Nicko Cruises Announces 2027 Danube Hiking Sailings
Nicko Cruises will offer an eight-day Danube sailing in 2027 focused on guided hikes. The voyages aboard the Bolero feature five included hikes on itineraries from Passau.
Nicko Cruises has detailed an eight-day Danube River cruise for 2027 centered on guided hiking excursions. The sailings will operate aboard the river ship Bolero on two dates in spring and autumn.
Five guided hikes are included in the cruise fare, allowing guests to explore the landscape in either season. According to the cruise line, the individual hiking routes range from eight to 15 kilometers in length and take approximately three and a half to five hours to complete.
Itinerary and Hiking Details
The cruise sails roundtrip from Passau, Germany. Port calls include Krems, Esztergom, Budapest, Bratislava, Vienna, and Ybbs. The two available sailings depart on April 26 and October 4, 2027.
| Departure Date | Return Date | Season |
|---|---|---|
| April 26, 2027 | May 3, 2027 | Spring |
| October 4, 2027 | October 11, 2027 | Fall |
Featured Hikes Along the Danube
The first included hike begins in Krems, Austria. This 13-kilometer route follows the Wachau World Heritage Trail past vineyards and to viewpoints overlooking the Danube Valley. The hike ends in Dürnstein after about three and a half hours, where guests can see the town's castle ruins towering above the river.
In Budapest, the hike starts at the Elisabeth Lookout on Jánosberg. The approximately ten-kilometer path continues through the wooded heights of Buda to the Dreihotterberg, blending countryside and city scenery.
The longest hike is a 15-kilometer trek in Bratislava. Starting in the Devín district, the route extends into the Devínska Kobyla nature reserve. It ascends to the highest peak in the Devín Carpathians, offering views of the Morava River meeting the Danube and the Austrian-Slovak border.
Challenging Vienna and Scenic Ybbs Routes
Nicko Cruises describes the Vienna hike as the most challenging. The scenic Nasenweg trail leads up to the Leopoldsberg for panoramic views of the city and the Danube. The route continues for around 15 kilometers over the Kahlenberg to the Hermannskogel, Vienna's highest point.
The final hike is an approximately eight-kilometer route from Ybbs to the Ysper Gorge. The path travels through the southern Waldviertel region. Hikers will see the Ysper River winding through a narrow gorge past waterfalls and moss-covered granite rocks.
The cruise line promotes these excursions as a way to experience the combination of nature and historic landscapes typical of the Danube region. All hikes are guided and their cost is bundled into the overall price of the sailing.
