Lauterbrunnen Valley
On Gingerguide's self-guided Interlaken audio tour, Lauterbrunnen Valley is a stop worth about ~75 min. Stand in front of it, press play for a short narrated story, and put any follow-up question to the built-in AI guide.
- Type nature
- Suggested visit ~75 min
- Interlaken Interlaken guide
About Lauterbrunnen Valley
A sheer-walled glacial valley south of Interlaken, famous for its many waterfalls, above all the Staubbach Falls that leap nearly 300 metres off the cliff by Lauterbrunnen village.
The Lauterbrunnen Valley, south of Interlaken, is one of the most dramatic glacial valleys in the Alps: a flat-floored, U-shaped trough walled by cliffs up to a thousand metres high, and so full of waterfalls that it is nicknamed the Valley of the 72 Waterfalls. The greatest is the Staubbach Falls, which drop nearly 300 metres in a single free leap from the cliff beside Lauterbrunnen village, one of the highest free-falling waterfalls in Switzerland.
The name Staubbach means 'dust creek', because the wind so often blows the thin ribbon of water into mist before it reaches the valley floor. The valley has inspired artists and writers for centuries: Goethe visited in 1779 and is said to have written a poem after seeing the falls, and J. R. R. Tolkien, who hiked here in 1911, is widely thought to have drawn on the valley for Rivendell. The upper valley is part of the UNESCO Jungfrau-Aletsch World Heritage Site.
Did you know? The sheer-walled, glacier-carved Lauterbrunnen Valley is so full of waterfalls that it is nicknamed the Valley of the 72 Waterfalls, a count from the local tourist office.
How much time do you need at Lauterbrunnen Valley?
Around ~75 min works well for Lauterbrunnen Valley — time to look properly and listen to its story on the spot. Linger if you like; nothing on a self-guided walk is on a clock.
Should you stop at Lauterbrunnen Valley?
Yes — Lauterbrunnen Valley made the cut as one of 13 places the Gingerguide team researched and narrated across Interlaken. The story tells you why it is worth the stop, and the AI guide fills in anything you still wonder.
Nearby stops in Interlaken
Day 2 of the Interlaken in 2 days itinerary →
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Hear the story of Lauterbrunnen Valley
Preview the Interlaken tour free in the Gingerguide app.