· By Eisbach Riders
Multi-Day SUP Touring: How to Plan an Overnight River Trip with Camping
You're standing at the riverbank at dusk, your inflatable SUP loaded with a dry bag, a rolled sleeping mat, and two days of food. The Isar glitters ahead. Tomorrow's camp is 25 kilometres downstream. This is multi-day SUP touring — and once you've done it, a day paddle never feels quite the same again.
Planning an overnight river trip on a stand-up paddleboard takes more than strapping a sleeping bag to your deck. You need to think through gear, logistics, camping rules, and safety before you ever hit the water. This guide covers everything you need to know to pull it off properly.
Gear List: What to Pack and How to Pack It
Dry Bags and Board Setup
Waterproofing your kit is non-negotiable. A single capsize can ruin food, sleeping gear, and electronics instantly. Build your system around layered dry bags:
- 1× large dry bag (60–90 L) — main camp gear (tent, sleeping bag, mat, clothes)
- 1× medium dry bag (20–30 L) — food and cooking equipment
- 1× small dry bag (5–10 L) — phone, documents, emergency kit, headlamp
- 1× waterproof phone case or pouch — kept accessible on your person
Attach large bags low and centred on the board using the deck bungee. Keep weight as far from the nose and tail as possible to maintain trim. Strap everything using cam buckle straps — bungee cord alone is not secure enough in fast water.
Sleeping Setup
Weight and pack size matter on a SUP. Aim for a setup under 3 kg total:
- Ultralight tent or bivy — a single-skin shelter or trekking-pole tent keeps bulk down
- Sleeping bag rated to +5°C or lower — Bavarian river nights are cold even in summer
- Inflatable sleeping pad — rolls tighter than foam and insulates from damp ground
Pack your sleeping system inside a compression sack, then inside a dry bag. Two layers of waterproofing for the sleeping bag is not overkill.
Food Strategy
Keep meals simple, calorie-dense, and cook-free where possible. Rivers mean cold water swims are possible, and you want food that survives a dunking in its packaging:
- Day 1 dinner: pre-cooked pasta or rice in sealed containers, or freeze-dried meals
- Breakfasts: oats, nut butter sachets, instant coffee
- Snacks: nuts, energy bars, dates — eat on the water to save camp time
- Day 2 lunch: wraps or flatbread with hard cheese and salami (no refrigeration needed)
A lightweight MSR Pocket Rocket-style stove with a small gas canister adds maybe 400 g and dramatically improves camp morale. Bring it.
River Camping Rules in Germany and Bavaria
This is where many paddlers get caught out. Germany has no general right to wild camp — camping outside designated sites is technically illegal on most land. Bavaria is strict about this. However, there are workable options:
- Designated campsites near river corridors — the Isar, Inn, and Lech all have established campgrounds within paddling range. Plan your overnight stops around these.
- Asking landowners for permission — privately owned riverbanks can sometimes be used with explicit permission. A short conversation in the afternoon before dark is usually well received.
- Naturschutzgebiete (nature reserves) — camping, even short breaks on the bank, is prohibited inside protected zones. Check maps before you go; the Isar has several protected stretches.
- No open fires — open fires are broadly prohibited near Bavarian waterways. Use a gas stove only.
The practical approach: book a campsite for your overnight stop in advance, especially in summer. Popular Isar campsites fill up. Treat the river banks as day-use rest stops, not sleeping spots.
Logistics: Shuttles and Permits
Vehicle Shuttles
A linear river route means you start at point A and end at point B — so you need two cars, or a shuttle arrangement. Options:
- Two-car shuttle: leave one car at the take-out, drive both parties to the put-in in the second car
- Bike shuttle: lock a bike at the take-out, cycle back to your car after paddling
- Train shuttle: many Bavarian river routes have train stations near put-in and take-out points — the Isar corridor is well-served by the S-Bahn and regional lines
Permits and River Access
SUP paddling on Bavarian rivers is generally legal on officially classified waterways (Bundeswasserstraßen and designated Landesgewässer). Key points:
- The Isar from Munich southward and the Inn are open to non-motorised paddling without a permit
- Some stretches pass through nature reserves with seasonal restrictions (breeding bird periods, typically March–June on some sections)
- Always check current local restrictions with the relevant Wasserwirtschaftsamt or municipality before your trip
- A waterproof map or downloaded offline route (Komoot works well) is essential
Safety Considerations
Multi-day touring raises the stakes compared to a day paddle. You're further from help, carrying more weight, and likely paddling longer days:
- PFD (life jacket) — mandatory. Wear it, every hour on the water. Not on the board. On your body.
- Leash — use a quick-release waist leash on rivers, not an ankle leash. A board attached to your ankle in fast water is a serious hazard.
- Helmet — for any section with rocky rapids (Grade II+), wear a helmet.
- Tell someone your route. Leave a float plan with a contact ashore — put-in, take-out, overnight stop, expected arrival time.
- Weather windows. River levels can change rapidly after rain. Check the Hochwassernachrichtendienst Bavaria (HND) for current gauge levels before departure and each morning.
- Scout before you run. If you cannot see the end of a rapid or weir from the bank, get off the board and look first. Weirs (Wehre) on Bavarian rivers are dangerous — always portage unless you have confirmed the passage is safe.
- First aid kit and emergency whistle — in your small dry bag, on your person.
Fin Choice for Touring and Rivers
Your fin setup has a real impact on touring performance and river safety. For a multi-day river tour, you want a fin that tracks well in flatwater but survives shallow rocky sections:
Suggested Routes in Bavaria
Isar: Wolfratshausen to Munich (approx. 40 km)
The classic Bavarian paddle. The Isar between Wolfratshausen and Munich is scenic, manageable, and logistically easy — train access at both ends, multiple campgrounds along the corridor, and established portages around weirs. The upper section near Flaucher has faster water and some standing waves; the lower city stretch is flatwater. A two-day itinerary works well: paddle to Bad Tölz or Wolfratshausen day one (depending on your start point), camp at Flößerlände or a riverside campsite, continue to Munich day two. Expect 15–20 km per day at a touring pace.
Inn: Rosenheim to Wasserburg (approx. 35 km)
The Inn is wider and faster than the Isar, with a strong current that covers ground quickly. The Rosenheim to Wasserburg stretch is one of the most rewarding flatwater-to-gentle-river tours in Bavaria. The Inn carries more volume, so respect the current and weir portages carefully. Wasserburg am Inn is a beautiful medieval town — worth arriving into. Campsite options are limited compared to the Isar; book ahead.
Home Storage After the Trip
An inflatable SUP rolled up and leaned against a wall in the corner is a trip hazard and a gear storage failure. After a multi-day tour, your board deserves a proper home. The GNARWALL SUP Wall Rack mounts horizontally on any wall and keeps your board off the floor, out of the way, and ready for the next adventure. At €39.95 it is the cheapest upgrade you can make to your storage setup.
Ready to Plan Your Trip?
A multi-day SUP tour is one of the best ways to see Bavaria from a perspective most people never access. The planning is half the adventure — get the gear right, know the rules, and the river does the rest.