Geltenhütte: Berner Oberland
One afternoon, I was flipping through the SAC magazine when I came across an article about the Geltenhütte. It wasn’t a hut on my radar, mainly because it was in the region between Gstaad and Lenk, areas in the Berner Oberland that somehow, in my seven years, I had never been before. But it looked gorgeous, and there were somehow two spots still available for a Saturday night, so I booked it on a whim. And wow, what a place. What a PLACE. The hut itself is in an incredible location surrounded by waterfalls (and the staff is so friendly!), and each day of hiking has its own set of spectacular highlights. I loved this one.
Day 1: Lauenensee - Geltenhütte
We had a long journey from Zurich (over 4 hours on 3 trains and 1 bus), which meant we had a later start on the day. Knowing this, we chose the route that started at Lauenensee (near Gstaad), as this was the most direct route to the hut. It was a short hike, only about two hours, but insanely gorgeous the entire way. When we arrived at the first alpine plateau and caught a glimpse of the massive Geltenschuss waterfall, I was literally speechless. And then, speechless again, when we climbed above that waterfall only to find ANOTHER plateau with an entire arena full of waterfalls.
The trail only covers about 600 meters of elevation gain, but it is steep, and we were sweating the whole way. We rinsed off in one of the nearby glacial rivers, and then, feeling fresh as daisies, arrived at the hut. The entire staff there is so friendly and warm, and they immediately made us feel right at home. It was a busy Saturday night, and the hut was completely full. There were lots of little kids running around, so I think this would be a great hut for families or beginner hikers. We spent most of the afternoon lazing on the terrace, and then after dinner, did a short walk down to one of the waterfalls near the hut. It’s truly one of the prettiest locations I’ve seen yet.
Day 2: Geltenhütte - Iffigenalp
I knew that this day’s highlight would be the turquoise blue Iffigsee (and it was!), and I was already looking forward to my afternoon swim when we started out at 8am. But the whole day was beautiful. We first traversed the mountainside, getting a birds-eye view of the valley we hiked the day before. Then, we hiked down through grassy pastures and small alp farms selling cheese, before climbing back up the mountainside (some steep areas secured with chains). We decided to detour out to the Wildhorn Hut for lunch, and got served a truly decadent käseschnitten that came out of the kitchen hot and bubbling, and was worth every extra step. And yes, we swam in the impossibly blue Iffigsee. It was icy cold and absolutely perfect.
The day’s hike ended with a descent through the beautiful Iffigtal, and ended at Iffigenalp. There’s a guesthouse here with a restaurant, and the perfect place to wait for the bus.
This route is more difficult than the day before. I think it is still manageable for beginners and kids with hiking experience, but the elevation gain, longer distance, and sections with chains mean you’ll want to take your time.
I loved this hike from start to finish. It’s also part of a multi-stage hut-to-hut hike called the “Tour du Wildhorn.” If these two days were any indication, I’m sure the full tour is amazing. And let this be a reminder: there’s so much more to see in the Bernese Oberland than just the Jungfrau region. If you are interested in doing something like this, but are a bit intimidated with all the planning, I’m happy to help! Check out my hike planning services here.
