Hike in the natural paradise Hinteres Lauterbrunnental

Standing in the middle of the hustle and bustle of the Lauterbrunnen train station, hardly anyone can imagine that less than 20 minutes away, a wild alpine landscape offers pure nature. We fight our way through the never-ending stream of visitors with our backpacks. Lauterbrunnen is a hub for the trip to the Jungfraujoch or the Schilthorn and at the same time a destination for adventure tourists from all over the world. On this Friday afternoon, the post bus is well filled all the way to the Trümmelbach Falls. After the Stechelberg cable car station, six passengers remain in the Postbus. A group of four hikers and us.

Resinous ascent at the start of the hike

Our starting point for the circular hike through the Upper Lauterbrunnen Valley is the terminus in Stechelberg. Although the weather forecast has predicted cloudy but dry weather, it is now pouring twine from the sky. Definitely not a “pleasant” hiking weather, with which the Hintere Lauterbrunnental welcomes us. But we have no choice. Our camp for the night is located 850 meters higher up and there is no cable car to get there. Once again, we take to heart the saying “there is no such thing as bad weather, only wrong clothes”. Armed against the rain with rain jacket and umbrella, we trudge off. During the next 2.5 hours there is only one direction – uphill, and it is proper. Step by step, the thickening fog swallows up the surrounding landscape. The only constant is the constant murmur of the numerous waterfalls that characterize the landscape of this valley. There are 72 of them. But these were hidden in the clouds today and without a mountain panorama, the ascent is more of a duty than a freestyle. There is little going on on the way and apart from a cheeky goat at the Berghotel Tschingelhorn, a few cows and two soaking wet hiking couples, no one crosses our path.

Candles instead of electricity at the Berghotel Obersteinberg

We are also soaking wet when we arrive at the Berghotel Obersteinberg. The rain jacket kept tight, but the sweat couldn’t get out. So much for “functional clothing”. After changing clothes, we warm up again in the dining room. The Berghotel Obersteinberg is a true “candle hotel”, because there is no electricity up here. So even in our cozy but ice-cold double room, the candle is the only source of light and heat. At 7:00 p.m. sharp, the food is served to us. Soup, salad and rice with sliced meat. Accompanied by a glass of Dôle and a flickering candle. A textbook moment of happiness. And the hiker’s heart is inspired even more when looking out of the window. The thick rain clouds are slowly dissipating. The roar of the waterfalls gets a face in one fell swoop and the virgin lights up in the most beautiful sunset. What a paradisiacal spot. But then it’s straight under the duvet to the warmth.

The next morning we sit at the breakfast table at 7:30 a.m. sharp. The clear sky also lured the other guests out of bed early. Without further ado, we decide to tackle the big round trip and fortify ourselves with coffee, a “Konfi-Bröttli” and a piece of recent cheese from the alpine cheese dairy, which belongs to the Obersteinberg alpine farm. Simple, but good.

A hidden hiker’s paradise

Then we shoulder our backpacks and start hiking briskly. The last wisps of fog persist on the mountain flanks, but this does not diminish the beauty of the landscape in any way. In front of us lies the Wetterlücke with the Breithorn on the left and the Tschingelhorn on the right, in front of it autumnal moraine hills. With the view, the remaining meters of altitude to the Oberhornsee feel easier than the day before. At the Oberhornsee, you can experience the effects of glacier fluctuations with your own eyes. As beautiful as the lake presents itself this morning, its fate is unclear. Due to the lack of inflow, it gradually dies of thirst. Since 1994, no meltwater has flowed from the Breithorn glacier to the Oberhornsee.

We leave the Oberhornsee behind us and continue hiking, past over 10,000-year-old moorland to the Oberhorn. Since 1947 (with an extension in 1954) to 26^km2, the Hintere Lauterbrunnen Valley has been a nature reserve under cantonal protection. Therefore, it is advisable not to leave the paths in the sensitive sections in order to protect the rare and valuable flora and fauna.

At the Oberhorn we follow the path in the direction of the Schmadrihütte. Alternatively, you could also make a detour back to the Berghotel Obersteinberg. But I guarantee you, the big circular hike will bring it. Beautiful views of the Lauterbrunnen Valley and the alpine farms, wild streams, thundering waterfalls and varied vegetation. If it weren’t for the sound of helicopters flying around in the Lauterbrunnen Valley, you’d feel like you’re far away from civilization up here. The landscape up here reminds me of a mini version of Norway’s Hardangervidda. At Alp Schwand there is a steep descent that brings us to our knees and reminds us of the tour the next day with sore muscles. At the Trachsellauenen mountain inn, dozens of goats welcome us, for whom the alpine summer comes to an end on this day and we treat ourselves to a well-deserved portion of meringues before we take the last 40 minutes back to Stechelberg under our feet.

Practical information and tips for hiking through the Hintere Lauterbrunnen Valley

The route can be found on the map below. The circular hike from Stechelberg via Obersteinberg and Oberhorn is around 15.5 kilometres long, includes an ascent of 1,350 metres in altitude and a descent of 1,350 metres in altitude. The pure runtime is around 7 hours. The first stage to the Berghotel Obersteinberg takes about 2.5 hours.

Stechelberg can be reached from Lauterbrunnen by post bus – stay seated until the final stop “Stechelberg, Hotel”. With a few exceptions, the Postbus runs every half hour.

The Berghotel Obersteinberg offers a dormitory (68 CHF per person incl. half board) as well as double rooms (88 CHF per person incl. half board) and is open from the beginning of June to the end of September. On weekends, it is essential to book your room in advance. You can find more information about the Rear Lauterbrunnen Valley on the website of Stechelberg Tourism.

Circular hike Hinteres Lauterbrunnental: Key data of our tour

Starting point	Bus stop Stechelberg, Hotel
Length	15.6 kilometers
Elevation gain	↗ 1,352 m 1,352 m ↘
Duration	6:30 p.m.
Destination	Bus stop Stechelberg, Hotel

Due to the distance, the circular hike can also be carried out in one day – without an overnight stay at the Berghotel Obersteinberg

Note: My stay at the Berghotel Obersteinberg was supported by Lauterbrunnen Tourism. Thank you very much for this! As always, my readers can be sure that I always represent my views and enthusiasm.