track in Rainbach im Mühlkreis; rides on the horse-drawn railway from May to October on selected Sundays (in August also on weekdays), reservation by phone requested.
  - Freistadt: short walk around the surviving town fortifications with the Linzer Tor and Böhmertor gates.
- **Official campsite or RV park:** Campingplatz Freistadt on the edge of the old town, within walking distance of the centre, with electricity and sanitary facilities; check season and facilities beforehand. In the Mühlviertel many farms and inns also offer individual pitches, for example Wohnmobilhafen Liebenau, off the route.
- **Free camping or nature tip (where legal):** Upper Austria has no state-wide camping ban, but municipalities can prohibit camping in certain places or throughout the municipal area by ordinance; parking motorhomes in open countryside outside built-up areas must as a rule be notified to the nature conservation authority. So without information from the municipality, only stay overnight at sites.
- **Insider tip for campers:** You can reach Freistadt via the B38 without a vignette; the S10 expressway towards Linz and the border requires a vignette. If you want to explore the horse-drawn railway further: the Pferdeeisenbahn-Wanderweg trail follows the old route and is suitable for sections on foot or by bike.

### Stage 6: Freistadt to Ulrichsberg (via Kefermarkt and Bad Leonfelden) (approx. 100 km)

- **The drive:** South to Kefermarkt, then west over the Mühlviertel hills to Bad Leonfelden and on along the B38 via Helfenberg to Haslach an der Mühl, then via Aigen-Schlägl to Ulrichsberg on the edge of the Bohemian Forest. Gentle hilltops, strip fields, granite farmsteads; well built, but many bends. Around 2 hours of pure driving time.
- **Highlights & must-sees:**
  - Kefermarkt: the late Gothic carved winged altarpiece in the parish church of St. Wolfgang, one of the most important of its kind.
  - Bad Leonfelden: gingerbread tradition and the Sternstein with its observation tower, from which in clear weather you can see as far as the Alps.
  - Haslach an der Mühl: small market town with a weaving museum on the Große Mühl.
- **Official campsite or RV park:** Böhmerwaldcamp in Ulrichsberg, on the edge of the village towards Schöneben, with electricity and sanitary facilities. There are also pitches at Golfplatz Böhmerwald and simple camping options at the Naturflussbad Ulrichsberg; check season and conditions in advance.
- **Free camping or nature tip (where legal):** In the Bohemian Forest, nature reserves and Natura 2000 sites adjoin; forestry roads are closed to motor vehicles, and forest car parks are hikers' car parks. Wild camping is only conceivable where the municipality expressly permits it – in practice, better to use sites.
- **Insider tip for campers:** Before heading on into the Bohemian Forest, fill up and shop in Bad Leonfelden or Haslach; after that, petrol stations become rare. The Sternstein lies close to the road north of Bad Leonfelden – the access road to the car park is narrow.

### Stage 7: Ulrichsberg to Schlögen Loop (via Plöckenstein and Aigen-Schlägl) (approx. 65 km)

- **The drive:** In the morning, head up to Holzschlag or Schöneben for a hike, then back via Aigen-Schlägl and Rohrbach, down into the Danube Valley and along the B130 south-bank federal road to the Schlögen Loop. The descent to the Danube is steep and winding; drive in low gears. Around 1.5 hours of pure driving time.
- **Highlights & must-sees:**
  - Plöckenstein: climb from Holzschlag along the border ridge to around 1,380 metres, with views over the Bohemian Forest and the Vltava Reservoir; nearby is the tripoint of Austria, Germany and the Czech Republic.
  - Schwarzenberg Floating Canal near Schöneben: historic timber-floating canal with a level hiking trail running alongside.
  - Schlägl Abbey in Aigen-Schlägl: Premonstratensian monastery with its own brewery and abbey church.
- **Official campsite or RV park:** Camping Schlögen right on the bank at the loop, with electricity and sanitary facilities. Opposite, on the inside of the bend by the bike ferry, is the small site Camping Pumberger in der Au; clarify access, vehicle length and season before you arrive.
- **Free camping or nature tip (where legal):** Along the Danube in Upper Austria, many car parks and riverbank strips are signposted as closed to motorhomes overnight, and the loop itself is a protected area. Stay overnight at sites.
- **Insider tip for campers:** Instead of just climbing to the viewpoint: take the bike ferry across into the Au and hike downstream along the north bank, where no road disturbs the peace. In Schlögen, remains of a Roman fort recall the Danube Limes, a World Heritage Site since 2021.

## Camping practice & local rules

### Wild camping & overnight parking

- In Austria, camping law is a matter for the individual states. Lower Austria (Kamp Valley, Waldviertel) prohibits setting up and parking motorhomes, caravans and tents in open countryside outside approved campsites; violations are administrative offences.
- Upper Austria (Mühlviertel, Danube) has no general ban: municipalities can prohibit camping by ordinance in certain places or throughout the municipal area, and parking caravans and motorhomes in open countryside outside built-up areas must as a rule be notified to the nature conservation authority. Camping means any stay in or next to the vehicle that goes beyond a brief stop.
- Thayatal National Park, Naturpark Blockheide, the Bohemian Forest protected areas and the Schlögen Loop: no overnight stays outside designated sites; stay on the paths and keep dogs on a lead. The level of fines depends on the respective state law and can be steep in protected areas.
- You can spend the night legally and quietly at municipal motorhome stopovers (Horn, Zwettl, Drosendorf, Karlstein, Gmünd), at campsites by the reservoirs and with winemakers in the Kamp Valley. Search via park4night, Campercontact, motorhome stopover guides and the tourism websites of the Waldviertel and Mühlviertel.

### Waste disposal & supplies

- Water and waste disposal is available at municipal motorhome stopovers and most campsites; between Hardegg and Ottenstein and in the Bohemian Forest the service points are far apart – empty grey water and fill up with fresh water before every stage.
- Only empty chemical toilets at disposal stations, never into the forest floor or ponds; many fish ponds in the Waldviertel are used commercially. Tap water is generally drinkable.
- Gas: German exchange cylinders are not swapped everywhere; Campingaz is widely available in shops. LPG is only available at a few petrol stations in the sparsely populated north, with different adapters; fill refillable cylinders before the trip and carry adapters.
- Supplies: supermarkets and petrol stations in Horn, Zwettl, Gmünd, Freistadt, Bad Leonfelden and Rohrbach; in the small villages often only inns with rest days.

### Vehicle size & traffic rules

- Speed limits: motorhomes up to 3.5 t 50 in built-up areas, 100 on open roads, 130 km/h on motorways. Over 3.5 t, as a rule 70 km/h applies on open roads and 80 km/h on motorways; for car-and-trailer combinations the limit depends on trailer load and registration (70 to 100 km/h on open roads). Check the current situation with the ÖAMTC before travelling.
- Tolls: up to 3.5 t maximum permissible weight, a vignette is required on motorways and expressways (1 day digital only; 10 days, 2 months, year). 2026 is the last year of the sticker vignette; from 2027 there will only be the digital vignette. If you buy the digital vignette online as a consumer in the ASFINAG webshop or app, you must allow for the 18-day cancellation period for the 2-month and annual vignettes; bought at a sales outlet, it is valid immediately. Over 3.5 t, the distance-based GO toll with a GO-Box applies. The route itself runs on vignette-free federal roads (B34, B38, B130); a vignette is required on, for example, the S5 to Krems and the S10 near Freistadt.
- Dimensions: height 4.00 m, width 2.55 m, length 12 m (combination 18.75 m). In Hardegg, Raabs and the Thaya villages, watch out for weight and width restrictions on old bridges and narrow archways.
- Winter equipment: from 1 November to 15 April, situational requirement in snow, slush or ice; the Waldviertel uplands and the Bohemian Forest see frost and snow early in late autumn. For lorries over 3.5 t, winter tyres on one drive axle and the obligation to carry snow chains also apply during this period; whether this applies to a heavy motorhome depends on its registration – carrying chains in the uplands does no harm.
- Form an emergency corridor in traffic jams on multi-lane roads, keep a hi-vis vest within reach. Alcohol limit 0.5 per mille (0.1 for probationary licence holders), phone calls only with a hands-free system. If a load such as a bike rack projects beyond the rear, it must be marked: up to 1 metre a red cloth is sufficient; beyond that a white board (25 × 40 cm) with a red, retroreflective border is required.

## CampingSpirit packing & preparation checklist

- Good hiking boots and poles – the Umlaufberg in the Thaya Valley and the Plöckenstein climb are steep, rocky and slippery after rain.
- Warm blanket or sleeping bag and full gas cylinders: on the plateaus the temperature drops into single figures at night even in summer.
- ID card or passport for detours across the border bridges into the Czech Republic near Hardegg and Gmünd.
- Long fresh-water hose with adapters – at small municipal motorhome stopovers, taps are often far away.
- Bikes: the Kamp Valley, the Pferdeeisenbahn-Wanderweg trail and the Danube Cycle Path at the loop are best explored on two wheels.
- Insect repellent against mosquitoes at the reservoirs and ponds.

_As of 2026-10. Closures, fees and booking rules change: check official sources before you go._

## Sources

- [Land Niederösterreich – Waldviertelbahn startet in die Saison 2026 (Presseaussendung, PDF)](https://www.noe.gv.at/noe/pressAnnouncement/getPdf/119635)
- [Land Niederösterreich – Ausflugshighlights mit der Waldviertelbahn zu Sommerbeginn (Presseaussendung, PDF)](https://noe.gv.at/noe/pressAnnouncement/getPdf/120284)
- [Oberösterreich Tourismus – Mühlviertler Pferdeeisenbahn (Kerschbaum)](https://www.oberoesterreich.at/oesterreich-poi/detail/401638/muehlviertler-pferdeeisenbahn.html?type=2026)
- [oesterreich.gv.at – Campen in Niederösterreich](https://www.oesterreich.gv.at/de/themen/reisen_und_freizeit/freizeit-in-der-natur/campen/Seite.3390004)
- [oesterreich.gv.at – Campen in Oberösterreich](https://www.oesterreich.gv.at/de/themen/reisen_und_freizeit/freizeit-in-der-natur/campen/Seite.3390005)
- [ADAC – Mit dem Fahrzeug in Österreich: Tempolimits](https://www.adac.de/reise-freizeit/reiseplanung/reiseziele/oesterreich/uebersicht/tempolimits/)
- [ÖAMTC – Österreich wechselt 2027 vollständig zu digitalen Vignetten](https://www.oeamtc.at/thema/maut-vignette/oesterreich-wechselt-2027-vollstaendig-zu-digitalen-vignetten-82638237)
- [promobil – Stellplatz beim Nastl Heuriger, Langenlois](https://www.promobil.de/stellplatz/stellplatz-beim-nastl-heuriger-588f1eba721d54a52815fd38.html)
- [Oberösterreich Tourismus – Querfähre Schlögen–Au](https://www.oberoesterreich.at/regionen/donauregion/oesterreich-poi/detail/101722/querfaehre-schloegen-au.html?type=2026)
- [Land Oberösterreich – Belagsarbeiten B38 im Bereich Hinterkönigschlag](https://www.land-oberoesterreich.gv.at/283325.htm)
- [OpenStreetMap-Auszug (data/osm/camps/AT.json) – Camps und Stellplätze](https://www.openstreetmap.org/)

## Which stops are on the route from Krems an der Donau to Schlögen?

1. **Krems an der Donau** (Austria)
2. **Langenlois** (Austria)
3. **Gars am Kamp** (Austria)
4. **Horn** (Austria)
5. **Hardegg** (Austria)
6. **Raabs an der Thaya** (Austria)
7. **Zwettl** (Austria)
8. **Gmünd** (Austria)
9. **Weitra** (Austria)
10. **Freistadt** (Austria)
11. **Kefermarkt** (Austria)
12. **Bad Leonfelden** (Austria)
13. **Aigen-Schlägl** (Austria)
14. **Schlögen** (Austria)

## When is the best time for the route from Krems an der Donau to Schlögen?

The most pleasant months are usually May–September. Still fine, with some compromises, in October. Cold, short days in December–February. July and August are the busiest months: book campsites early. (Estimate from long-term temperature averages, terrain and pass seasons)

## What should you know before driving the route from Krems an der Donau to Schlögen?

Tolls and vignettes for a car: about €13 (Austria, Vignette).

- **Austria: Vignette needed for motorways.** Vehicles over 3.5 t need a GO-Box for distance-based tolls. Motorway limit for cars: 130 km/h.

## FAQs

**How long is Granite, monasteries and Thaya meanders – by camper through the Waldviertel and Mühlviertel to the Schlögen Loop?**
7-day road trip of about 336 km (209 mi) with 14 stops, from Krems an der Donau to Schlögen. About 4 h 38 min of driving in total.

**How many days do you need for Granite, monasteries and Thaya meanders – by camper through the Waldviertel and Mühlviertel to the Schlögen Loop?**
We suggest 7 days: about 4 h 38 min of driving, which leaves time for the stops.

**Where does Granite, monasteries and Thaya meanders – by camper through the Waldviertel and Mühlviertel to the Schlögen Loop start and end?**
It starts in Krems an der Donau and ends in Schlögen.

**Which countries does Granite, monasteries and Thaya meanders – by camper through the Waldviertel and Mühlviertel to the Schlögen Loop pass through?**
Austria.

**Where can you camp along Granite, monasteries and Thaya meanders – by camper through the Waldviertel and Mühlviertel to the Schlögen Loop?**
OpenStreetMap lists 113 campsites and motorhome stopovers within 20 km of the stops on this route. For example: Campingplatz Rossatz, Wohnmobilcamping Artner and Zeltplatz Waldbad.

**How much are the tolls on the route from Krems an der Donau to Schlögen?**
Tolls and vignettes for a car: about €13 (Austria, Vignette). Estimate with typical rates; motorhomes pay more, and vehicles over 3.5 t often pay by distance.