Dachau

you know your family and yourself better than we do.

Dachau is a hard hitting pretty strong high emotion place, and most people leave it pretty quiet and introverted, often not up for an upbeat activity shortly after.

If that would affect you, you might not be on top form for the 4pm gathering.

But maybe you'd be in the group for which all is fine after, and be ready to meet the gang at 4.

I visited Dachau via the S train from Munich in 2018-- I want to say with travel time included and a quick lunch in their cafeteria I spent around 5 hours total. This included walking to the far points and going in every building. It is definitely a sobering experience, the rest of the day was full of quiet reflection. I have also been to Auschwitz and I think Dachau disturbed me more, but I was solo and thus did not have to be social for anyone.

If you are there at opening, it's doable, time wise. How it may affect you after your visit, only you will know.

I would go the day before. This will allow you to take your time, as well as to reflect afterwards in whatever way feels right for you. I’ve been there twice, once in college and once with my husband a number of years later. I got different things from each experience, but I agree that both times it left me quite reflective. I don’t think I would have wanted to suddenly socialize with new people directly afterwards. I hope you have a meaningful visit to Dachau and that you enjoy your RS tour!

Thank you all for your input. I was leaning on going the day before just not to push things.
That's what we'll do. Thanks again.

I agree with Heather. If you are going in early and have the day before available I'd do it then. No sense in rushing thru this experience when you might worry about getting back to Munich by 4P. You may well be back to Munich by then but I agree I needed some reflection time after this visit.

I see that you have decided to go to Dachau the day before the tour starts, and that's a good thing for all the reasons mentioned.

When we went a few years ago, we went with Radius Tours and had a very good experience. We left the train station at 9:00 and were back around 2:00, so technically you could fit it in if you went with them, but again, a very sobering experience.

Our guide did an excellent job of explaining the history, the camp, and also of explaining how Germany tries to not let citizens forget what transpired. Like with many local guides, we felt we learned much more that if we went on our own.

Hello OP, I'm going July 17-24 - I am thinking of arriving 2 days early and going to Dachau 7/16. I think having the rest of the day to reflect may be best, based on what others have said.

We have done Dachau three times - once on our own, once with Radius Tours, and once with bighattours.com - if you can, bighattours is amazing and you will learn so much more. He is an American who lives in Munich - check out his webpage.