Canoe and camping tour

Outdoor adventures in the Mecklenburg Lake District

Published: March 21, 2025

A canoe paddles along Lake Jamel in the sunshine — ©© TMV/Witzel

A couple sits by the water with a gas stove and cooks pasta at the Hexenwäldchen campsite — ©© TMV/Outdoornomaden

Swaths peacefully make their way as we gently paddle through one of the many canals in the Mecklenburg Kleinseenplatte. It's mid-August and summer is once again showing its most beautiful side. We want to take advantage of the weather and show you a few impressions of our canoe and camping tour in beautiful Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.

Stations of the canoe camping tour:

Nature campsite „Bolter Canal“
Youth hostel of Mirow
Campsite at the Gobenowsee
Campsite at the Drewensee
Family park of the small Labussee
Campsite „Hexenwäldchen“

Seven-day canoeing and camping adventure begins

The start of our tour is the nature campsite „Bolter Canal“. After a delicious porridge, we pack our waterproof packs into the canoe and start our seventh trip. It's 9.30 a.m. and it's already 22 degrees. Today is set to be one of the hottest days of the year and we are pleased that we always have the option of jumping into the cool water. We take advantage of this opportunity an hour later and to be honest: it's more like lukewarm water. But we really don't want to complain about that.

We've been canoeing for two hours now. We've slowly found our rhythm and paddling is much easier than it was in the first 30 minutes. Slowly, Miri s hunger kicks in and we decide to stop at one of the numerous cafés along the route and grab a bite to eat. We can highly recommend this, as many of these cafés and snack bars are truly unique and go to great lengths to provide their guests with the best possible food.

Only 1.5 hours separate us from our destination today, the Youth Hostel of Mirow. After checking the water map again, we decide to go ashore for another swim stop, which we also check before we land, as there are numerous nature reserves on this route where it is prohibited.

Finally, we reach our destination for today. As soon as we pitch our tent, it starts to rain. Fortunately, we are already sitting in the youth hostel's cozy lounge at this point and enjoying a delicious dinner. Afterwards, we head back to the tent, satiated and happy.

Canoeing along the small canals past boathouses. — ©© TMV/Outdoornomaden

When camping always the view of the lake, © TMV/Outdoornomaden — ©© TMV/Outdoornomaden

New day, new water hiking adventure

Campsite at the Gobenowsee

After a really tasty breakfast, we load up the canoe and paddle off again. According to the weather forecast, this day should also be very sunny. Today's destination is the camping site on Lake Gobenow, 17 kilometers away.

Only a few minutes after our start today, we pass directly through Mirow and decide to stock up on a few food supplies here, as we will only have a few opportunities to do a bit of shopping over the next few days of water hiking. And food is extremely important to us on an outdoor tour. That's exactly why we're having a quick ice cream before we set off again.

On the way, we stop at the edge of a canal and get talking to a family who are also on a multi-day tour. By chance, we learn that they live just a few kilometers from our birthplace. It is always interesting to realize that sometimes the world really is a small place. After the four of them get back into their canoes, we sit for a while and enjoy being in the shade.

Today, too, time really flies by. When we arrive at Lake Gobenow, we pitch our tent and decide to eat spaghetti with a home-made tomato sauce straight away.We can always recommend pasta on tours like this, as most ingredients keep for a very long time. The sunset today is really fascinating and we watch spellbound as the sun disappears behind the horizon.

Paddle along the Jamelsee in a canoe for a canoe adventure. — ©© TMV/Outdoornomaden

A canoe on a canal that has almost no water left from the air. — ©© TMV/Witzel

Drewensee campsite - a couple sitting at a gas stove with the lake in the background — ©© TMV/Outdoornomaden

Canoe tour with a tailwind

On the way to the Drewensee campsite

The next morning we start much earlier, as we are passing through a lock today and don't yet know whether we will have to wait or can go through the lock straight away. We also want to avoid the midday sun and be at the next campsite shortly after 12 noon. No sooner said than done. At the lock, we are lucky enough to get through the lock on the first pass.

Less than two hours later, we arrive at today's destination. We set up our tent in a relaxed atmosphere and read a little in a shady spot before finally eating something. The next morning, while some of the campers are just getting ready, we are already paddling gently towards Lake Drewen. Today we even have a strong wind and are therefore much faster than the last few days.

Despite all the lightness, we are already feeling very hungry after just three hours, so we decide to stop at a fisherman and have something to eat.There are several fishermen along the canal and you can enjoy a freshly caught fish with a cold drink and the best view.It doesn't get any better than this. Tradition is still very important here and you can actually get fish from the local waters.

On arrival at the camping site at Drewensee, we pitch our tent right by the water and today we are by no means the only water hikers. Two large groups are also camping here today. Interestingly, we meet a few canoeists from Denmark and England. Well, the Kleinseenplatte is a truly paradisiacal region, and not just for us.

Camping at Labussee - Someone pitches a tent in the sunset — ©© TMV/Outdoornomaden

Sore muscles are simply part of water hiking

Camping "Your family park"

We start another day of our canoeing and camping tour with fresh bread and a cup of coffee. Sore muscles give us the great feeling that we have really done something for our bodies over the last few days. For us, there is nothing better than practising outdoor sports. Today's destination is the family park at the small Labus lake. As we have a bit of a headwind today, we re really happy about this short stage.

After just over an hour, we arrive at a lock. However, we don't pass through the lock, but have to use muscle power to get the canoe to the other side. This sounds more strenuous than it actually is. The fun factor is also quite high, after all.

One swim stop later we arrived at the beautiful family park. As soon as we arrive, we set up our two-person tent. After a few minutes, we realize that it was a really good decision. Rain clouds appear out of nowhere and it rains continuously for the next 1.5 hours. Fortunately, we are able to make the most of the time after the downpour and take a walk to a great swimming spot about 700 meters from the family park. This is where we end the evening

Canoeing through natural canals

The last day begins and we are amazed at how quickly time flies.

Seven days usually sounds really long, but in the end the time flew by. Even today we try to leave as early as possible. We enjoy the peace and quiet of the early morning hours and escape the hot temperatures of the midday heat for once.

Despite a slight headwind, we make pretty good progress. One last lock separates us from the final campsite. We cross two smaller lakes and then enter a small, picturesque canal. But we don't get far, the canal doesn't have enough water this year and so we have to get out and pull the canoe through the canal. We've probably just eaten too much. Well, I take the opportunity to let Miri prove how strong she really is. You ve got to know that she keeps saying she is really strong.

Now it's only a few kilometers to the campsite „Hexenwäldchen“. At this point, the Havel is only a little wider than two canoes and so the last few kilometers have a very special atmosphere. When we arrive at the campsite, we find a great spot right by the water, slightly sheltered by the trees, which provides us with the perfect spot. We also hand in our canoe safely.

After a fantastic week in our favorite federal state, we are already looking forward to another canoeing and camping trip on the Kleinseenplatte. On such an adventure, you can concentrate on the moment again and enjoy the tranquillity of nature through the digital detox.

We have learned to really appreciate the peace and tranquillity of nature over the last few days and can recommend a multi-day canoe trip in this natural paradise to everyone.