Lower Saxon Wadden Sea National Park
- Not to be confused with other national parks in the Wadden Sea region.
Lower Saxon Wadden Sea National Park is in Lower Saxony of Germany.
Understand
Lower Saxon Wadden Sea National Park[dead link] stretches along the German North Sea coast between Ems and Elbe river estuaries, including East Frisian Islands Borkum, Lütje Hörn, Memmert, Juist, Norderney, Baltrum, Langeoog, Spiekeroog, Wangerooge, Minsener Oog and Mellum. Those islands that are not links are uninhabited
History
The national park was founded in 1986. It became a UNESCO World Heritage site along with the Schleswig-Holstein Wadden Sea and the Dutch Wadden Sea in 2009.
Landscape
The special habitats include mudflats, salt marshes, dunes and beaches. The total area is 3,450 km².
Flora and fauna
Climate
Get in
All inhabited islands have their own ferry connection to the mainland, which is in turn either directly served by Deutsche Bahn trains or by public buses timed to reach the closest DB station.
Fees and permits
Get around
See
National park centers
- 1 UNESCO World Heritage Visitors Center Wilhelmshaven (UNESCO-Weltnaturerbe Wattenmeer Besucherzentrum), Südstrand 110 b, 26382 Wilhelmshaven, ☏ +49 4421 91070, info@wattenmeer-besucherzentrum.de. Jan-Mar: Tu-Su 10:00-17:00, Apr-Jun daily 10:00-17:00, Jul-Aug: daily 10:00-18:00, Sep-Oct daily 10:00-17:00, Nov-Dec: Tu-Su 10:00-17:00. €6.50 adults, €3.50 children 6-16 years.
- 2 UNESCO World Heritage Visitors Center Cuxhaven (UNESCO-Weltnaturerbe Wattenmeer Besucherzentrum), Hans-Clausen-Straße 19, 27476 Cuxhaven-Sahlenburg, ☏ +49 4721 28681, wattbz@cuxhaven.de. Apr-Oct: M-F 10:00-18:00, Sa Su and public holidays 12:00-18:00; Nov-Mar: M-F 10:00-15:00, Sa closed, Su and public holidays 13:00-17:00.
National park information centers
Information centers also organize excursions and guided tours (mostly in summer season).
- 3 National Park Information Center Baltrum (Nationalpark-Haus Baltrum), Baltrum 177, 26579 Baltrum, ☏ +49 4939469, nlpe.baltrum@gmx.de. 16 Mar-3 Nov: Tu-F 9:30-18:00, Sa Su and public holidays 10:00-12:00 and 15:00-18:00, M closed.
- 4 National Park Information Center Carolinensiel (Nationalpark-Haus Carolinensiel), "Alte Pastorei", Pumphusen 3, 26409 Wittmund-Carolinensiel, ☏ +49 44648403, info@wattwelt.de. Feb-Mar and Apr-Oct: M-F 9:30-13:00 and 15:00-18:00, Sa Su 14:00-18:00; Nov-Jan by agreement.
- 5 National Park Information Center Wurster Nordseeküste (Nationalpark-Haus Wurster Nordseeküste), Am Kutterhafen, 27632 Dorum-Neufeld, ☏ +49 4741 960-290, nationalparkhaus@wursternordseekueste.de. 1 May-31 Oct: daily 10:00-18:00; 1 Nov-30 Apr: Tu-Su 11:00-17:00, M closed.
- 6 National Park Information Center Fedderwardersiel (Nationalpark-Haus Museum Fedderwardersiel), Am Hafen 1, 26969 Butjadingen, ☏ +49 4733 8517, nlph.museum-butjadingen@ewetel.net. 27 Dec-6 Jan: daily 10:00-17:00; 1 Feb-14 Mar: Tu-Su 10:00-17:00; 15 Mar-6 Nov: daily 10:00-18:00.
Do
- Mudflat hiking (Wattwanderung)
- Boat trips with seal observations
- Birdwatching