Festival Sherpa and Skyscanner team up to give you the best bang for your buck when you attend the Oktoberfest in Germany!
Oktoberfest is the world’s largest Volksfest (beer festival and travelling funfair). Held annually in Munich, Bavaria, Germany, it is a 16-day folk festival running September 17 to October 3 this year. The festival attractsΒ more than 6 million people from around the world attending the event every year. Locally, it is often simply called the Wiesn, after the colloquial name of the fairgrounds (Theresienwiese) themselves. The Oktoberfest is an important part of Bavarian culture, having been held since 1810. Other cities across the world also hold Oktoberfest celebrations, modelled after the original Munich event.
Courtesy : oktoberfest.net
Large quantities of Beer are consumed at Oktoberfest, with 7.7 million litres served during the 16 day festival in 2013. Visitors may also enjoy a mixture of attractions, such as amusement rides, side stalls and games, as well as a wide variety of traditional food such as Hendl (roast chicken), Schweinebraten (roast pork), Schweinshaxe (grilled ham hock), Steckerlfisch (grilled fish on a stick), WΓΌrstl (sausages) along with Brezen (pretzels), KnΓΆdel (potato or bread dumplings), KΓ€sespΓ€tzle (cheese noodles), Reiberdatschi (potato pancakes), Sauerkraut or Rotkohl/Blaukraut (red cabbage) along with such Bavarian delicacies as Obatzda (a spicy cheese-butter spread) and WeiΓwurst (a white sausage).
Courtesy : momondo.com
1. Usually a major chunk of the budget goes towards the festival ticket, but not at the Oktoberfest!
Entry to the OktoberfestΒ and all of the tents is absolutelyΒ free! You don’t need any ticket to get in.Β It is possible to book seats at the tents in advance but you have to do it as early as possible. In general, the tents donΒ΄t have any space for reservations after February or March.Β Find more information about booking seats HERE.
Also, during the week, arrive no later than 2:30pm and on the weekends, itβs best to go in the morning. Otherwise, you run the risk of not being able to enter the tents at all because theyβre already full. Larger groups should expect to wait in line like others and those without seats wonβt be served any beer.Β Beverages and food are paid for with cash directly at the service in the beer-tents. The fun rides are paid at the respective cash point before the ride.
Vouchers for beer and food are only available in the beer tents.
2.Β Good deals are available on flights right now so you should probably head on over to Skyscanner and book them ASAP.
A return flight from Mumbai to Munich will cost you a mere INR 33,000/- from where you can easily get local transport to your hotel.
3. You need to figure out a reasonably priced place to stay in the city.
This is crucial as you’ll need a place to crash after all your drunken adventures. A room in Munich will cost you about INR 8000/- a night for two people. This is a bit expensive but since you’ll be saving on a festival ticket, it kind of balances out.
4. Here is what we know about F&B prices at Oktoberfest.
A “Mass”, one litre of beer, will cost approximately INR 750/-Β this year.Β Beer will be sold in the tents from 10 a.m to 10:30 p.m. on weekdays and from 9 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays. A meal should cost you around INR 750/- too so on an average if you drink 3 litres of beer and eat two meals a day , you will not spend more than 4000/- at the festival.
5. Make sure you check out the local sights.
Try to fit in time to visit historical places like the Berlin Wall,Β Reichstag,Β Cologne Cathedral or witness the natural beauty ofΒ Zugspitze.
6. Final Round Up.
INR 33,000/- (Flights) + INR 16,000/- (4 Nights Hotel Stay Per Person) + INR 25,000/- (F&B inside and outside the festival) = 74,000/-
Be sure to factor in other costs such as visa, miscellaneous expenses, sightseeing, local transport etc. before you go. The Sherp wishes you a happy and safe journey!
