This hike is a must do for any tourist in visiting the Berner Oberland. It is great because its short, not too exhausting and highly spectactular. I would even claim that this hike has the higher highest effort to reward ratio you can get anywhere in Switzerland. The route with gondola is a mere 5,5 kilometers and 450 meters in altitude, but it will take you to high alpine landscapes opening views into glaciers and a deep glacier canyon. The trail is exposed and narrow in some parts and you need proper hiking boots.
What to expect on this hike
| Distance | 5.5 km / 8.9 km (out and back) |
| Ascent | 450 m / 860 m |
| Descent | 450 m / 860 m |
| Start | Pfingstegg gondola top / Pfingstegg parking lot |
| Finish | Kemmeribodenbad |
| Difficulty | Moderate — narrow trail with exposed sections and steep drop-offs | |
| Duration | ~3h / ~5h |
| Getting there | Train to Grindelwald — take the Pfingstegg gondola up (CHF 32 return, CHF 16 with Half-Fare, GA or Swiss Pass) or walk from the village |
This is what the Route looks like
Without Gondola (8.9km)
With Gondola (5.5km)
This is what the route looks like on Swisstopo. Purchase the GPS route below to get the GPX file along with a direct link to open and edit the route in the Swisstopo app — by far the best tool for planning hikes in Switzerland in detail.
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