Welcome in the Bernese Alps, in KANDERSTEG surrounded by mountains, located on the upper end of the Kandertal valley in the Kander river basin.
The village lies at an altitude of 1'174 m, has about 1'230 inhabitants and an area of 135 km2. The main tourist destination is Lake Oeschinensee, 1'578 m.
Cyclists can go from Oeschinensee to larger lakes northwards towards Thun and Interlaken.
You can stay under a tent in the campsite Rendez-vous, from where you can use a cable car, the sidewalk or the road to Oeschinensee. If you turn right, you reach the forest path to the cottage Doldenhornhütte 1915m. From Oeschinensee's shores you can go to other two huts of the Swiss Alpine Club. A rocky path over the lake winds southward to the hut Fründenhütte 2562m. The most beautiful is the east route further up the valley to hut Blüemlisalphütte 2840m.
Fans of meditation can head to the Theravada Buddhist monastery Dhammapala of the Thai Forest Tradition. In the center of Kandersteg is situated a nice Evangelical Church from 1510, whose bell every quarter counts the time. Those interested in prayer can also visit the Catholic Church standing nearby.
At the upper end of the Kandertal valley is situated an international scout centre Path Finder Centre providing accommodation and a large area for camping.
To the glacial springs of the Kander River lead us a beautiful valley Gasterntal, which is a natural monument by UNESCO. Hiking trail - Wanderweg - starts from a valley station of the Sunnbüel cable car, it continues through a narrow gorge between the cliffs above the raging stream and then eastward to the left opens to a flat, more than ten kilometers long valley Gasterntal, which is also available for cyclists along a mountain road through two short rock tunnels.
At its beginning, we can stop at a mountain hotel Waldhaus and then continue towards the settlement Selden. We can go further in two directions, at right angles to the right or straight ahead up the valley. Right southwards to the hut Balmhornhütte 1955m or to the pass Lötschenpass 2690m. If we continue through the valley to the east, we pass left the hut Heimritz and we get to the springs of the stream Kander near the head area of the glacier Kanderfirn.
Via Ferrata onto Allmenalp
Ferrata Kandersteg-Allmenalp belongs to the most beautiful in the Alps. It is 350 meters tall, has two Nepalese bridges and high difficulty (K4, K4-K5).
Paragliding from Allmenalp
Eldorado for paragliders. The local clubs Flugcenter Sigel a Gleitschirmclub Kandersteg also offer tandem flights. By cable car upwards ...
An important point in the upper part of Kandertal valley is the Gondola Sunnbüel, used by Freeridetrail bikers and hikers pointing to Gemmipass.
Nice route: Sunnbüel 1936m - Spittelmatte 1884m (30min) - Berghotel Schwarenbach 2060m (1 h) - Daubensee 2206m (1 h) - Gemmipass 2322m (45min) :
Proposals for other possible trips from the Sunnbüel upper station you can find at link Hiking paradise Sunnbüel - Gemmi.
In the southwesterly direction opens the valley Üschinnental, from the nearby Allmenalp pastures you can arrive at the top of First.
From Kandersteg continues railway southwards to the canton Valais through an almost 15 km long tunnel Lötschbergtunnel, built in the years 1906-1912.
Cars are in the section of Kandersteg-Goppenstein moved from a road to rail, the ferry of a passenger car takes 15 minutes and costs 25 CHF.
Kandersteg has 19 hotels with 1'000 beds and 800 rented flats with 2'000 beds, a camping site and 22 restaurants, for many tourists from around the world.
From the surrounding high and steep rocks are rolling down beautiful waterfalls, converted to icefalls in winter:
The majestic mountains towers over the Kandersteg valley from all sides.
During the winter you can find here suitable spaces for activities on skates, cross-country and slope skiing, sleigh rides, snowshoeing, ice climbing. You can admire or take part in slad dog races, a new springboard is under construction.
Climbers find here a wide variety of well-secured routes.
In Kandersteg you can go swimming, take part in horse jumping, play tennis or curling.
There is also a firing range for a training of shootings at 300 meters, with blows resounding like during the battle of Verdun, fortunately not too often and during the main tourist season hardly at all. Near the tunnel is situated only small barrack, the historical building Bären was demolished. According to some sources in Kandersteg is located the government's fallout shelter Führungsanlage K20 for a thousand people; Switzerland is also called country of bunkers.
Natural beauty of the surroundings will delight every visitor in every season.
In the village regularly meet fans of the Swiss tradition of playing the ALPHORN - Alpine horn.
In summer, on the Alps hillsides near the dairy farms it sprawls out the tinkling from bells of grazing cows, sheep, goats ...
Downstream the Kander River we can walk to the Blue Lake Blausee.
KANDERSTEG IS A BEAUTIFUL CORNER OF THE WORLD, TOWARDS WHICH EACH VISITOR LIKES COMING BACK.
Into a charming Alpine nature invites you the SwissHike Team.
