Bachalpsee vs Mürren to Gimmelwald: Which Swiss Hike Is Better?

If you’re planning a hiking trip in the Jungfrau Region, there’s a good chance you’ll come across two very different options: the Bachalpsee hike from Grindelwald First and the walk from Mürren to Gimmelwald and down to Lauterbrunnen.

I’ve done Bachalpsee twice: once in late July 2025, when the route was fully open and very much in summer mode, and once in early May 2026, when there was still snow on parts of the trail. I’ve also hiked from Mürren through Gimmelwald and down toward Lauterbrunnen, which became one of my favorite walks in the region.

Both hikes are beginner-friendly in normal conditions. Both are beautiful. Both are easy to reach by public transport. But they feel completely different.

Bachalpsee is the more iconic hike. Mürren to Gimmelwald feels more authentic.

If you want the famous Swiss lake view with big open mountain scenery, choose Bachalpsee. But if you ask me which one I’d personally do again, I’d choose the Mürren-Gimmelwald-Lauterbrunnen route.

Quick Comparison

Category	Bachalpsee	Mürren to Gimmelwald to Lauterbrunnen
Best for	Iconic lake views, dramatic photos, first-time visitors	Mountain villages, quieter scenery, more authentic alpine feeling
Difficulty	Beginner-friendly in normal conditions	Beginner-friendly, but with a longer descent
Crowds	Very busy in summer, especially later in the day	Generally quieter than Bachalpsee
Public transport	Easy via Grindelwald and Firstbahn	Easy via Lauterbrunnen, Stechelberg, and cable cars
Photography	More open, spectacular mountain views	Villages, cows, valley views, lived-in mountain scenery
Atmosphere	Famous, scenic, touristy	Calmer, more local, more mountain-life feeling
My choice	Amazing, but busier	The one I’d personally do again

The Short Answer

If this is your first time in the Jungfrau Region and you want the most famous view, do the Bachalpsee hike.

It is popular for a reason. When the weather is clear, and the mountain chain opens up in front of you, the route is genuinely beautiful. The lake itself is also stunning, whether it is fully open in summer or partly frozen earlier in the season.

But if you want the hike that feels more personal, quieter, and closer to real mountain life, choose Mürren to Gimmelwald and down to Lauterbrunnen.

That route has mountain villages, cows, forest paths, valley views, and the feeling that people actually live there. Bachalpsee is spectacular, but Mürren to Gimmelwald feels more alive.

Bachalpsee Hike: What It’s Like

The Bachalpsee hike starts from Grindelwald First, which already gives it a big advantage: you begin high in the mountains. After taking the Firstbahn up from Grindelwald, the trail leads toward Bachalpsee with wide views over the surrounding peaks.

In normal summer conditions, I would not call this a difficult hike. It is beginner-friendly, although there are some steeper parts. You still need decent shoes, water, and normal hiking awareness, but it is not a technical alpine route.

The main thing that changes the difficulty is the season.

When I did Bachalpsee in late July 2025, it was very much a summer hike. When I did it again in early May 2026, there was still snow on parts of the trail. That made it a different experience. Not impossible, but definitely something you need to prepare for.

So my advice is simple: do not assume Bachalpsee is always an easy summer walk just because it looks simple online.

In the mountains, the season matters. Good shoes are a must, especially if you go earlier in the year.

What Makes Bachalpsee Special

The best thing about Bachalpsee is the openness of the landscape.

Around Grindelwald First and the route to the lake, you get these big, wide views across the valley and the mountain range. If the weather is clear, the scenery is spectacular. It is exactly the kind of place where you keep stopping for photos.

And the lake itself is beautiful.

In summer, Bachalpsee has that classic alpine lake feeling: water, mountains, reflections, and big sky. Earlier in the season, when it is still partly frozen, it has a completely different mood. Colder, quieter, and more dramatic.

For photography, Bachalpsee is probably the stronger “wow” location. The valley feels open, the mountains feel huge, and the whole route gives you plenty of space for wide landscape shots.

The Downside of Bachalpsee

The downside is obvious: Bachalpsee is very touristy.

In summer, it can get really busy. If you start early, around the first gondola up to Grindelwald First, it can still be surprisingly peaceful. You may even walk parts of the route almost alone.

But on the way back, you will probably meet a lot of people.

That does not make the hike bad. It is popular because it is beautiful and accessible. But it does change the atmosphere.

Bachalpsee feels more like a famous hike. Mürren to Gimmelwald feels more like you are walking through an actual mountain landscape where life is happening around you.

Mürren to Gimmelwald to Lauterbrunnen: What It’s Like

The route from Mürren to Gimmelwald and down to Lauterbrunnen feels completely different from Bachalpsee.

You start in the mountain village of Mürren, continue through Gimmelwald, then descend through forest and eventually make your way back into the Lauterbrunnen valley.

The first part takes you through mountain villages. That is what makes this route so special. You see houses, farms, cows, paths, gardens, and views that feel less staged than a famous viewpoint. It is still Switzerland, so of course it is beautiful, but it feels more lived-in.

After Gimmelwald, the route changes again. You descend through the forest toward the valley, and eventually return to Lauterbrunnen.

It is not just one type of scenery. You get villages, mountains, forest, valley, and the final return into one of the most dramatic valleys in Switzerland.

Why I Prefer the Mürren Route

I would personally choose the Mürren to Gimmelwald to Lauterbrunnen hike over Bachalpsee.

Not because Bachalpsee is disappointing. It isn’t. Bachalpsee is incredible in good weather.

But the Mürren route gives me more of what I personally want from the Swiss Alps.

It feels quieter. It feels more local. It feels like there is life around you. You see cows, small mountain villages, people’s homes, and the kind of scenery that feels less like a postcard stop and more like a real place.

That is what Bachalpsee misses a little.

At Bachalpsee, the view is the destination.

On the Mürren route, the whole walk feels like an experience.

Which Hike Is More Difficult?

I would say both hikes are roughly similar in difficulty, but in different ways.

In normal conditions, both are beginner-friendly. You do not need to be an expert hiker for either one.

Bachalpsee has some steeper parts and can feel more exposed because of the open mountain terrain. It becomes more difficult if there is still snow or ice on the trail.

Mürren to Gimmelwald to Lauterbrunnen is not technically difficult, but the descent can make it feel tiring. Walking downhill for a long time can be harder on your legs than people expect.

So my practical advice would be:

• choose Bachalpsee if you want a simple out-and-back mountain lake hike
• choose Mürren to Gimmelwald if you want a more varied route with villages, forest, and valley scenery
• wear proper shoes for both
• check trail conditions if you go early or late in the season

Which Hike Is Better for Beginners?

Both are beginner-friendly in good conditions.

But if I had to choose the easier one for most people, I would probably say Bachalpsee in summer, because the route is more straightforward.

You take the gondola up to First, walk to the lake, and walk back the same way. It is simple, popular, and easy to follow.

Mürren to Gimmelwald to Lauterbrunnen is also suitable for beginners, but because it involves a descent into the valley, it feels a bit more like a full route rather than a simple scenic walk.

So for beginners:

Easiest to understand: Bachalpsee
Better overall experience: Mürren to Gimmelwald
Best if there is snow: probably neither without checking conditions carefully

Which Hike Has Better Views?

This depends on what kind of views you like.

Bachalpsee has the bigger, more dramatic, more open views. Around Grindelwald First, you get that wide alpine scenery where the mountains feel enormous. For classic Swiss landscape photography, Bachalpsee is hard to beat.

Mürren to Gimmelwald has more intimate views. You get mountain villages, green slopes, cows, forest, cliffs, and eventually the Lauterbrunnen valley. It is less about one iconic view and more about the whole atmosphere.

So I would compare it like this:

Bachalpsee has the better “wow” view.
Mürren to Gimmelwald has the better story.

Which Hike Is Better for Photography?

Both are excellent for photography, but in different ways.

Bachalpsee is better for wide, dramatic mountain shots. The landscape opens up beautifully, especially when the sky is clear and the mountain chain is visible. The lake also gives you a natural focal point, which makes the composition easier.

Mürren to Gimmelwald is better for atmosphere. You can photograph villages, cows, cabins, forest paths, valley views, and the kind of details that make the Alps feel lived-in.

If you want one iconic photo, Bachalpsee probably gives you the better chance.

If you want a fuller photo story, I would choose Mürren to Gimmelwald.

Which Hike Is More Crowded?

Bachalpsee is more crowded.

Especially in the summer months, it gets busy. If you go early, around the first gondola, it is much better. But by the time you walk back, you will likely meet lots of people heading toward the lake.

Mürren to Gimmelwald to Lauterbrunnen is generally quieter. It is not unknown, and Mürren itself is popular, but the route feels calmer than Bachalpsee.

This is one of the biggest reasons I prefer it.

The Bachalpsee hike is beautiful, but you are very aware that it is famous. The Mürren route gives you more breathing room.

Which Hike Is Easier by Public Transport?

Both hikes are easy by public transport.

For Bachalpsee, you travel to Grindelwald, walk from the station toward the Firstbahn, take the gondola up to Grindelwald First, and start the hike from there.

For Mürren to Gimmelwald, you can travel to Lauterbrunnen, take the bus toward Stechelberg, and then go up by cable car toward Mürren. From there, you can walk through Gimmelwald and descend toward the Lauterbrunnen valley.

This is one of the best things about the Jungfrau Region: you do not need a car.

I’ve traveled through this region by trains, buses, gondolas, and cable cars, and it works very well. If you are staying in Interlaken, Thun, Lauterbrunnen, or Grindelwald, both hikes are realistic without renting a car.

Which Hike Feels More Authentic?

Mürren to Gimmelwald to Lauterbrunnen feels more authentic.

That is the main reason I would choose it again.

Bachalpsee is natural beauty. It is mountains, lake, sky, and trail. But you do not really see people living there.

On the Mürren route, you do. You walk through villages, you see homes, you see cows, you move through places that feel connected to actual mountain life.

Of course, this is still a famous region. It is not undiscovered. But compared to Bachalpsee, the Mürren route feels less like a tourist attraction and more like a place.

Which Hike Is Better for Couples?

For couples, I would choose Mürren to Gimmelwald to Lauterbrunnen.

Bachalpsee is beautiful, but it is more of a classic scenic hike. You go up, walk to the lake, take photos, and return.

The Mürren route feels more varied and romantic in a quieter way. You walk through villages, see the mountains from different angles, pass cows and houses, descend through forest, and end up back in the Lauterbrunnen valley.

It feels more like a shared experience.

That said, if you want the more iconic couple photo, Bachalpsee might win.

Which One Should You Do If You Only Have Time for One?

If you only have time for one hike, I would choose Mürren to Gimmelwald to Lauterbrunnen.

That might not be the standard answer. A lot of people would probably say Bachalpsee, because it is more famous and has the iconic lake view.

And I understand that.

If this is your first time in Switzerland and you want the most classic “wow, this is the Alps” photo, Bachalpsee is a great choice.

But personally, I would still choose Mürren to Gimmelwald. It gives you more variety, more atmosphere, and a stronger sense of mountain life. It is the route I would do again.

Final Verdict: Bachalpsee or Mürren to Gimmelwald?

Bachalpsee is the more iconic hike.

Mürren to Gimmelwald to Lauterbrunnen is the better overall experience for me.

If you want open mountain views, a beautiful alpine lake, and classic Switzerland photos, choose Bachalpsee. Go early, especially in summer, and check the trail conditions if you visit outside the main season.

If you want a quieter route with mountain villages, cows, forest, valley views, and a more authentic feeling, choose Mürren to Gimmelwald and continue down to Lauterbrunnen.

My final recommendation is simple:

If this is your first time in the Jungfrau Region and you want the most iconic view, Bachalpsee is amazing. But if I could only choose one hike to do again, I’d choose Mürren to Gimmelwald and down to Lauterbrunnen.