[Switzerland 2023] Day 7: Visiting Männlichen & Trümmelbach Falls
By Elin Chow - Monday, November 27, 2023
Photo By: Elin Chow
Mannlichen is a 2,342 metres high mountain in Switzerland's famous Jungfrau Region. The mountain of Mannlichen boasts stunning panoramic views of the surrounding mountains, including the iconic Eiger, Monch and Jungfrau peak trios, as well as Lauterbrunnen valley below.
There are a few ways to get to Mannlichen. The fastest and easiest way is to take the cable car. It can be reached either from Wengen by the Wengen-Mannlichen aerial cableway, or from the new Grindelwald Terminal Station using the Grindelwald-Mannlichen gondola cableway.
From Lauterbrunnen, we’ll first need to travel to Wengen by train. To get to Wengen, we caught the yellow Wengernalp train from Lauterbrunnen station. This is also one of the trains we took when we were travelling from Lauterbrunnen to Jungfraujoch. The only difference was that we got off at Wengen instead of Kleine Scheidegg.
We bought our round-trip train tickets and the Wengen-Mannlichen cableway tickets at the Lauterbrunnen station ticket office. The round-trip tickets with a Half Fare Card cost 32.80 CHF per person. Trains from Lauterbrunnen to Wengen departs every 30 minutes, and the journey takes about 12 minutes.
From Wengen station, it is a 5-minutes walk to the cable car base station. Tickets for the cable car can be purchased online, at the train stations, or at the cable car base stations of Wengen. You can check the train and cable car schedule and information on SBB Mobile App. To search for the train and cable car schedule from Lauterbrunnen to Mannlichen, you have to enter Lauterbrunnen as the departure point and Mannlichen (Luftseilb, Wengen) as the arrival point.
Opened in 1954, the spacious cabin can comfortably accommodate up to 75 passengers each way. The cars are equipped with large glass windows, offering scenic views as it climb the mountain.
For an additional 5 CHF, you can access to the open-air rooftop balcony via a spiral staircase. Known as the "Royal Ride", this is definitely one-of-a-kind experience that should not be missed. Standing on the open-air balcony of the cable car will make you feel like King and Queen greeting her subjects. Throughout the journey, you'll be treated spectacular views of the surrounding landscape with cool mountain breeze caressing your cheeks.
Due to safety reasons, the Royal Ride is available only during the summer season. However, we didn't pay the extra CHF 5 to go up to the rooftop. The rooftop area was pretty crowded on the day we visited, so we felt that it was more comfortable to stay in the cabin downstairs.
The ride up the mountain offers panoramic views over the village of Wengen and Lauterbrunnen valley. We also caught glimpse of the Gemsenweg trail during the cable car ride. The trail is also known as the "Chamois Trail" because of the whole herds of Chamois that live on the steep slope between Mannlichen plateau and Wengen. Due to its steep terrain, the trail is generally accessible to Chamois only. The hike from Wengen to the summit of Mannlichen is extremely challenging, and should only be attempted by physically fit and experienced alpine hikers.
It takes only 5 minutes to travel from the village of Wengen at 1,274 metres to the top of Mannlichen at 2,230 metres by cable car. However, the top of Mannlichen was completely shrouded in thick and dense fog with very low visibility.
We were actually aware of the poor visibility before visiting as there was a high chance of precipitation on that day. However, we thought that visiting the mountain on a foggy day can also be a completely different experience. Therefore, we decided to stick to our plan.
Of course, the best views still come on clear days. You might want to check the Mannlichen live webcam before buying the tickets
From the top station of the Wengen-Mannlichen cableway, it is a 5 minutes walk to the top station of Grindelwald-Mannlichen cableway. There, you will find the Alpine playground next the top station of Grindelwald-Mannlichen cableway.
A 8.5 meters tall giant cow slide stands proudly as the playground's centerpiece. It is made of wood and steel, with a viewing platform and a slide. Kids will have fun climbing up the oversized cow before sliding down.
The playground also boasts a see-saw, a swing, small trampolines and a mini bowling alley. The equipment are mostly made of wood, which offers a children to get closer to nature.
Mannlichen is the starting point of several hiking trails in the Jungfrau Region. There are a variety of hiking trails to suit all fitness levels. Among them, the Panoramaweg, the Panorama Trail from Mannlichen to Kleine Scheidegg is one of the most popular hiking trails in the Jungfrau Region.
The Panorama Trail is one of the most scenic hiking routes in Switzerland. Most people will choose to hike from Mannlichen to Kleine Scheidegg instead of the other way round. The hike from Mannlichen to Kleine Scheidegg is mostly downhill with constant views of the Eiger north face and the massive Jungfrau massif.
The Panorama Trail is 4.4 kilometres long, which takes about two hours to complete. However, we figured that it was not worth the hike due to the poor visibility that day. The dense fog not only obscured the mountain views, but also made it difficult to navigate the trail.
Instead, we chose to do the Mannlichen Royal Walk that leads from the top station to the summit at 2,342 meters. The trail is about 1 km one way and ascend a little over 100 metres on wide gravel paths. This hike is suitable for all ages and experience levels. It's perfect for families, travelers with limited time who want to do a short, memorable hike as it takes about 30 minutes to reach the top, depending on how many breaks you end up taking. If you have the time to do one short, quick hike on the Jungfrau region, the Mannlichen Royal Walk is definitely a good one to consider.
Although the summit does not look very far from the cable car station, the climb is fairly steep. The trail gets even steeper when you get closer and closer to the summit. A lot of people, including us, were out of breath when we reached the top. I would highly recommend you to wear a pair of sturdy hiking boots with good grip if you are planning to do the hike.
There are a lot of cows on Mannlichen. In fact, this probably one of the best places to see cows in Switzerland. As soon as you stepped out of the cable car station, you can hear the enchanting sound of cowbells echoing through the mountain. Not only can they be heard everywhere, but they can also be seen everywhere.
You can easily find herds of cows grazing in the grassy meadows, especially when you visit Mannlichen during the Summer months. The cows are usually taken to the high mountains by the dairy farmers to graze during the summer months as they tend to produce more flavorful milk with higher fat content.
Watch out for the wet cow dung on the trail! The air is filled with the smell of cow manure. It does not really smell bad, and I kind of like it a lot.
There are a lot of benches along the way for people to take a rest and catch their breath, or just stop and take in the beautiful views during the hike. As Mannlichen is not as heavily advertised as the other mountains in the region, there are very few tourists on the trail. In fact, I think there are more cows than tourists on the day we visited.
At the end of the "walk". there is a viewing deck shaped like a crown where you can enjoy panoramic views of the mountains and valley. The crown is perched on the top of the hill, and the climb up is quite steep.
We found an empty bench at the foot of the hill to sit down as we decided to wait for the fog to clear up. Although the fog seemed to be clearing, it didn't clear up completely. Nonetheless, the views were still spectacular. We were rewarded with stunning vistas of the mountains and valley in every direction. The breathtaking views never ceases to amaze us every moment.
There seemed to be a sign of impending rain. Dark clouds enveloped the sky, obscuring the sun and casting a sombre atmosphere over the landscape below. To be honest, we wouldn't enjoy sitting here if we visited on a clear, sunny day.
The trail leading to the crown is extremely steep, with rocky steps and loose gravel. Fortunately, there are ropes along the trail to assist us in the climbing.
From the top, you can enjoy a 360-degree panoramic views of the famous three peaks, Eiger, Monch and Jungfrau, as well as Lauterbrunnen Valley, the village of Grindelwald, and the village of Wengen. The crown is pretty small, but luckily there were not many visitors on that day. Standing on the crown will make you feel like a King or Queen overlooking your magical kingdom - hence the name "Royal" Walk.
But unfortunately, the fog diminished the beauty of the landscape. The fog never really clear up to give us the panoramic views that we are dreaming of.
Despite that, we still enjoyed our lunch while admiring the beautiful mountain scenery in the cool mountain air.
Although Mannlichen is a popular destination for hikers, it remains underrated and quiet with fewer tourists. With the 360-degree panoramic views, Mannlichen is undoubtedly one of the best viewpoint in the Jungfrau region.
TRUMMELBACH FALLS
After spending hours at Mannlichen, we took the cable car back down to the base station in Wengen, and then made our way back to Lauterbrunnen by train. As it was still early, we decided to visit the Trummelbach Falls (or Trummelbachfalle). The Trummelbach Falls, which are located somewhere between Lauterbrunnen and the village of Stechelberg, are part of Lauterbrunnen Valley's 72 waterfalls.
GETTING THERE
There are a few ways to get to Trummelbach Falls from Lauterbrunnen. You can reach Trummelbach Falls by car, by bus 141 from Lauterbrunnen train station, by bike, or on foot.
The bus from Lauterbrunnen to Trummelbach Falls departs hourly. You can check the bus schedule on SBB Mobile App. To search for the bus schedule from Lauterbrunnen to Trummelbach Falls, you have to enter Lauterbrunnen as the departure point and Trummelbachfalle as the arrival point. A round- trip bus ticket from Lauterbrunnen train station to Trummelbach Falls costs 3.60 CHF with a Half Fare Card. If you hold a Swiss Travel Pass, you can ride the bus for free.
The bus ride from Lauterbrunnen to Trummelbach Falls takes about 9 minutes. As there is only one bus per hour, make sure you manage your time well.
Alternatively, you can also hike to the Trummelbach Falls from Lauterbrunnen. The 3.5 km hike from Lauterbrunnen to Trummelbach Falls will take you roughly 50 minutes per way. It is a very pleasant and easy hike as the trail is mostly flat. However, we didn't choose to hike because the trail is mostly unshaded and it was burning hot on the day we went.
The Trummelbach Falls are the largest subterranean water falls in Europe. Tucked away from the public eye, the name "Trummelbach" comes from "Trommelbach", which means a stream that sounds like a drum.
The bus will arrive right opposite the main entrance of the Trummelbach Falls. For those who drive here, there is a large free car park next to the attraction. Next to the car park, you will find a cafe with outdoor seating overlooking the valley and a gift shop. You may want to use the toilets behind the cafe as there are no toilet facilities once you enter the falls.
ENTRANCE FEE
There is an entrance fee to enter the Trummelbach Falls as it is a privately owned attraction. Adult tickets cost 14 CHF each while child tickets cost 6 CHF each. Do note that you cannot use your Swiss Travel Pass, Half Fare Card or any regional passes since it is privately owned. However, if you have a Lauterbrunnen Guest Card, you will get a 10% discount (1.40 CHF) on the entrance ticket. Tickets cannot be purchased online in advance of your visit. You can only buy the tickets from the ticket booth at the entrance.
OPENING HOURS
Depending on weather conditions, the Trummelbach Falls are generally open from from 9.00 am to 5.00 pm daily from the beginning of April until November, and from 8.30 am to 6.00 pm in July and August. However, the attraction may also be closed during bad weather. You may want check their website for any updates before visiting, especially at the beginning and the end of the season to avoid a wasted trip. Do note that the Trummelbach Falls will be closed during the winter months due to ice and snow, which makes the site dangerous to visit. Furthermore, the water from the falls is frozen into silence during the cold winter months, so there is nothing much to see.
Due to safety reasons, babies and children under age of 4, as well as dogs are not allowed to visit the Trummelbach Falls. The attraction is not accessible to strollers and wheelchairs as there are plenty of stairs to climb. Also, heels, sandals and flipflops are strongly discouraged as the paths are very wet and slippery inside. You may be denied entry with inappropriate footwear.
The Trummelbach Falls is actually a series of ten glacier-fed waterfalls thundering down inside the mountain. A UNESCO world heritage site, the Trummelbach falls are the only underground falls accessible by tunnel lift, walkways and stairs.
The falls are numbered 1 to 10 from the lowest elevation to the highest. You can either take the tunnel lift straight up into the mountain, or hike up the stairs to all the ten falls. I would recommend you to take the lift, walk up the stairs to see Falls 7 to 10 first, and then walk all the way down to the bottom visiting Falls 6 to 1 along the way.
Constructed in 1913, the tunnel lift, or the funicular lift will take you up to the point between the 6th and 7th waterfalls in just 40 seconds. The tunnel lift is about 105 metres long and rises about 100 metres at a 45-degree angle. It can carry about 40 passengers per trip and can transport up to 500 passengers per hour.
There is an operator operating the tunnel lift, transporting the passengers up and down the mountain. The tunnel lift might take some time to arrive, so please wait patiently. If you do not wish to wait, you can also opt to climb up the stairs all the way to the 10th waterfall.
The falls are inside an enormous cave, which are accessible via a series of paved walkways and stairs. From the lift exit, we took the upper trail leading to Falls 7 to 10. The paved walkways are built along the cliff faces, right into the mountain.
The walkway disappeared into a dimly lit dark tunnel leading to the various viewpoints of the waterfalls.
Fed by the meltwaters from the glaciers of the Eiger, Monch, and Jungfrau, the Trummelbach Falls can carry up to 20,000 liters of water per second. It has a catchment area of 24 square kilometers, and approximately half of which is covered in ice and snow.
The amount of water flowing in the falls can vary greatly depending on seasons. The falls are most impressive between April and June when the snow melts, and between June and September when the glacier ice melts, as well as after heavy rains and thunderstorms.
The walkways are very wet and slippery from the sprays of the falls, so watch you steps while you make your way through the cave. You might want to bring a light rain jacket even if you visit during the hot summer months as it can be wet and cold inside the cave. The sprays leave a constant fine mist in the air, making everything wet.
As the water rush through the cave cut into the mountain, we were surrounded by the deafening roar of cascading water with cool mist constantly kissing our faces. The water is milky white in color as it carries 20,000 tones of scree and boulders per year.
All the falls, except the lowest one, have remained hidden, and unreachable inside the mountain until they are made accessible in 1877. Visiting the Trummelbach Falls is truly an unique experience that should not be missed. You have to visit the falls in person in order to feel the power of the water. Pictures simply cannot do these waterfalls justice!
The sheer power of this natural wonder left us in awe. Over the millennia, the violently crashing water has created incredible rock formations. Following the stairs up, you will eventually come to a dead end where the 10th waterfall is located.
Once you have reached the top, retract your steps back to the tunnel lift. Here you will find two trails that descend to Falls 6 and Falls 5 to 1. Remember to visit Falls 6 first before you move downwards to visit Falls 5 to 1. Or else, you will have to make your way up again in order to see it.
As you descend, you'll also get to enjoy some lovely views across the lush green Lauterbrunnen valley.
After seeing Falls 6, we continued down the stairs to the exit to explore Falls 5 to 1. The stairs are moderately steep and can be quite slippery.
After visiting Falls 2, a forest trail will lead you back to the entrance. The forest trail is flat and very short, so you don't have to worry about your fitness levels. Overall, you'll need about 1-2 hours to visit the Trummelbach Falls depending on how much time you spend at each waterfall and whether you chose to walk both ways or take the tunnel lift. As for us, we spent about two hours exploring the falls.
At the entrance, near the tunnel lift, you will find a flight of stairs that lead to Falls 1.
The Trummelbach Falls eventually feeds into Weisse Lutschine, or White Lutschine in Lauterbrunnen valley. Personally, I feel that the Trummelbach Falls far more spectacular than the Staubbach Falls. They are undoubtedly one of the most unique natural wonders in Switzerland.
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