The scenery of nearly 40 wooded hilltops along the river Rhine, close to Bonn, Königswinter and Bad Honnef, is the result of volcanic activity and subsequent erosion of 25 million years ago. These hills (max. 460 m) which overlook pleasant villages in the Rhine valley, are crowned with medieval castles, covered with majestic shady beech forests (up to 150 years old) and include the North Rhine Westphalia´s only wine growing region at the entrance to the romantic Middle Rhine with Germany’s oldest rack railway (1883) at the top of the Drachenfels, are impressive features of the Siebengebirge area.

Covering a relatively small area, the Siebengebirge offers a unique variety in geology, fauna and flora. A pleasantly mild climate at the border between Atlantic, Continental and Submediterranean climates ensures a large diversity of species, and numerous geological outcrops give fascinating insight into the volcanic development of the Siebengebirge. Since 2010 – following the 2009 resolution of the EU Parliament on Wilderness Areas in Europe - the reserve is the first official wilderness area in North-Rhine-Westphalia outside national parks.