Coming to the Lauterbrunnen Valley, to Interlaken, Grindelwald, and the Alps was the driving force of our huge 16-day trip around the region with our kids. Mr. Family Trip had such exquisite memories of time here during his backpacking experience. We did epic days in the area, but Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland was a pleasant day that surprised us.
We knew we’d be all over the Jungfrau region, but we drove into the village of Lauterbrunnen with few expectations and zero plans. What we got was a full day of outdoor activity and huge views. Base jumpers rained down from the heavens above us, cyclists churned by, and we basked in the alpine vibes.
Lauterbrunnen is part of the Jungfrau region of the Bernese Oberland. This area in south-east Switzerland is filled with magical hiking and wonderful towns (the most well-known in the Jungfrau region being Grindelwald and Interlaken).
What we didn’t realize when researching for this trip was how close all the major hikes and attractions in the Jungfrau region are. We felt overwhelmed during planning – all the cute towns to see! all the hikes to do! But, it turns out that they are all very close and basically connected. We needn’t have worried (although then what would I have done with my time?!).
Lauterbrunnen itself is a village of about 3,000 people that began in the 13th century. It eventually became the spot where foreign adventurers would come to begin their mountain climbing excursions and it seems that vibe has stuck.
Our Adventure in the Alps
What really draws people to this area is the Lauterbrunnen Valley. Per Wikipedia:
“Lauterbrunnen lies at the bottom of a U-shaped valley that extends south and then south-westwards from the village to meet the 8-kilometer (5.0Â mi)Â Lauterbrunnen Wall. The Lauterbrunnen Valley (Lauterbrunnental) is one of the deepest in the Alpine chain when compared with the height of the mountains that rise directly on either side.Â
It is a true cleft, rarely more than one kilometer in width, between limestone precipices, sometimes quite perpendicular and everywhere of extremely steep. In places the cliff walls are up to 1,000Â m (3,300Â ft) high.[7] It is to this form that the valley owes the numerous waterfalls from which it derives its name. “
The most famous waterfall is the Staubbach Falls and at 297 meters is the tallest free-flowing waterfall in Switzerland.
The valley and the topography are why people come here. It’s why we did.
How to Spend a Day in Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland
We didn’t do much in the actual village of Lauterbrunnen. We were there in the summer and it was chaos. We couldn’t find a spot to pull over and breathe, let alone park. The sidewalks couldn’t contain the foot traffic and tourists were all over the roads. It was too crazy for us.Â
We found ourselves driving through Lauterbrunnen again on our way to the Northface Trail and, again, the village was swelling with more people than it could accommodate.
Getting to Lauterbrunnen: We had a car on our trip, so it was easy for us to casually explore Lauterbrunnen and the valley on our timeline and schedule. But there is train service to Lauterbrunnen from Zurich and Interlaken via the Bernese Oberland Railways (cutely nicknamed BOB).
Walking (hiking?) In Lauterbrunnen Valley
Before you hike anywhere in the Jungfrau region, read our tips and what we learned! We found that the Lauterbrunnen Village didn’t have hiking as we define it but a really easy, paved trail that follows the valley.
Lauterbrunnen Village is easily connected to Wengen (a carless mountainside town with a lot of hotel selections) and Mürren (another carless, mountainside town that is recommended by nearly all the tourism industry). We’ll be writing about Mürren and the Northface Trail soon (so stay tuned), but once you get on the gondola taking you up to Mürren and the Schlithorn, there are a slew of hiking options.
Lauterbrunnen is also fairly close to the Eiger Trail and Jungfrauoch which technically is accessed through Grindelwald. Hence, the Eiger Trail is frequently referenced as a “best thing to do in Lauterbrunnen” due to its proximity, but we parked and accessed the Eiger trail from Grindelwald.
We went hiking in this area quite a bit. You can check our post on the Eiger Trail and what you need to know about hiking in the area, but we’ll posting more. Get quick access through our Instagram stories and subscribe to our mailing list.
There is a very easy walking path, however, that will allow you to take in the beauty of the valley and Staubbach Falls.
Note that while we thought Staubbach Falls was majestic, we opted not to take the spur path and get closer to it. It was a back-to-back line of people going nowhere fast.
We parked at the Trummelbach Falls parking lot (which was free), just past Lauterbrunnen.Â
From the Trummbelach Falls parking lot, we crossed the road and found the trail. From there, we did an out-and-back, heading towards Lauterbrunnen and under the wall.
AllTrails has a good loop option at this link.Â
During peak summer months, this is a really popular place for tourists to explore. So we found the trail fairly busy! But it was also easy to access and to walk.Â
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Visiting Trümmelbach Falls
This was not on our to-do list but since we had parked at the carpark and were enjoying the area, the kids were intrigued.
We approached the ticket gate close to closing hours, so it was far less crowded for us than I believe it usually gets. Pro tip:Â go late or go early!
(You can walk from the train station in Lauterbrunnen to the Falls and back along the same trail we meandered on.)
Trümmelbach Falls are the “world’s only glacier waterfalls that are accessible underground.” There are a series of 10 waterfalls that thunder down tunnels and inside the stones. I am not sure if that means these are underground, technically, or inside a mountain?
You have to gain some elevation to the top and walk the falls down. There are places to get amazingly close to the falls as well as viewing platforms and staircases.
Even with all the waterfalls in my life, if I have ever experienced underground (although still skeptical that’s what they should be called) waterfalls. This was unique and memorable.
It was expensive to get entry, in my opinion. (Especially after seeing so many for free in Iceland. But it wasn’t nearly as ridiculous a charge for the experience as La Fortuna was! When we visited, it was 15 CHF per person to visit Trümmelbach Falls and the USD exchange rate was not in our favor).
See the official Trümmelbach Falls website here.
There is a funicular/elevator that will take you to the top. We took that upon entry, then walked down, hitting all of the waterfalls, including the turn-off for number six.
Outside of the entrance to the falls is a cafe with outdoor seating that was quite lovely.
Note that children under 4 are not allowed to visit the Falls for safety reasons. Also, as we experienced in much of Switzerland, this is not wheelchair accessible or easy for anyone with mobility concerns. There are a lot of steps and given how close you come to the water itself, the path can get slippery.
But it was an experience we certainly remember.
In short: Lauterbrunnen Village is a very cute (albeit not big enough for all the demand) Swiss town that is a launching point for some great outdoor activity.
Lauterbrunnen Valley is the draw. This is the place to go if you want to be outdoors. If you want to experience a life where hopping on the bike or base jumping is a common, everyday occurrence, come here. If you want to leisurely stretch your legs underneath the shadows of the Alps, Lauterbrunnen will welcome you in. If you just want to take an easy walk to what has to be the most photographed house in the country, this is where to go.
Lauterbrunnen Valley doesn’t require a lot of planning. It just requires a willingness to be amazed.
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