Kayaking the wonderful Main in autumn
Along the settlements reminiscent of romantic small medieval towns, in the heart of the Frankish wine region, meanders the Main, which is magnificent in autumn colors.
Here we take you on a 2-day kayak tour.
The actual dates and fees you will find under the webshop menu
Program :
Meeting at 8 a.m. Saturday in Volkach am Main .
The team will meet on Saturday morning, take possession of the equipment and after packing, before we put the kayaks on the water, we will briefly take over the safety rules for a further pleasant tour, and then we will start the Main Tour around 9 o’clock.
On Saturday, approx. 32 km is waiting for us.
Volkach – Kitzingen 18 km
At Volkach, after the Astheimer’s lock, we start our tour in the Old Main Branch, the Main Loop.
Anyone who wants to can control the sluice process themselves. There is no need to quarrel in the sluice master position, there will be more opportunities later.
At Gerlachshausen we return to the navigable Main, where we can also expect passenger and cargo traffic.
We also pass the monumental Benedictine monastery in Münsterschwarzach and then pass through a sports lock again in front of the town of Dettelbach.
The Mainstockheim ferry dates back to the 1500s. Well, not this model, but it has been an important crossing point on the Main ever since.
From here it is only a few paddlestrokes to Kitzingen, where we paddle under the 13th century Pipin Bridge and then beside the Leaning Tower of Kitzingen.
Kitzingen – Ochsenfurt 16 km
Leaving Kitzingen, the team has to deal with a lock again.
After Kitzingen, the next attraction is Sulzfeld. The defensive wall surrounding the city, the towers and the narrow alleys still give the wine town a medieval feel.
The port of Marktsteft dates back to the 18th century and is considered to be the oldest surviving port in Bavaria.
Marktbreit is the southernmost point of the Main. One of the attractions of the town is the Alter Kran (Old Crane) with which ships have been loaded since the 1700s. It was first built of wood, but the iceflood of the century took it away in 1784, so it was later built of stone, and we can still see that today. It’s possible to see similar in Würzburg, but it has double arms.
At the sport lock in Marktbreit, we again vote for a new sluice master.
The town gate of Frickenhausen also exudes a medieval atmosphere, here we reach the Campingpark that provides our accommodation.
Accommodation:
Here you can spend the night in your own tent or even in small cabins. The cost of this is not included in the tour fee. We help you with your reservation if required.
Meals individually:
I recommend cold food and tourfood for breakfast and meals during the day.
In the evening, we can dine together in the campsite’s restaurant, discussing the daily experiences and the plan for the next day.
For Sunday we are planning a distance of approx. 15 km.
Meeting at 9 a.m., departure after packing at 10 p.m.
We will vote the lock master of the Gossmannsdorf sport lock.
Sommerhausen and Winterhausen are followed by the town of Eibelstadt.
The city is famous for its 18th century fossil counterfeits. The Lügensteinweg in Eibelstadt tells you about this. The fossils can be viewed in the museum on Sundays from 2 to 4 p.m.
If our time allows, we can even watch it.
At Randersacker Sluice, we re-elect a sluice master
We will soon reach the city of Würzburg, where we will paddle next to the Marienberg fortress all the way to the medieval stone bridge of the Alte Mainbrücke, then turn back and finish our kayak tour at the Kayak Club.
As long as we arrange for the drivers to get back to the cars, the others can take a small city walk and also see the beautiful Main Bridge and the city from the mainland.
Once all the cars are back in the kayak club we say goodbye to each other and head home.
Number of participants and for whom we recommend:
6 persons
Although this kayak tour can be completed even for beginners due to the relatively slow river, it is better to have been kayaking before. To cover the distances, we paddle 5-6 hours a day at a moderate pace, with 1-2 smaller breaks. So the advantage is to endure 2-3 hours sitting in the kayak.
The tour starts with a minimum of 5 participants.
The actual dates and fees you will find under the webshop menu
Tour fee includes:
- Professional tour guide and equipment (kayak, vest, paddles)
Extra fees to be paid individually:
- Travel to and from the location
- Extreme sports insurance
- Everyone organizes their daily food individually, we help you with your purchase. There is a supermarket close by and a restaurant at campsite.
- Entrants to any optional programs.
- Accommodation prices from about 20 euros / person (camping)
- Parking in Volkach is about 10 euros / day
- Taxi between Würzburg and Volkach is approx. 75 euros (divided by the number of drivers is more favorable)
Application deadline: until the number of participants is filled,
Tourguide: KayakCrazyRic
Kayaking the wonderful Main in autumn
Conditions for participation:
- confirmed application
- 18 years of age
- waterproof swimming skills
- submission of a completed, signed disclaimer.
- medical fitness and appropriate hiking equipment
- extreme sports insurance
- Existence of certificates required for entry into the country: covid test, vaccination certificate… etc.
Cancellation
For tours and workshops of 2 days or more:
- If the tour is not made due to us or covid regulations, the tour fee will be refunded.
- If you cancel more than 60 days before departure, the tour fee will be refunded.
- If you cancel 59 and 30 days before the start of the program, 50% of the tour fee will be refunded.
- If you cancel less than 30 days before the start of the program, there will be no refund, however you can transfer the tour if you find another applicant instead.
I suggest you bring:
- several sets of wool or technical underwear
- neoprene shoes / sneakers
- gas cooker
- water bottle, dishes and cutlery
- dry bags for sleeping bags, madrass, clothes, tents, better more small than a huge one (think about packing it in the kayak storage compartments!
- light tent (which fits in kayaks – foldable quechua tent is not suitable for this)
- madrass and seasonal sleeping bag
- waterproof camera and phone case
- powerbank and / or solar charger
- toilet paper
- mosquito repellent, sunscream
- sunglasses
- cap
- rain gear
- hiking boots
- necessary medications
