The Bachalpsee is one of the most beautiful lakes in the Swiss Alps. The other one is the Rifelsee, on whose waters the Matterhorn is drawn, but this time we will focus on this small lake, which is one of the most famous postcards of Switzerland with the reflection of the Schreckhorn.
The excursion to the Bachalpsee is one of the must-do excursions, like the one to the Jungfrau or the Schilthorn so we recommend that you choose a sunny day to spend a fantastic day there.
The cable car departs from Grindelwald (1034 m) and reaches First (2166 m), the starting point of the route. The cable car is part of the Jungfrau Top of Europe train network so if you have a Jungfrau Travel Pass, the trip is free.
Jungfrau Travel Pass
The journey takes about 25 minutes and has two intermediate stops, Bort (1600 m) and Schreckfeld (2029). It is not difficult at all, as it rises quickly above Grindelwald and offers spectacular aerial views of the village and the impressive mountain circus around Grindelwald.
Once you arrive in First, you have to cross a big fence to start some of the fantastic mountain routes that you can do here, including those of Bachalpsee. The path is very easy, even suitable for prams although there are some climbs at the beginning.
The landscape is magnificent and dotted with permanent lookout points. We pass in front of the free rubber hut (2,262 m) and follow a path with some shortcuts on the slope of the mountain to avoid the ascent and descent.
In about one hour and ten minutes you will reach the famous lake if you are walking with small children, if not we can reach your destination in fifty minutes.
The entrance to the lake is beautiful, but you do not immediately see the postcard image you are looking for. You need to walk a few minutes to admire this excellent lake and understand why it was named the most beautiful lake in Switzerland.
It’s a magical landscape and usually is not very crowded even in summer holidays. Everyone has his own space to enjoy the magic of nature in peace and quiet. All you can see in the area are some hikers resting, reading or just looking at the horizon and watching such a natural spectacle.
Back in First you can’t miss the First Cliff Walk, a spectacular hillside walk with incredible views of the valley and snow-capped mountains. You can still get your adrenaline pumping with activities like the First Flyer, a kind of zip line where you sit at over 50 miles per hour, or the First Glider, similar to the previous one but instead of sitting, it hangs like a bird. Don’t miss the First Mountain Cart, a 3 km long go-kart ride from Schreckfeld to First.
On the terrace of the restaurant Schreckfeld you can also have a drink while the little ones are having fun in the park in front of you. Tractors, slides, swings. Everything is designed to have fun and to allow the adults to relax.