Oeschinensee Panorama Hike (2025)

NEW UPDATE : As of May 2025 you must have a booked reservation for the Kandersteg – Cable Car reaching the Oeschinensee. Visitors arriving without a pre-booked ticket may have to wait until a free place occurs or simply will not gat access to the gondola.

Alternatively you can hike up the steep trail (90 minutes) to the lake. To hike up to Oeschinensee check the map here. But you still have to check whether the trail is open. Sometimes because of bad weather or rockslide hiking trails will close and it is important that you are obeying the signes saying “closed” and do not go under the barriers.

Please find more information on the Oeschinensee Website.

Are you thinking of visiting the Kander-Valley and wondering what are the best hiking trails and best places in the area? The Bernese Oberland has some of the best hikes in Switzerland and one particular highlight on that list is the Oeschinensee Panorama Trail. This trail is also part of the Unesco World heritage site. Therefore, even more a reason why you should visit the Oeschinensee lake and Panorama trail.

There are many different ways of visiting the Oeschinensee. We will introduce you to the epic panorama trail in this blog article which gives you some amazing views, but you may also want to read;

How best to visit Oeschinensee with young kids or elderly persons.

The Oeschinensee panorama hike is not for everyone, but the lake area definitely is. Alternatively you will find some hiking trails around lake Oeschinen that suit less experienced hikers or families with younger children. The easy hike to the lake viewpoint at Läger and the short walk to the lake shore is already a great day out.

How to get to the Oeschinensee

This most beautiful Swiss alpine lake is located in the Bernese Oberland, more precisely above Kandersteg in the Kander Valley.

You have two possibilities to reach the Oeschinensee lake area.

• First the sporty option, which involves a 4.5km and 421m uphill hike from Kandersteg train station.
• The seconde option, is the more comfortable way to access the lake is with the Kandersteg – Oeschinensee cable car. Plus a short 25 minutes walk along a wide path will bring you to this famous Swiss lake.

The cable car return price indicated in 2025 is 36.- for an adult. For the opening hours of the Oeschinensee cable car station check their website.
!! You need to pre-book your slot with the cable car to ensure a space!!

Getting to Kandersteg by Car

Simply add Oeschinenstrasse 50, 3718 Kandersteg in your GPS this will bring you to the car park next to the cable car base station.

Arriving by train; From Interlaken the journey will take about 1h 17min, the train departs every hour at xx:30.

If you arrive from Valais, the journey will take 1h 3min departing from Sion train station.

From the train station in Kandersteg it is a 1km walk to the cable car, which will take you up to the Oeschinensee area.

Ticket Prices for Oeschinensee

in 2025 a return ticket on the Kandersteg Cable car to Oeschinens top station is:

• Adult Chf 36.-
• Child Chf 16.- (6-15 years of age)
• Children younger and with junior SBB card are travelling for free.

Swiss Travel Pass holder get 50% discount like with a GA and Half Fare Travel-card.

Good to know before you visit the Oeschinensee

• The most important matter is that os of May 1st 2025 you must have a booked ticket with a time slot for the Kandersteg Cable Car to the Oeschinensee. This allows the authority to control this World Heritage Site and gives you a much better experience with hopefully lesser crowds and no waiting time for the gondola. Book your Cable Car Tickets Kandersteg – Oeschinensee here.
• If you arrive without a pre-booked ticket, you can still buy tickets on-site and see when the next possible place is available. This gives you the option to buy your ticket with the Kandersteg Gondola direct. However there might be no slots available for the day.
• Alternatively you can hike up the 4.5km trail from Kandersteg to Oeschinensee mountain top. It is part of the Via Alpine Trail. The incline is 420 metres and will take you about 1h 45minutes. Personally I prefer to save the energy of the kids and use it at the top on any hikes. Sometimes the trail is closed due to bad weather, rock slide or others. Please make sure you check the conditions before with Kandersteg Tourism.

Hiking map from Kandersteg

Click on the map to get full access to the map. And check on the Official Oeschinensee Website whether the trail is actually open.

Understanding the Oeschinensee Area

Oeschinensee can also be visited by those who do not wish to hike. It is a great day trip from Interlaken or Grindelwald/Lauterbrunnen for example.

• Yellow marked trail , panorama hike via Heuberg – Oberbärgli.
• Number one, direct path to the lake, 30min walk. Shuttle bus line.
• Number two, trail to the Läger Viewpoint, 40min walking time including down to the lake.

Just keep in mind, due to its sheer beauty this hike is quite popular. Try to avoid weekends or peak holiday visits if you can. As this hike is all about the views make sure you visit on a mostly clear day, best to check the local Oeschinensee webcams.

Around the mountain station

Apart from a restaurant you will also find a great summer alpine toboggan or mountain coaster. Children up to the age of 7.9 ride with an adult free of charge. One run Chf 6.-, multiple runs become cheaper per run.

A shuttle bus down to the lake is available although it is not a big bus. However the walk is easy, pushchair friendly, and only takes about 30 minutes to the lake and 35 minutes back from the lake (trail number one).

Principally this shuttle bus is available for persons with reduced mobility, but of course also accommodates others. It is payable.

By the Lake

A further two mountain restaurants and a hotel can be found at the lake. Spending the night in this idyllic place sounds like heaven. For more information and prices on the overnight options check directly with the Berghaus am Oeschinensee.

A great activity even after your hike is renting a rowing boat to experience the vistas of the surrounding high mountains from the middle of the water.

Maximum 4 persons per boat and in 2025 the prices where Chf 32.- /hour and Chf 20.- half an hour.

There are several BBQ stations and picnic areas around the shore of the lake which help make a family day at lake Oeschinensee perfect.

How Best to Hike the Oeschinensee Panorama Trail?

Back to the panorama hike at Oeschinensee.

First of all, you are in for a treat. The views from high above down to the blue water of the Oeschinensee are unique and beautiful. Not many hikes in Switzerland will give you such magnificent views of an alpine lake in the Swiss alps . This is a hike for people who don’t mind narrow mountain trails and love epic panoramas.

Some parts of the path have steep drop-offs towards the lake with no safety railings. Whereas other areas may be a bit slippery especially when hiking right after a rain fall.

Having said all that, with a bit of caution and when hiking with children taking them by the hand on these sections, this should be a great family hike.

Our suggestion would be to hike it clockwise.

Start the hike and follow the path to the Läger Viewpoint, on their map this would be path number 2 (see above).

After around 10 minutes hiking time take the path to your left and start the uphill section.

Hiking Tip: If you would like to include the Läger viewpoint on this hike, I would go there first and then hike back to this point from where the Oeschinensee panorama hike starts.

It is very unlikely that you will be hiking back up to Läger at the end of the hike when you are at the lake shore. To do it first is only a 500m detour one way.

The photo below shows you the Läger viewpoint. There is also a restaurant operating during peak season should this be of interest.

At the junction, from when you start to head up the mountain, the lake will quickly be visible on your right side. The higher you are, the more spectacular the views down to the lake become.

It is also here where you will encounter some narrow, slippery and more hazardous areas. Therefore, concentration is needed.

The photos story below will give you a more virtual feel of this section of the hike.

Photos of the Oeschinensee Panorama Hike

Starting the hike on an easy path. This is also the path to the Läger Viewpoint (trail 2). At the hiking sign showing “Heuberg -Oberbärgli” you will get off the path to the left and start the circular panorama hike.

Looking back towards the Kander-Valley. Below you can see the wide path leading to Läger viewpoint.

The views of Oeschinensee are getting better and better as you climb.

We have reached the highest point of the Oeschinen panorama hike. What a view! Below on the photo you can see on the right the “official” viewpoint. It was quiet crowded so we opted for the one a bit further along and enjoyed pretty much the same view all alone!

After about 3 km eventually the path becomes wider and there is no more uphill. You are now at the other side of lake Oeschinensee.

A small alpine restaurant, Berghaus Oberbärgli, serves snacks and drinks and some epic views. (Photos below)

Hiking tip: It is from here where you could hike up to the Blüemlisalphütte SAC. This is a further 3.6 km with 800m ascent. You can sleep at the hut which is an amazing adventure in itself. You must reserve a place though.

Finally, you are on the last stretch down to the Oeschinensee. The path is not the most comfortable due to the surface of semi large rocks and stones, but the views make up for this.

Soon you will be able to head down to the lake shore where you will find a large beach and the boat rental section of the Oeschinensee.

Hiking Map for the Oeschinensee – Lake Panorama Hike

How the map works: Click on it to get to the full map layout with profile and interactive route indicator.

As always the time given on the map is an automatic estimation. We always have much longer due to picture stops, collecting stones and crystals on the way and other things that you do on a family hike.

Hiking Facts

Location:: Oeschinensee, Kandersteg – Berner Oberland

Length:: 9.1 km

Level:: Medium – narrow path, steep drop offs, hiked with kids 7 years old

Highest point:: 1988 m

Ascent 444m / Descent 455 m

Good to know

• 1 km walk from train station to the Oeschinensee cable car station
• Payable parking lot available at the gondola station
• Panorama hike NOT push chair friendly but lake access path is (need good shoes)
• The only toilet facilities available on the hike are in restaurants
• Refreshments available at both ends of the hike
• Cable car return ticket Chf 30.- adults

Oeschinensee: Frequently asked Questions & Answers

Can I swim at the Oeschinensee lake?

Yes, it is allowed to swim in the lake, but keep in mind it is an alpine lake therefore the temperatures will be low. During the summer months it is probably the best time to attempt a swim in the Oeschinen lake.

How long will the hike around lake Oeschinensee lake be?

First of all you will not be able to hike around the lake. But if you wish to do the panorama hike shown in this post you will have to count a good 4h. Alternatively you can just hike to Läger viewpoint and down to the lake which will only take 1h of your day. If you like to include the summer toboggan run make sure you add some more time to have enough time on your schedule. As this is a popular attraction, we suggest to do the alpine slide first.

Can you visit lake Oeschinensee during the winter?

Yes you can, and it is a very nice picturesque experience. But this place is quite cold as the sun only hits the lake for 45min during the deep winter months. The lake will be frozen and you can go ice skating or just walk on it. Although note, that you will not be able to hike the panorama trail during the winter months. But have some fun on the frozen lake.

Can I bring my Dog to Oeschinensee?

You’re in luck. You can bring your dog with the cable car to Oeschinensee. Make sure you book his ticket as well Chf 8.-

Places to stay and things to do near Oeschinenseen

Hotel at Oeschinensee and nearby

Overnight stay at the Oeschinensee is a popular things to do. Apart from staying at the Berghotel Oeschinensee right by the lake, there are also hotels and apartments in Kandersteg available.

Right at the Oeschinensee gondola station one can even find the Kandersteg campsite.

Things to do

Another beautiful lake is located only 10 minutes drive from the Oeschinen gondola . The Blausee aka lake Blue. This lake is quite touristy and you have to pay to access the nature area, but as you are in the region and if you have one or two hours spare, I definitely would recommend visiting Blausee.

The beautiful Adelboden is also just around the corner and especially if you are traveling with kids you should check out the Vogellisi Theme Trail and find out what there is to do in Adelboden.

Why not discover the Bernese Oberland a bit further and head to the Jungfrau Region, where the famous valley of the 72 waterfalls awaits in Lauterbrunnen. And whilst you are there head up to Mürren and have fun on one of the most beautiful playgrounds in Switzerland – The Allmendhubel Flower Park.

And last but certainly not least, the amazing Swiss Village of Grindelwald is not far now and a visit to the Grindelwald First Cliff walk and the Bachalpsee are always a success.

Other tours in the Area

 Bernese Oberland Travel Guides

• How best to visit Grindelwald-First Cliff Walk 
• Bachalpsee – Hike to the Swiss Alpine Lake in Grindelwald First
• A day at the Hasliberg – Marblerun and Trottibike
• Oeschinensee hike with Kids 
• +17 things to do in Lauterbrunnen

I hope that the information provided here will prove itself useful when Hiking the Panorama Trail at Oeschinensee in Kandersteg.

If I have left anything out or you have a question, please ask your questions in the comments below so that other readers can join in the conversation and benefit from your queries also.

Thank you & Never Forget to Travel

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