Scenic Swiss Alps

Welcome to Hotel Steinmattli. Unpack and settle in.

These walks venture onto the high meadows of Tschentenalp above Adelboden, and both walks offer excellent views of the Engstligen valley, with Adelboden far below and the surrounding mountains, where many of the walks to be enjoyed later in the week, can be identified.

From Adelboden we take a long gondola ride of 3 miles to the upper station and restaurant at Sillerebühl, situated at an altitude of just under 2,000 metres. Now called the Vogellisi, or ‘Bird Lady Mountain’, from here we follow the famous flower trails to Hahnenmoos.

The broad grassy saddle at the Hahnenmoos pass is the historic route between Adelboden and the village of Lenk. The pass was once the site of a local festival where villagers from the two valleys met for trade and athletic contests.

Kandertal is the adjacent valley to Adelboden, just a few miles away as the crow flies. Both walks take a gondola and head to Oeschinensee, a picture-postcard mountain lake setting that changes colour from azure to emerald depending on the cloud cover. Today we will be surrounded by majestic mountains including Bluemlisalp, Fruenderhorn and Doldenhorn.

Each week there is a free day when no guided walks are offered. This is an ideal opportunity to relax around the hotel, walk independently or visit local places of interest. You may wish to use the efficient Swiss transport system to visit the attractive lakeside resorts of Interlaken, Thun or Spiez. Alternatively, you could hire a bike in Adelboden and cycle in the local area.

The impressive Engstligen Waterfall is one of the area’s most impressive sights and is clearly visible from the hotel balcony. The falls drop around 600 metres making them the second highest in Switzerland. Above the waterfalls is the Engstligenalp, a vast expanse of alpine flowers and pastures that was once an ancient glacial lake. The lofty summits and glaciers of the Wildstrubel surround this impressive hanging valley.

The Elsighorn is the northernmost significant summit on the high ridge that separates the Engstligen and Kander Valleys. We go to Elsigbach by minibus and take a cable car to the slopes above.

We hope to see you again soon.

Before booking, you should check with your doctor to see whether any health precautions are needed for your trip. Health advice and requirements can change, so we recommend doing this in good time before travel.

As a general rule, travellers should ensure they are up to date with routine UK vaccinations and boosters, including, for example, MMR and diphtheria, tetanus and polio. Some countries may require you to have specific vaccinations such as Malaria, Rabies and Yellow Fever. Please check with your GP if you are unsure.

Please note that the use or possession of some common prescription or over-the-counter medicines is restricted or banned in certain countries. If you will be carrying medication, you should check with the relevant embassy or consulate before travelling. As an extra precaution, we recommend keeping medication in its original packaging, carrying a copy of your prescription, and, where possible, asking your pharmacist to provide the medication name in the language of the country you are visiting.

For further country-specific health advice, visit www.fitfortravel.nhs.uk or www.traveldoctor.co.uk. If you are travelling from outside the UK, please consult your own doctor and check local entry requirements.

This information applies to travellers holding a full British Citizen passport. Entry requirements vary by destination and can change at short notice. For most EU and worldwide destinations, passports must be valid for the entire duration of your stay. Some countries also require a minimum period of validity remaining on your passport (often up to 6 months beyond your return date), even if you are not staying that long.
We strongly recommend ensuring your passport has at least six months’ validity remaining at the time of travel to avoid any issues.

If you hold a different type of British passport or a passport issued by another country, you must check the requirements with the relevant embassy, consulate, or official government website.