Gimmelwald is a very small Swiss village, tucked high into the Alps. It is only accessible by foot, or cable car. This little village is quite adorable, and car free. Gimmelwald is home to some extreme sports for the region. Via Ferrata – cable course through the mountains and requires mountaineering equipment will take you to an impressive looking suspension bridge over a gorge. You will be attached to cables anchored into the mountains. There are multiple locations to rent this equipment in Gimmelwald and Murren. Other extreme sports include wing suiting and base jumping. Those are not my thing, but they may be yours 🙂
This little village is home to a local brewery Schwarz Monch. This beer was surprisingly refreshing for a dark beer and hit the spot after a long day of hiking. The staff were extremely friendly, and the view was breathtaking. The patio overlooked the valley below the Schwarzmonch (Black Monch). I would also like to add that their cappuccino’s are quite delicious. In addition to the brewery, they also had the most adorable honesty shop! In this shop, they have antiques, trinkets, and cards. It is an honesty-based system, but there is an option to pay at the brewery next door.
So, how do you get to this adorable little village? There are two primary ways to get to Gimmelwald – given you are already in the Jungfrau region. Once exiting the train in Lauterbrunnen, take the cable car up to Murren. That cable car is easy to locate with the signage, upon exiting the cable car board the small train for Murren. The ticket can be purchased upon entry to the cable car or is included in the Jungfrau travel pass. IF you don’t have the Jungfrau travel pass, you will have to purchase a separate ticket for the cable car and train to Murren. Once in Murren, you will need to walk through the town to the Stechelberg cable car station. There are good signs indicating where to go. At the Stechelberg cable car station board the Schlithorn cable car and exit at the first stop, Gimmelwald. IF you do not have the Jungfrau travel pass, this will also cost extra. IF you do have the travel pass, the cost is ~50% discounted, Swiss public transit will have the most current rates.
The second primary way to get to Gimmelwald – given you are already in the Jungfrau region. Exit the train station in Lauterbrunnen, and board bus 141 in Lauterbrunnen to Stechelberg. From there, board the Schlithorn cable car and exit at Gimmelwald. IF you have the Jungfrau travel pass the bus fare is included, but the cable car is ~50% discounted. We paid about $13 USD for two tickets with the Jungfrau travel pass. There is also a way to get there by foot from Murren to Gimmelwald. The walk is around 31 minutes, and it is fairly flat. I would not recommend this if you were carrying luggage.
All in all, I would recommend visiting this little village. It is quite the adventure to get there, and the views of the Alps are unmatched. The locals were super friendly, and the food was delicious. We were unsure if it was worth the trek up there but were pleasantly surprised with everything that we saw. In my opinion, it was worth it and if you have the time, I would highly recommend.
Until next time, keep adventuring! XO, Joanna
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