We first made the trip to Oeschinensee in 2022, picking a beautiful clear July day for the hike up. Of course you see pictures of the lake online, but as you peek over the crest of the final hill before the descent onto the lake, it really does take your breath away. The water really is as blue as the pictures; the mountains and waterfalls spilling down into the lake are other worldly, it’s like living in a postcard (which as Swiss residents, we don’t say lightly!). You can see why this is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
We visited again in 2023 and again in 2025, and I have to say, the tourism has increased noticeably; perhaps because with recent rockfalls, it’s ever clearer that this spectacular sight won’t be around forever. To experience Oeschinensee as a true Swiss, here’s some advice to lose the crowds and get that picture postcard all to yourself.
Why Oeschinensee is Worth Visiting
Tucked into a natural bowl above the village of Kandersteg at 1,578 metres above sea level (m.u.M in German), Oeschinensee is one of Switzerland’s most spectacular alpine lakes. Fed by glacial meltwater from the surrounding peaks of the Blüemlisalp massif, the lake shifts between deep turquoise and steely blue depending on the light.
What makes it stand out from other Swiss lakes is the sense of being enclosed by mountains on three sides. Waterfalls tumble down the rock faces directly into the water, and on a clear day the reflections are almost unrealistically perfect.
The lake in summer is still wild; take a dip to cool off and you might be jostling for space with the cows that call the Alp home for the summer drinking from it. When we took the plunge it was definitely cold enough to make me shriek, colder than when we swim in the Aare river in the summer; but that’s the perfect tonic on a blisteringly hot summers day after hiking up (or even walking from the gondola!).
For kids and young at heart, you can also try the Oescinensee Rodelbahn – a ‘mountain coaster’ where you whizz down a track able to pull a brake to slow yourself down (open 9.15am-5.515pm when the weather’s good). Or just enjoy a plate of Pommes (French fries) and take in the views before you dip your feet in the lake.
How to Get to Oeschinensee
Getting to Oeschinensee means getting to Kandersteg first, and then choosing how to make the final climb to the lake.
Getting to Kandersteg
Kandersteg is well connected by train. The BLS regional line runs directly into the village from Interlaken West (around 1 hour 10 minutes), Bern (direct train duration 1h04m, departs hourly at 0:39 past the hour). From either direction, you’ll be going through/connecting at Spiez (departs at 0:12 past the hour, takes 31 minutes).
From Zurich, budget around 2 hours with one change, usually at Bern or Spiez.
There’s also a car park in the village if you’re driving, though the train is by far the easiest option, we are a car-free family so can never recommend driving when there’s beautiful countryside to be absorbed in from the train window! Ticket inspections happen regularly on Swiss trains so ensure you’ve got your paper ticket, rail pass, or we find the SBB Mobile App the easiest as you can turn on Easyrider and let the app calculate the best cost for the day trip without planning ahead.
Option 1: Taking the Gondola
The Oeschinensee gondola departs from a station a short pleasant walk from Kandersteg village centre, it’s also possible to take a 6 minute bus (B242) to the base station. I wouldn’t skip this walk; the flat fields and traditional chalets of Kandersteg framed by the mountains behind is a real postcard perfect picture moment!
The best way to skip the queues at Kanderstag Talstation (Base Station) is to pre-purchase your gondola ticket on SBB Mobile. We pre-bought the whole journey from Bern, and this allowed us to scan the QR code at the base station, rather than join the huge queue for time limited tickets from the machines. We figured despite the tourists being given specific ascent times, they couldn’t refuse a pre-purchased SBB ticket – we were right. The official way to do it, is pre-book on oeschinensee.ch/reservation, then you have total peace of mind knowing you can beat the crowds.
The gondola ride takes 12 minutes, it’s only an ascent of 480 vertical metres so it’s ok to do with young babies (we took our newborn up there at 3 weeks and her ears were fine when she was drinking on the way up). For those who are scared of heights, it’s also a pretty good starter gondola, because it never gets too far from the ground as you ascend unlike some of the cable cars in the Alps. There are toilets at the base station (around the back, on the lower ground level) and at the top station (down the stairs on the right as you exit the gondola).
The Bergstation (mountain station) when you get up there, is much closer to the lake, however there is still a 20-30 minute walk to the lake. It’s downhill to the lake, and what goes down must also go up on the way home… If you are travelling with kids or are less mobile, Oeschinensee is perfect as there is a wide gravel path that can be walked with a sturdy pram; and there’s also a transfer minivan/taxi for those who cannot walk it, priority will be given to people with disabilities. The walk is nice, past alps full of cows in the summer.
- Price: Check current prices at oeschinensee.ch — at the time of writing, it’s 26.- CHF (Swiss francs) single or 35.- return (one of the few times on SBB that selecting a return journey will save you money!). If you have a SBB Half Fare / Halb Tax, it’ll be 13.10 single or 17.50 return.
- Operating season: Generally May to October, with limited winter operation — always check ahead
- Tip: Go early or late in the day to avoid reams of tourists making social media content at the perfect picture spots!!
Option 2: Hiking Up on Foot
The hiking trail from Kandersteg to Oeschinensee is a good manageable hike and enjoyable alternative to the gondola. We’d recommend if you have the time and energy. Another option is to take the gondola one way, and hike the other!
Before setting off, check the SchweizMobil App to ensure the paths are open, as because of the changes happening with the winter rockfalls around the lake, the municipality has been upgrading the hiking path to future proof the route. The municipality also has a great interactive map on display at the TalStation which will show you which hiking paths are currently open. Don’t stray off them, Swiss authorities are super good at protecting our safety so if something’s closed, it’s for a reason!
- Distance: Around 3km one way
- Elevation gain: 450m
- Time: 1.5 hours up, slightly less coming down
- Difficulty: Moderate — well-maintained trail, suitable for anyone reasonably fit with proper footwear. Not suitable for strollers.
The path ‘wanderweg A’ winds through forest following the path of the pretty babbling brook, before opening up to alpine meadows as you approach the lake. The path is manageable, with lots of twists and turns rather than a really steep ascent.
There are plenty of other hikes around Oeschinensee, check if they are open or closed for safety reasons and for construction.
Which is Better — Gondola or Hike?
My preference is to hike up, and take the gondola down – we hike with the baby backpack and the descent is so tough on your knees! Also the satisfaction of reaching the lake as an authentic hiker makes tucking into a delicious slap up meal of chips and sausage at the top very well deserved. The gondola is beautiful too and don’t get me wrong, we’ve taken that route plenty of times!
What to Do at Oeschinensee
Walk the Lakeshore
The flat path around the lakeshore is the first thing most visitors do, you can get the lay of the land, decide if you want to swim or hire a rowing boat, eat at the restaurant, self service cabin, or setup a grill spot on the shores. It takes around 30–45 minutes at a relaxed pace and gives you completely different perspectives on the water and the surrounding peaks.
Of course the further you walk, the quieter the surroundings; if you walk around to the right hand side on the lake shores you can get some beautiful photos of the lake with waterfalls and Blüemlisalp in the background.
A more challenging hike not suitable for strollers (and ideally use hiking boots) around the lake to the waterfalls, takes about 45 minutes to the left of the restaurants. It’s closed in spring but opens in June.
Swimming in the Lake and other things to do in Oeschinensee
Yes, you can swim in Oeschinensee – you’ll see people tentatively paddling, and kids daring each other how long they can stay in there for. The water is glacier-fed, and I can confirm it is bloody cold even in July. Don’t hesitate to leave your belongings on a nearby rock, Switzerland is really safe and people look out for each other.
There are no official swimming areas or lifeguards, so use common sense about conditions. And avoid the cows if they are coming in to cool off too!
The Oeschinensee Rodelbahn is great for families; kids love the (fairly slow) roller rail that they can control their little cart as it slides down. I haven’t done this one, but the one I did in Schwarzsee was much less scary than I thought it’d be!!
You can hire a rowing boat at the Hotel Area onto the lake for really unspoilt views onto the waterfalls.
Longer Hikes from the Lake
For those who want more elevation, several trails continue upward from the lakeshore into the surrounding mountains.
- Blüemlisalp Hut (SAC): A serious full-day hike to a mountain hut at over 2,800m — for experienced hikers with proper kit.
- Hohtürli Pass: A challenging high-mountain crossing linking Kandersteg with Griesalp — spectacular but demanding
We’ve done both the Blüemlisalp Hut trail, and the Hohtürli Pass, along the Via Alpina number 1 trail, starting from Griesalp in Kandertal, eating lunch at the Hut, then descending to Oeschinensee for a beer! We did this all in a day.
To stay the night in the Hut you need to book in advance, on weekends this is super booked up months ahead, so if it’s a good weather week, call up to check and go spontaneously during the work week as staying the night in a Hut / Hütte is really a cool thing to do with your hiking buddies. Be prepared for the one-meal dinner and to sleep in a room with all the other hikers – bring earplugs!
The best time to do the pass is the June-July alpine spring where all the flower fields are in bloom. Nowhere along the Via Alpina are you so close to glaciers as on this walk. The Blüemlisalp glacier is at the same altitude as the hiking path and you can easily cross and walk on the ice of the glacier which is a once in a lifetime experience. Glaciers aren’t shiny blue at this level – they’re full of rocks – but the landscape is fascinating and it’s amazing to see one up close.
It’s not super challenging (given the altitude compared to other Alpine mountaineering), for example our group didn’t rope ourselves together for it. Make sure you have the right equipment if you’re going to go on the glacier though – hiking shoes at the very least, perhaps crampons and an ice pick if you’re going to venture more than 50m onto the glacier for a few photos (which is all we did). It’s solid ice and the cracks are pretty visible, but better prepared!
Lunch at the Berghaus and other Oeschinensee food options
The Berggasthaus Oeschinensee sits right at the lakeshore and serves Swiss mountain classics — rösti, älplermagronen, cheese soup, and cold local beer. It’s exactly the kind of place you want after a morning hike. The prices are reasonable and you don’t have to reserve. It’s self service, and you can sit inside or outside on the terrace closest to the lake, so getting some good views whilst you eat. It’s open from 9-5 and there’s a toilet that you can go to without purchasing anything.
Actually whilst sitting here, we saw a huge rock slide on the (roped off) rock faces on the other side of the lake, it was spectacular and sounded like a plane coming in to land. I will stress again that Swiss authorities are constantly monitoring any movement in the mountains and have closed the necessary parts of the area to ensure our safety.
Next to the Berggasthaus/Berghotel Oeschinensee is a food cabin ‘Cafe-Bar’ serving quick bites and drinks, you can sit at the wooden tables shaded by umbrellas and order French fries, sausages and other quick meals, plus of course a local beer or a Rivella (the beloved Swiss milk-produced fizzy drink). There’s no pic Nic at the benches, and we saw people getting told off for eating their own food there.
For a sit down meal, you can book ahead at the Chalet Arva, the hotel / restaurant which rents the rowing boats. We haven’t eaten here, online it says it’s only open Thursday-Sunday 12-4:30pm.
Finally, what more authentic way to eat at Oeschinensee than bring a few cervela (Swiss national sausage) in your backpack, setup a grill spot and enjoy a cervela with thick crusty bread and mustard. This is the Swiss way to do it!
Of course respect any local fire ban, and ensure your fire is extinguished before you leave. We often approach others with a fire and ask if we can take over their spot, that saves a lot of time waiting for the wood to heat up to the embers you need to grill well. Kandersteg is home to a Scouts Headquarters so there are always plenty of fire-makers around to help if you can’t get a barbecue lit!
To get the latest info on opening times and hiking trails visit www.oeschinensee.ch
Where to Stay: Why We Recommend Basing Yourself in Kandersteg
Most visitors to Oeschinensee come on a day trip from Interlaken. It’s absolutely doable, however staying in Kandersteg itself is a completely different experience.
Kandersteg is a sweet sleepy alpine village, with a river running through it. It has a Migros and a Coop, so you’re well stocked for at-home lunches, and many hotel options. All the while surrounded by beautiful old wooden chalets, an icy glacial river, and the beauty of the mountains all around.
That’s what’s so much nicer than Interlaken, which yes is a perfect starting point for day trips, and has a nice view onto the Eiger.. but you cannot SEE the beautiful lakes that give it it’s name, and the buildings in the town are generally purpose built and modern, which for me puts you one step removed from the natural beauty that is so close yet so far when you’re there. So, I would highly recommend getting out of Interlaken and jumping from village to village as you explore the Berner Oberland.
Once you’re in Kandersteg, there are many restaurants, a tea room, and lots of hotels. If you do want to eat out, I would always recommend the Landgasthof Ruedihus for one meal, it’s an ancient wooden building (one would assume belonging to an old guy called Rudolf), a little walk out of the main village in a field, serving fondues and the usual, but the atmosphere is so old-Swiss-countryside.
Given Swiss prices, it’s great that they have the supermarkets at the ready, so you can bring a packed lunch up to Oeschinensee for lunch or if you want to make your own dinner.
We stayed with another family in the Bernerhof Swiss Quality Hotel, they are perfectly positioned at the edge of the village so our balcony was looking directly up at the mountains. We stayed here in October 2025 and there happened to be a storm that night; the next morning, the mountain forests were dusted with snow which was so beautiful! The balconies were even connected so we could pop around for a Swiss Apero (pre-meal snack and drink) before dinner, watching the view.
We ate dinner here, the restaurant was family friendly and with a 1.5 year old and a 4 month old, that was really all we needed!! There’s also a popular chocolate shop next to reception which looked delightful. I’d recommend staying here, they were very obliging and had lots of sweet nooks and crannies to explore, games to play and supposedly a sauna but we didn’t see that in action.
Waking up in the village and heading up to the lake early means you’ll often have it nearly to yourself. The light in the early morning is also exceptional for photography. There’s the option to stay up by the lake in the Berggasthaus, we haven’t done that though, and it doesn’t really appeal given how easy it is to get up there early from Kandersteg.
Kandersteg has a good range of accommodation to suit different budgets:
- Hotels and guesthouses: Several traditional Swiss hotels in the village centre
- Chalets and apartments: Good options for longer stays or groups
- Camping: There’s a campsite in the valley for those travelling on a budget, though this is only practical in summer as at 1,000m above sea level, it is cold and even snowy by late September.
👉 Search accommodation in Kandersteg on Booking.com
When to Visit Oeschinensee
Best time: June through September for warm weather, full gondola operation, and the lake at its most vivid.
July and August are the busiest months — the lake is beautiful but can feel crowded around lunchtime. Arrive before 11am to avoid the worst of it, as the crowds from Interlaken won’t have made their way there yet.
June and September are arguably the sweet spot: fewer people, still warm enough to hike in comfort, and the surrounding meadows are either full of wildflowers (June) or starting to turn golden (September).
Winter: The gondola has limited winter operation and the upper area can be snowy and icy. Some visitors come for snowshoeing or for a frozen plunge – I know the wild swimming group in Bern have been for a freezing ice dip in the lake in winter. I’ve been in late October, and based in Kandersteg preferred to make a day trip to the nearby Blausee which is a bus journey away too.
What to Bring to Oeschinensee
- Hiking boots or sturdy trainers — essential if you’re walking up or doing any lakeshore trails.. I tried to walk around the lake in Birkenstocks and had to call it a day after 30 minutes and some precarious jumping!
- Layers — even in summer, the lake sits at 1,578m and can feel cool in the shade or wind
- Sunscreen — the alpine sun is strong at elevation
- Reusable water bottle — there are water points in Kandersteg; tap water in Switzerland is excellent
- Swiss francs — the restaurant and gondola may not accept cards reliably (especially as in Switzerland the local Twint payment app is more popular than paying with card)
- Camera — obvious, but leave space on your memory card
Practical Information
| Key info | Day trip to Oeschinensee |
|---|---|
| Nearest village | Kandersteg |
| Nearest train station | Kandersteg (BLS line) |
| Gondola season | Approx. May–October (check oeschinensee.ch) |
| Gondola duration | ~10 minutes |
| Hike duration (up) | 1.5 hours |
| Entrance fee | None (gondola is optional) |
| Dogs allowed | Yes, on a lead as is the case throughout Switzerland, can also go on gondola (we brought one) |
| Parking | Available in Kandersteg village |
| Altitude of lake | 1,578m above sea level |
Final Thoughts
Oeschinensee is one of those places that lives up to the hype and as I said, in Switzerland, that’s saying something. It’s really worthwhile escaping the crowds of Interlaken and staying in Kandersteg for a calmer more authentic experience, and getting that perfect morning lake view whether you choose to hike or take the cable car up.
Have you visited Oeschinensee? We’d love to hear about your experience — drop a comment below and let us know when you went and what you thought.
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