Day trip advice for 3 nights in Wengen
A traveler is planning a three-night trip to Wengen starting June 6th after a river cruise in Basel. They want to visit Jungfraujoch, do some easy hikes, and possibly cruise Lake Thun and Lake Brienz in one day. They seek advice on combining these activities and getting the most out of their 2.5 days in the Bernese Oberland, especially given their love for hiking.
- You can combine a visit to Jungfraujoch with a short hike like Männlichen-Kleine Scheidegg or Wengernalp-Kleine Scheidegg for a great experience.
- It's best to visit one lake and hike along the shore of the other instead of doing both lakes in a single day to avoid spending too much time on boats.
- For the Jungfraujoch visit, take the train from Wengen for a 25% Swiss Travel Pass discount; avoid looking for discounts for Murren, as it applies to Schlilthorn only.
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There will be 4 of us (2 couples, all in our 40’s) staying in Wengen for three nights beginning June 6th. Our river cruise will have ended in Basel on the 6th. We have hotel reservations and already printed out our 4-day Swiss Pass and are ready to go!! I do have a few questions though.
We know we want to go to the Top of Europe (weather permitting) one day. We also would like to do some easy hikes. Could we combine these into one day possibly? Which hikes would you recommend to combine with The Jungfrau train trip?
We also thought about cruising Lake Thun and Lake Brienz all in one day. Maybe going there by boat and coming back by train. Is this too much for one day? Also, are any of the 3 castles on Lake Thun worth touring, or could we just see them from the boat and be happy with the view? My husband would like to see the Reichenbach Falls (Sherlock Holmes) while cruising Lake Brienz also. Is this a good idea?
Basically we have 2 1/2 days to try to see the most amazing parts of the Bernese Oberland, please advise us. We love hiking/walking. We will be taking hiking shoes, gloves and sunglasses. Any suggestions you can give me to streamline our trip is appreciated!
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Hi da1sy1970! You’ve definitely picked one of the most beautiful spots in Switzerland for your 4 day stay.
Yes, you can combine a visit to the Jungfraujoch with a short hike. Examples are:
- Männlichen-Kleine Scheidegg
- Wengernalp-Kleine Scheidegg
- Alpiglen or Kleine Scheidegg-Grindelwald
- the Lauterbrunnen valley
Both Lake Thun and Lake Brienz would be a bit too much in one day, in my opinion. It’s doable, and a fine option in case weather isn’t great, but you’ll be spending quite some hours on boats. And since you indicate that you love hiking, you may want to do a boat trip over one lake and take a hike along the shores of the other lake. For example, you could start in Thun and stroll along the town and the lake, and maybe visit a few of the castles if you like. You could then travel by train to Spiez and walk to Faulensee. Then move on to Interlaken and get on the boat for Lake Brienz. You could make an intermediate stop at the Giessbach Falls. This is just one of many possible variants. Note that you can’t visit the Reichenbach Falls from the lake. You’ll have to travel by train from Brienz to Meiringen, and walk to the Reichenbach Falls over there.
Further activities in the Bernese Oberland are listed here.
I hope this answers your questions!
Thank you so much for your reply. We will definitely take your advise about Lake Thun and Lake Brienz.
One last item – on the day we go to the Jungfraujoch , since we already have a swiss pass, where do we get the additional ticket to proceed to the top? Is it better to leave from Wengen? or take a train to Murren and leave from there? I thought I read that tickets were discounted 50% from Murren and only 25% from Wengen. I may be completely wrong about this though. I have researched so much, it’s all starting to run together!
I can’t wait to be finished with the planning and start the experience of Switzerland!
Just a short note – have to run.
At the dates you have specified, some of those trails will definitely not be open. Too much snow.
I suggest you follow up , with Arno and Annika once more. She may have missed the dates that you provided.
Also, if you like to read a lot –
http://www.myswissalps.com/fo rum/topic/tips-about-wengen-and-the-jungfrau-region-by-kim
lots of good comments about tails toward the end.
<<“We also thought about cruising Lake Thun and Lake Brienz all in one day. Maybe going there by boat and coming back by train. Is this too much for one day? Also, are any of the 3 castles on Lake Thun worth touring, or could we just see them from the boat and be happy with the view? My husband would like to see the Reichenbach Falls (Sherlock Holmes) while cruising Lake Brienz also. Is this a good idea?”>>
You an do the two lake boats easily in one day. In my opinion, for what it is worth, I’d rather spend the time up high, in the mountains. At least, if the weather is clear.
If your husband is a Sherlocjk Holmes fan , of course the Reichenbach Falls are worthwhile! Need you even ask? 😉
He might enjoy the Sherlock Holmes museum in Meiringen, as well.
I like the kitchen at the Hotel Victoria there. Herr Anderegg is a skillful chef.
Hi da1sy1970! The route to the Jungfraujoch is explained at http://www.myswissalps.com/jungfraujoch/gettinghtere. Mürren is way off, you can simply start in Wengen. The Swiss Travel Pass discounts you refer to are specific ones: it’s 25% off to the Jungfraujoch from Wengen/Grindelwald and 50% off from Mürren to the Schlilthorn. Please check http://www.myswissalps.com/swisstravelpass/validity for details.
Checking your trails for snow should indeed be part of everyone’s hiking preparation, as mentioned here. The Lauterbrunnen valley and Alpiglen-Grindelwald will most probably be fine. The hikes around Kleine Scheidegg may or may not still have snow; you can best check shortly before at the local tourist agency.
How to combine a trip to Jungfraujoch with a scenic hike if I am staying in Wengen? What time should I leave the hotel and what should be the itinerary for that day?
Hi msra7hm2. Tips for hikes that can be combined with a Jungfraujoch visit are provided in this topic. What your itinerary looks like, depends on the hike you choose. Once you’ve decided about this you can use the timetable to see how you can best combine both plans. Mind to plan your trip to the Jungfraujoch for the part of the day that is best according to weather forecasts; make sure to check them shortly before you plan this day.
I would like to do the Männlichen to Kleine Scheidegg hike. But based on my research I have been told to do the hike while returning from Jungfraujoch because the afternoons are dangerous for weather.
Is the hike from Kleine Scheidegg to Männlichen as scenic as vice versa??
The views are better when starting from Männlichen, although it’s still pretty nice the other way round. Just make sure to stop every now and then and admire the view. You can decide based on the weather forecast of the day, or do it on a separate day if you like.
I don’t know how many times I have taken that walk. I don’t disagree with Arno that you can do it in either direction. It is definitely better visually to go from Männlichen to Kleine Scheidegg.
I have always taken it in the recommended direction from Männlichen to Kleine Scheidegg.
That is only partly because going toward KS is downhill by about 170 meters over the course of the short walk, but, also, because walking uphill at that altitude may be troublesome if you are not accustomed to the thin air. Männlichen is at 2229 meters above sea level. For those of who live in the USA, and still use English units of measure, that is about 1.3 miles high. The air is thin until you get used to it.
Mostly, it is because there is an impressive psychological effect as the north face of the Eiger comes closer and closer to you, gradually overwhelming all else.
If you have to keep turning around to look, as you would if you were walking from KS to Männlichen, you miss the emotional impact of that gradual approach.
I do not recall whether you will be there at a time when the trail is likely to be open.
I recall that you are staying in Wengen. If so, you might get up early, take the gondola car lift up to Männlichen (first one at 0830) , walk about 4 km ( about 1 1/2 hours, or bit more for pausing to admire the scenery) and catch a train up to Jungfraujoch.
Trains run approximately once each half hour and take about 50 minutes for the trip in either direction.
I am puzzled by one comment –
“….afternoons are dangerous for weather.”
I had not heard that. What I have seen and heard is that clouds tend to come in across the face of the Eiger as the day progresses, so that the nice views I mention become obscured in the afternoon. I wonder what Arno has heard about afternoon vs. morning?
Slowpoke
I’m not sure if msra7hm2 literally means ‘dangerous’. ‘Risky for the views’ would be more appropriate as that’s what the main issue is: in general, afternoons are more cloudy and the sky is less clear. But it depends on the particular day. There’s no way around checking the weather forecast and plan accordingly.
<<” in general, afternoons are more cloudy and the sky is less clear.”>>
I agree wit that comment.
That is what I learned from trying to take photographs of the Eiger.
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