Travel
Oeschinensee, A must see in Switzerland!
Oeschinensee, Photo by Monique Damp
Since coming to Switzerland I have had my eye set on visiting a place called Oeschinensee. It was a place that kept coming up in conversation as a ‘must see’, followed by the phrase ‘you will fall in love with its natural beauty’.
…and that is exactly what happened on my visit.
What captures your eyes about this place is the turquoise blue lake, engulfed by enormous beautiful snowcapped mountains. The mountains ridged slopes meet the lake, allowing waterfalls to form all around. This is accompanied with lush green fields on the side of the mountains, forest, rock formations and the sounds of cowbells giving an overall memorizing experience.
Oeschinensee is a hikers dream. Located in a high altitude resort village called Kandersteg in the Bernese Orben region of Switzerland. There are trails for all hiking levels around the area which show off the views from every angle, from walking along the lake to going high up into the mountains for more panorama views.
Oeschinensee view from Underbärgli , Photo by Monique Damp
To me, what made this area extra special was the waterfalls. I loved how some trails lead you across, along and under them. The waterfalls create an atmosphere of tranquility and wonder. Watching and hearing the water running down the crevices of the mountains to then break away into sprays, creates a natural calming feeling, makes you want to stay longer.
How to get there:
There are numerous ways to reach Oeschinensee, depending on where you are coming from. I came from Zurich. Zurich being a central location gives you the option of taking a train or you can drive to get to Kandersteg. From there you take the cable car or hike to Oeschinensee. The approximate time taken by each form of transport from Zurich HB to Kandersteg cable car (Talst. Oeschinen) is:
Car: Normally I take public transport, however this time I traveled there by car. It took approx. 2 hours 30 mins (traffic not included). We came across traffic which added an extra hour onto our travel time. Note: you cannot drive up to Oeschinensee yourself, you need to walk or take the cable car. From the gondola mountain station, there is a 30 min walk to the lake itself, however an E-Shuttle bus is available which runs daily.
Train: approximately 2 hours 23 minutes from Zurich HB to Kandersteg Banhhof, with the average price for an adult one-way at 37 CHF. Times can be longer or shorter depending on which train you take, however this train route involves a one-time change of trains, plus a 15 minute walk from Kandersteg Bahnhof to the Gondelbahn Kandersteg Oeschinensee.
Cable Car: open daily from 8:30 to 18:00 (timetable changes on the season). Tickets for adults are $22 CHF for one way and $30 CHF for a round trip, children (6-16) being $11 one-way and $15 return.
Hiking: From the bottom of Gondelbahn Kandersteg to Oeschinensee is a bit over an hour depending on your preferred pace.
Walking to Oeschinensee from Mountain station , Photo by Monique Damp
Accommodation:
During the day, the lake can get quite busy.
Staying overnight allows you to really enjoy and explore the area to its fullest. Witness the peacefulness and stillness of the area once everyone has left. Plus! Make the most of your say by getting up early the next day to enjoy the lake before everyone arrives.
There is limited accommodation by the lake, however some places to stay are Arva is a lake side hostel, Fründenhütte provides a hut experience 2562m above the lake and accommodation is available in Kandersteg including a campground called Rendez-Vous. You cannot camp around the lake itself! For more information on these places, please visit the link below: https://www.oeschinensee.ch/uebernachten/
I stayed at the Berghotel which is a lakeside hotel. This hotel, along with the hostel Arva, is the only accommodation which is next to Oschinensee. The quaint, rustic hotel, is perfect for a night or two. On the bottom floor is the restaurant with a delicious menu of burgers, curry and meats, including vegetarian and vegan options! Dinner starts at 18:30 with tables being reserved for all guests and closes at 20:30. There is a kiosk and a restaurant called Sennhuette but no supermarkets, so there are limited places to get food.
View from Oeschinensee Berghotel entertainment room, photo from Oeschinensee Berghotel
BREAKFAST IS INCLUDED! For guests, a great cold European style buffet breakfast is included in your stay and available from 7am-9am. There is a nice array of cereals, cheeses, cold meats, boiled eggs, bread and delicious homemade jams (I tried all the jams and couldn’t choose a favourite!) which will fill you up ready for the day ahead.
Above the restaurant, is a cozy lounge room with board games, books and comfortable sofas available to allow you to kick back and relax after an adventure packed day. The self-service bar goes off the trust system where you write down on a form your drinks and put in a ‘mailbox’ which is later charged to your room for payment upon check-out. This is not a ‘party hotel’, they like to keep the atmosphere quiet and calming for all thus it’s a great spot to recover.
Oeschinensee selfserve bar, Photo by Oeschinensee Berghotel
On the same floor as the lounge room and above, are the guest rooms. The delightful rooms sleep 1 up to 6 people, equipped with towels, Nordic duvets and pillows and a sink. The bathrooms are communal for all rooms. They are very clean, equipped with shower soap and a hairdryer by the sink.
Oeschinensee Berghotel standard double room, photo by Oeschinensee Berghotel
Oeschinensee Berghotel standard three person room, photo by Oeschinensee Berghotel
The hospitality is phenomenal. The staff are friendly, welcoming and accommodating. The restaurant service was great, with the staff being efficient whilst sociable, and they were very knowledgeable about the trails in the area. I highly recommend overnighting at the Berghotel!
Extra notes: Check-in is from 14:00 to 17:30 and there is NO public access for private cars and NO public transport to get to the hotel. However there is luggage transport available for free. See website for more information or the transport section of this article for more information: https://www.berghotel-oeschinensee.ch/en/berghotel-oeschinensee/
Hikes trails:
There are 10 recommended routes to cater for all hiking levels.
- Kandersteg – mountain station via Huble
- Kandersteg – Lake Oeschinen via Gründewald
- Kandersteg – mountain station via forest road
- Mountain station – Lake Oeschinen direct ( the trail you need to walk to get to the lake)
- Mountain station – Lake Oeschinen via Läger
- Lake Oeschinen – Underbärgli
- Hohtürli/ Bluemlisalphütte SAC; Pass to Kiental
- Lake Oeschinen – Heuberg; circular route (a popular trail, also known as the Oeschinensee Loop)
- Lake Oeschinen – Fründenhütte SAC
- Kandersteg – Doldenhornhütte SAC via Bäretritt or Biberg
Visit for more detailed information and conditions on your desired hiking trail.
Cows on the Oeschinensee to Underbärgli trail, photo by Monique Damp
I did the 2,11km trail from Oeschinensee to Underbärgli. The scenic trail is great for all hiking levels. The picturesque trail takes you past waterfalls, through forest and up into a lush green field that overlooks the lake. The trail officially starts by the Berghotel, taking you along the lake before making a 210m uphill walk to the Underbärgli café. Once you have reached the Underbärgli café, this cafe only takes cash. Order a drink, take in a deep breath, relish the view and appreciate the outdoors. I can’t wait to come back and do the Oeschinensee Loop hike!
Lake Oeschinen – Underbärgli trail map, map by komoot
Part of the Oeschinensee to Underbärgli trail, photo by Monique Damp
Tip: If you continue for another 350m, you’ll come to the large agile Oberbärglibach Waterfall, which is cool to check out. I only reached this area but it is not the end of the trail, it does continue on a lot further.
Oberbärglibach Waterfall, by Monique Damp
Oeschinensee to Underbärgli trail views, photo by Monique Damp
Other Activities:
If hiking isn’t your thing, spend your time by the lake itself to savour its beauty from a low angle. You can go swimming, have a BBQ or picnic, be daring on the mountain coaster, go fishing (you must purchase a permit beforehand) or hire a little row boat to paddle your way around the lake. The boats fit max. 4 people for the price of $17 CHF for 30 minutes or $28 CHF for 1 hour.
On my second day, I stayed closer to the lake by walking along the banks and I was even brave enough to get into the water which was freezing. What made this little trail special to me was being able to go under the waterfall to feel the wind created by the falling of the water and turning into droplets.
Enjoying the lake, Photo by Monique Damp
It really was a great weekend get-away. I can’t wait to go back again to discover more of the hikes and explore the area. It is really a place worth visiting with your partner, family or friends.
References:
https://www.berghotel-oeschinensee.ch/en/
https://www.oeschinensee.ch/en/
https://www.myswitzerland.com/en-ch/experiences/gondola-to-lake-oeschinen/
https://www.komoot.de/tour/365873991
About the author
Monique Damp is an Australian who is passionate about travelling, giving recommendations, learning and meeting people. As a child, she moved to Hong Kong but returned to Australia for her studies, finishing with a degree in Media and Communications. Her strong wanderlust has taken her to many countries including working and traveling in Canada for 2 years and returning back to Hong Kong to work for 1 year. Now, she is an aspiring blogger, continuing her desire to explore new countries and share her experiences with others to help them with their own trips.
