We had decided we wanted to hike through the Black Forest, and I painstakingly started to research and plan everything myself. I was looking at hikes on AllTrails, googling best inns to stay at, and renting a car. It was starting to become a little stressful, and I wasn't sure of the quality of the hikes we would be doing.Then we found Simone and Black Forest Tours and thank goodness we did. She worked with us quickly and efficiently to set up the perfect trip. Instead of renting a car and navigating the roads, the hikes and the luggage, all of that was done for us.We stayed in towns I did not come across in my research, and the reason for that is they are small, authentic German towns that are not swamped with tourists. You will feel immersed in the culture of these medieval towns as you will likely be the only tourists.The hotels were always comfortable after a long days hike, and each one had something special about it. A couple inns had spa amenities (one of which was quite luxurious), another had a restaurant in which we enjoyed the best dinner of our entire trip. Another inn had a terrace that looked onto a pasture that was lovely for a glass of wine at the end of the long day of hiking.The hikes were amazing. Simone gave us a very detailed book that detailed the hikes, but following along on the app was also a security blanket. We basically couldn't get lost. The history and noteworthy stops Simone provides in the book are something I would have never been able to do on my own. We summited some amazing vistas, enjoyed home baked treats from huts along the way, and enjoyed the amazing greenery along the way. In the book Simone is very upfront about the difficulty of each hike, and ways to make them harder or easier. We did all of the hikes with all of the bonus hikes, and we thought it was worth it. Often it was a long day of hiking, but looking back on it we had such an amazing time all we remember is how fun it was walking from town to town each day.I had contacted some other companies to arrange this inn to inn hike for us, but they are not based in the Black Forest like Simone. I cannot recommend this experience enough, it was a highlight of our life.
Had a great day tour in Summer of 2024 with Simone. She was right on time in the morning, and after a nice cup of coffee we put together an agenda and it worked out great -- saw more of freiburg, but also got out of town and had some flame kuchen, fun on the luge, the bridge over the forest, the lake, and Simone gave us ideas for what to do the next day. Considering it was me, my wife and our 16 year old son, she found something that interested all of us. Plus she's just a fun person to hang out with for the day!
Our tour guide Simone was simply amazing! Not only did she take us to the Black Forest and places that we had read about and wanted to see, but we were given so much more. Each day she would simply say "you have to see this" and away we would go to another place that the locals know of but aren't advertised in any of the tour guides. Our accommodations were fantastic and we wish we could have spent many more days in this area. We can't wait to get back and tour with Simone again.
Black Forest Tours and Simone were outstanding! Highly recommend if you want the “real” Black Forest experience!
If you are wondering if you should splurge on this tour, the answer is absolutely YES!After a month-long European vacation filled with dozens of tours, every member of our family agrees that our day with Black Forest Tours was far and away our favorite. Why? Because this company has something that we have never seen anywhere else. They LOVE this area, they are extremely knowledgeable, and they truly CARE deeply about creating a unique experience that you will never forget. We were treated like family from the start. This might sound overstated, but it's not. Days before the tour, we received a survey asking about our interests. Simone responded with ideas based on our answers and curated the perfect day for us. We went hiking, saw waterfalls, went on an amazingly terrifying bridge, rode the best toboggan coaster, and sampled the most amazing foods, all while our guide was getting to know each member of our family. The experience was one that immediately became one of our greatest life memories.What was really shocking was that, after reading through other reviews, I realized that our experience was so different from everyone else's and yet they all loved it. This company truly listens to what you want and knows enough about the area to focus on the parts that you might enjoy most (although I do not think you can go wrong there!). In a world where people seem to be going through the motions and looking for the next instagram photo-op, this was a truly authentic experience with people who are passionate about showing you the best of this incredible area. In a perfect world, this is what all tours would be like. We can't wait to go back!
Simone was our guide for a great day in the Black Forest. She was awesome! Easy to understand in English, very personable, very patient and accommodating with our requests to do some Geneology research as well as visiting a bunch of cuckoo clock stores!! Simone is an excellent guide and we highly recommend her!
My wife and I booked a pair of walking tours of Freiburg's Altstadt to learn more about this unique city and it's history. This was our second trip here the first back in 2019 and we took a tour with Simone of the Black Forest region. We enjoyed it so much we made sure to return on this trip.Both our tour guides were friendly and knowledgeable and able to answer our questions with ease. Barbel took us on a walking tour of the market area and the old town surrounding telling us about the history and construction of the bachle, the dates on the houses, the river stone walks and unique designs and the market unit measures etched into the cathedral foundation. Doro took us through the market stalls purchasing items for our lunch later on and filling us in on the different stands, their business models, quality of goods, etc. Each provided excellent advice on shops, restaurants, museums and interesting facts that added to our understanding and enjoyment on Freiburg.Both guides were able to sidestep potential issues that could have derailed the tours. Doro dealt with the rain but was still able to find us a dry spot to eat and Barbel's cathedral tour was delayed by a funeral service and she was able to seamlessly move on to return later. Both took their time to answer our questions and made our time with them more than enjoyable.
Impeccable and friendly service. It was a pleasure to spend the day with Simone and learn so much from her, besides visiting beautiful and interesting places.
I recently had the pleasure of taking a solo tour from Freiburg with Simone and it was an exceptional experience. She was not only very knowledgeable about the area's history and culture, but she was also so kind, personable, and enjoyable to spend the day with. The tour was perfectly tailored to my interests, tastes, and pace. For a first-time traveler to Germany, this tour was the perfect introduction, providing both insightful information and a warm, engaging experience. I highly recommend this tour to anyone looking to explore the beauty and culture of the Black Forest with a guide who genuinely cares about making your visit memorable.
We had a fantastic experience on our self-guided walking tour of the Black Forest (St Peter's Trail). The tour was extremely well-organized; we had a booklet with detailed historical and practical information about the towns we'd be visiting, as well as maps of our hikes. Black Forest Tours also has an app, which we downloaded and used to guide us on the trails. I highly recommend using the app, we always knew where we were and, if we veered off the trail, we could see where we were in relationship to it and were quickly able to get back on track. The staff moved our luggage to the next hotel while we hiked, so when we arrived our belongings were waiting for us. All the hotels where we stayed were excellent. The rooms were stylish and comfortable and the bathrooms had all the desirable modern amenities. All our hotels had restaurants on-site, and the food and service were excellent. My husband and I were extremely pleased with our experience and would highly recommend Black Forest Hikes.
Had the most wonderful experience trekking through the Ravenna Gorge with Gisela, our super friendly, hospitable and knowledgeable guide. Shout out to the Black Forest tours, a highly recommended item on your itinerary.
Had a great tour just two weeks ago with Simone. She was right on time in the morning, and after a nice cup of coffee we put together an agenda and it worked out great -- saw more of freiburg, but also got out of town and had some flame kuchen, fun on the luge, the bridge over the forest, the lake, and Simone gave us ideas for what to do the next day. Considering it was me, my wife and our 16 year old son, she found something that interested all of us. Plus she's just a fun person to hang out with for the day!
Fantastic experience. Simone was incredibly helpful and arranged for the perfect hiking vacation through the Black Forest
My family and I had a wonderful time touring with Simone. The Black Forest tour was customized to our needs from the start. We discussed about what we would like to do and Simone planned the tour accordingly. Simone is warm and affable and we enjoyed her company very much. We look forward to being able to return to Germany in the near future!😊
Amazing tour! We booked a Black Forest tour with Simone at the recommendation of friends. It was one of the most enjoyable days of our trip to Europe! The tour was tailored to what we found interesting and filled with little bits of information about the area, language, history and culture. Had we rented a car to see the area on our own, we would never have found the castle, farmstand, schnapps tasting, remote restaurant for lunch, the hiking spot…we would have just seen the tourist areas, and missed out on so much local flavor. It truly felt like we spent the day with a knowledgeable friend! Thanks so much, Simone!
Freiburg is a beautiful city!! Our tour guide was the best!! She was so nice and welcoming, and gave us a fabulous tour of the city!! She was knowledgeable about the city, and answered all of our questions. We really enjoyed learning about the history of Freiburg and seeing its most important spots. She have us a recommendation to walk through the Black Forest, and we were able to do that and take some great pictures!! We appreciated learning about the local market, as well as the Cathedral!! She was so nice and definitely helped us learn a lot about the city and culture. We had the best time, and can't wait to visit Freiburg again!!
Simone is a true professional. We shared quite a few emails in planning and she was so accommodating with all of our questions. I also place a lot of value on the fact that she was concerned about booking based upon the weather being we have a very short window of time. You can tell that she’s very honest and really wants her clients to have the best experience!!!
We had a wonderful few days in the Black Forest, with walks of about 10k, well within our range but with beautiful views throughout. All the organisation both before and during the trip was very efficient and friendly, the transpirt easy to manage and the hotels comfortable. Hugely recommended.
I had an amazing hiking trip with Black Forest Tours. Simone was brilliant to work with and created a wonderful route for us. She certainly cared and helped ensure that we had a brilliant holiday.The routes were lovely and spectacular, we were given all the information we needed for a successful hike and all logistics were catered for. Fully recommend booking a holiday with Black Forest Tours.
The Black Forest is an immense area, and Simone Brixel of Black Forest Tours provides the best possible way to spend your time.Our group of six was very pleased with the itinerary Simone arranged for us. She asked us what we were interested in, and then used her extensive knowledge of the Black Forest to make our tour one we will always remember.I was the contact member for our group, and I enjoyed working with Simone. She was very flexible and offered suggestions to make our tour a memorable one.Whenever I had a question, she always responded in a very timely manner.I, and the other members of our group, highly recommend Simone and Black Forest Tours
Simone was able to show us a LOT in just one day. We saw some famous black forest areas (like Titisee and the big Cuckoo clock) as well as a number of places off the beaten path. It was a great time and she is a pleasure to travel with for a day.
Magical Black Forest Hike- St. Peter’s Way.This Black Forest Tour trip with a three day hike in the forest was much more than we expected. Simone was so helpful in putting together the material which was available online and in our hotel room when we arrived the first day.The selection of the hotels and places to stop were excellent, along with a comprehensive guide (printed and in an APP). My sister and I walked the three-day St. Peter's Way trail and it was wonderful. We used both the printed guide and the GPS APP and we were never lost or confused along the way. Simone pointed out some highlights to watch for, and we did, taking advantage of her expertise. Yes it did sprinkle a little one of the days on the hike (last day), but otherwise, the weather was bright and sunny and we were so lucky to have that.The hotel staff at each hotel were very welcoming and charming, noting that we were with Black Forest Tours. It made us feel special and our luggage arrived each day at the next hotel without any problems.We appreciated all the support that Simone provided, even though we did not have to use any emergency numbers that she gave us. As older women, one over 70, the walk was an absolute delight and within our means - we did use trekking poles which were recommended for anyone doing the hike.We would highly recommend this tour to anyone, young or old - we truly felt like we were in the Fairy Tale land of the German Folk Stories.And Simone's comprehensive detailed guides (printed and online with GPS) gave us the gift of traveling in confidence with no worries.
My wife and I warmly thank Simone for her first class attention to detail in organising all aspects of our four day hiking tour. We found it easy to use the hiking and paper maps provided which led us through beautiful vistas. The accommodation was welcoming and excellent. Simone is a good communicator. We enjoyed an exceptional experience with Black Forest Tours and highly recommend them.
I did the Town & Country Trail tour for 3 nights and two days. The tour allowed me to do my own thing in various Black Forest towns, but with plenty of suggestions of trails to walk, places to see, options of where to eat, what to see and do, and suggestions for added on towns and activities if time permitted. I felt it was well organised and well supported at every step, allowing you the freedom to choose from the many and varied activities on offer. I enjoyed exploring non-touristy towns and found the locals to be friendly and helpful. An added bonus was that l didn't have to worry about my luggage between hotels as it was transported to the next hotel for me and l was free to travel unencumbered. The local travel card also eliminated the step of having to buy train tickets, and covered practically all of the Black Forest. A tour well worth doing if you would like some guidance in visiting some out of the way little towns, and especially to enjoy the nature, history, culture and hospitality of the Black Forest.
This tour was perfect! Simone did such a great job putting together a tour to meet the needs of a family with teenagers. The hotels were all beautiful, friendly, and perfectly located. The food was delicious. The activities were diverse, ranging from spa to museum, from hikes to adventures like the sky bridge and mountain coaster. Everything was incredibly well organised, communication was fantastic both before and during , and Simone's instructions were considered and clear allowing us to explore easily by ourselves. Our drivers were punctual and incredibly helpful, our walking guides simply amazing - such knowledgeable and interesting women! We couldn't be happier, and feel so lucky to have found Black Forest Tours and have had the opportunity to discover this beautiful part of the world. We will certainly be back.
What an outstanding Tour; we highly recommend it. Simone customised an 8 night trip in 4 mediaeval towns with us in Australia. The hotels and breakfasts were excellent, and having our luggage moved between hotels was an added bonus. The Apps and booklet outlining accommodation, points of interest, multiple hikes (we always knew where we were) and recommended cafes and restaurants saved us an enormous amount of time. Thanks Simone, your organisation and communication is outstanding, and we had the best time!
Black Forest Tours with Simone is truly a customized experience. Simone takes care to insure that each tour she provides is geared to the individual and what and how they want to experience the Black Forest This is not a cookie cutter tour but one that you help design.Simone has an intimate knowledge of the Black Forest area so she provides history, and insight into this large region of Germany. With our tour we were able to stop in towns and areas that I would have missed on my own or with a large group. Yes, we did see the famed Cuckoo Clocks of the Black Forest but more importantly Simone was able to provide a true Black Forest Experience.
My husband and I went on a black forest tour with Simone last week and had a wonderful time. The tour group consisted of only the three of us and it was perfect. Simone is kind, friendly and very knowledgeable of the area.. everything you would want in a tour leader. I have already recommended her tours to my colleagues who visit Freiburg and would encourage anyone looking for a great tour to reach out to her as well.
Simone Brixel's Black Forest Tours are absolutely amazing!Simone's organizational & communication skills are astounding from the very first email response right up to the details for your departure day. So the trip was extremely well organized with more than adequate information regarding navigation and transport options if needed. The scenery on the trails was sensational, the villages beautiful and the accommodation was so much better than expected. I used the new navigation app which worked well although I did make one navigational error but that was my fault for being a bit lax. Overall the Black Forest Tour was a great multi day hike and a most worthwhile experience! Thank you Simone.kind regardsKenn
A group of friends headed to Munich for Oktoberfest but wanted to enjoy some hiking time outside to the fest for the rest of our trip to Germany. We booked black forest tours based on the reviews and the ability to have our extra luggage schlepped without us having to carry all our stuff all day. ZERO REGRETS. Simone is amazing - she answered all our questions. The towns were simply magical and the trails were like walking through a fairy tale. I say all that knowing we had terrible weather. On the last day the wind and rain were so mighty there was some question about getting blown off the trail - it still didn't hamper how fantastic our trip was and how much fun we had. Everything from train directions, to trail directions (down to the "take 90 steps and turn left" detail) to details of who you are likely to meet along the trail and restaurant recommendations is written up for you. I cannot more highly recommend the Black Forest trek and this company - if you're on the fence, just go for it!
A Google User
13:47 26 Oct 22
A group of friends headed to Munich for Oktoberfest but wanted to enjoy some hiking time outside to the fest for the rest of our trip to Germany. We booked black forest tours based on the reviews and the ability to have our extra luggage schlepped without us having to carry all our stuff all day. ZERO REGRETS. Simone is amazing - she answered all our questions. The towns were simply magical and the trails were like walking through a fairy tale. I say all that knowing we had terrible weather. On the last day the wind and rain were so mighty there was some question about getting blown off the trail - it still didn't hamper how fantastic our trip was and how much fun we had. Everything from train directions, to trail directions (down to the "take 90 steps and turn left" detail) to details of who you are likely to meet along the trail and restaurant recommendations is written up for you. I cannot more highly recommend the Black Forest trek and this company - if you're on the fence, just go for it!
Our experience with Black Forest Tours was top-notch! The communication was excellent and timely. The directions and the apps were very thorough and helpful in keeping us on the right path. The trails themselves had some wonderful features - gorgeous views, self-serve spots for drinks and snacks, varying landscapes, historical points of interest, and an amazing diversity of forests. We loved the little towns and hotels where we stayed each night. Black Forest Tours chose well! Each hotel was a restful haven with great breakfasts, and there was plenty of delicious food in the vicinity to refresh us after each day's hike. We would use Black Forest Tours again in a heartbeat. Thank you for a fun vacation!
Our family had an amazing tour of the Black Forest! It was the highlight of our 3 week trip to Germany. We loved learning the history of the Black Forest, seeing beautiful towns that were not filled with tourists, taking a short hike by a waterfall and a delicious lunch at a restaurant in the middle of the Black Forest. We highly recommend Black Forest Tours. Simone was easy to reach and very helpful in creating a tour specific to our requests. Our guide was very knowledgeable, attentive to our requests and so much fun. We loved our day in the Black Forest.
Our tour with Simone was just brilliant! Simone is such an easy going person, the kind of person that you actually consider a friend by the end of the day. She was super knowledgeable and made the day about us and what we wanted to see and do. She was also great for offering advice about lots of different things. We will definitely be doing another tour when we return as we know it will be worth it!! Could not recommend Simone and her tour company more - just perfect 🙂
Fantastic experience. Beautiful trails, terrific towns, and Simone makes everything so easy. Without worrying about luggage, or having to spend lots of time planning your path, you can really make the most of the forest.
We thoroughly enjoyed our tour with Simone. When planning our trip we were overwhelmed with all of the choices of what to do and where to go in the Black Forest. We found Black Forest Tours and opted for the 8 hour tour, and we were not disappointed! She took us to see both the world's widest and largest cuckoo clocks, the Triberg waterfall, castle ruins, and a beautiful town. Along the way we learned so much about German history and culture. We tried Black Forest Ham and spaghetti ice cream, and she gave us a heads up about a local wine festival to attend once the tour was over which was a lot of fun. There is no way we would have gotten this much value over even a week on our own, and the tour felt customized to everything we had hoped to see. We highly recommend Black Forest Tours!
My fiancee and I were planning on visiting Germany and were looking for something unique to end our trip with when after some research I found Black Forest Tours. Touring the Black Forest has long been a bucket list item for me and with my 50th birthday happening my fiancee decided that this was her gift. After working with Simone on what we wanted to visit and do, she came up with a plan tailored for us. We opted for a 4 day hike/5 nights trip plan which would include hiking, visiting towns we were interested in, and schnapps fountains that I heard so much about.When we arrived in our first town at the train station, we were immediately met by a driver who took us to the first hotel: a lovely spa hotel in the mountains where the next morning we'd start our adventure. The room was relaxing with a balcony view of the small town church and village below. In our room, we found a bag filled with maps, goodies, and information from Simone Brixel detailing our next 5 days hiking.After breakfast the next morning, we started our hike through the Black Forest which was amazing. We couldn't believe the views and sights that we saw on just the first day. After a hard hike (we had small day packs and hiking poles which really helped), we arrived at the next town and the next hotel with our suitcases waiting for us in our room. The hiking was challenging but extremely fun even in the rain. The directions provided by Simone were detailed and extremely accurate and easy to follow.Each hotel was fantastic (although some were better than others) but we enjoyed them all. Each town had charm and was off the beaten path which was exactly what we were looking for. The food was excellent, the people were nice, and the experience is not to be missed.I cannot recommend Black Forest Tours enough and can't wait to head back for another experience with them.
Our favorite tour of all of the ones we took in Europe was with Simone. She personalized our tour and was flexible to change it up on the fly when the weather changed. Simone is quick to communicate and keep in touch before and during the tour. When we come back to the Black Forest area, Simone will be the first person we contact.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for the excellent arrangement you had done for the tour. All places were wonderful and references to them were helpful. Our driver Peter was extremely helpful and jovial. My family and I absolutely loved it. I have already recommended your company and will definitely continue to recommend this to my family and friends.
Black Forest Tours prepared an amazing trip for us - very detailed trail maps with lots of 'extras' and info about the area. They also booked great hotels and each day our luggage was transferred without any issue (and usually waiting for us in our room). I HIGHLY recommend booking your next trip to the Black Forest with them!
When planning our trip to Germany, my mom and I knew we wanted to see the Black Forest. Of course, we didn’t know all that the Black Forest could offer and really wasn’t sure what to do with our time there. Upon booking our tour with Black Forest Tours, we still weren’t completely sure what to see and do. However, Simone listened to our interests and made the perfect day. We saw parts of the Black Forest we would never see on a major tour bus with a lot of people. Like visiting a small farmers grocers where we got to taste local fruits and schnapps! We also visited a small locally owned mill where we had the opportunity to taste some delicious Black Forest Ham. And, of course, we visited a quaint town with the best cake!Simone catered the entire day to us and made us feel comfortable the whole time. It was a huge relief having someone that was very familiar with the area and language. We never felt rushed or uncomfortable. Simone has spent a lot of time in the U.S and understands the cultural differences that come with traveling to a new country you aren’t familiar with. She even went over and beyond a normal tour guide and helped us navigate the rest of our time in Europe, not just The Black Forest.I recommend anyone traveling to the Black Forest area of Germany to book a tour with the Black Forest Tours. You will not regret visiting the beautiful area and having a knowledgeable tour guide by your side!
I decided to do just the 5 hour drive only tour . Must say that one can definitely do it on your own for far less than what I paid. Just my laziness to not do any homework. One can easily hire a car from freiburg and drive to the points of interest if you goggle it..very pleasant driver and excellent route but not worth paying so much. One can do it on their own for less than the amount i paid.Am sure the guided tour must by a better option.
Here is an excerpt from Rick Steve’s travel blog:
‘Freiburg and Baden-Baden vie to be the leading home-base city for those visiting the Black Forest. While Baden-Baden has an old spa-and-casino elegance, Freiburg is much younger and livelier. I explored Freiburg with Simone Brixel, a local guide who always makes my visits much more enjoyable and meaningful.’ – Rick Steves, Travel Lessons from Germany’s Black Forest
Here are some of the videos travelguru Rick Steves took while we were touring the Black Forest together:
Thank you Michelle for putting this fun video together after our tour:
Here is a a slide show a visitor put together after touring with me:
We also offer corporate retreats, events and team-building in the Black Forest. Here is a short video of a multiple-day hiking tour we set up for a US-based company:
Lonely Planet Magazine’s February 2018 Edition ’52 Best Weekends Away′:
I am very excited that our Black Forest Hiking Trail has been featured in Lonely Planet Magazine’s February 2018 Edition as one of ’52 Best Weekends Away 2018′:
Wizz Magazine’s 2019 October Edition:
Wizz Magazine visited the Black Forest in summer of 2019. The article describing our road trip together was published in the October 2019 edition of Wizz:
Germany National Tourist Office, 2020 Resource Guide:
Read what people think about our downloadable tours (2gotours) here.
I want to say THANK YOU to all the visitors from around the world who chose me and my guides to spend a few hours of their precious vacation time with. I love that you are curious & adventurous travellers interested in exploring an off-the-beaten path area like the Black Forest.:
