How to Spend a Day at Oeschinensee Lake in Switzerland
This is the perfect Kandersteg to Oeschinensee Lake day trip in Switzerland full of alpine hiking and stunning turquoise lake views.
When the ice thaws on Oeschinen Lake each spring, sparkling turquoise water appears to reflect the surrounding mountains on its surface. The breathtaking scene is tucked away in the Bernese Alps of Switzerland, a cable car ride above the small, timbered town of Kandersteg.
People come here for the mountain hikes and gorgeous blue waters in summer, and for the family-friendly ski runs and ice walks in winter. But with so much to explore around the Swiss mountain lake, you’ll want to plan ahead to make sure you don’t miss anything.
Keep reading for how to make the most of a Kandersteg to Oeschinensee Lake day trip and tips on when to go, where to stay, and how to get there on a train or Switzerland road trip.
How to Spend a Day at Oeschinensee in Summer
Besides making friends with the cows living their best life on the shores of the lake, there is tons of outdoorsy stuff to do at Oeschinensee, whether you come for a couple of hours or a full day.
2-3 Hours at Lake Oeschinen
On a short visit, take the cable car up to the top and walk about 30 minutes each way to the lake. A shuttle from the top station to the lake is available in summer for an extra fee, but priority is given to those with limited mobility.
At the lake, you can either rent a rowboat for an hour, walk along the shoreline trail to see the waterfalls, or kick back at the lakeside restaurant with a coffee to enjoy the view. Back at the upper cable car station, a twisty toboggan mountain coaster at the edge of the mountain is also open in summer.
4-6 Hours at Oeschinensee
If you have half a day and want to hike, you can either climb up from Kandersteg to Oeschinensee (this takes about 90 minutes) or ride the cable car and tackle the Heuberg loop trail above the lake instead. The loop is about 4.4 miles from the lakeside and takes roughly 3 hours to complete. On AllTrails, look for the “Lake Oeschinen Circular,” which tracks 5.4 miles from the upper gondola lift station and back.
After working up a sweat, grab a picnic lunch from the lakefront restaurant to enjoy on the shore.
Full day at Oeschinen Lake
With one day at Oeschinensee, you’ll have enough time for a longer Oeschinensee day hike up to a mountain hut with elevated views of the lake. The Frundenhutte trail (check-in with staff on the best route and current conditions), for example, leads to a station with a little cafe high up in the mountains. You can guzzle some soup and fruit cake up here before heading back down or stay overnight with a reservation.
If you’d prefer to spend the day down at the lake, you’ll have time for things like fishing (you’ll need to secure a license and gear down in Kandersteg), grilling at the lakeside barbecue pits (the restaurant shop has supplies), or just kicking back with a good book while you listen to cowbells jingling in the background.
Winter Activities at Oeschinensee
If you’re visiting in winter, activities change to the snowy variety when the lifts open for the season in December (they typically close in October). Ski runs for various skill levels crisscross the mountainous terrain and a special ski school area has a “magic carpet” to return kids up the hill.
When the lake freezes over, you’ll be able to ice-fish in designated areas and walk an icy loop across the lake, too.
When to Visit Oeschinen Lake
Summer and winter are the best times to visit, as the gondola and restaurants shut down during early spring and late fall for a couple of months between each season.
Wait until the snow melts to take advantage of hiking and swimming under the sun. The summer season typically begins in mid-May and runs through mid-October, with the longest opening hours in the middle of summer.
The winter activities start around Christmas and run through mid-March.
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How to Get to Oeschinensee
Oeschinen Lake is located in the mountains above Kandersteg in Switzerland. If you’re coming from the north in Bern, you can grab a train ride that skirts Lake Thun or drive about 40 miles down the A6 highway.
From Zermatt in the south, it’s about the same distance, but the journey takes a bit longer as cars have to load onto a transport train and cross through the Lötschberg Tunnel to Kandersteg. From Zurich, it’s a little more than 2 hours here by car or train, with a scenic driving route through the middle of the country passing by Lucerne and Interlaken with their lakes and Swiss castles.
From Kandersteg, you can either hike up the mountain or pay for a gondola ride to the top (check current prices). The walk to the lake from the gondola drop-off takes about 30 minutes but is an easy stroll along flower-filled meadows where herds of cows like to hang out and sometimes block the road. Just be sure to grab a map from the station before you take off as there are a few different trails at the top. A shuttle between the upper gondola station and the lakeside hotel is also available for an extra fee.
Where to Stay in Oeschinensee
If you want to spend the night near Oeschinensee, you have a couple of location options. You can either stay at the top of the gondola lift at one of the lakeside hotels or mountain huts, or you can reserve a Kandersteg hotel in the town below.
Oeschinensee Hotels
The mountain house and chalet by the lake have single, double, and group rooms available seasonally. There is an onsite restaurant for dining as well.
For a unique overnight experience in the Swiss Alps, you can hike to one of the mountain huts near the lake. Frundenhutte above the south side of the lake is about a 3-hour hike from the upper gondola station and Doldenhornhuette is a 2 to 3-hour hike from Kandersteg.
To learn more about these accommodations and reserve a spot, check the Oeschinensee overnight information.