Visit Kandersteg, Switzerland

Kandersteg is located in the Bernese Oberland region and is a beautiful altitude resort village in Switzerland. Do not let the ‘resort’ term stop you from visiting the village during summer. I visited around August and it was one of the best times to visit if you love hiking in the mountains. I took the train from Bern to Spiez and from Spiez to Kandersteg. Spiez is another beautiful village that I highly recommend visiting. 

Kandersteg town

The town is like a fairytale. As you get off the train, you will see a valley with 2-3 waterfalls welcoming you. It is so beautiful. The town is covered with famous Swiss chalets and a river. I stayed in the hotel blümlisalp. This hotel had the best breakfast and dinner. If you are taking a train, I recommend you book a hotel near the train station as you will be walking to the hotel. I suggest you take some time and walk around the town and enjoy the scenery and locals. The people are very nice and welcoming. Do work on your Dutch as people speak in Dutch and not French in Kandersteg.

You can take a Gondola ride from Kandersteg to Oeschinen or hike up to the beautiful valley.

Oeschinen Valley

The valley has one of the most beautiful lakes in Europe ‘Oeschinen lake’. It is sourced by the Blüemlisalp, one of the biggest of the Bernese Alps. This valley is for all ages, nature lovers, hikers, photographers, or only site visitors. Do remember that you do have to walk a little from the Gondola ride to reach the lake. It’s an easy trail.

The hills are covered with famous Swiss cows with bells , mountain goats, and sheep. When you are in the trail and lake, you will be surrounded by these animals. Please do not disturb the animals. I would recommend maintaining a respectful distance from the animals because we are in their land and we need to respect animals. 

There is a waterfall that you can take a boat ride to. If you dare, you can also swim in the lake. I tried to swim in the lake but could hardly move. It’s freezing cold even during summer as it is a glacial lake. However, I do suggest taking a dip during summer and sunbathing by the lake. Pack your lunch and have a picnic around the lake. The view is worth it.

The most famous activity in the valley is hiking, even more than skiing. You have many trail options and I picked the Oeschinen to Heuberg loop trail. It has a beautiful scenic view of the lake with a bottom view and top view. You are also almost in the base of the Bernese alps. There are two-stop places where you can buy foods to eat. Be careful, the first café stop does not have much to eat except bread, cheese, and drinks. However, if you hike further to the top, you will have access to a small café with more options. I highly recommend you to hike to the top because the view is incredible. 

If you do not have strong knees or balance or if you are scared of heights, I highly recommend you to hike back the same trail and not complete the loop. I mistakenly tried the loop and I felt like it was my last day on the earth. The other half trail is no joke. You are hiking on the edge of the mountain and crossing small waterfalls holding on to the ropes and letting people pass through the trail where you can hardly stand on both your foot comfortably because of lack of space. Please do make sure you are physically and mentally good before trying this route for your own safety. 

Alpine slide

Do not miss the Alpine slide on the top of the Oeschinen valley. I always wanted to do the famous slide surrounded by Panoramic alpine views and I finally checked it off my list. There is no age limit. So, even adults can have fun. It is located beside the gondola ride.