Saxony-Anhalt is a land of natural treasures. If you go into the countryside here, you will discover extraordinary landscapes: from the Harz National Park to the tranquil alluvial forests of the Middle Elbe, from the unique karst landscape of the southern Harz to the Green Belt as a living history book. Three UNESCO biosphere reserves, numerous nature parks and a national park preserve the most valuable natural areas, while nature experience centers and ranger tours provide insights into hidden worlds.
Harz National Park
Germany's northernmost low mountain range shows its wild side in the Harz National Park. Over 240 square kilometers of protected natural space are a refuge for rare species such as the black stork, wildcat, lynx and pygmy owl. Dense forests, moors, mountain streams and the striking Brocken - 1,141 meters high and visible from afar - characterize the landscape. On more than 560 kilometers of hiking trails and on guided tours with rangers, visitors can experience how a new wilderness is growing - in keeping with the international nature park motto: "Let nature be nature". In the National Park House in Wernigerode, the Brockenhaus and other information points, visitors can learn more about flora, fauna and the return of wild animals - vividly conveyed with exhibitions and hands-on activities.
UNESCO Biosphere Reserve Middle Elbe
The Middle Elbe Biosphere Reserve protects one of the last near-natural floodplain landscapes in Central Europe. Designated a UNESCO biosphere reserve in 1979, it stretches along 300 kilometers of the Elbe. Beavers, sea eagles and orchids are at home here, as well as a variety of rare river valley plants. The landscape can be discovered on riverside trails, accompanied by bike or experienced from a special perspective in a canoe. The House of Rivers in Havelberg and the Auenhaus near Oranienbaum-Wörlitz use interactive exhibitions, outdoor facilities and guided tours to vividly convey how closely linked the natural and cultural landscapes are here.
Biosphere Reserve Karst Landscape Südharz
The biosphere reserve in the southern Harz Mountains is one of the most important gypsum karst landscapes in Europe. Water and time have formed a special topography here - with sinkholes, springs, winding streams and caves such as the Heimkehle. The karst hiking trail leads through more than 230 kilometers of varied nature: from quiet forests and species-rich meadows to imposing rock formations. The region reveals a wide variety of flora and fauna along the way - and a landscape with depth.
UNESCO Biosphere Reserve Drömling
The Drömling in the north-west of Saxony-Anhalt is a water-rich cultural landscape - criss-crossed by ditches, wet meadows and forest islands. Once drained and now renaturalized, the area is a resting and breeding ground for cranes, storks, white-tailed eagles and more than 400 endangered species. It is known as the "land of a thousand ditches" - a place of tranquillity and biodiversity. Observation towers, nature farms and guided tours make the Drömling accessible all year round. The Drömlingsinformationszentrum Kämkerhorst (Drömling Information Center Kämkerhorst ) in a former ditch master's office vividly conveys how the water landscape, biodiversity and cultural history intertwine here - with exhibitions, outdoor facilities and a small nature garden.
Fläming Nature Park
Ice age formations, quiet forests, open fields: The Fläming Nature Park is a landscape of contrasts. It offers ideal conditions for hiking and birdwatching. Old avenues, idyllic villages and wide horizons characterize the landscape. Guided nature tours and regional initiatives also help to keep this cultural landscape alive.
Düben Heath Nature Park
The Düben Heath Nature Park lies between the Elbe and Mulde rivers - at 770 square kilometers, it is the largest contiguous mixed forest area in Central Germany. Here, forests meet moors, heath villages meet lake landscapes. Over 500 kilometers of hiking and cycling trails open up the region. Families can discover nature at the NaturparkHaus Bad Düben, the Waldhaus Kemberg or the Haus am See in Schlaitz. Interactive exhibitions and extensive outdoor areas make the nature park particularly inviting.
Harz Geopark
As part of the UNESCO Geopark Harz ⋅ Braunschweiger Land ⋅ Ostfalen, Saxony-Anhalt's Harz region impressively demonstrates how geological history, mining and cultural landscape interact. The Geopark includes geological windows, visitor mines, geoscientific nature trails and information centers. A look at the geological history and heritage of the region reveals how landscape and culture have grown together.
Saale-Unstrut-Triasland Geo-Nature Park
The Saale-Unstrut-Triasland Geo-Nature Park combines vineyards, limestone cliffs and ancient cultural landscapes to create a region where nature and history meet. Between Naumburg, Nebra and Freyburg (Unstrut), hiking trails lead through sparse dry forests, past sunny slopes and orchards. Hikers can experience how geology becomes a habitat in the interplay of rocks, water and vines - for example on the steep slopes of the Unstrut or on nature trails near Bad Kösen.
Altmark - Hiking, Stars, Vastness
In the Altmark, vastness characterizes the experience of nature. Spread across the region, the hiking nests invite you to go on day trips - selected, certified hiking trails through varied landscapes. Between forests, meadows and small villages, you can slow down on the trail. The low light pollution makes it a place for impressive sky observations - and for real darkness, which has become rare in Central Europe.
The Green Belt - Nature, History, Remembrance
The Green Belt stretches 343 kilometers through Saxony-Anhalt - along the former inner-German border. What used to be strictly guarded is now a place of biodiversity and a national natural monument. Hiking trails along the former column paths lead past old border installations, memorials and border museums - but also through meadows, moors and open countryside. The Green Belt connects: Habitats and biotopes, past and future, remembrance and the experience of nature. It tells of separation - and of what can grow out of it.