Grindelwald First & Bachalpsee Hike from Interlaken
Grindelwald First & Bachalpsee Tour Prices & Availability
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Should you do the Grindelwald First & Bachalpsee tour from Interlaken? Yes — if you'd rather walk in the mountains than ride to a station. For about $356 a Swiss guide takes a small group (max 10) by train and gondola up to First at 2,168 m, then on an easy ~1-hour hike to the mirror-like Lake Bachalpsee (2,265 m), framed by the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau. Train and gondola tickets and the guide are included; food isn't, so bring or buy a picnic for the lakeside stop. It's roughly seven hours door to door, no hiking experience needed.
What You'll Do
- Ride the scenic gondola up to First (2,168 m) above Grindelwald
- Hike an easy hour to Bachalpsee, the famous mirror lake reflecting the peaks
- Picnic by the lake under the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau
- Learn about alpine flora and local traditions from your Swiss guide
- Pause at the cliff-edge First Cliff Walk on the way (optional)
Good to Know
- Food and drinks aren't included — there's a chance to buy a picnic on the way
- It's a real hike on mountain trails — bring proper shoes, not just trainers
- Best from roughly July to September; early or late season the lake can still be frozen or snowy
- Capped at 10 people, so popular summer dates book out — reserve ahead
- You meet at the glass-cube info point in Interlaken; the staff there don't run the tour
How the Grindelwald First & Bachalpsee Day Works
Around seven hours from Interlaken and back, with about two hours of easy walking in the middle. Your guide handles all the train and gondola connections.
Meet & Train
Meet your guide at the glass-cube info point in Interlaken, then take the train to Grindelwald (~40 min) through the valley.
Gondola to First
Ride the cable car up to First at 2,168 m (~30 min), with the cliff-edge First Cliff Walk waiting at the top for an optional look.
Hike to Bachalpsee
An easy ~1-hour walk to the mirror-like Lake Bachalp (2,265 m) under the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau, then a relaxed picnic by the water.
Return
Walk back to First with time for photos, then the gondola and train bring you back to Interlaken — about seven hours all in.
Grindelwald First & Bachalpsee Photos
What's at Grindelwald First — and What's Included
Your tour covers the gondola, the guided hike to Bachalpsee and the Cliff Walk visit. The adrenaline attractions at the top are run separately and cost extra if you want to add them on your own time.
Lake Bachalpsee Included
The reason most people come. A mirror-still alpine lake at 2,265 m that reflects the Schreckhorn and Wetterhorn — the easy hike to reach it is the heart of this tour.
First Cliff Walk Visit Included
A Tissot-built walkway and 40-metre suspension bridge that hugs the cliff face above the valley. You stop here on the tour for the views and photos.
First View Platform Free
The sundeck at the top station, with an open panorama across the Grindelwald valley to the big three peaks. A good spot to take it in before the hike.
First Flyer & Glider Extra
A zip line and a hang-glider-style ride that soar down from First. Fun add-ons, but they're separate tickets and not part of this guided tour.
Mountain Cart & Trottibike Extra
Downhill carts and scooter-bikes for the ride back toward Grindelwald. A popular self-paid extra if you have energy and time after the hike.
Mountain Restaurant Food Extra
The Berggasthaus at First serves warm food with a view. Meals aren't covered by the tour, so it's pay-as-you-go — or save it for your lakeside picnic.
Grindelwald First & Bachalpsee Hike vs the Jungfraujoch Train
Both days start in Interlaken, but they're opposite kinds of trip — one walks you to a lake, the other rides you to a station. Here's the quick visual read.
Walk to a Mirror Lake
An easy guided hike to Bachalpsee, with the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau reflected in the water — small group, a picnic, a real day outdoors.
Ride to the Top of Europe
Jungfraujoch is higher and more famous — a cable-car ride up to Europe's highest station, with a glacier and Ice Palace, but no hiking and a higher price.
When to Do the Bachalpsee Hike
This is a warm-season mountain hike, so timing matters more than for a station you ride to. The lake and trail are at their best roughly July to September, when the snow has cleared, the wildflowers are out and Bachalpsee turns mirror-still on a calm morning. Earlier or later, the lake can still be frozen or under snow. And because the reflection everyone photographs needs calm, clear air, the morning — before afternoon cloud and summer thunderstorms build — is the magic window.
Temperatures by Season
What to Expect
Go in the morning
The mirror reflection of Bachalpsee needs calm water. Early in the day the air is stillest and the light is best, before any afternoon breeze ruffles the surface.
Watch for afternoon storms
Summer afternoons in the Alps can bring sudden cloud and thunderstorms. The tour timing helps, but pack a rain shell whatever the morning forecast says.
July for wildflowers
Midsummer is when the alpine meadows around First bloom and the lake is fully thawed. It's the peak window for the classic green-and-blue Bachalpsee scene.
It runs on fixed dates
This is a scheduled small-group departure, not an on-demand ticket, so check the calendar early — especially for July and August weekends, which fill up fast. The free-cancellation policy lets you hold a spot and still adjust if the forecast turns.
What to Pack for the Grindelwald First Hike
No special gear needed — it's an easy trail — but a few sensible items make the day far more comfortable. Since food isn't included, your own snacks and water are the ones not to forget.
Grindelwald First Hike vs Jungfraujoch & Schilthorn
Three very different days in the same region. First is the one built around actually hiking — here's how it stacks up against the two big rides.
| Grindelwald FirstThis tour | JungfraujochTop of Europe | SchilthornPiz Gloria | |
|---|---|---|---|
| The experienceWhat the day actually is | Guided hike + lake Most active | Train to a station | Cable cars + restaurant |
| AltitudeHeight you reach | 2,168 m (lake 2,265 m) | 3,454 m Highest | 2,970 m |
| PricePer adult, approx. | ~$356 guided (gondola-only ~$91) | ~$331 | ~$442 |
| Guide included | Yes | No | Yes |
| Actual hiking | ~2h easy | No | Optional |
| Glacier & Ice Palace | No | Yes | No |
| Best for | Hikers & lake lovers | Highest point & glacier | 360° views & 007 |
| Crowds | Fewer · small group | Busiest | Moderate |
More Interlaken & Grindelwald Tours
First Gondola Ticket (DIY)
Just the cable car up to First, no guide — do the Bachalpsee walk yourself. The cheapest way onto the mountain.
Jungfraujoch — Top of Europe
The highest railway station in Europe at 3,454 m, with a glacier, the Ice Palace and the Sphinx terrace.
Schilthorn & Piz Gloria Day Trip
The James Bond mountain — best 360° panorama in the region and the cliff-edge Thrill Walk.
Is the Grindelwald First & Bachalpsee Tour Worth It?
Here's the honest version. The hike itself — gondola to First, an easy hour to Bachalpsee, a picnic under the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau — is one of the most rewarding half-days in the whole Jungfrau region, and the mirror-lake photo genuinely lives up to the hype on a calm morning. None of that is in question.
What you're really deciding is whether to pay for the guided, organised version. At around $356 it costs more than doing it independently: the gondola on its own is about $91, and the trail is well signposted and easy enough that confident travellers can absolutely self-guide. So the value here is the convenience and the company — someone handles every train and cable-car connection from Interlaken, you walk in a small group of no more than ten, and a Swiss guide adds the flora, the history and the local stories along the way. If you'd rather not plan logistics, don't want to navigate alone, or simply enjoy travelling with a guide, that's money well spent. If you're budget-focused and comfortable on a marked alpine path, the DIY gondola ticket is the smarter buy.
One honest flag: this is a newer listing on GetYourGuide, so it doesn't have a long wall of reviews yet — the early feedback is strong, but there isn't years of it. It's run by SwissTravelGuide on the classic, well-established First–Bachalpsee route, so the itinerary itself is a known quantity; just go in knowing the track record is short rather than expecting thousands of ratings.
The hike to the mirror-like Bachalpsee is one of the best easy half-days in the region, so the experience is a yes. The value question is whether to pay about $356 for the guided version: you get all train and gondola connections handled, a small group of max 10, and a Swiss guide. If you'd rather not plan logistics or navigate alone, it's worth it. If you're budget-focused and confident on a marked trail, the gondola-only ticket (~$91) plus a self-guided walk is cheaper.
The whole day is about seven hours from Interlaken and back, with roughly two hours of actual walking. The hike is rated easy — no prior experience or training needed — on well-marked mountain trails. You just need a reasonable level of everyday fitness and proper footwear.
Yes. All the train and gondola tickets are included, along with your Swiss guide. You meet in Interlaken and the guide handles every connection up to First and back, so you don't buy separate mountain tickets.
The guided hike to Bachalpsee is the core of the tour. A few elements along the way are optional — the First Cliff Walk visit, the lakeside picnic and some free time — so you can dial the day up or down, but the walk to the lake is what you're booking.
Roughly July to September, when the snow has cleared, wildflowers are out and the lake is fully thawed. Mornings are best for the mirror reflection, since calm air keeps the water still before afternoon cloud or summer storms build. Early or late season, Bachalpsee can still be frozen or snow-covered.
No experience required — it's an easy, well-signposted trail. You don't need mountaineering kit, just solid, comfortable hiking shoes, layered clothing for cooler air up top, and sun and rain protection. Bring water and snacks too, since food isn't included.
It can be, for children who are happy walking for a couple of hours on a mountain path. The trail is easy rather than strenuous, but it's still about two hours on uneven ground at altitude, so it suits active families better than very young children. If in doubt, check directly when you book.
Food and drinks aren't included — you can bring your own picnic or buy one at the stop along the way, then enjoy it by the lake. The First Cliff Walk, the Tissot suspension bridge at the top station, is included as a visit on the tour; the separate adrenaline activities like the First Flyer or Mountain Cart are extra and not part of this experience.
Ready for the Bachalpsee Hike?
Reserve now, pay later, and cancel free up to 24 hours before. Small group of ten — lock in a summer date before it fills.
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