Lauterbrunnen is one of those places you have probably seen in photos dozens of times. A green valley, enormous cliffs and Staubbachfall dropping almost 300 metres down the rock face. In reality, however, the valley is much bigger than that one famous view. On peak days, Lauterbrunnen can receive up to 25,000 tourists in a single day. Quite a lot for a village with only around 2,000 permanent residents.
We stayed in the Jungfrau region for several days and therefore visited Lauterbrunnen several times. We actually found that ideal. You do not need to tick everything off in a single day. One day you can walk quietly past waterfalls and alpacas, and the next you can take the cable car to Mürren and head into the mountains.
You can stand at the bottom of Staubbachfall without much effort, feed llamas half an hour later and then suddenly walk inside a mountain at Trümmelbach Falls. And if you really want to hike, one of our favourite walks of the entire trip starts above the valley: the Northface Trail near Mürren. With Grindelwald also just around the corner, there is plenty to enjoy whether you are a keen hiker or a slightly less adventurous traveller.
In this blog, I share the best things to do in Lauterbrunnen, the places we visited ourselves and how to combine them in a logical way.
Contents
Things to do in Lauterbrunnen at a glance
Do not feel like reading the entire blog right away? These are, in our opinion, the best things to do in and around Lauterbrunnen:
- See Staubbachfall.
- Walk through the valley of 72 waterfalls.
- Feed alpacas and llamas at Lampaca Farm.
- Walk inside the mountain at Trümmelbach Falls.
- Take the cable car to car-free Mürren.
- Hike the Northface Trail.
- Continue towards Gimmelwald if you still have time.
One day is enough for Lauterbrunnen itself. If you also want to visit Mürren and do a longer hike, I would allow at least two days for this part of the Jungfrau region.
1. Start at Staubbachfall
Staubbachfall is the most famous waterfall in Lauterbrunnen and you really cannot miss it. As soon as you enter the village, you can see the water falling from the enormous cliff.
What I liked about it is that you do not have to turn it into a complicated activity. You can simply walk there from the village. There are green meadows at the bottom and during our visit, the cows were lying almost literally underneath the waterfall. It does not get much more Swiss than that.
You can continue uphill towards a viewpoint behind the waterfall. That path is steeper and includes stairs. Because we were travelling with our baby, I went up alone. To be honest, I found it a little disappointing, although I recently read that local authorities are considering extending the path. From below, you already get the most famous view of Lauterbrunnen anyway.
Staubbachfall is also very easy to combine with the next stop. From the waterfall, it is about a five-minute walk to Lampaca Farm.
2. Feed alpacas and llamas at Lampaca Farm
Between all the impressive waterfalls, we found Lampaca Farm in Lauterbrunnen a fun change of pace. It is not a large animal park, but a small-scale place with alpacas and llamas right in the middle of the valley.
We spent about half an hour here. You can feed the animals, see them up close and take photos. The owner even helped us take a photo of the three of us together. Small things like that make a stop like this even more enjoyable.
The farm is practically on the route through the Lauterbrunnen Valley. That makes it very easy to combine with Staubbachfall before continuing towards Trümmelbach Falls.
Want to do more than just feed the animals? You can also go walking with the llamas and alpacas. I would contact the farm in advance for this because it is a small-scale place and availability can vary.
Read our full experience at Lampaca Farm in Lauterbrunnen.
3. Walk through the valley of 72 waterfalls
I think it would be a shame to stay only in the centre of Lauterbrunnen. It is when you walk further into the valley that you really see why this place is so special.
The well-known walking route runs from Lauterbrunnen towards Stechelberg. For the complete route, count on roughly 7 to 8 kilometres and around two hours of walking without long stops.
The nice thing is that the valley is relatively flat. You walk alongside the river, meadows and farms, while almost vertical cliffs rise on both sides. Waterfalls come down from these cliffs all along the valley.
You do not have to walk the entire route. Buses run along the valley, so you can easily walk one section and return later. Especially if you also want to visit Lampaca Farm and Trümmelbach, I would not insist on walking the full distance.
With a stroller, we found the valley one of the easier places in the Jungfrau region. The main paths are much easier than the mountain trails above Mürren or Grindelwald.
4. Trümmelbach Falls: powerful waterfalls inside the mountain
Trümmelbach Falls are completely different from Staubbachfall. Here, you are not standing in a meadow looking at a beautiful waterfall. You literally walk inside the mountain.
A tunnel lift, stairs and narrow passages take you past glacial water rushing through the rocks with enormous force. It is dark, wet, loud and in some places seriously impressive.
Very important with young children
We discovered something here that we should have checked better in advance: children under four years old are not allowed inside.
So there we were at the entrance with our daughter in the baby carrier, having to change our plans. In the end, I went inside alone while my wife stayed with our daughter on the terrace near the entrance.
Once inside, I understood the rule. It is wet, dark and, above all, incredibly loud. A stroller is not an option anyway because of all the stairs and narrow passages.
Allow around one hour for the visit itself. Before going, definitely read our detailed blog about Trümmelbach Falls in Lauterbrunnen, especially if you are travelling with children.
5. Take the cable car up to Mürren
One of the best things about Lauterbrunnen is that you can suddenly travel hundreds of metres up from the valley and end up in a completely different environment.
We continued through the valley towards Stechelberg and took the cable car from there to Mürren. The ride up is already an experience in itself. The Lauterbrunnen Valley becomes smaller and smaller below you, while you can see the waterfalls on the opposite side.
Mürren sits high above the valley and is car-free. The atmosphere changes immediately when you arrive. There is no through traffic, just wooden chalets, small streets, hotels and terraces with views of the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau.
You do not necessarily need to do a long hike in Mürren. Simply walking through the village and having a drink somewhere with a mountain view is already worthwhile. But if you enjoy hiking, I would definitely allow more time.
6. Hike the Northface Trail near Mürren
The Northface Trail near Mürren was one of our favourite hikes of the entire trip through Switzerland.
The hike is around 6.5 to 7 kilometres long and takes roughly 2 to 3 hours. Along the way, you cover around 300 to 400 metres of elevation difference. It is not a technical hike, but you do need a reasonable level of fitness.
What makes this hike so good is that the views do not only appear at the end. For almost the entire route, you look towards the huge mountain wall with the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau. In between, you walk through forests, across alpine meadows and past wooden chalets.
We walked the trail in early May. Because of that, we still encountered snow and mud along the way. I even slipped once. Nothing serious, but a good reminder not to underestimate mountain trails in spring.
We did the Northface Trail with our daughter in the baby carrier. That worked perfectly well, but I would absolutely not bring a stroller here.
For the exact route, starting points and our experience, read our detailed blog about the Northface Trail in Mürren.
7. Visit Gimmelwald if you still have time
If you still have time after Mürren, you can also continue towards Gimmelwald. This smaller mountain village sits lower down on the same mountainside.
From Mürren, you can walk to Gimmelwald and then take the cable car back towards Stechelberg. That makes it a nice way to create a loop without having to walk the same route back.
I would mainly add this if you really have a full day for Mürren. If you are already combining the village with the Northface Trail, your day will fill up quickly.
What can you do in Lauterbrunnen in one day?
Only have one day? Then I would not try to squeeze Mürren into the same day as well. A nice day in the valley would look something like this:
- Start early in Lauterbrunnen and visit Staubbachfall.
- Walk to Lampaca Farm and spend about 30 minutes there.
- Continue walking through the Lauterbrunnen Valley.
- Visit Trümmelbach Falls if you are not travelling with children under four.
- Walk a little further towards Stechelberg or take the bus back.
With young children, I would replace Trümmelbach with some extra time outside in the valley. That gives you a very relaxed day without much hassle.
Two days in Lauterbrunnen: this is what I would do
With two days, the itinerary becomes much better in our opinion.
Day 1: Staubbachfall, Lampaca Farm, a walk through the valley and Trümmelbach.
Day 2: take the cable car from Stechelberg to Mürren, walk through the village at a relaxed pace and then hike the Northface Trail.
This way, you combine the lower Lauterbrunnen Valley with the mountains above without turning it into one rushed day.
Lauterbrunnen with a baby or young children
We visited this region with our six-month-old daughter and actually found Lauterbrunnen very pleasant with a baby. You just need to look at each activity separately to decide whether a stroller or baby carrier is more practical.
| Activity | Stroller | Baby carrier |
|---|---|---|
| Bottom of Staubbachfall | Yes | Not needed |
| Lampaca Farm | Yes | Optional |
| Lauterbrunnen Valley | Easy enough | Optional |
| Trümmelbach | No | Children under 4 not allowed |
| Mürren village | Reasonably easy | Useful |
| Northface Trail | No | Yes |
For more tips about altitude, apartments and travelling with young children, read our detailed blog about Switzerland with a baby.
Parking in Lauterbrunnen
Parking may be the least relaxing part of Lauterbrunnen. Especially around the middle of the day, the village can become very busy with cars, coaches and people crossing the road everywhere.
The easiest option is usually the large parking garage next to Lauterbrunnen railway station. From there, you can walk straight into the village and easily continue by train, bus or cable car. There is also parking near the church.
Mainly visiting Mürren? You can also continue to Stechelberg and park at the cable car station there. That saves you from having to return to the centre of Lauterbrunnen after your mountain day.
During high season, we would definitely start early. Not only because of parking, but also because Staubbachfall and the village centre feel much busier later in the day.
Lauterbrunnen in April or May
We were here at the end of April and beginning of May. That gave us a beautiful combination: green meadows down in the valley and plenty of snow higher up in the mountains.
The downside of this period is that not every mountain railway or hiking trail is already fully operating for the summer season. We still encountered snow and mud on the Northface Trail, and some lifts in the region were closed for maintenance.
Visiting early in the season? Also read our blog about Switzerland in April or May. There, we explain in more detail why opening times can make such a big difference during this period.
Stay in Lauterbrunnen, Mürren or outside the villages?
Where you should stay mainly depends on what you want to do.
Lauterbrunnen: the most practical option
Lauterbrunnen is the easiest choice if you mainly want to visit Staubbachfall, Lampaca Farm, Trümmelbach and walk through the valley. You are close to the railway station, bus connections and restaurants.
View hotels and apartments in Lauterbrunnen on Booking.com.
Mürren: for the best mountain atmosphere
Want to wake up above the valley and start hiking straight away? Then Mürren is the nicer option. The village is car-free and we imagine it must be especially lovely in the morning and evening, once most day visitors have left.
- Hotel Alpenruh – conveniently located near the cable car and ideal for hikers.
- Eiger Guesthouse – a cosy option near Mürren railway station.
- Hotel Edelweiss – beautifully located on the edge of the village with mountain views.
A quieter base between Lauterbrunnen and Grindelwald
We chose an apartment in Lütschental, between Lauterbrunnen and Grindelwald. With a baby, that was ideal for us. During the day, we could quickly reach the highlights, while in the evening we were away from the crowds.
View accommodation in Lütschental on Booking.com.
Activities and tours in Lauterbrunnen
You can easily visit most of Lauterbrunnen independently. Still, there are organised day trips, hikes and combinations with Mürren, Jungfraujoch or other places in the Jungfrau region. Especially if you are travelling without a car or only have one day, a tour like this can be useful.
Visiting Lauterbrunnen with a rental car
You absolutely do not need a car to get around the Jungfrau region. Public transport is excellent. Still, we found having a car useful during our complete road trip, especially because we also visited places such as Lake Brienz, Meiringen and later Kandersteg.
Using Lauterbrunnen as part of a larger Switzerland road trip? You can easily compare different rental companies through Discover Cars.
How many days do you need in Lauterbrunnen?
For the valley itself, one full day is enough. You can combine Staubbachfall, Lampaca Farm and part of the valley walk. If you are not travelling with young children, you can also add Trümmelbach.
Want to include Mürren and the Northface Trail as well? Then plan at least two days.
If you stay three or four days in the Jungfrau region, you can also easily combine Lauterbrunnen with Grindelwald First and Bachalpsee and Glacier Canyon Grindelwald.
Lauterbrunnen: popular, but the region is beautiful
Lauterbrunnen is definitely worth visiting. But especially if you look beyond the famous photo spot at Staubbachfall.
The centre itself is small and quite touristy. If you only get out, take a photo of the waterfall and leave again, I would even say you miss a large part of what Lauterbrunnen has to offer.
Walk further into the valley instead. Stop by the alpacas. Visit Trümmelbach if everyone in your group is old enough. And above all, take a cable car up towards Mürren.
Easily book your trip to Switzerland
Flights
Rent a car or campervan
