Gasterntal - valley hike with an impressive mountain backdrop

8.15 km long
Difficulty: easy
Condition: very easy
Great panorama
Hiking Trail
  • 2:40 h
  • 8.15 km
  • 402 m
  • 46 m
  • 1,196 m
  • 1,551 m
  • 355 m
  • Start: Eggeschwand
  • Destination: Selden

The „wildly romantic“ Gasterntal delights with its scenic beauty and impresses with its towering rock walls - The Gasterntal („gasteren“ means „to spend the night“ in the Kandersteg dialect) is inhabited only during the summer months – but then cozy inns invite visitors of all ages to come.

 

From the Sunnbüel valley station near Eggeschwand, a sign points us to the narrow gorge on the left side, which marks the entrance to the Gasterntal. The first section through the narrow gorge (Chluse) is partly a bit steep and rocky. After the hiking trail crosses the Kander river a second time over a bridge, the valley slowly opens up in all its splendor: the Kander branches into several arms and the path running on the right side offers an increasingly impressive view of the massive mountain backdrop. Soon we cross the right side arm of the Kander and pass through a forested area to the beautifully situated Gasthaus Waldhaus – an ideal place for a first break.

From here, we continue the hike on a forest road on the flat valley floor. After a little more than a kilometer, we turn left towards Selden. Through a forest area, the path runs first on the right side, then on the left side of the Kander. At P.1395, we cross the Kander again on a large bridge. After about 1.5 km on a forest road, we cross the Kander one last time and turn right onto a hiking trail at the junction P.1432 after the bridge. We go up through the forest for a bit until the path meets the road shortly before Selden. On this road, we reach the inns Steinbock and Gasterntal (150 m further) in the small settlement of Selden. The latter is interesting with its playground and climbing rocks, which is fun if you are traveling with children.

Berner Wanderwege
Berner Wanderwege

Good to know

Best to visit

suitable
Depends on weather

Directions

Eggeschwand – Chluse - Waldhus – Gastereholz - Bletscheweidli - Selden

Equipment

We recommend the following equipment: lightweight trekking shoes, light backpack, sun protection, rain jacket, pocket first aid kit, light picnic, enough fluids, mobile phone.

Directions & Parking facilities

Arrival: by bus from Kandersteg station to the Sunnbüel valley station

Return: by bus from Selden, Hotel Gasterntal, to Kandersteg station. The bus from Selden to Kandersteg must be reserved in advance at the number 033 671 11 72!

Additional information

Bernese Hiking Trails Association, Bern, Tel.: 031 340 01 01, E-mail: info@beww.ch, homepage: www.bernerwanderwege.ch

Literature

Hiking book Bernese Oberland by Bernese Hiking Trails

License (master data)

Safety guidelines

This route runs entirely or partly on mountain hiking trails.

Map

Swisstopo hiking map: 263T Wildstrubel and 264 Jungfrau 1:50,000

Nearby

Address

Gasterntal - valley hike with an impressive mountain backdrop
Kandersteg