Hiking Through Switzerland: The Oeschinen Lake Hike
During my Interrail trip around Europe, I had the chance to explore some of Switzerland’s most beautiful places, including Interlaken and Lucerne. But out of everything I experienced, hiking to Oeschinen Lake was by far the best part of my trip.
The hike was definitely challenging: especially for someone like me who isn’t used to hiking. But once I reached the lake, I realized that every step had been worth it. It ended up becoming one of my favorite memories from my trip.
If you’re planning a trip to Switzerland and wondering whether the Oeschinen Lake hike is worth adding to your itinerary, let me tell you exactly how to get there and what to expect.
A few numbers on the hike we did :
Tistance +10km
Time +3h
Altitude +700m
Steps +30k
How to get to the beginning of the Oeschinen Lake hike
The first step is to take the train to Kandersteg, a small mountain village located about an hour from Interlaken. And honestly, the train journey is already part of the experience!
As the train takes you through the Swiss countryside, you’ll get to enjoy incredible mountain views and landscapes that feel almost unreal. So don’t spend the whole journey looking at your phone: look out the window!
Once you arrive in Kandersteg, you’ll need to walk a little before reaching the starting point. Don’t worry if you’re not sure where to go: there are signs along the way, so just follow them and you’ll be fine.
When you get there, you have two options: hike up to Oeschinen Lake yourself or take the cable car.
The hike takes around 1 hour and 30 minutes, while the cable car is the easier option if you don’t feel like walking uphill. We personally decided to hike because, for us, getting there was part of the adventure.
💡 Keep in mind that taking the cable car is expensive (around 30CHF)
And I’m not going to lie—it was hard for me. I’m not someone who’s used to hiking, and I definitely don’t do a lot of sport! There were moments when I wondered why I had decided to do this.
But honestly, you don’t need to be an experienced hiker to give it a try. Take a water bottle, wear comfortable shoes, go with someone supportive, and just take it one step at a time. You’ve got this!
And then, finally, you arrive at Oeschinen Lake.
The feeling is incredible. After all that effort, seeing the turquoise-blue lake surrounded by huge Swiss mountains feels like the ultimate reward. It’s one of those moments when you completely forget how tired you are and just think, wow, I actually made it.
And trust me, the view makes every step worth it.
Taking a break by Oeschinen Lake
We took a break to eat our picnic while sitting by the lake, surrounded by huge mountains. It was honestly magical. After all that climbing, sitting there with that view felt like the perfect reward.
We also put our feet in the water, which was freezing, by the way! But somehow, it felt amazing after the hike. The cold water almost felt like it was resetting our feet and bringing them back to life.
If you want to explore the lake from the water, you can also rent a small boat and enjoy the scenery from the surface. It’s such a peaceful way to take in the mountains and the incredible turquoise colour of the lake.
Don’t stop at the lake
But the hike doesn’t necessarily end when you reach Oeschinen Lake. We actually continued further along the mountain trail, walking beside the lake and deeper into the valley.
And honestly, this is where we got some of the best views of the lake. Through the trees, we could see the turquoise water surrounded by enormous mountains. Along the way, we passed traditional Swiss cows, little wooden chalets and small streams running down through the mountains.
It felt like we had stepped into a completely different world. There was something so peaceful about walking through the landscape, hearing the water and seeing the cows grazing around the traditional Swiss chalets.
The hardest part: leaving
Eventually, we had to make our way back down. And after such a long hike, our legs were definitely feeling it!
But before leaving, we sat in front of the lake one last time. We watched people swimming in the freezing water, looked at the mountains, and just tried to take everything in.
You know those moments when you wish you could pause time and stay exactly where you are?
This was one of them.
We just sat there, looking at Oeschinen Lake, wishing we could somehow keep that moment forever. And I think that’s what made this hike so special to me; not just the destination, but everything we experienced along the way.
❤️Do I recommend this hike?
100% yes! If you love nature, and don’t mind challenging yourself, it’s the best hike you can do around Interlaken.
How long do you need to do the hike?
Honestly, hiking up to the lake, hiking even more and then going down took us 4hours. But if you want to stop, enjoy the views and eat there, I really recommend spending the whole day there. So you don’t feel too rushed or anything.
If you are wondering when is the best time to visit Switzerland, i really recommend you this article from Travel with Cory.
How do you reach Kandersteg?
You can go by car, there is a huge parking lot at the start of the hike.
But if you take the train, you’ll get to see incredible landscapes. From Interlaken it was about an hour by train, and I paid around 30CHF for a round trip ticket. I recommend getting the tickets in advance because the prices are cheaper!
Where to stay near Kandersteg?
We stayed in Interlaken because it was well connected to other tows by train. And Interlaken is in the middle of two other great lake: Lake Thun and Brienz. So it’s the perfect town to stay in if you plan on exploring the blue Switzerland lakes.
We stayed in the Balmers hostel because it was the cheapest option and i can only recommend it. It was so cool to meet other people, and the staff organized many activities during the week, like watching the sunset at the lake, or doing a karaoke night!
If you’re visiting Switzerland and looking for an adventure that you’ll remember long after your trip, put the Oeschinen Lake hike on your list. Trust me, your tired legs will thank you later.