Nature in the Bernese Oberland

The snowy peaks of the Eiger and the Mönch.

The scenery in the Bernese Oberland is characterized by large differences in height and the fact that the area is situated at the northern side of the Alps. Places around the Thunersee and the Brienzersee can be up to 560 m (1,840 ft) high; at the end of valleys places can be up to 1,100 m (3,610 ft) high. This goes for, amongst others, Kantersteg and Grindelwald. Villages can be found on mountain slopes too. A good example is Mürren, at more than 1,600 m (5,250 ft) over sea. Far more higher we can find mountain tops like the Jungfrau (4,158 m, 13,642 ft) and the Finsteraarhorn (4,274 m, 14,022 ft), which can be seen as two of the highest mountains in Switzerland.

Altitude differences of over 3,5 kilometres (11,480 ft) can be found within a relatively small area. As a result of this there are several climate zones. In the valleys, temperatures of more than 30 °C (86 °F) are not exceptional during summer. At the same time it can be about 0 °C (32 °F) on the highest mountain tops. The Alps form a natural border between the northern and southern European climate. The Bernese Oberland belongs to the northern Alps and is, because of that, a bit more cool and moist than the southern areas. The scenery generally looks green and fresh.