Affenwald Malchow: Barbary Macaques Up Close & Summer Toboggan Run Fun
Suddenly there he is, not two meters away, sizing you up with amber eyes: a full-grown Barbary macaque, right in the middle of the visitor path, completely unfazed. At Affenwald Malchow there are no bars and no glass – you stroll straight through the wooded enclosure of an entire macaque family, while all around you they climb, squabble, and doze. Together with the summer toboggan run right next door, it is the family classic of the Mecklenburg Lake District – and just ten minutes from Jabel. We reveal what awaits you and how to get the most out of your trip. Here you experience the Barbary macaques up close – and the summer toboggan run brings plenty of fun.
What awaits you – our top 5 moments
1. Eye to eye with the Barbary macaques
The concept of the Affenwald is as simple as it is brilliant: the monkeys aren’t caged, the visitors are the guests. On the paths through the sprawling wooded enclosure, the animals are everywhere – they climb through the pines, sun themselves on tree stumps, squabble over the best spots, or groom one another in complete peace. If you patiently stand still, you experience the group up close and quickly spot the characters: the self-assured boss, the watchful mothers, the cheeky youngsters. An experience that makes any zoo visit look pale.
2. The feedings with keeper know-how
At set times the group really springs to life: during the public feedings the monkeys gather around the keepers, and along the way you learn who is actually in charge here, how the hierarchy in a Barbary macaque family works, and why the animals are not the least bit cold in a Mecklenburg winter. The keepers know every animal by name and story – and patiently answer even the hundredth question from the kids. Plan your visit around a feeding and you’ll see the most.
3. Baby alert in early summer
Between May and July is the cutest time in the Affenwald: that’s when the young ones scamper through the enclosure – at first still clinging tightly to their mother’s belly, later riding on her back, and finally making their first wobbly climbing attempts on their own. The whole group helps raise them; even the big males patiently carry the youngsters around – a behavior that makes Barbary macaques special among primates. For photos this time is unbeatable, so don’t forget the camera.
4. Full speed on the summer toboggan run
Right next to the Affenwald waits the adrenaline part of the day: on the Sommerrodelbahn Malchow you race down the track in a sled – you set the pace yourself with the brake lever, from leisurely to ambitious. Small children ride safely along in their parents’ sled, bigger ones proudly steer on their own. The addictive potential is considerable: almost nobody rides just once, and the multi-ride tickets exist for good reason. Together with the Affenwald, it makes for half a day’s program that stays with kids for a long time.
5. Panorama break with a lake view
From the rise of the toboggan run, a wide view opens up over Malchow and the surrounding lake landscape – the perfect backdrop for the family photo and a breather between runs. If you like, extend your trip afterward into the island town of Malchow: ice cream at the harbor, a stroll through the island’s lanes, and on the hour the spectacle of the swing bridge opening. That turns the Affenwald visit into a complete Malchow day.
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Why Barbary macaques? A little history
The first question many visitors ask: what are monkeys doing in Mecklenburg anyway? The answer begins far away, in the mountain forests of the Atlas Mountains in Morocco and Algeria. That’s where Barbary macaques are at home – and there it regularly snows in winter. So the animals are perfectly adapted to a cool climate; their dense fur means even frosty Mecklenburg days don’t bother them.
Barbary macaques are also the only wild-living monkeys in Europe – almost everyone knows the famous colony on the Rock of Gibraltar from vacation or television. Life in the open air, in a real forest with places to climb and corners to retreat to, suits their nature far more than any heated monkey house. That’s exactly what makes the Affenwald so worth seeing: here you don’t watch a bored zoo animal, but a functioning extended family going about its perfectly ordinary daily life.
Less well known is the serious side: in the wild, the species is now considered endangered. Populations in the Atlas Mountains are shrinking due to habitat loss and illegal wildlife trade – young animals are poached and sold as “pets,” a business with a bitter ending for the animals. Parks like Affenwald Malchow contribute against this through species-appropriate care and education: anyone who has once looked a Barbary macaque in the eye understands, without many words, why these animals deserve protection.
Prices, opening hours & practical tips
The park sits on the edge of Malchow, with parking right at the entrance – the drive is straightforward and signposted. The season runs, as at most day-trip destinations in the region, through the warm months from the Easter holidays into the fall. Current prices for the Affenwald and summer toboggan run, combination tickets, and opening hours can be found on the official website sommerrodelbahn-malchow.de – it also lists the feeding times, which are well worth planning your visit around.
A few simple rules apply to the walk through the enclosure that keep the experience relaxed for everyone: the animals are not touched and not fed by visitors, and bags and backpacks stay firmly closed. Barbary macaques are curious and astonishingly quick thieves – an open snack compartment is emptied in seconds, and the chance of getting your sandwich back is zero. With kids it’s worth talking this through beforehand; then the rule turns into a game.
For timing, it’s best to plan half a day for the Affenwald and toboggan run together. In the morning the monkeys are usually most active and the run still pleasantly empty; those who come later often catch the more relaxed, dozing animals instead. Sturdy shoes are comfortable on the forest paths, and on summer days sun protection belongs on the toboggan run rise – there’s little shade up there.
Our tip: the perfect family day
Here’s how to get the most out of it: head to the Affenwald in the morning, when the animals are lively and the paths are still quiet. Give yourself at least a good hour for the walk – the most exciting scenes happen when you simply stop for five minutes in one spot and watch the group, instead of marching straight through.
After that, the program switches from tranquil to fast-paced: a few rounds on the summer toboggan run, first together, then the older ones get to go alone. The picnic on the rise with a view over the lake landscape is the well-earned halftime break – and, in our experience, the moment when the kids are already negotiating the next runs.
In the early afternoon it’s down into the island town: ice cream at the harbor, a stroll through the lanes, the swing bridge on the hour, maybe even a detour to the monastery. And the finale? Back in Jabel, swimsuits on – the shallow natural beach at the Jabelscher See is exactly the right thing after an exciting day. If you still have energy left, take a quiet evening spin on a pedal boat from the watersports rental. Tired kids, happy parents – mission accomplished.
Staying near the Affenwald
From Affenwald Malchow it’s only a few kilometers to our nature and beach campsite in Jabel – and just like that, the day trip becomes an adventure weekend. Pitches right by the lake, a shallow bathing beach, a playground, and campfire romance in the evening: a children’s vacation straight out of a picture book, with the Affenwald as the highlight right around the corner.
If you prefer more comfort, rent our well-equipped Hobby caravan, where everything from the gas bottle to the dishes is already in place – arrive, unpack, done. And for families who prefer solid walls, there are our vacation apartments for up to 6 people in Jabel: renovated, cozy, with a crib and high chair on request.
The plan for the perfect weekend then almost writes itself: Saturday monkeys and toboggan run, Sunday beach and pedal boat – or the other way around, the weather decides. Either way, one thing holds true: the combination of the Affenwald and the lake works more reliably with kids than any entertainment program.
Our restaurant: enjoyment with a lake view
Linger on our beautiful terrace with 120 seats and a direct view over the Jabelscher See and the Nossentiner Schwinzer Heide nature park. We offer you an appealing selection of drinks, various café specialties, small fresh dishes, and a selection of different pizzas. We also offer cakes and tortes.
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From the Affenwald straight to the bathing beach
Just ten minutes by car from Affenwald Malchow, Genuss-Ferien sits on the Jabelscher See – with a shallow natural beach, a playground, and pitches right by the water. The perfect finale after a day full of monkeys and toboggan runs.
Whether tent, motorhome, rental caravan, or vacation apartment: our little adventurers sleep well here – and tomorrow the lake is already waiting.
- 1.5 hrs
- from Berlin
- 2 hrs
- from Hamburg
- Right
- on the Jabelscher See
Frequently asked questions about Affenwald Malchow
More questions?
An extended family of Barbary macaques (also called magots). The animals originally come from the Atlas Mountains in Morocco and Algeria and are perfectly adapted to a cool climate – the Mecklenburg winter doesn’t bother them.
You’ll find the current admission prices and combination tickets with the summer toboggan run at sommerrodelbahn-malchow.de – the prices change occasionally with the season, so we deliberately don’t quote any figures here.
Seasonally in the warm months, usually from the Easter holidays into the fall. The binding opening hours and feeding times are listed on the official website.
No – feeding is done exclusively by the keepers during the public feedings. That keeps the animals healthy and the coexistence relaxed. Close bags well: Barbary macaques are quick thieves.
Small children ride safely along in their parents’ sled, older ones may steer and brake themselves. You’ll learn the exact age and height rules right on site at the run.
Half a day is realistic: one to two hours in the Affenwald – ideally around a feeding – plus several toboggan runs and a break with a view over the lake landscape.
Yes – in cooler weather the monkeys are often even more active than in the midday heat. Only in heavy rain does the toboggan run take a break; the forest walk through the enclosure works almost always.
Around 10 minutes by car or a short, kid-friendly bike ride. That makes the Affenwald the perfect half-day trip from the Genuss-Ferien campsite – monkeys in the morning, bathing beach in the afternoon.