How Many Days in the Kandertal: Itineraries That Work

How Many Days in the Kandertal: Itineraries That Work

You cannot see Oeschinensee, Gasterntal, Griesalp and the Gemmi in two days. Trying to will waste half your time on buses backtracking through Kandersteg. The side valleys are dead ends. Each one demands a full day because you must return to the valley floor before you can reach the next.

Three itineraries follow, built around that constraint. A two-day plan picks one high-altitude objective and one lower walk. A four-day plan adds the Gasterntal and a day trip. A week lets you do all four side branches plus a rest day or the Leukerbad crossing. Every itinerary names the cable car or PostBus operator and warns about the last bus timing. The single most important number in this valley is 16:30, because that is when the last bus leaves Griesalp and Gasterntal in summer, and there is no taxi backup.

Minimum three full days. Weather closes in fast; you need a buffer to hit at least one high-altitude objective like the lake or the Gemmi. If you have fewer than three days, pick one side valley and accept that you will not see the rest.

The Valley Layout You Cannot Ignore

The Kandertal is a glacial valley running north to south. Kandersteg village sits at 1176 m on the valley floor. Every side branch, Oeschinensee, Gasterntal, Griesalp, Allmenalp, Sunnbüel, starts from the main road and ends at a rock wall. You cannot walk between them without coming back to the valley floor first. The PostBus is your only public transport. Drivers do not sell tickets on board, so you need coins or the SBB Mobile app. Swisscom has 4G in Kandersteg and at the lake. Gasterntal and Griesalp have zero signal. Download offline maps and the SBB timetable before you leave Spiez.

Season and Closures

Peak season is July and August, when all cable cars and mountain huts are open and the high trails are snow-free. The Oeschinensee gondola queue between 10:00 and 14:00 can exceed 90 minutes. Arrive before 09:00 or after 14:00. Mid-April to mid-June, most cable cars and huts are closed for the shoulder-season break and high trails are still snow-covered or dangerously soft. Late October to mid-December is worse: nothing operates and the valley sits in deep shade. The Oeschinensee gondola shuts early March to mid-May and late October to late December. The Sunnbüel cable car runs June to October only. The Gasterntal road is open May to October. If you arrive in mid-May, you can see Blausee and walk the valley floor, but you cannot reach the high lake or the Gemmi.

Two-Day Itinerary: One High Objective, One Low Walk

You have two days. Pick either Oeschinensee or the Gemmi crossing as your high-altitude day. The other day goes to a lower walk: Blausee or the Gasterntal floor or a family walk to Gfällalp.

Day 1: Oeschinensee or Gemmi

If you choose the lake, take the gondola from Kandersteg station, a short walk from the railway station. First ascent in summer is 08:30; last descent is 18:00. The gondola top station is at 1682 m. The lake is a 25-minute walk downhill on a gravel track. The full lake circuit is 5.5 km with 150 m of gain and takes 2 hours 30 minutes. Rent a rowing boat from June to September; last hire is 16:30. The mountain coaster runs May to October; last ride is 17:45. If you want the Heuberg viewpoint at 1940 m, add 1 hour 15 minutes and 258 m of gain from the gondola top. The Oberbärgli viewpoint at 1978 m takes 1 hour 30 minutes. Eat at Berghaus Oeschinensee, the Älplermagronen with apple sauce at 1678 m is the right move. If the queue is long at 10:00, buy your ticket before 09:00 or wait until after 14:00.

If you choose the Gemmi crossing, take the PostBus from Kandersteg station to the Sunnbüel cable car. The bus takes 10 minutes. The cable car operates June to October; first ascent is 08:00, last descent is 17:00. The top station is at 1934 m. Walk to the Gemmi Pass at 2314 m in 2 hours 30 minutes over 8 km with 380 m of gain. From the pass, descend to Leukerbad in 2 hours 30 minutes over 6 km with 928 m of loss. Do not plan to return from Leukerbad the same day by public transport; the loop back via bus and train takes 2 hours 30 minutes. If you want the Daubensee lake circuit at 2205 m, allow 1 hour 30 minutes for the 4 km loop. Eat at the Sunnbüel mountain station, the Rösti with melted Raclette du Valais is the right choice.

Day 2: A Lower Walk

Option A: Blausee. Take the PostBus from Kandersteg station; the journey is 15 minutes. The last bus back to Kandersteg leaves at 18:02. Entry is set by the Blausee AG operator and costs around CHF 12 for adults, CHF 6 for children aged 6 to 15. Check blausee.ch for current prices. The lake circuit is a short flat stroll, suitable from age 2. The organic trout farm is on site and serves fresh trout year round. This is a half-day, not a full day; add a walk to the Ueschinen valley opposite the main lake, which has no facilities and no cable car.

Option B: Gasterntal floor. Take the PostBus from Kandersteg to Selden at 1537 m. The last bus from Selden to Kandersteg leaves at 17:45. The road is a single-lane toll road; private cars need a day permit set by the municipality, costing roughly CHF 15, and are banned between 10:00 and 16:00 in peak months. Walk to Gfällalp at 1847 m in 1 hour 30 minutes from Selden. This is suitable from age 6. The valley has no phone signal; bring cash because the alp huts do not take cards. The suspension bridge over the glacial river is the landmark here, a wobbly wire bridge, and it is worth the detour.

Four-Day Itinerary: Add the Gasterntal and a Day Trip

Four days let you do two high-altitude objectives and two lower days, with one day trip to Thun, Bern or the Leukerbad thermal baths. The structure: Day 1 Oeschinensee or Gemmi. Day 2 the lower walk you did not choose in the two-day plan. Day 3 the Gasterntal with the Kanderfirn glacier viewpoint. Day 4 a day trip.

Day 1: Oeschinensee or Gemmi

Follow the same instructions as the two-day itinerary. If you are here for four days, choose the Gemmi on Day 1 and save the lake for a possible second visit. The Gemmi is harder to reach and takes more planning.

Day 2: Gasterntal Full Day

Take the PostBus from Kandersteg to Selden. The last bus from Selden to Kandersteg leaves at 17:45. Walk to the Kanderfirn glacier viewpoint at 2100 m in 3 hours 30 minutes from Selden, with 563 m of gain. This is a serious hike; bring food and water because there are no facilities above Selden. The valley has no phone signal. If the weather is poor, walk to Gfällalp at 1847 m instead, which takes 1 hour 30 minutes from Selden and has a mountain hut. The dried air-dried beef sold from the farm at Heimritz is a good souvenir; bring cash.

Day 3: A Lower Walk or Allmenalp

If you did Blausee on Day 2, do the Allmenalp cable car today. The base station is a 10-minute walk from Kandersteg station. The cable car operates June to October; first ascent is 08:00, last descent is 17:30. The top station is at 1724 m. Walk to the First viewpoint in 45 minutes with 200 m of gain; suitable from age 6. The via ferrata at Allmenalp is rated K3 to K4 difficult, 600 m long with 350 m of vertical gain, and takes 2 hours 30 minutes to 3 hours. It operates July to September. Paragliding launches from the top station at 1724 m and lands on the Kandersteg valley floor. If you have children, skip the via ferrata and do the family walk to First.

If you already did a lower walk on Day 2, take the day trip. Thun is 40 minutes by train from Kandersteg; the lakefront old town and castle are the draw. Bern is 62 minutes by direct BLS RegioExpress; the UNESCO old town needs no car. The Leukerbad thermal baths are reached by walking the Gemmi in 4 hours then busing down, or driving 1 hour 15 minutes via the Lötschberg car shuttle.

Day 4: Day Trip or Rest Day

Use this day for the day trip you did not choose on Day 3, or take a rest day. The cross-country ski trail network in Kandersteg is 45 km at 1170 to 1250 m, operating late December to early March. The winter walking trail network is 60 km. The outdoor ice rink is open December to February from 10:00 to 21:00. If it is summer, rent a rowing boat at the lake or visit the trout farm at Blausee.

Week-Long Itinerary: All Four Side Branches Plus a Crossing

Seven days let you do every side branch, a rest day, and the Leukerbad crossing or a multi-day hut tour. The structure: Day 1 Oeschinensee. Day 2 Gasterntal. Day 3 Gemmi crossing to Leukerbad. Day 4 Griesalp and the Hohtürli Pass. Day 5 rest day or Allmenalp. Day 6 day trip to Lötschental or Bern. Day 7 buffer day for weather or a second attempt at a missed objective.

Day 1: Oeschinensee

Follow the two-day itinerary instructions. Arrive before 09:00 to avoid the cable car queue. Do the full lake circuit and the Heuberg viewpoint if you have the energy.

Day 2: Gasterntal with Kanderfirn

Take the PostBus to Selden. The last bus from Selden to Kandersteg leaves at 17:45. Walk to the Kanderfirn glacier viewpoint at 2100 m; allow 3 hours 30 minutes up and 2 hours 30 minutes down. If the weather is poor, walk to Gfällalp instead. No phone signal, no card terminals, cash only.

Day 3: Gemmi Crossing to Leukerbad

Take the PostBus to Sunnbüel. The cable car last descent is 17:00. Walk to the Gemmi Pass at 2314 m in 2 hours 30 minutes. Descend to Leukerbad in 2 hours 30 minutes. The thermal baths are the reward; the Leukerbad bus and train loop back to Kandersteg takes 2 hours 30 minutes. Do not try to return the same day on foot; it is a one-way crossing. If you want to stay overnight in Leukerbad, book in advance, the town is popular.

Day 4: Griesalp and Hohtürli Pass

Take PostBus 220 from Reichenbach im Kandertal station to Griesalp at 1408 m. The journey from Reichenbach to Griesalp is 45 minutes. The last bus from Griesalp to Reichenbach leaves at 18:10. Walk to Bundalp at 1848 m in 2 hours with 440 m of gain; suitable from age 5. The serious hike is to the Gamchi glacier viewpoint at 2100 m in 3 hours 30 minutes from Griesalp. The multi-day route goes to Hohtürli Pass at 2778 m in 5 hours, then 1 hour 30 minutes to the Blüemlisalphütte at 2840 m. The Blüemlisalphütte has 140 beds and is open June to September. Book the hut in advance if you are doing the multi-day route. The next day you descend from the hut to Kandersteg via Oeschinensee, a 7-hour day with 1664 m of loss. This is the most serious hiking in the valley. Attempt it only if you are an experienced walker with proper equipment.

Day 5: Rest Day or Allmenalp

Use this day for the Allmenalp cable car or a rest day. The Allmenalp cable car operates June to October; first ascent is 08:00, last descent is 17:30. The family walk to First is 45 minutes. If you need a rest day, the rowing boats at the lake are open June to September, or the ice rink in winter. The winter walking trail network is 60 km; the cross-country ski trail network is 45 km.

Day 6: Day Trip to Lötschental or Bern

Take the Lötschberg car train from Kandersteg to Goppenstein. The train runs every 30 minutes; the journey is 15 minutes. The car fare is set by BLS and costs roughly CHF 27 one-way; passengers ride free. Check bls.ch for current fares. From Goppenstein at 1216 m, take the PostBus to Fafleralp at 1787 m in 20 minutes. Walk to the Langgletscher viewpoint at 2100 m in 2 hours. The Lauchernalp cable car at Wiler is 15 minutes by bus from Goppenstein; the top station is at 2100 m and the winter ski area has 55 km of pistes. If you prefer Bern, the direct BLS RegioExpress takes 62 minutes from Kandersteg station.

Day 7: Weather Buffer

Weather in the Kandertal closes in fast. Use this day to revisit any side valley you missed because of cloud or rain. If you have done everything, repeat the lake in different light or walk the Ueschinen valley, which has no facilities and no cable car and is the quietest walk in the valley.

Common Mistakes That Waste Your Day

The most common mistake is assuming you can see Oeschinensee, Blausee, Gasterntal and the Gemmi in two days. You cannot. The valley is linear but the side branches are dead ends. Each one consumes a full day and you cannot shortcut between them without returning to the valley floor. The second most common mistake is missing the last bus. The last bus from Griesalp leaves at 18:10; from Gasterntal at 17:45; from Blausee at 18:02. There is no taxi service in the side valleys. If you miss the bus, you are walking down a steep road in the dark, and that road in Griesalp has a 28% gradient.

The third mistake is relying on cards. Cash is mandatory at many alp huts and the Griesalp hotel; no card terminals above 1500 m. The fourth mistake is underestimating walking times. The lake circuit is 2 hours 30 minutes, not the hour most people expect. The walk from Selden to the Kanderfirn viewpoint is 3 hours 30 minutes, not two. The Gemmi crossing from Sunnbüel to Leukerbad is 5 hours, not three. Add 30 percent to your estimate if you have children or if you stop for photos.

The fifth mistake is coming in the shoulder season. Mid-April to mid-June, most cable cars and huts are closed. Late October to mid-December, nothing operates and the valley sits in deep shade. Check the operating dates for the Oeschinensee gondola: it closes early March to mid-May and late October to late December. The Sunnbüel cable car runs June to October only. The Gasterntal road is open May to October. If you arrive in mid-May, you can see Blausee and walk the valley floor, but you cannot reach the high lake or the Gemmi.