The Jungfrau is a UNESCO World Heritage site and offers some of the most spectacular hiking in Switzerland. The town of Interlaken is the gateway town you will go through to get to the Jungfrau region which is mostly comprised of the towns of Lauterbrunnen, Gimmelwald, Mürren, Wengen, and Grindelwald. There are so many amazing hikes to choose from, but here are five of our favorite day hikes in this region!
1. Loop Hike – Lauterbrunnen – Gimmelwald – Mürren – Grütschalp – Lauterbrunnen
Length: 6 miles/10km – Duration: 3-4 hours
Lauterbrunnen is ringed by 72 waterfalls and is one of the most beautiful places on earth. This loop hike is a perfect introductory hike to this incredible valley. From Lauterbrunnen, follow the riverside trail past meadows and small farms until you get to Trümmelbach falls which is a 10-tiered underground waterfall that drains the Eiger Glacier. Continue along the trail toward Stechelberg where you can take the cable car up to lovely village of Gimmelwald or ascend on the nearby trail. Continue from Gimmelwald up the wide-paved path to the hillside village of Mürren. You’ll find plenty of picturesque viewpoints along the way as you are now high up on the shelf above the Lauterbrunnen valley. Beyond Mürren, continue along a gentle forest path to Grütshchalp. From here you can take the cable car or walk down the steep trail back to Lauterbrunnen; coming full circle to where you began.
2. Wengen or Grindelwald – Männlichen – Kleine Scheidegg
Length: 2.7 miles/4.5 km – Duration: 1.5 hour
One of the most popular and iconic trails in the Jungfrau is the panorama walk from Mannlichen to Kleine Scheidegg. From either town of Wengen or Grindelwald, you can take the cable car up to Männlichen. From Männlichen you can take a detour to the Männlichen Gipfel leading from the top station to the Männlichen summit (also known as the Royal Walk), which adds on about 30-45 minutes of extra walking. The magnificent hike from Männlichen to Kleine Scheidegg is along the Panorama ridge trail which will give you sweeping views of the whole Jungfrau region including the Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau mountain peaks. This is a nice gradual downhill trail that leads through grasslands and alpine flowers. From Kleine Scheidegg you can take a train back to Grindelwald or Wengen.
3. Eiger trail Hike from Eigergletscher – Alpiglen – Grindelwald
Length: 3.7 miles/6 km – Duration: 3-3.5 hours
The World-famous north face of the Eiger mountain is an impressive sight in the Jungfrau region and fortunately, you can hike along the base of the mountain on the Eiger trail. The start of the trail is at the Eigergletscher station which is located between Kleine Scheidegg and Jungfraujoch. To get here you must take a train to Kleine Scheidegg where you can walk up to the Eigergletscher station in about an hour or get there directly by train. From the Eigergletscher station you can access the start of the trail where you will enjoy stunning views of the Lauberhorn, Kleine Scheidegg and the Grindelwald valley. You will cross steep alpine pastures, rocky terrain, past streams and waterfalls as you walk along the Eiger Trail to Alpiglen. From Alpiglen, you can continue walking all the way to Grindelwald or take a 30-minute train.
4. Loop Hike – Bussalp – Faulhorn – Bachalpsee – First – Grindelwald
Length: 5.5 miles/8.8 km – Duration: 4-5 hours
This circular hike has it all: fabulous views of the Grindelwald glaciers, a shimmering lake, wildflowers, Swiss cows, majestic mountain peaks, and a historic mountain hotel which is a wonderful place to stop for lunch along the way. If that isn’t enough, you can end the day with a thrilling ride on a zipline, mountain cart or scooter on your return to Grindelwald. To start the hike, you can take a mountain bus (there is an extra charge for this bus) from Grindelwald to the restaurant in Bussalp. Up on the mountain ridge, you should be able to see the Berghaus Faulhorn mountain hotel (one of the oldest mountain hotels in the Alps) where a stunning 360-degree panorama view awaits and is worth the climb. From Faulhorn start your descent toward the reflective alpine lake of Bachalpsee with a backdrop of the snow capped peaks and glaciers of the Jungfrau region. Continue walking to “First” to descend to Grindelwald by gondola, zipline, mountain cart, scooter, or on foot.
5. Out-and-back Hike – Grindelwald – Pfingstegg – Berghaus Bäregg – Grindelwald
Length: 3.5 miles/5.6 km – Duration: About 3 hours round-trip
The beautifully landscaped trail leads along the base of the Mättenberg mountain that sits high above the gorge of the lower Grindelwald glacier. The ice glacier has receded during the last decades but still is an amazing sight. From Grindelwald, take the cable car up to the Pfingstegg station. The trail from Pfingstegg up to Bäregg is well-marked and well-maintained but be advised that some parts have some exposure. However, most areas have railings in place where there are some steeper slopes near the trail. You can return to the Pfingstegg cable station and take a ride on the toboggan before returning to Grindelwald on the cable car. If you want additional walking, you can walk down from the Pfingstegg cable station through the lush mountain forest to the dramatic Glacier Gorge before returning to Grindelwald on foot or by bus.
If you would also love to do these hikes, you can join Alpenwild on a guided “Exploring the Jungfrau” tour or do it yourself on a self-guided Jungfrau tour where you can pick your own dates.
- 5 Things to do in the Jungfrau Region - July 9, 2020
- A Self-Guided Tour with Alpenwild – FAQ Answers - May 27, 2020
- The Jungfrau Region Explained - April 30, 2020