Hiking Mürren to Gimmelwald in Switzerland: Complete Guide

Note to my fellow wanderers: This guide was written from my first-hand experiences. I try my best not to over-glamorize any location I travel to because I want HappyWander’s content to be as authentic as possible. My goal is to provide you real information so that you can have the best possible adventures wandering the world. Enjoy!

Switzerland is one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever been. The mountains seem to keep climbing higher. What makes it different from other places I’ve been is just how tightly the mountains are bunched together, with deep valleys in between. It’s difficult to even capture the scope of Switzerland mountains in a photo. Other places like Banff, the mountains are also epic, but more spaced out. To truly be able to appreciate these epic mountains, hiking is one of the best options. If you find yourself up in Mürren and want to take the scenic route back down to Gimmelwald without taking the gondola, I highly suggest you hike down. In this guide, I review everything you need to know about hiking Mürren to Gimmelwald in Switzerland. Let’s dig in!

Overview of Mürren and Gimmelwald in Switzerland

Gimmelwald is a tranquil, postcard-perfect village nestled in the Swiss Alps, offering stunning views of snow-capped peaks and lush valleys. Known for its traditional alpine charm and untouched beauty, this car-free village is a hidden gem for hikers and nature lovers seeking a peaceful escape. Gimmelwald’s serene atmosphere and proximity to popular hiking trails make it a favorite stop for those exploring Switzerland’s Bernese Oberland.

Further up the mountain we find Mürren. Mürren is a charming, car-free mountain village in the Swiss Alps, known for its breathtaking views of the Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau peaks. Perched on a cliffside at an altitude of 1,650 meters, Mürren offers a peaceful retreat with traditional Swiss chalets, hiking trails, and access to winter sports. This picturesque village is a favorite destination for outdoor enthusiasts seeking adventure and tranquility in the heart of Switzerland’s Bernese Oberland region.

In this section, I highlight the essentials you’ll need to hike down this beauty.

This is a map (via alltrails.com) of the route I did.

Where to Park

To get up to Mürren or Gimmelwald, you’ll most likely be taking the gondola up, although there is a much more difficult hiking route up. In the case of riding the gondola up, you’ll need to park here at Stechelberg LSMS:

Here is the address: HW42+3M Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland

Do I Need To Take A Gondola to Gimmelwald and Mürren?

While there is a hiking route up to Gimmelwald and Mürren, I’d suggest you take the Gondola up unless you want a great workout and have the time.

Distance Traveled

According to my Alltrails.com GPS tracker, I traveled about 2 miles on this hike. I feel like this was pretty accurate.

How Long Does it Take to Hike?

I left Mürren around 3:00 PM and arrived at Gimmelwald a few minutes before 4 PM. All in all, it took me a little less than 1 hour.

Elevation Change

Alltrails.com, the site I usually rely on for my hiking, doesn’t really track declines. This hike is almost entirely downhill. Between the two towns of Mürren and Gimmelwald, there is a 928 feet difference in elevation. So that’s a pretty good estimate as to the decline elevation you’ll be going down on this hike.

Elevation Map for Deep Gap Trail in North Carolina (via alltrails.com)

Difficulty

This is probably the easiest hike I’ve ever done. That’s because it’s almost entirely downhill, and the path is nicely paved. For a daytrip of activities in the mountains, this easy hike is a pleasure to do. For me, 2 miles was a very enjoyable amount of time to see the beautiful mountains surrounding you on all sides.

Overall, I’d give this hike an 2 / 10 in difficulty.

Permits

There are no permits required for this hike, however, you’ll need to purchase a parking pass as well as the gondola pass up to Mürren and then from Gimmelwald back down to Stechelberg.

Cost

This one isn’t cheap. The gondola ticket cost me $29.32 in USD, and the parking ticket cost me $7.13. I wouldn’t suggest paying these fees only to do this hike, but you’ll likely have quite a few more activities up in these cities to easily justify the price.

When to Go

I hiked this one in September, and the weather was perfect.

Recommended Gear

Having the right gear can make or break your hiking experience. In Switzerland, preparing accordingly will help you maximize your adventure. I’ll highlight the gear that I brought hiking Mürren to Gimmelwald in September:

• The Proper Clothing: In September, it really depends on the weather. I wore exercise pants and a sweat-wicking long-sleeve shirt. I also brought a light rain jacket in case it rained on me, but it thankfully never did.
• The Right Shoes: I would just make sure you have shoes you are comfortable walking in for several miles. This hike doesn’t require hiking shoes as the entire trail is nicely paved.

That’s basically all my recommendations for this hike. It’s a very simple, basic, easy hike, so there’s not much required to enjoy it.

The Play By Play: My Route Hiking Mürren to Gimmelwald in Switzerland

So what’s it like hiking Mürren to Gimmelwald? Read my hiking guide play by play below:

Parking Lot

The parking lot in the valley at Stechelberg is vast. There are plenty of spots as I imagine it gets VERY busy in peak season. For me on a Tuesday in September, it was still pretty busy. I had to park in the far lot at the end of this image:

Purchasing Ticket

After you park, you’ll need to go purchase your gondola tickets. The station where you purchase your tickets looks like this:

This is the same area that you’ll validate your parking when you come back down, so make sure to bring your parking ticket (given to you as you enter the parking lot) with you.

Riding the Gondola Up To Gimmelwald and then Mürren

After you get your gondola ticket, you’ll need to follow the signs leading you inside the building. The building looks like this:

Once you get inside, there will most likely be a line to get on the gondola, but this line went pretty quickly.

The actual Gondola carts are pretty spacious, so you can jam a ton of people inside them:

Try to get a spot by one of the windows so you can see the majestic views all around.

Exploring Mürren

I took the first gondola to Gimmelwald and then jumped on the next gondola straight to Mürren. Mürren is an interesting city full of different restaurants, shops, and more.

I initially stopped at the Intersport building to check if I could hike Via Ferrata Mürren, but unfortunately it was not available. So I changed plans and started my way hiking down to Gimmelwald.

Starting the Descent Down

As you pass the town of Mürren, you’ll start your descent down towards Gimmelwald. You can wave to the Gondola riders as they take the fast and easy way down, missing the views you’re about to see:

Enjoying The Views

As you continue along the downward path, which is nicely paved, you’ll be exposed to some great views of the surrounding valley and mountains:

The path also takes you through some lovely wooded areas lush with green life:

One of the really cool parts about this hike is spotting paragliders flying by into the valley below. In this video I captured 3 of them at the same time:

You’ll start to approach Gimmelwald after a lovely walk.

I noticed this Biergarten as I walked by and decided to stop in for a bite to eat after seeing the view (wow!):

After Hike Meal

After hiking Mürren to Gimmelwald, I decided to stop and eat in Gimmelwald before I took the gondola back down. I ran into Pension Gimmelwald Restaurant, which I had to stop at because of the epic views of the mountains. I got a burger, which was just okay, and pricey.

But the views were stunning:

You’ll also likely get to watch Paragliders passing by, which makes for a great video to impress your friends and family:

About My Experience Hiking Mürren to Gimmelwald

I originally went up to Mürren to do the Via Ferrata. Unfortunately the company who rents out the proper gear had stopped renting equipment for the day as they said it was rainy earlier in the day. Only private guided groups were going, and they were all sold out. I was quite disappointed, but not defeated. I still wanted to do some sort of a hike while I was on the mountain. Insert Mürren to Gimmelwald. Overall, hiking Mürren to Gimmelwald was a treat. In this section, I’ll highlight the best things about hiking Mürren to Gimmelwald, as well as a few of the not so good parts.

Favorite Parts

Here are a few of my favorite parts of hiking Mürren to Gimmelwald:

The Views

The views make this hike enjoyable, especially when it’s your first day in Switzerland like it was mine. There are some truly awesome mountains all around you. On my trek down, the peaks of the mountains were covered by clouds, and they were just starting to appear for the first time. What a scene!

All Downhill

Occasionally it’s nice to have an easy hike with great views. This hike is extremely easy as it’s all downhill.

Not Many People

To my surprise, not very many people were hiking down from Mürren to Gimmelwald. That’s perfectly fine, more views for me!

Least Favorite Parts

Here is my least favorite part of this hike:

The Price

The price to get up to Mürren and Gimmelwald was not exactly cheap.

Overall Score

Overall, I give this trail an 7.8 / 10.

Final Thoughts on Hiking Mürren to Gimmelwald in Switzerland

The Mürren to Gimmelwald was well worth doing if you’re up there already. I wouldn’t necessarily go out of my way to do this one, but it still offers some unique views you won’t see by simply riding the gondola. If you want to skip taking the gondola down to squeeze in an easy hike with great views, this one is a great option.

Happy wandering to you!