Six days of hiking from Interlaken

Why this route climbs before it descends

Most six-day hiking plans around Interlaken either front-load the hardest day or save it for last, and both approaches leave a weak middle. This one alternates instead: a lake hike, a ridge walk with almost no climbing, a demanding traverse under the north face, a lower valley day at Oeschinensee, and an optional finish on the Hardergrat for people who came for exactly that. The result is a week where your legs recover between the two hard days instead of stacking them.

Day	Route	Ascent	Descent	Distance	Walking time	Difficulty
1	Harder Kulm loop	350 m	350 m	6 km	2.5 hrs	Easy
2	Bachalpsee via Grindelwald First	250 m	250 m	8 km	3.5 hrs	Moderate
3	Männlichen to Kleine Scheidegg	100 m	450 m	10 km	3 hrs	Moderate
4	The Eiger Trail	200 m	750 m	11 km	4.5 hrs	Challenging
5	Oeschinensee circuit	350 m	350 m	9 km	3.5 hrs	Moderate
6	Hardergrat ridge (optional)	1,400 m	1,900 m	15 km	7–8 hrs	Very challenging

Day 1: Harder Kulm, an easy warm-up above two lakes

Start gently. The Harder Kulm funiculaire leaves from a station a short walk over the river from Interlaken Ost, climbs a genuinely steep 1,322 m in about eight minutes, and drops you at a viewpoint with Lake Thun on one side and Lake Brienz on the other. Rather than riding straight back down, walk the ridge path north-east towards Harderchulm and Augstmatthorn for 90 minutes before turning back, which gets your legs used to alpine gradient without committing to a full day. The full write-up, including the return-trip price and where the path gets exposed, is in the Harder Kulm guide.

Sleep in Interlaken again tonight. You will use the Interlaken Ost connection twice more this week and there is no reason to relocate yet.

Day 2: Bachalpsee from Grindelwald First

This is the hike most people picture when they imagine the Bernese Oberland: a turquoise lake with the Wetterhorn reflected in it, reached by an hour of gently rolling path from the top of the Grindelwald First gondola. The gondola itself does the 1,000 m of climbing for you, which is why the route only shows 250 m of ascent on the ground despite starting above 2,100 m.

the Grindelwald First gondola combined with the mountain’s cliff walk and zip line extras is worth booking ahead in July and August, when the first cabins of the morning sell out by 9am. Arrive for the 8am departure if you want the lake without fifty other people in the same photograph; by 11am the shoreline path is genuinely crowded. Full timing and alternative routes are in the Bachalpsee hike guide. Base yourself in Grindelwald rather than commuting from Interlaken today if you want the extra hour of daylight.

Day 3: The Männlichen panoramic ridge

After yesterday’s climb, day 3 is close to flat, and it is the day most reviewers overrate for difficulty. The gondola from Grindelwald (or the cable car from Wengen) sets you down at 2,343 m on Männlichen, and the marked trail to Kleine Scheidegg runs along the ridge for 10 km with the Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau in view the entire way. Net elevation loss is 450 m, spread thin enough that it rarely feels steep. The full route, including where to stop for views of the Lauberhorn downhill course, is covered in the Männlichen to Kleine Scheidegg trail guide.

Treat this as a rest day disguised as a hike. You will need the legs tomorrow.

Day 4: The Eiger Trail, the hardest day on paper

The Eiger Trail runs from Eigergletscher station, reached by the Wengernalp railway from Kleine Scheidegg, down along the base of the north face to Alpiglen, then continues to Grindelwald if you have the stamina. Rockfall from the face is real and the trail closes without notice after heavy rain or thaw; check conditions before you start, not partway through. Full route notes, including the sections with fixed cable for support, are in the Eiger Trail guide.

The 750 m of descent to Alpiglen is what makes this day harder than its distance suggests — sustained downhill on loose scree wears out knees faster than the equivalent climb would. Overnight in Lauterbrunnen or Wengen rather than pushing back to Interlaken; you gain an easier start into day 5 and Lauterbrunnen’s waterfalls are worth an evening walk on tired legs rather than a rushed morning stop.

Day 5: Oeschinensee, the valley reset

Kandersteg sits on the Lötschberg side of the region, reached from Lauterbrunnen via Spiez in roughly 90 minutes by train. The gondola up to Oeschinensee saves 350 m of climbing, and the lake circuit itself is gentler than anything since day 1 — genuinely flat in places, with a mountain restaurant at the far end. This is deliberately the lightest day of the back half of the week.

a guided hike around Kandersteg with a local mountain athlete is a reasonable option here if you want route commentary rather than just the view, and a private transfer that includes the Oeschinensee visit removes the train changes entirely if you are short on time. Full trail options and the gondola price are in the Oeschinensee hiking guide; Kandersteg itself is worth an extra hour if the Öschinen dairy is open for cheese tasting.

Day 6: Mürren, or the Hardergrat for those who want it

Most people should spend day 6 in Mürren: a car-free village reached by cable car from Stechelberg or train via Grütschalp, with a flat balcony trail toward Gimmelwald that barely counts as a hike after the last five days. a private day trip covering Lauterbrunnen, Mürren, and the Schilthorn is a low-effort way to close the week if your legs have had enough.

If they haven’t, the Hardergrat is the alternative: an unmarked, exposed ridge line starting near Habkern above Harder Kulm and running for 15 km with 1,400 m of ascent and nearly 1,900 m of descent. It demands a head for heights, good weather, and no rush — the Hardergrat ridge guide is explicit about the sections where a wrong step matters, and it is not a route to attempt as a tired finish to a six-day week without having scouted the exposed stretches beforehand. Treat “for those who want it” literally: want it specifically, not just want a harder number on a fitness tracker.

Passes, lifts, and what actually gets covered

None of the regional passes cover everything in this itinerary, and buying the wrong one is the most common way to overpay on this route.

Pass	Covers on this route	Typical week cost
Berner Oberland Pass	Grindelwald First, Männlichen, Schilthornbahn towards Mürren	From around CHF 280 for 6 days
Swiss Travel Pass	Trains and boats between towns; discounted (not free) mountain lifts	From around CHF 260 for 6 days, second class
Pay-as-you-go	Full price on each lift, no rail discount	Grindelwald First return roughly CHF 84; Schilthornbahn to Mürren roughly CHF 40

The Oeschinensee gondola and the Kandersteg rail connection sit outside both regional passes and are usually cheapest bought on the day. If you are only doing the lifts described here rather than adding the Jungfraujoch, run the arithmetic before committing to a multi-day pass — a light hiking week can genuinely cost less ticket by ticket. The Swiss Travel Pass guide and the note on how the region’s cable cars and funiculars work cover the mechanics in more detail.

What to pack, and when to abandon the plan

Weather above 2,000 m changes faster than the forecast updates, and the difference between the Bachalpsee day and the Eiger Trail day is large enough that packing for the easier one on the harder day is a genuine mistake. Layer for a 15°C swing, carry more water than feels necessary, and check lift operating status the night before rather than assuming August means everything runs — the guide to when mountain railways open and close covers the spring and autumn revision windows that catch people out, and what to pack for altitude and weather is worth reading before you leave home, not after you land.

If day 4 or day 6 gets cancelled by weather, don’t try to compress two hard days into one on the next available slot. Swap in a lower-altitude option instead — the wider list of day hikes from Interlaken has easier alternatives at every elevation band, and a mountain hut lunch on a washed-out day beats forcing a ridge walk in poor visibility. For where to actually sleep across the week, see where to stay in Interlaken, and for meals after a long day, mountain hut and berghaus dining lists which huts serve hot food outside standard lunch hours.

Questions about hiking six days from Interlaken

How fit do I need to be for this itinerary?

You need to be comfortable walking 4 to 6 hours on uneven alpine terrain on back-to-back days, with one day exceeding 1,200 m of descent. It is not a technical route unless you add the Hardergrat, but tired legs on day 5 or 6 are normal, not a sign something has gone wrong.

Do I need to do the Hardergrat ridge?

No. It is offered as an optional sixth day for hikers who specifically want an exposed, unmarked ridge walk. Most people are better served swapping it for a rest day around Lake Brienz or a second lap of the Lauterbrunnen valley.

Which pass makes sense for six days of mountain transport?

The Berner Oberland Pass covers most lifts used in this itinerary, including Grindelwald First, Männlichen, and the Schilthornbahn towards Mürren, but not the Jungfraujoch or the Kandersteg gondola. Work out your actual lift total before buying, since a light hiking week can cost less pay-as-you-go.

What happens if a lift is closed for maintenance?

Bernese Oberland lifts close for scheduled revision in spring (typically April) and again in autumn (typically November), and several close on windy days regardless of season. Build a day of slack into the plan and check the operator’s status page the evening before, not the morning of.

Can I do this without a car?

Yes, and it is easier that way. Every trailhead in this itinerary is reachable by train, postbus, or cable car from Interlaken, and driving into Lauterbrunnen or Kandersteg on a summer weekend usually costs more time in parking queues than it saves.

Where should I base myself?

Interlaken works for days 1, 2, and 3 given the rail links to Grindelwald and Lauterbrunnen. For days 4 and 5, a night in Wengen or Mürren removes an early train and lets you start the Eiger Trail or the Oeschinensee hike before the day-trip crowds arrive.

Is via ferrata gear needed anywhere on this route?

Not for the core six days. If you extend the Mürren night with the via ferrata between Mürren and Gimmelwald, you need a harness, via ferrata lanyard, and helmet, all rentable in Mürren rather than carried from home.