Canoe tour from Ratzdorf or Fürstenberg to Aurith

The canoe tour begins in Ratzdorf, an old shipping village on a sandy island in the Oder floodplain at the mouth of the Lusatian Neisse into the Oder. From here, it's 20 km downstream along the Oder, past the remains of the blown-up Oder bridge near Kłopot on the Polish side to Fürstenberg, a district of Eisenhüttenstadt.

Start: Ratzdorf
Destination: Aurith
Course: Ratzdorf - Fürstenberg (Eisenhüttenstadt) - Aurith
Length: approx. 24 km; duration: approx. 4 - 5 hours
Note: Alternatively, the tour can also start in Fürstenberg and then be shortened to half the distance or time. 

Fürstenberg has been able to largely preserve its historic old town center with many architectural monuments and is therefore a special feature among the towns on the Oder. The steelworks in Eisenhüttenstadt is connected to the Oder via the Oder-Spree Canal and does not interfere with the natural experience. There are none of the industrial plants that are common on large rivers here between Guben and Frankfurt (Oder).

However, this does not mean that there is nothing to discover on the riverbank. Numerous water birds nest and hunt here. The banks of the Oder here are sandy and there are many resting places between the groynes, which are also ideal for swimming. However, you should not swim in the middle of the river, as the current is relatively strong at around 7 km/h. After slowing down for 24 km, you reach Aurith with its jetty. Here you can really shake out your legs and take a few steps on the dyke crest or enjoy a refreshment near the banks of the Oder.

At the end of the tour, you can also "sail" again and take the new ferry across to Urad, where you can visit the 30-metre-high observation tower with a panoramic view of the primeval forest, floodplains and Oder. Tip for romantics: enjoy a bird's eye view of the canoe tour at sunset.