Hi friends, welcome back to my Switzerland series! Our first full day in Wengen started slow enjoying our coffee on the balcony and taking in the stunning views. Jon felt a bit under the weather so we decided to have a less strenuous day exploring the Lauterbrunnen Valley. This picturesque village is home to seventy-two waterfalls making it a popular spot for a day trip. From Wengen we took the quick, twelve-minute train to the valley and gazed at the stunning views along the way. The ride was included with our half fare card and BO passes. The conductors are efficient at scanning passes, so make sure you have yours readily available.
After disembarking, we walked by Staubbach Falls but didn’t take the path up to go next to the waterfall. There was a long line to take pictures in front of it and it was too hot for a long line. This waterfall is 297m tall and the tallest free-falling waterfall in Switzerland. It had a relatively good stream for late August.
Jon and I continued on towards Trümmelbach falls and it was a pretty long, forty-minute walk with temperatures in the mid 80s. We followed the river and relieved ourselves of the heat by dipping our toes in the frigid water. You can also catch a bus from the train station, but we underestimated the heat and thought the walk would be preferable.
If you’re a Lord of the Rings fan, the beauty of Lauterbrunnen inspired J.R.R. Tolkien while he was writing the series. This field is where I would land after my upcoming paragliding excursion.
At last we made it to Trümmelbach Falls and this was a neat spot to visit. This waterfall is unique because you go inside the mountain to view ten of the most powerful waterfalls I’ve ever seen. The falls get their water from the glacial walls of the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau Mountains. At peak times, water can gush through at a rate of 20,000 liters a second. Unfortunately, I have not mastered the settings on my camera to do these waterfalls justice.
After paying our 14CHFs admission each, we walked into the mountain funicular that took us near the top of the ten waterfalls. Upon exiting there are signs that will direct you to each waterfall. It was a bit chilly inside but so refreshing after the sweltering trek over! If you visit on a cooler day, you’ll probably want to bring a jacket.
Trümmelbach was named after “Trommelbach” which means a stream that sounds like a drum. I can attest that it’s true to it’s name and extremely loud inside from the powerful rush of water.
After exiting Trümmelbach, we opted to take the quick bus ride back to the Lauterbrunnen train station and caught the train back up to Wengen.
Lauterbrunnen is an option for where to stay in the Berner Oberland area, but I’m happy we didn’t stay there. The main reason is that we wanted the scenic mountain views, but that’s not possible if you’re staying in the valley. I think we also would’ve struggled with the heat even more. A benefit for staying here is that it’s possibly the most accessible village to stay, but that also means more crowds during the day. We enjoyed our time in Lauterbrunnen, but for us it just didn’t compare to our time in the mountains. Especially when we could enjoy these beautiful sunset views!
Stay tuned for our excursion to First Mountain!
