sharon1306

Hi, my husband and I will be spending 3 days in the Lauterbrunnen area as part of our 3 week european holiday. We are in our late twenties and very active. I would love to hear suggestions on ways to best spend our 3 days in the Berner Oberland.

We're definitely thinking of doing the whole Jungfrau thing. And also visiting the Trummelbach falls. We're looking for advice on the best hikes, etc in that region (nothing too strenuous). I've read tons of information on this topic but its left me more confused than when I started...

This is our first trip to Switzerland. Any help from the Swiss experts here will be much appreciated.

JoyceL

Some suggestions:

1. From Lauterbrunnen, take the funicular to Murren. From Murren there is a wonderful walking path that returns to Lauterbrunnen. The path runs parallel to the funicular tracks, and is very scenic. This walk was the highlight of my visit to the area. (I did it twice.) Walk this path about half way to Lauterbrunnen, and then take the funicular to return to Lauterbrunnen.

You also have the option of walking all the way, but most of the rest of the path is extremely steep, and not particularly scenic.

2. From Lauterbrunnen take the funicular to Wengen. From Wengen take the cable car to Mannlichen. From there walk to Kleine Scheidigg. This is a scenic walk. When you reach Kleine Scheidigg, you have the option of visiting the Jungfrau.

3. From Kleine Scheidigg there is a nice, albeit long, walk to Wengen. Much of this walk is very scenic. The last section is a little steep.

I did all the walks described above. Of everything I did in this area, the Jungfrau was the most disappointing. Even though it was a clear day (no clouds), there was no view at the top, unless you consider looking at snow drifts to be a view. The Visitor Center has some interesting ice scuptures, but I did not think this was worth the time or expense to get there.

JoyceL

Meant to mention: From Kleine Scheidigg it takes at least an hour (maybe more) to reach the Jungfrau. I do not remember the exact amount of time, but the entire Jungfrau visit required a few hours.

sharon1306

Joyce,

Thanks for your suggestions. I've already made a note of them.

Its also very interesting to know what you thought about the Jungfrau trip. I know its worth considering only if its a clear day. We have been debating whether the trip to the top is worth the time/money and wondering whether the whole thing is overhyped. Definitely something to think about.

MzPossum

Hi Sharon
If it's a clear day, the trip to the top of Jungfrau is worth it! (what time of year will you be there?) I'm assuming you mean the train trip through the mountain? As well as the scenery itself, there is an ice museum with intricate sculptures inside the mountain, carved out of the ice there. I was there during the summer your could rent skis--not big runs or anything, but enough to say you "skied" in the summer.

sharon1306

MzPossum,

We will be in Lauterbrunnen from September 17th to September 20th. We also have Eurail passes which I just realised entitles us to a 25% discount on the Jungfrau trip. If we get good weather, we'll probably go ahead and do it. Thanks for the information.

MzPossum

Lauterbrunnen and the surrounding area is one of my favotite places in Switzerland--you'll be enchanted, too! As Joyce said, also take the funicular to Murren--it's on the opposite side of the valley from Wengen, jungfrau, etc. The top of the peak on this side is where the opening scene of "Her Majesty's Secret Service" was filmed where Bond sails off the edge with skis and has a parachute. You can't go wrong anywhere you visit in this area. There's also a beautiful waterfall in Lauterbrunen. September is probably the best month, IMHO, to be there. Enjoy!

PalQ

If not into hiking up or down from Murren, you can do a wondrous loop from Lauterbrunnen all via public transport:
+Hop the funicular from Lauterbrunnen to Grutschalp - the funicular goes straight up the cliff.
+Get off the funicular and hop on the waiting electric narrow-gauge train that goes right along the cliff to Murren - yielding stupendous views over the Lauterbrunnen Valley below and the awesome glacier-clad Jungfrau Massif just across the way - there is no finer view available by train in Europe!
+Explore Murren as you walk from the train depot to the aerial gondola that will sweep you down to Gimmelwald, a lost-in-time old farming villages that seems totally isolated - again stupefying views of the Jungfrau Massif - a totally unique place
(Instead of taking the gondola from Murren you can walk down to Gimmelwald on gentle paths - so you can do a little hiking not an easy one)
+From Gimmelwald take the aerial cable car back down to the valley - this large cable car sweeps from Gimmelwald into the air and it's like an airplane as it plunges to the valley - a very thrilling ride.
+From Stechelberg, where the cable car takes you, you can either walk the few miles back to Lauterbrunnen on flat paths along a rushing river (passing by Trummelbach Falls) or hop one of the legendary Swiss Postal Buses back to Lauterbrunnen. (This whole route is covered in full by a Swiss Pass, but not Eurail; you may not be traveling enough in Switzerland to warrant Swiss Pass but this journey alone would cost about $50 i believe - making a Swiss Pass valuable even in the Jungfrau area.) Anyway, this is one of the most exhilarating Alpine excursions i've every been on. Service on all conveyances are very frequent so don't need schedules - long line can form for the Grutschalp funicular - you could do the trip in reverse but then if hiking Gimmelwald-Murren it's an uphill walk - of course you could take the cable car.
+To fullen your day even more from Murren take what is billed as the world's longest aerial gondola ride to the Scdhilthorn - an icy mountain top outpost of James Bond fame - the revolving restaurant appears in one of his films - On His Majesty's Service i believe - anything it's a great ride and intoxicating views from Schilthorn - which is all surrounded by ice, which you can walk on. There are sinuous hiking trails from Schilthorn back down to Murren - only for adventuresome hikers i think.
+As for great hikes - if doing the Jungfrau train - i did last September and from Kleine Scheidegg hiked back down to Wengen - a few hour jaunt at most, all downhill but not too downhill (steep descents can be as fatiguing as ascents due to the constant braking).
+Wengen to Lauterbrunnen is a similar hike.
+Once you arrive pick up a copy of Jungfrau Magazine in your hotel rack - it has maps with hiking trails on them and reliefs tell you what kind of hike it will be.
+East tremendous hike goes between Kleine Shceidegg and Mannlichen - a fairly flat hike but at a high altitude - great views over Grindelwald valley and from Mannlichen sweeping panorama over central Switzerland, including Interlaken, nestled between its two lakes, far below. Can take gondola from Mannlichen down to Wengen.
+Oh what a Valhalla this area is!

sharon1306

PalQ, thank you for your wonderful suggestions. I especially like the idea of doing the loop from Lauterbrunnen, all via public transport. I definitely have more than enough to keep me occupied for 3 days!

isabel

Just returned from that area. Here's what I would suggest. From Lauterbrunnen take the funicular to Gutschalp. That takes about 10 minutes and goes straight up. Then you can take a small train to Murren, but you can also walk. The path is quite easy although slightly uphill. Takes about 1-2 hours depending on how many times you stop. From Murren I would continue walking to Gimmelwald. You could take the cable car instead but it's only about a half hour walk and it's downhill. From there you can talke the cabel car down to the valley floor. Try to get in the front of the cable car (it holds about 50 or more people). Again, you could walk but that walk, while downhill is very steep and longer and the cable car ride from Gimmelwald to Stechelburg is a lot of fun. Takes only a couple of minutes. From there the path back to Lauterbrunnen is totally flat (and even paved). But it's quite a few kilometers so taking the bus part way is worthwhile, but walk at least the last part.

I second the suggestion to skip the Jungfrau. There are web cams in the hotels, the Interlaken train stations, downtown Interlaken, etc so you can see the view you'll get up there, which of course is nothing at all if cloudy (and it can be cloudy up there when it's sunny in Murren, Lauaterbrunnen, etc). But even if not cloudy, the view is just of the snow covered peaks whereas the views elsewhere include snow covered peaks, green valleys, mountain towns, etc.

sunstar

I have to agree that the Jungfrau trip is a nice trip, but time could be better spent dong something else. The Jungfrau trip can get costly also.

Take that walk from Mannlichen over to Kleine Scheidegg. Then walk up in the area of the Eiger Gletcher station. On a clear day, you'll see the Jungfrau and Eiger glacier in all of their glory!

I can assure that if you take the walk from Mannlichen over to Kleine Scheidegg, then continue up to the Eiger Gletcher station, you'll have views that will absolutely blow you all away.

If there is time, walk back down in the direction of the Wengerbahn. Again, the Jungfrau and compnay wil be on your left the entire time and the views wil rock!!

you can take the train from Wengeralp either back to Kleine Scheidegg or contine on down to Wengen or Lauterbrunnen.