4 days of alpine views on Switzerland’s Lötschberg Panorama Trail

The Lötschberg Panorama Trail has its name for a reason – four varied days await you in Switzerland’s Lötschberg region with gigantic views of mighty 3,000-metre (9,850 ft) peaks, the beautiful Kandertal valley and the Jungfrau-Aletsch-Bietschhorn UNESCO World Heritage Site. From the Bernese Oberland, you hike into the Valais and pass picturesque alpine meadows, stop in classic Swiss huts and walk along wild watercourses.

Since the 50-kilometre (30 mi) long-distance trail is mostly easy to walk, aside from a few key sections, the Lötschberg-Panoramaweg is also something for enthusiastic, sure-footed hikers who don’t necessarily have alpine experience. The first stage is also the longest and takes you from Kiental to Kandersteg. The views down into the Kandertal valley, where the trains of the Lötschberg railway pass through the idyllic landscape, are magnificent. On the second day, you feel your way through the wild Gasteretal into more alpine terrain.

The grandest stage is on the third day. A long ascent takes you over the Lötsch Glacier to the Lötschen Pass, at an altitude of 2,690 metres (8,825 ft), where you can enjoy a magnificent panorama of the Bietschhorn and Mischabel Group. On the fourth stage, you descend from Lauchernalp to Fafleralp, where the journey ends.

You’ll find a small selection of accommodation in each of the three towns of Kandersteg, Selden and Lauchernalp and it’s best to book in advance. You can reach the starting point in Kiental by post bus from Reichenbach station, for example. The public post bus, which takes you to Gampel station, also makes it easy to travel from the destination Fafleralp.