Hiking Jungfrau: 4 Best Family-Friendly Hikes in Switzerland

Summer is a delightful time in Switzerland, and even more so in the Jungfrau region. Most of the tourist spots are accessible through mountain railways and cable cars. And if want to explore nature and peaceful environs, Jungfrau region has a number of trails that can be hiked with teens, younger children and even dogs. This post covers 4 of the best family-friendly day hikes in Jungfrau.

Hiking is a key part of Swiss life and is a great way to experience the quintessential Swiss Alps delights. You experience panoramic views of the snow-capped mountains, picnics on meadows of wildflowers and pastoral beauty with babbling brooks and grazing cows. So let’s dive into these easy day hikes in Switzerland.

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Jungfrau Switzerland Hiking: Swiss Trail System 

The trails are well maintained, well-marked and accessible. The Swiss Trail System signs show where you are and the elevation. And directions and destinations are marked with arrows and estimated time to reach that location without stopping. They also show if a destination is accessible through cable car or mountain railway.

Trail markers can be –

1. Yellow – easiest to navigate and wide, require least amount of skill and equipment, and mostly family friendly though they may pose some danger
2. White-Red-White stripes – painted on trail signs, rocks, poles or trees mark the mountain trails that require fitness and experience
3. White-Blue-White stripes – mark the Alpine trails that require special skills and equipment (ice axes, ropes, crampons)

Best Day Hikes in Jungfrau Switzerland

The Jungfrau region consists of 2 valleys south of Interlaken – Lauterbrunnen and Grindelwald. This region is dominated by the peaks of Jungfrau, Eiger and Mönch. It is home to beautiful lakes, breath-taking mountains and lush alpine meadows. We based ourselves in the car-free village of Wengen. This is accessible through the Wengernalp railway and the Männlichen cable way. This is a delightful alpine village and a must on any Bernese Oberland itinerary.

#1 Hike – Wengen to Lauterbrunnen 

Distance	3.2 kilometres
Start	Wengen
End	Lauterbrunnen
Duration	1 hour 30 minutes
Elevation Gain	11 m
Paved	Partially
Dogs	Allowed on leash
Kid-friendly	Yes

This easy trek starts in Wengen town, near the station and meanders down to the valley of Lauterbrunnen. The trail is mainly a wide gravel path, with gradual descent. This is a cycling path as well, so we had to look out for the bikers. At places, the descent was steep.

The views of the Lauterbrunnen valley with all the waterfalls were spectacular. The path opened out as at the outskirts of Lauterbrunnen village, with pretty Swiss cottages, and ended at the station. Definitely one of the family-friendly things to do in Switzerand.

At Lauterbrunnen, we walked to the Staubachh Falls and climbed up to take in the views. The village has cafes and a large COOP to pick up snacks and essentials. It also connects to Interlaken, Grindelwald and Wengen through train.    

#2 Hike – Grütschalp to Allmendhubel Mountain View Trail

Distance	5 kilometres
Start	Grütschalp
End	Allmendhubel
Duration	2 hour 30 minutes
Elevation Gain	500 m
Paved	No
Dogs	Yes
Kid-friendly	For older kids

We took the train to Lauterbrunnen and loaded up on snacks and lunch at the COOP store, before taking the cable car to Grütschalp. From here, one can take the train to Mürren via Winteregg or hike to Allmendhubel via an easy or a moderate trail. We decided to take the moderate trail called the Mountain View Trail. 

Grütschalp is a convenient starting point, with neat and free restrooms and sundecks and chairs at the terrace restaurant. The easy trail is the wanderweg or yellow trail and the moderate trail was white-red-white Mountain View Trail. The elevation gain on this trail is 500 meters, but most of it is in the first kilometre, and that slowed us down considerably.

The path goes through thick forests and rocks, with twists and turns. Once we crossed the tree line, the trail became much easier. The views of the valley, Wengen and the trio of Jungfrau, Eiger and Mönch were breathtaking. We stopped at multiple places to enjoy the scenery and snack on sandwiches and cakes.

There weren’t too many hikers, though we did see a few mountain cabins and even ski lift lines. There was snow in some parts even in July, and a number of trickling streams of ice cold water. Just short of the last ascent to Allemendhubel, there are viewpoints for Jungfrau. 

The hike ends at Allmendhubel, where we took the cog railway down to the Mürren village. We were exhausted after the trek, so we opted for some heavenly hot chocolate and vegan cakes at Café LIV. An easier way to do this hike is to start at Allmendhubel and work backwards to Grütschalp.

#3 Hike – Eigergletscher to Kleine Scheidegg

Distance	2.4 kilometres
Start	Eigerglestcher
End	Kleine Scheidegg
Duration	55 minutes
Elevation Gain	9 m
Paved	No
Dogs	Yes
Kid-friendly	Yes

This is an easy trek that can be combined with a visit to Jungfraujoch. The starting point, the Eigergletscher station, can be reached through the Eiger Express cable car from Grindelwald or the Jungfraubahn rail.

The trail is mainly a wide gravel path. The first ‘stop’ was a mountain cabin, with views of the 3 peaks, the Lauterbrunnen valley and Schilthorn. Further down, the trail passes the surreal Fallbodensee, an Alpine lake.

The crystal clear turquoise waters look surreal and the photos of the lake and reflections of the snow-capped mountains are stunning. We took a short walk around the lake, with views of Männlichen and Grindelwald. One of the best day hikes in Switzerland!

But there is a small pond besides the visitor centre, with benches with perfect views of the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau. You can dip your feet in and enjoy relaxing foot massage with the little jets that spout icy water while taking in the views. Surprisingly, there were very few people around, even on a bright beautiful summer day. The visitor centre is as small as a mountain hut but has very interesting exhibits on the region. 

Kleine Scheidegg is a small walk from the lake. And we timed ourselves to arrive just in time to take the Wengernalp rail back to the Wengen station.

#4 Hike – Grindelwald First to Lake Bachalpsee

Distance	5.4 kilometres round trip
Start	First-Grindelwald
End	Bachalpsee Lake
Duration	1.5 hour
Elevation Gain	112 m
Paved	No
Dogs	Yes
Kid-friendly	Yes

You must put Lake Bachalpsee on your Grindelwald itinerary, even for a day. This is one of the most beautiful alpine lakes in Bernese Oberland region, with a backdrop of glacial mountains. Bachalpsee Lake has an altitude of about 2265 meters, but most of this altitude gets covered by the Gondola ride up to Grindelwald First station.

Continuing further from Lake Bachalpsee on to Faulhorn Summit is a longer and moderate-level hike. We did the easy walk on a dirt trail from First station to Lake Bachalpsee, which is possible even with young kids. This distance is a round trip of about 5.4 km in total. We spent about 2 hours including photo stops.

The Bachalpsee trail is usually open for hiking around June until mid-October.  July is a great time to visit Switzerland for hiking and outdoor fun. In peak summer, this area is overtaken by gorgeous wildflowers and verdant green landscape. Being a popular and easy trail, expect crowds in summer months but the lake area has enough space for everyone. It makes for a tranquil spot even with all the trekkers.

Things to keep in mind while hiking Jungfrau

• Check the weather forecast before heading out.
• Check the timings of the connectivity to and from the trail.
• Make sure that you are wearing proper hiking boots, with good tread, and have the requisite equipment.
• Carry supplies like water, snacks, layers for warmth, rain coats and jackets etc even on day hikes in Switzerland.

Planning a trip to Switzerland?

Start with a 5-day Bernese Oberland Itinerary

Check out Family Friendly Things To Do In Switzerland

If your trip is in summer, see this post on Switzerland in July

Do read One day in Grindelwald

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This is a guest post by Shweta Markandeya. After 10 years of climbing the corporate ladder, Shweta decided to call it quits and just “chill” with her daughter. When not wandering on foot, she wanders in her mind by reading, writing and planning yet another trip!

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