The Lauterbrunnen Valley could be the fusion between Tolkien’s region and the planet Pandora from the film Avatar. This sentence perfectly sums up the alpine essence of Switzerland.
In the following lines we will show you how to spend an unforgettable day with an excursion that will take you through the most interesting points of the valley.
We recommend a quiet start from Winteregg station, halfway between Grütschalp and Mürren.
Winteregg has a restaurant and a panoramic terrace with views of the Jungfrau, Eiger and Mönch. It is one of the best terraces in the Jungfrau region and it is simply spectacular. The view is magnificent and there is also a nice playground.
If you are travelling with children, Winteregg is the first obligatory stop: trampoline, toys, swings, huts, cars, wooden carvings for them and two hammocks for the adults.
It’s hard to get out here, but you have to if you want to make the most of the day. The path runs parallel to the railway line and is practically flat or slightly uphill.
After about 45 minutes you will reach Mürren (1650 m), an alpine village without motor vehicles that is a real treat for the senses: little wooden houses, flowers, and the Alps in front of you.
After crossing Mürren, the descent begins and we follow the signs to Gimmelwald. This part of the route is very beautiful and charming. It is a walk through green slopes, past scattered farms, water fountains, flowers and grazing cows.
Continuing your journey to the small village of Gimmelwald (1,363 m) you will find a small souvenir and soft drink shop that has no vendor. Up to this point of the excursion it is no problem to take a trolley, but from Gimmelwald, and as soon as you enter the forest, it is no longer accessible for prams. So for those of you who are in this condition, it will be a good time to leave the excursion with the Schilthornbahn to Stechelberg from the same village and finish this delicious excursion.
We leave Gimmelwald behind us and soon the zigzag path becomes a path in the middle of the forest. After a short descent we cross the river and start a short ascent.
In this part of the excursion you will realise that you really seem to be on Pandora, the planet from the movie Avatar. Lush nature full of waterfalls will accompany your every step.
The last stretch before you leave the forest is a bit long, but after an hour you leave it by crossing the Weisse Lütschine. This is a good opportunity to dip your feet in and let the little ones play with the water and stones.
We continue our walk along the road, where there are hardly any cars, so it is very quiet to walk even with children. The easy descent of the route makes it another pleasant moment of the day.
Although the route is very easy, Lauterbrunnen is still far away, so you can always end the route and take one of the post buses that stop at various points along the road. A good place to do this might be the Lauterbrunnen waterfalls.
If you decide to continue walking, you will be rewarded, because the path that runs alongside the Lütschine is beautiful and worthwhile.
The Staubbach Falls is the highlight at the end of the trail. Its height of 300 metres and it is the second highest in Switzerland. What is most striking, however, is how it blends into the landscape of Lauterbrunnen.
The Staubbach Falls are the worthy highlight of this route through the Lauterbrunnen Valley. One last piece of advice we would like to give you: If you want to visit Trummelbach Falls on the same day, better to do it in the morning.