Camping in Winter? — Where It's Possible in Saxony

With the arrival of fall, the camping season in Saxony is slowly coming to an end, but camping enthusiasts don’t have to give up outdoor vacations even during the colder months. More and more campsites in Saxony are offering winter camping. Here’s where you can go between Lusatia and the Leipzig region—and how camping is evolving in general:

Christmas and New Year’s Eve are fully booked

At Sternencamp in Upper Lusatia, the winter camping program is entering its third year. “It’s growing,” said Managing Director Peter Hesse, commenting on the booking situation. Last winter, he noted, more guests came than in the first season. “We’re counting on word of mouth.”

Of the 104 campsites at Bärwalder See, 40 are open in winter. “We’re fully booked for Christmas and New Year’s Eve. Otherwise, let me put it this way: If I had to make a living off this, I’d be a poor man,” said Hesse. Outside of the holidays, a maximum of ten sites are occupied at any given time.

“We see this as an additional service,” said the managing director. He has to pay his employees for twelve months anyway. That’s why the decision to offer winter camping was made under the motto: “If we’re there anyway, we might as well open up.”

Camping with Cross-Country Ski Trail Access

The Galgenteich campground in Altenberg advertises with the slogan: “Camping at 800 meters above sea level. Enjoy it year-round.” In winter, the campground has direct cross-country ski trail access to a 50-kilometer-long cross-country skiing area in the Eastern Ore Mountains, and there are also downhill slopes in the immediate vicinity.

Campers can also find a spot for their RV or trailer at the Caravan-Camping site in Saxon Switzerland in the spa town of Gohrisch—though this winter season, only until shortly after New Year’s Eve. After that, construction will begin on the site, a staff member reported. 

Heating on board, water hookup at the restroom facility

At the Lagovida RV park on Lake Störmthal near Leipzig, the winter season runs from November 2 to March 18. “Of course, there are significantly fewer guests than during the summer season—but there’s definitely always someone there, even in the worst weather,” reported an employee of the vacation resort. “There are die-hard campers out there, and they have heating and everything in their RVs. Nothing can go wrong.” 

On holidays like Christmas and New Year’s Eve, the RV park is already well-attended. Although the water supply to the campsites is shut off in winter due to weather conditions, there is an outdoor faucet at the restroom building where winter campers can get water.

ADAC: Interest in Winter Camping Has Risen

According to Pincamp, the ADAC’s camping portal, demand for winter camping has risen sharply recently. Since 2023, the number of bookings for camping stays between November and February has increased by 73 percent. Demand for the 2026/27 winter season has remained stable so far. Camping trips are being booked on increasingly shorter notice, so it remains to be seen how the season will unfold.

Across Germany, 37 percent of the campsites listed on the portal are open year-round, a spokeswoman said. In Europe, the figure stands at 24 percent. In addition, there are numerous campsites that welcome guests at least part-time during the winter months from November through February.

The 2026 Camping Season in Saxony

At Saxony’s 107 campgrounds, arrival and overnight stay figures have risen moderately so far in 2026. According to the State Statistical Office, just under 282,000 guest arrivals and approximately 892,000 overnight stays were recorded from January through August. These figures represent increases of 2.8 percent and 0.6 percent, respectively, compared to the same period last year.