[jrecm]

14 March 2019 at 15:11:52 #820391

We are in our late 60’s/70’s and are returning to Switzerland again in September for a month after 15 days last September. We spent 8 days hiking in Lauterbrunnen and Zermatt last year. Your links for purchasing passes, easy hiking trails and accommodations was extremely helpful.

Question #1: Is there enough to do in Kandersteg for a week ( we never got there last year)???? We love love Lauterbrunnen which is great for easy to moderate hiking. I have looked at the links but some personal advice would be helpful.

Then we are off to Locarno or Lugano for a week I think.

Question #2 We really really liked the convenience of the Swiss Travel Pass…but for a month maybe the half pass? or the particular passes for each area… I know this is a tiring question

Thank You !!!!

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[Removed user]

14 March 2019 at 21:53:23 #906483

Hi,

Wonderful you are returning to Switzerland!

I have spoken to someone who knows the area well and there is loads to do in Kandersteg so you would be spoiled for choice with hiking trails, here is only one example: http://www.myswissalps.com/hi king/kandersteg-frutigen

The Gemmi Pass is also accessible from Kandersteg which is a stunning area. In fact you can search for hikes on our site by difficulty and location here: http://www.myswissalps.com/hi king

Or search for other travellers’ trip reports on our forum (search box on top right).

Locarno and Lugano are also beautiful at that time of the year! Here are links to the two places:

• http://www.myswissalps.com/lo carno
• http://www.myswissalps.com/lu gano

Regarding the rail pass, it is best you plan your travel in detail and then choose the rail pass accordingly: http://www.myswissalps.com/tr ain/ticketspasses/prac tical/chooserailpass

For a month the half fare card tends to work out well http://www.myswissalps.com/tr ain/ticketspasses/prac tical/chooserailpass

or a regional pass or two: http://www.myswissalps.com/re gionalpasses

Hope this helps, and maybe other people have more suggestions.

Maria.

[Removed user]

15 March 2019 at 1:26:11 #906484

Not sure I’d agree that there is ‘loads to do’ in Kandersteg for a whole week. It is in a narrow valley so the extent of walking paths that are not high mountain paths is limited I would say. Once you’ve done the Blausee and Oeshinensee there might not be much else. It is however good as a base for travelling further afield by train.

[jrecm]

15 March 2019 at 2:11:42 #906485

Maria, thank you for your information. …..1960man…Your information about the “high mountain paths” is what I was worried about…especially for a week.

At this advanced age, I am a moderate hiker…we hiked 190 miles last summer 15 days in Switzerland…12 days England/Amsterdam….All easy to moderate

Other than Lucerne, Zermatt, Geneva, Lauterbrunnen and Lugano (we have been or are going to these cities already)…suggestions for places to stay for a “week “with easy to moderate hiking second week of September????

[Removed user]

15 March 2019 at 4:25:00 #906486

Jrecm– I’d tend to agree with 1960man as to Kandersteg. Very steep valley and its best features for hiking are the adjacent high passes, in my view. Have you considered the Engadin? Say, Scuol or Guarda (in the lower section) or Pontresina (in the upper)? The terrain is more moderate, but still with fabulous scenery. Easily worth a week, especially in the autumn.

NTL

[Removed user]

15 March 2019 at 6:55:24 #906487

Hi 1960man and Jrecm,

Indeed I did not account for the fitness levels in my original post… the hikes would be either moderate, difficult or very difficult, however there are plenty of all-day hikes from that area specially given the other areas that Kandersteg is adjacent to. The Oeschnensee hike is only one of the more touristy hikes in the area…

However for easy and moderate hiking, I agree with NTL – the Engadin is a wonderful area with more options for easy and moderate hikes, as well as Locarno and Lugano (in fact there you really are spoiled for choice) if you wished to stay longer.

Appenzell also has an extraordinary amount of hiking terrain, Aletsch Glacier arena or the Lake Geneva region (either from Montreux or the Jura for easier hiking). Below links to these areas for further research:

• Locarno and Lugano: http://www.myswissalps.com/ti cino
• Engadine (around St Moritz): http://www.myswissalps.com/gr aubunden – Sils Maria would be lovely in the car free part of the valley.
• Aletsch Glacier arena (same glacier seen from Jungfraujoch but from the other side): http://www.myswissalps.com/up perrhonevalley This area is one of my favourites in Switzerland as it is also a nature reserve, plenty to do there are well as options to relax and unwind.
• Appenzell: http://www.appenzell.ch/en/ho me.html
• Jura: http://www.myswissalps.com/no rthwestswitzerland This area is stunning specially hiking around Neuchatel!
• Lake Geneva specially around Montreux: http://www.myswissalps.com/la kegeneva

You have plenty to choose from Jrecm in any case!

Maria.

[Removed user]

16 March 2019 at 1:55:20 #906488

I second the Engadin and Appenzell – both areas where I have done extensive walking in my 59 years (mind you that includes everywhere else in Switzerland too!) . My first memories as a young child was walking in the Jura above Geneva.

For the Engadin, I would widen that recommendation out to include the whole of Graubünden canton. I have spent much of the last 10 or so years walking the parallel routes to Canton Graubünden’s ‘national railway’ the Rhätische Bahn (RhB).

The technique is to take a train to one station, then walk between stations. The big advantage of this style of hiking is that you can choose whether to carry on to ‘the next station’ or not depending on how you are feeling energy-wise.

[Arno]

16 March 2019 at 11:27:24 #906489

Hi all,

I wouldn’t have an issue finding things to do around Kandersteg for one week in September. I once stayed in nearby Frutigen for two weeks. It is a wonderful valley. Nearby Adelboden is great as well. Also you can easily take trains to Lake Thun and the Valais, to do hikes like this one: http://www.myswissalps.com/hi king/hohtenn-lalden.

[jrecm]

16 March 2019 at 15:35:06 #906490

Thank you each and everyone for such “specific” replies. I will get back to all of you after we (actually me) have made our decision!!!!!!

[Removed user]

17 March 2019 at 1:35:31 #906491

Yes, of course that is true but the original question said ‘in Kandersteg’.

I know its semantics but ‘in’ is a crucial word in this case, as we don’t know if the original question meant ‘in’, ‘around’ or ‘based from’

Switzerland is such a small country that fairly obviously one can use Kandersteg (as one can use any Swiss main line station) as a base to make excursions just about anywhere if one so wishes. (both the eastern (St Margrethen) and western (La Plaine) extremities of the SBB network can be reached in under 4 hours from Kandersteg)