Meeting point: Pahlhuus in Zarrentin. This is where the Schaalsee safari starts.
A trip to the UNESCO biosphere reserve, which is known for its biodiversity and untouched beauty. At weekends, Andreas Ermisch, a certified natural landscape guide and real expert on the region, guides his guests through this impressive landscape - in a safari van that looks quite unusual at first glance. The van is bright orange. A "buchanka" - Russian for box bread. "Perfect camouflage," explains Andreas, "The color doesn't occur in nature as food. We are invisible to the animals." Then we set off. The cobblestones give way to bumpy paths along the Schaalsee. First stop: the shore at Schalliß. The jetty offers a fantastic view of Zarrentin. Andreas points to the crystal-clear water - at 72 meters, the Schaalsee is one of the deepest clear water lakes in Germany. He tells us about the legendary story of the vendace. A red crayfish shimmers in the water. The lake looks like a lively yet still spectacle of light and water.
We continue on, and the forest gives way to expansive meadows. Suddenly you have to stop: Two majestic cranes strut along the edge of the field. The binoculars go round and round to observe the graceful animals from a distance. The journey also takes you past grazing water buffalo, the historic Stintenburg castle and the Schaalmühle mill with its fish ladders, to the mystical moorland near the Schilde barrage and the almost hilly landscape near the Schaale. Bent trees and water striders waiting for the tide emphasize the unspoilt nature of this place. A white-tailed eagle flies away and the roaring of deer in the rutting season echoes through the air.