As international travel is not an option for me in 2020, I have chosen to do staycations and domestic travelling throughout Switzerland for the rest of the year. My first outing took me to Lauterbrunnen Valley, the valley of 72 falls.

What is Lauterbrunnen Valley?

Lauterbrunnen Valley is in the Bern region of Switzerland and it is a trough valley surrounded by mountain peaks and rock faces. Two of the most famous falls in that region are: Trümmelbach Falls and Staubbach Falls. The image that you have conjured up in your mind of a Swiss valley in the Alps with the meadows and mountain inns, that is Lauterbrunnen Valley. Surrounding the valley are other touristic locations such as Jungfrau, Mürren, and the Lobhorn mountains.

Why did I choose to travel to Lauterbrunnen?

In my opinion as a non-Swiss, spending summers exploring the country is one of my favourite activities. I often describe Switzerland as two countries in one. In the winter, the snow brings the country to life and it has that Narnia-esque feel. Then the summer captures the beatiful place you see on postcards.

The Visit

TLC once said, “Don’t go chasing waterfalls. Please stick to the rivers and the lakes that you’re used to…” I had to ignore that advice and went after them…and they were beautiful.

It was quite a far journey from Lausanne but I arrived in 3 hours and spent the day there. If you are visiting Switzerland, I suggest getting a Swiss travel pass before you explore. It covers you for all modes of transportation across the country. As soon as I arrived to Lauterbrunnen, I took the bus to Trümmelbach Falls in the ‘Black Monk’ mountain. These are ten glacier waterfalls inside the mountain, the largest subterranean waterfalls in Europe and a UNESCO World Heritage site.

What To Wear

It costs 11 CHF to see these set of falls but the price was worth it! I did have to wear a mask in the lift up the mountain and in the mountain itself as there were quite a few people in one place. What I didn’t anticipate was that the temperature would drop once inside the mountain due to the pressure of the falls. I managed to keep myself warm with a cropped hoodie and a jeans jacket, but would suggest bringing a jacket or a warm fleece to keep yourself warmer.

Don’t go chasing waterfalls. Please stick to the rivers and the lakes that you’re used to…

TLC, Waterfalls

Once I left Trümmelbach Falls, I stopped over to their restaurant at the base of the mountain and then jumped on the bus to Staubbach Falls. Staubbach Falls is the touristic highlight in that region, it is a 40 minute walk away from Trümmelbach Falls but I didn’t want to get lost on the way. I hiked up and in the falls until I was underneath it. It looked amazing to see the view from that point. I forgot to bring my tripod and pointer with me but managed to prop my phone on my bottle and with the assistance of self-timer took a few shots.

I decided to walk back to the train station to start my three hour journey home and I was able to catch 39 mini-falls on the trek to the train station. It was really good to get outside after being cooped up inside for months. If you plan to visit Switzerland, I recommend adding this stop to your list.

Until next time,

Folakemi