09/04/2026
Hiking Lake Oeschinensee: 4 Things to Know
1️⃣ Everywhere online says you must book an ascent time on the cable car ahead of time, but they weren’t super strict about this, so don’t stress if you experience train delays on your way. 😊 We booked the 10:00–11:30 ascent time, but after a missed train connection in Interlaken, we didn’t arrive in Kandersteg until 11:45. As a Type A worrier, I was very nervous about this on our way, but we didn’t have any issues scanning our passes when we arrived. 😌
2️⃣ The hike above the lake is 100% worth it, but it’s a bit confusing to find at first. Follow Trail D from the cable car for about 10 minutes. Once you get to a fork in the path, follow Trail G. It’s about 40 minutes of uphill walking without a view, and you’ll definitely question if you made the right choice. Keep going up! Once you see the lake, you’re done with the uphill portion. You’ll then have about 1.5 hours of gorgeous views down onto the lake as you wrap around the cliff.
About 75% into the hike, you’ll start making your way down toward the lake. Once you get there, you can take a break to put your feet in the water (or swim if you’re up for a very cold plunge). You can then take the easy trail back up to the cable car, which is about a 20-minute paved uphill walk.
3️⃣ Allow about 4.5 hours to hike this trail. This gives you plenty of time to stop for a packed lunch, grab a beer at the family-run cafe (bring cash in Swiss francs!), and take lots of pictures.
4️⃣ The town of Kandersteg is adorable, with plenty of places to grab food before or after your hike.
