Oeschinensee is an alpine lake located in the Bernese Oberland region of Switzerland. Primarily fed by mountain streams and snowmelt, its outflow runs into the Oeschibach creek and joins the Kander river. Yes, yes, all very technical. What you want to know is: is it worth it? Oh yes, this lake is absolutely gorgeous!
What’s nice about this lake is that it’s easily reachable once you arrive to the Kandersteg station. There’s a well marked trail and it’s a short walk of one hour. That’s enough time to take all the photos you want along the way. Because trust me, you will want to take photos. The beauty of this area is unparalleled.
Now, if you’re feeling adventurous, well, you’re in for a surprise. And a really mesmerizing one. All adventures begin with one step and in this case, it’s getting you to the Kandersteg train station.
Getting to the starting point
Kandersteg is the name of the nearby village where the hike starts. It’s composed of two parts: “Kander,” which is the name of the river flowing through the area, and “steg,” meaning “bridge” in German. Thus, Kandersteg means “Bridge over the Kander River.” The train station has the homonym name.
If you’re in Basel, you’ll have to take the train IC61 from the SBB station in direction to Interlaken Ost. You’ll later change in Spiez to the RE1 in direction to Brig.
Tip: you can also change in Bern. However, changing in Spiez will give you 10 minutes to cross the street next to the station, say “omgwtfbbq”, make a few photos like the one above, maybe wish you had a house there, and then run back to the station and take the RE1 train. Hop in, enjoy the view and get off in the Kandersteg station. We’re going in this direction:
On the other hand, if you’re in Bern, you just need to grab the RE1 in direction to Brig.
Whatever your starting point is, you need to get off in the Kandersteg station.
Walking to the lake
Once you come out of the Kandersteg train station, turn left and walk past the little chapel on its left, that’s your reference point. Initially, you’ll be following the same path as those taking the cable car that goes up to the mountains to the left of the Oeschinensee. But no, not today, you’re not going there. Today, we’re walking.
As you make your way up, look to your right: those towering cliffs and sharp ridgelines belong to the Blüemlisalp massif, part of the Bernese Alps. Depending on the season, you’ll spot several waterfalls pouring down from snowfields and melting glaciers above. Some of them so high they look like they’re falling in slow motion. And here’s a wild thought: you’re walking through what used to be the floor of the ancient Tethys Ocean. These rocks were once deep under water, until the Adriatic microplate got slowly crushed between the Eurasian plate and the African/Apulian block and boom: we got the mesmerizing Alps. Millions of years of tectonic drama, and you’re just casually strolling through it with trail mix in your pocket.
Keep your eyes open and focus on the trail. There are many animals to spots like squirrels or wild goats that jump like a spring on the steep walls of the mountains. There are many interesting flowers like this Berg-Distel.
Yup, the lake is unreal
The lake sits at an elevation of about 1578 meters (5177 feet for those of you counting in eagles per football fields), and there’s an elevation gain of roughly 400 meters from the Kandersteg station, which is at an elevation of about 1174 meters. The lake is relatively small, as it covers an area of a bit more of 1 square kilometer.
The name Oeschinensee comes from the local area called Oeschinen. The word “Oeschinen” likely originates from old Germanic terms describing rocky terrain or alpine valleys typical of the region. The suffix “-see” means “lake” in German. So Oeschinensee literally translates to “Lake of Oeschinen.”
During the warmer months, you can also hop on a small electric boat tour on the lake. It’s not Venice, it’s better and the ride glides across turquoise waters with views of steep cliffs and waterfalls all around. Some tours include short guided explanations about the geology and local wildlife, just enough to make you go “huh, neat” while you take pictures.
Shall we continue the trail up the mountains?
Good thing that you asked because this is a choose your adventure type of trail! You can either reach the lake and return, or, you can climb the mountains to the left of the Oeschinensee and get to an altitude of 1980 meters. I made in Komoot this trail which is roughly what we followed:
https://www.komoot.com/de-de/tour/2312305516/zoom
You’ll be climbing up 880 meters so keep that in mind. If you check the elevation profile in the map it looks abrupt, but the trail is well maintained so it’s relatively easy to go up.
It’s also nice that the trail is ample enough up there, so you’ll be able to walk comfortable. The only detail to mention is a place where there’s a water stream from a waterfall above that goes down to the lake, and it’s a bit slippery to cross. Fortunately, there’s a rope for you to hold on and cross the stream safely.
Depending on the time of the year you visit this area, you might find on some of the ample prairies (Wiese, in German) a great number of cows peacefully grazing. Don’t come too close to avoid disturbing them. Don’t be afraid either, because they’re very gentle animals.
Final thoughts
See, it was worth ditching the cable car and doing the hike, uh? Absolutely. You earned every view, every breath of alpine air, and every photo that makes your friends jealous. So pack that sandwich, a crisp apple, a handful of walnuts, and a coconut-filled chocolate.
Whether you stop at the lake or keep climbing to the upper trails, this route delivers that rare mix of beauty, calm, and amaze.
Bonus
On the trail, you should enjoy the nature sounds, the wind sliding through the mountains, the humming of the myriad of waterfalls you’ll find along the way, the birds. However, when you get home and are processing this unforgettable hike, you might want to listen to Alperose, a song from 1985 by Polo Hofer, a Swiss rockstar. Fits the mood of the aftermath of this fantastic hike perfectly!
