The Männlichen Panorama Trail – Kleine Scheidegg – hike in the Bernese Oberland

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Where can you find the best panoramic view of the Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau? I’ve had the privilege of admiring this majestic trio of the Bernese Oberland from many perspectives. But as I recently discovered, I missed one particularly impressive vantage point. Fortunately, the newly opened cable car cabin of the Männlichenbahn, with its airy open-air deck, finally brought me to the summit of Männlichen, where I couldn’t help but exclaim, “Wow — this is stunning!” The Männlichen is undoubtedly the kind of destination you want to show your guests from faraway places. It’s like saying, “Look how beautiful it is here!”

In collaboration with SBB RailAway, we have the opportunity to do what we love in August – visit four fantastic Swiss mountain peaks and report on our experiences. After visiting the Lucerne house mountain, today we venture onto the cabrio deck of the Männlichenbahn and glide toward the most beautiful panorama of the Bernese Oberland.

The early bird… you name it!

But it’s not just the summit that impresses. The journey there already showcases the Bernese Oberland in all its glory. The view through the train window of the almost mirror-like Lake Thun and the reflection of the Niesen in it is like a perfect postcard. The blue of the lake mirrors the colors of the sky. The occasional fishing boats are the only spots of color, completing the early morning idyll between Thun and Interlaken. While I usually wish the journey from Zurich to Bern could go faster, I secretly regret that we’re rushing past such a magical backdrop. But a much more spectacular panorama awaits us. For this, we transfer at Interlaken Ost station to the Bernese Oberland Railway.

At a more leisurely pace, we approach the Lauterbrunnen Valley, which is still deep in shadow. As we pull into Lauterbrunnen station, the first rays of sunlight timidly touch the tops of the steep valley walls. But our attention is quickly captured by a more pressing question: which side should we sit on to get an unobstructed view through the train window of Lauterbrunnen’s church and the Staubbach Falls? This view is one of the most popular photo subjects for passengers of the Wengernalpbahn. Although this isn’t my first time on this route, I promptly make a miscalculation and choose a compartment on the left side. As soon as the train starts moving, I remember: the best side is on the right in the direction of travel. But these seats have already been taken by three Japanese tourists – I don’t begrudge them. Indians, Spaniards, English, and the aforementioned Japanese; this morning, the Wengernalpbahn is transporting an international group into the legendary mountain world of the Jungfrau region. For most of our fellow travelers, the journey continues up to the Top of Europe!

Blown Away: Cabrio Ride to Männlichen

We, on the other hand, want to admire the impressive peaks of the snow-covered four-thousanders from a distance, so we get off at Wengen station. When I looked up the connection the day before, I was initially a bit confused when I saw the options in the SBB app. Typing in “Männlichen” gives you two cryptic choices: Männlichen GGM and Männlichen LWM. Thanks to Google, I now know that GGM stands for “Gondelbahn Grindelwald-Männlichen” and LWM means “Luftseilbahn Wengen-Männlichen.” The fact is, both from Grindelwald and from Wengen, a cable car leads to Männlichen.

The Wengen-Männlichen cable car boasts a special attraction since this summer season: a cabrio deck. This is exactly the new open-air balcony on the roof of the gondola cabin that we want to try out. After a short walk through the village, we reach the cable car station and are pleasantly surprised; 10 people can fit in the so-called “Royal Ride” per trip, and you can reserve your spot with an online reservation. If I had known that… Fortunately, the rush for the first gondola of the day is manageable, and we get a ticket for the open-air balcony even without a reservation. The surcharge on the regular ticket is 5 CHF. We climb a spiral staircase to the roof of the cabin. Just before departure, three Americans join us in the airy heights. The queasy feeling in my stomach is short-lived – the panorama is so captivating that the fact that I’m standing on the roof of a gondola becomes secondary.

Just wow! The Royal Walk Männlichen

With wind-tousled hair, we reach the summit station of the Wengen-Männlichen cable car a few minutes later, and I can’t stop grinning! The gondola ride offers a breathtaking panoramic view over the deeply carved Lauterbrunnen Valley. Whether you’re sporty or just want to take in some mountain air, you shouldn’t miss the Royal Walk. This themed trail takes less than thirty minutes from the summit station of the Männlichenbahn to the 2,345 m high peak. Once at the top, you’re presented with a magnificent mountain panorama on a crown-shaped viewing platform. I can’t get enough of the panoramic view from the Swiss Plateau over the striking Schynige Platte to the Breithorn.

The Panorama Trail Männlichen to Kleine Scheidegg for All Ages

We quickly realize that it was a good decision to take the first gondola of the day. On such a beautiful summer day, the platform soon fills up with more enthusiastic guests from all over the world. We leave the viewpoint to others and head back to the Männlichen summit station. There, we follow the signposted path “Panoramaweg” towards Kleine Scheidegg. A classic hiking trail that pairs well with the Royal Walk and certainly doesn’t skimp on beautiful views. We hike in the presence of the rugged north face of the Eiger and the eternal ice of the Jungfrau flanks. In contrast, the alpine roses along the path compete for attention in bright pink. With such a backdrop, the 1.5 hours of walking time fly by, and we easily reach Kleine Scheidegg.

Instead of heading directly back down to the valley, we make ourselves comfortable on the sun terrace of the Bellevue des Alpes and indulge in some of the delicious homemade cakes. These are presented so temptingly in the middle of the terrace that my stomach immediately starts to growl. We find a sheltered spot and watch the activity at Kleine Scheidegg station. For those taking this trip on a Sunday, I recommend the Mountain Brunch at Männlichen as a culinary alternative.

The verdict on our day trip? I think the pictures speak for themselves! And not only did I marvel at the view from Männlichen, but I also rekindled my love for the Bernese Oberland – but who can resist the charms of this mountain panorama?

Practical Information for the Männlichen – Kleine Scheidegg Panorama Trail

The route of the Männlichen – Kleine Scheidegg Panorama Trail can be seen on the map below. The distance from Männlichen to Kleine Scheidegg (including the Royal Walk ascent) is 6 kilometers. If you do the Royal Walk up to the Männlichen summit, you’ll need to overcome an ascent of just under 115 meters. After that, it’s a 200 m descent from the Männlichen summit station to Kleine Scheidegg on a relatively wide, gravel hiking trail. Including the Royal Walk ascent, the pure walking time is about 1.5 hours. From Kleine Scheidegg, you have half-hourly connections via Grindelwald towards Interlaken Ost. If the Männlichen – Kleine Scheidegg hiking route is too short for you, you can extend it on the Eiger Trail to Alpiglen or even to Grindelwald.

Key Facts about the Männlichen – Kleine Scheidegg Hike

Starting Point	Summit Station Männlichen
Length	6.05 kilometers
Elevation	↗ 148 m ↘ 324 m
Duration	1:40 h
End Point	Kleine Scheidegg