DAY 3Eggishorn
Eggishorn Mountain [3]
link to Google Maps
Symbols:
YEAR-ROUND
SKIING / SLEDDING - the plan doesn't cover these activities
MORE WALKING or LESS WALKING - your choice
CLEAR VISIBILITY
COST - costly (but worth it!)
Despite the stunning vistas nearby (especially if you're staying in the Interlaken area), it's difficult to resist venturing further to witness the UNESCO-listed scenery. This includes the Aletsch Glacier, the longest and largest glacier in the Alps.
The Aletsch Glacier (Aletschgletscher), shaped like a winding, wide highway, is a relic of the ice age dating back over 12,000 years. Stretching 23.6 km and covering an area of about 118 km?, it's a captivating natural wonder. Since 1870, the glacier has receded nearly 18 km due to climate changes. Experts predict that by 2100, the Aletsch Glacier could lose up to 90% of its volume. So, it would be a missed opportunity not to experience its charm while you still can.
I suggest heading to the Eggishorn viewpoint (2,927 m) in the Aletsch Arena - a peak nestled in the Valais canton in the Bernese Alps. Why venture so far from your base? Several reasons. Firstly, it offers the chance to see a different region, a view of the Alpine four-thousanders from the other side of the mountains, in a less touristy spot. Additionally, the adventure of crossing mountain ranges, including a scenic and paid cogwheel train journey (the only available route in winter) and significantly lower cable car ticket prices compared to Jungfraujoch, located much closer to Interlaken and considered Switzerland's most expensive and highly visited attraction. Furthermore, from the Eggishorn summit, you can marvel at the 20-kilometer stretch of the upper, curved section of the glacier - Konkordiaplatz. It's the confluence of four major glaciers descending from Aletschfirn, Jungfraufirn, Ewigschneefäld and Grüneggfirn, as well as the iconic peaks of Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau.
Embark on your adventure from the town of Fiesch, where the cable car of the Aletsch Arena ski resort will take you to the summit of Eggishorn. If you're a skier, during the winter season you can bring your skis, and conditions permitting, you might access piste number 70 (a more challenging trail) right from the summit. Always check the availability of ski trails on the website: www.aletscharena.ch/en/live/status-report/winter, where you'll find up-to-date information on trail difficulty levels, availability of specific attractions, their prices, and the schedule of the cable car. There are also cameras that give you a sneak peek of what awaits you in a few moments. In this guide, I provide an option to reach Eggishorn without skis, allowing you to first admire the beauty of nature from the summit and then indulge in a shorter or longer hike along designated trails from the slightly lower part of the massif. As always, before heading to a specific location, check the website for the latest information on if the chosen attraction is operational on that day (in the option I described, it's the cable car from Fiesch). Here's the link to the website: www.aletscharena.ch/en.
If you've arrived in Switzerland during the winter, your adventure begins with a journey through the mighty mountain ranges by cogwheel train. Outside the winter season, you have the option to choose an alternative route heading east towards Innertkirchen, then traversing dozens of stunning curves to the towns of Obergoms, Oberwald, and ultimately reaching Fiesch. Both routes cover approximately 100 km and take around 2 hours of travel. Here, I'll describe the route that leads to the town of Fiesch, both in the summer and winter, which requires an additional payment for the cogwheel train crossing.
Set your alarm for an early hour (the round trip will take about four hours), pack some provisions, prepare a thermos of hot tea, get into your car, set your navigation for the town of Fiesch (due to ongoing road repairs, navigation is almost essential), specifically, to the chosen parking area (Fieschertalstrasse Parking or Parking Gondelbahn Fiesch-Eggishorn), and hit the road! 😊 Head west towards the town of Spiez on the southern side of Lake Thun. In Spiez, head south. After about 40 minutes and approximately 40 kilometers, you'll reach the town of Kandersteg. From here, a cogwheel train will take you, along with your car (which you won't leave!), to the other side of the mountain range. You'll travel for about half an hour through a sixteen-kilometer tunnel.
Note that the previously purchased vignette for toll roads does not cover ferry transportation.
I suggest making the payment on-site upon reaching the crossing. The cost for a one-way crossing in 2024 is 25 CHF from Monday to Thursday and 28 CHF from Friday to Sunday. You can check the current price using the link provided above.
You'll make the ferry payment before boarding at the toll collection point (at the gates) or through the website: HERE.
After the ferry crossing, continue south for about 10 km. Beyond the town of Steg-Hohtenn, head east. After covering another approximately 40 kilometers, you'll arrive in the town of Fiesch.
Choose any parking conveniently located near the Aletsch Arena station. There are plenty of parking spaces on both sides of the river. It's essential to select a parking area with a barrier at the entrance because you initiate the payment process by credit card upon entry (the machine records the entry time). Upon exit, you again use your card, and the system deducts the amount corresponding to the time your car spent in the parking area.
The parking cost in 2024 is approximately 8 CHF for the entire stay - the price list is available HERE.
If any issues arise upon exiting the parking lot, you can seek assistance at the ticket counters of the cable car, provided you have the tickets for all participants that were used during the cable car ride.
You can purchase tickets at the ticket counters in the Aletsch Arena building or in advance through the website: www.shop.aletscharena.ch/en/
You have several options to choose from. I recommend using the Aletsch Explorer / Aletsch Discovery Pass (click HERE) for hiking trips with a family discount, providing unlimited mobility in the Aletsch Arena zone.
The pass includes free rides on all cable cars connecting hiking trails and covers the train route Brig - Mörel - Betten Talstation - Fiesch - Fürgangen, and in winter, it also includes the Sports Bus route from Fiesch to Fieschertal.
The Aletsch Discovery Pass does not entitle you to ski or sled.
When purchasing two full-price passes for adults (both parents), their own children up to the age of 19 receive complimentary passes.
The cost of one ticket in 2024 is 55 CHF. Therefore, the cost for a family with children up to 19 years old would be 110 CHF.
This option does not cover the scenario where only one parent goes on the trip with the children (as I experienced myself). In that case, to reach Eggishorn, you need to purchase individual tickets for a one-time cable car ride from Fiesch to Eggishorn and back.
The Swiss Half-Fare Card is accepted, but it is not valid with the Aletsch Discovery Pass family ticket.
The cable car ride from Fiesch to Eggishorn with a transfer at Fiescheralp takes 20 minutes. The route allows for the transportation of wheelchairs and strollers. I recommend heading directly to the Eggishorn point first, as this cable car station operates for a shorter duration. Afterwards, you can make a stop at the intermediate station, Fiescheralp. Upon reaching the Eggishorn station at an elevation of 2869 meters, it's worth heading to the impressive viewpoint. From there, you can admire the vastness of the Aletsch Glacier, along with the highest peaks and most famous mountains in Switzerland (Mönch, Eiger, Jungfrau, Wannenhorn, Finsteraarhorn, Weisshorn, the Mischabel massif, Matterhorn), and even Mont Blanc. You can identify them through markings on the map and use binoculars placed on the observation platform.
During the winter season, if you are a skier, you can start your journey from the Eggishorn station (as seen in the picture). However, it's important to note that hiking trails are only accessible from the Fiescheralp intermediate station during winter. In the summer, you can embark on treks from both the Eggishorn and Fiescheralp points. Useful applications for this adventure include SwitzerlandMobility and Mapy.cz (more about applications in: THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE THE TRIP - Trails apps).
Available both in summer and winter, the trail from the Fiescheralp station to the village of Bettmeralp, from where you can take a cable car to the Bettmerhorn viewpoint (offering a similar view of the Aletsch Glacier), covers a distance of 4 kilometers and takes over an hour. I encourage you, if you have plenty of time, to embark on such an adventure to Bettmeralp and then proceed to the mentioned viewpoint or take a leisurely stroll to the lake called Bettmersee.
Photo: Trail beginning from Fiescheralp station to Bettmeralp village
Fiescheralp station is an ideal spot for a longer break, whether it's for a packed lunch or a meal at the available restaurant.
You can find all the necessary information on the resort's website: www.aletscharena.ch/en
Information on toboggan runs and sled rentals: HERE
Bike rentals - click HERE
Overview map of trails and lifts in Aletsch Arena:
Summer - click HERE
Winter - click HERE
COST SUMMARY FOR 2024
(option: 2 adults + 2 children up to 19)
Railway ferry crossing - 25 CHF x 2 (or 28 CHF one way - depending on the day of the week)
Parking - 8 CHF
Family ticket - 110 CHF
Total: 50 CHF + 8 CHF + 110 CHF = 168 CHF
