Lungern on Lake Lungern

Explore Lungern through a range of interests: Lake Lungern, routes between the village and the mountains, and historic paths and buildings. The specific details for individual destinations offer different points of reference for planning—for example, a hiking time and elevation gain for the old Brünig mule track, or a distance for the Lake Lungern circuit.

At Lake Lungern: circuit, lido and getting there

Lungern can be reached from Lucerne or Interlaken on the Luzern–Interlaken Express. As timetables can change, it is worth checking the connection for your travel date. Lake Lungern is just a few minutes’ walk from Lungern and Kaiserstuhl railway stations.

The “Lake Lungern Circuit” audio tour goes all the way around the lake. The route is flat and easy to walk. The Audiotour-Lungern app offers five tours for exploring Lungern, can be used offline, and is available in German, French and English. Another audio tour, “Village Circuit,” takes you through the Obsee district and to historic sites and buildings in the village.

The lido in Lungern has a protected area for non-swimmers. At the lido, you can rent pedal boats, stand-up paddleboards and kayaks. As equipment availability may change, check before your visit if necessary to see what is available.

Cycling tour or hike: different route details

The Lake Lungern circuit is an easy 9.42-kilometre cycling loop. It passes Dundelbach, a two-tier waterfall with national protected status. A route distance is provided for this tour; for the hike on the old Brünig mule track, elevation gain and duration are the key details. This lets you compare the two activities using different planning criteria.

The old Brünig mule track is signposted from Lungern railway station. The hike involves around 400 metres of elevation gain and takes two to three hours. Weather and trail maintenance can affect the duration and trail conditions. Notable features along the way include a well-known stone staircase, a largely preserved hollow-way and sections with old paving.

For another scenic route, a walking option goes around Finsterbüel towards the small hamlet of Breitenfeld. From there, views open up across the Lungern valley basin and as far as the Bernese Alps. In winter, three official, signposted snowshoe trails also run high above Lake Lungern. Whether they can be used during the season depends on snow conditions.

Mountain scenery around Lungern-Turren

Above Lungern, Höch Gumme is an excursion destination with a 360-degree panorama. The route passes alpine pastures, summit crosses and viewpoints. Turren offers views of the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau; the local recreation area is known for its natural, peaceful setting. These mountain destinations offer a different focus from the circuit by the lake or the trails through the village.

The Lungern-Turren area is in the canton of Obwalden at the Brünig Pass, on the route between Lucerne and Interlaken. The Lungern-Turren railway takes you to the Turren recreation area; a cable car transports bicycles uphill. The area has mountain bike descents along the mountain road to Lungern and via Dundelegg and Mörlialp. When comparing routes, you can choose between panoramas, walking options and mountain bike descents.

Churches, chapels and old paths

The neo-Gothic parish church of Lungern was consecrated in 1893. The previous church had been damaged in 1887 by a storm and debris from the Eibach stream. The stained-glass windows are by the artist Albert Schweri; the Calvary group was created by Beat Gasser. The Old Church Tower is the surviving late Romanesque bell tower of the former church complex. The first mention, in 1275, refers to the church building.

The chapels, too, tell different chapters of the village’s history. The Burgkapelle is first mentioned in 1537; the present-day chapel was built in 1883 and is dedicated to Brother Klaus. The village chapel dates from the 17th century. Only its masonry survived a fire in 1739. Its features include a door decorated with walnut-wood inlay and three late Gothic altar statues.

History can also be experienced along the paths: a section of the Chäppeliweg follows an old Roman road. Before the Brand forest clearing, an old staircase from the former Alpine crossing has been preserved. Finds from the Mesolithic, Bronze Age and Roman period have also been discovered in Lungern. Alongside the visible buildings, a stay here can therefore also focus on the various traces of settlement and earlier routes.

Discover more destinations: Alpnach, Giswil, Melchsee-Frutt, Kerns, Sarnen, Sachseln, Engelberg

For the broader travel overview: Obwalden.