Mudpie Fridays >> Bodensee >> Affenberg Salem – Monkey Mountain on Lake Constance

Affenberg Salem – Monkey Mountain on Lake Constance

When we visited the Bodensee over Easter with the boys I was researching things to do and came across Affenberg Salem also known as the Monkey Forest or Monkey Mountain. Instantly intrigued and finding out that it was only a few miles from where we were staying in UnterUhldingen we made plans to visit. The boys absolutely loved it so I would definitely recommend a visit if you are planning on visiting Lake Constance.

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Where is Affenberg Salem located?

Affenberg Salem which translates as Monkey Forest is located in Southern Germany. Only a few miles from Lake Constance. Making it a popular attraction for holidaymakers and those that are visiting the Black Forest. You can use the address – Mendlishauser Hof, 88682 Salem to find the attraction.

How to get to Affenberg Salem Monkey Mountain

We drove as by its nature it is in the middle of the countryside and so can be tricky to reach without a car depending on where you are coming from. There is plenty of free parking on site and the address will take you straight to the entrance.

If you do not have a car then you will still be able to reach Affenberg Salem by the Discovery Bus. This is a special bus put on by the tourist board that connects Affenberg Salem with Unteruhldingen where we stayed. As well as the train stations of Uhldingen and Salem. It also links two other attractions which are the Lake Dwelling Museum and Salem Palace. So you could see all three in one trip if you wanted to.

The only thing that is worth noting is if you travel out of season are the bus times. As they run a reduced service they may not be suitable for what you want to achieve.

How much does it cost?

When we visited a family ticket for two adults and two children cost 42€. We also paid the 5€ extra each to do the tree top walk. This does make it one of the more expensive activities which we did while visiting Lake Constance. Since the tree top walk added increased the admission prices by 20€. The attraction is also included as an attraction on the Bodensee Card Plus. But I am not convinced in the value that this card offers. For more information please see – Is the Bodensee card worth it? to help make your own mind up.

What is there to do at Affenberg Salem?

You enter into a large courtyard. Here is the restaurant and a lovely large play area. With lots of outside seating, you can have a hot drink while the kids play. This is where the storks are also nesting. Thankfully they do not seem to be scavengers. But they are very pretty to look at. There were lots of pairs of storks and you could get quite close if they were being inquisitive.

Tickets for the Monkey Mountain are brought a little further on into the park before you go into the main wildlife area. There is a lake with various viewing platforms. Grain is on the side for you to feed the ducks, geese and fish with. We didn’t see any giant carps but the geese were grateful for something to eat. They also had goslings which were extra cute.

The Monkey Forest

The other side of the lake is the monkey forest. Here you need to watch a safety video before being allowed into the monkey area which is the main attraction at Affenberg Salem. There are around 200 Barbary Macaques that roam freely across the 20-hectare wooded area. They are very used to the visitors just wandering around, playing and grooming each other. The young Barbary monkeys are particularly entertaining. We sat and watched them for some time literally in the middle of the animals.

You follow a circular trail around the monkey mountain. Sometimes you have to look quite closely to be able to see them. Other times they are literally right in front of you. We spotted two different areas where the keepers do talks and small feedings with the monkeys. This means that from mid-morning to mid-afternoon there is a talk and feed sessions every twenty minutes or so.

It is all very relaxed and there are plenty of staff on hand to help if needed. They are easy to spot as they wear yellow jackets.

The Fallow Deer

Once you exit the monkey forest you can continue to walk around the lake. This will bring you to the fallow deer enclosure. There was also some play equipment that we spotted. However, due to our time commitments, we could not do this unfortunately. Had I realised then we would have added this to our itinerary at an earlier point when we had more time.

The Treetop Walk

Having paid extra for this at the entrance I was a little confused when it did not appear on any of the maps! However, it is part of the monkey forest. You have the option to walk past the sign which is reasonably discrete if needed.

Here you watch another safety video so you know the rules and head off onto a metal walkway which is suspended in the trees by bungee cord. It is quite fun and the boys loved it. Although it does add a lot extra onto the ticket price. As there is no way Harry could have been trusted to go on it on his own. The husband is not convinced it was worth it. While I am on the fence, I think it could probably do with being a bit longer. So that you feel you get better value for money.

There are viewing platforms on the trees so people can pass each other if needed. And so that you can watch the monkeys which get very high in the trees. It is on a slope so I can see why it also called monkey mountain.

You do need to take your time when visiting. As there were a lot of Autumn leaves still on the wood floor. The Macaques blend in nicely so if you walk too quickly you will miss them.

How long do you need at Affenberg Salem Monkey Forest

We spent around two and a half hours although could have spent longer. However, as we stopped in on the day we left Lake Constance we needed to drive to our French stopover. We didn’t get to see the fallow deer or walk the complete lake circuit picking up the play equipment. So I would suggest that you probably need around three to four hours. Depending on how long you stay with the Monkey’s. We watched a feeding session which was a great experience but which took up more time.

We also ate in the restaurant and the boys spent some time playing in the play area. The treetop walk is optional and I would estimate added around half an hour to our visit.

Food Options

The restaurant serves a selection of fast food. Typical to what we had seen elsewhere in Germany. There were a wide selection of soft drinks, beer and hot drinks. Cakes and tarts, salads, soup and sausages. All comes with or without fries and or bread.

Our four soft drinks, chicken nuggets and chips, a soup, three rolls, two sausages and another chips came to around 40€. Which for us would still have been cheaper than an equivalent in a French service station. It all tasted very good.

There is also a small gift shop opposite the restaurant selling predominately books and soft toys.

Top tips for a visit to Affenberg Salem

Ask for the English monkey activity sheet at the entrance. All of the signs we saw around the forest were in German.
The restaurant serves good quality food of the fast variety. Both the sausages and the soup were delicious. Although this is outside of the forest itself. Once you are through the entrance there are no food options inside.
As you go through the ticket barriers you will see toilets to your right. These are the only toilets in the whole park. There are some outside by the restaurant too. But it is quite a walk from the back of the monkey forest if someone suddenly needs a wee.
In some online accounts I have read that you can feed the monkeys with popcorn. This is no longer allowed. The only feeding that happens is by the keepers. Which is probably wise in the open air wildlife park.
For this reason it is worth watching a feeding session with the monkeys. These are done in German but if you use your phone with Google Translate then you can pick up quite a lot of what is being said.

We had a lovely visit to Affenberg Salem or monkey mountain it is such a great place and a truly unique experience. The boys really enjoyed it and often talk about it so I am glad we made the effort to visit during our break. It is suitable for the whole family.