Küssnacht: Lakes, Hohle Gasse and Living Traditions

As a travel destination, Küssnacht brings together several distinct themes: its location on two lakes, local history, living traditions, and a seasonal winter experience. When planning a stay, you can choose your focus based on when you travel—for example, the annual Klausjagen, the Hohle Gasse, or a guided snowshoe tour on the Seebodenalp. Local history, traditions, and winter activities therefore appeal to different interests.

Lakes, landscape, and connections to Lucerne

Küssnacht lies mostly directly on Lake Küssnacht, the northern arm of Lake Lucerne, and on the southwestern shore of Lake Zug. The Rigi lies just within the municipality, along its southeastern boundary. At 1,797 m above sea level, Rigi Kulm is the highest point in the municipality. Lakes and mountain scenery are therefore among the area’s geographical features, without implying that the individual viewpoints or routes are one and the same.

Küssnacht is connected to Lucerne by the Lucerne–Immensee railway line, the Lake Lucerne Navigation Company, Main Road 2 via Seeburgstrasse and Luzernerstrasse, and the A4 motorway via Exit 36. Rail, boat, and road connections offer different ways to travel. The specific connections are particularly relevant if you would like to combine your stay with a visit to Lucerne.

Traditions with different rhythms

Küssnacht’s Klausjagen is an annual tradition celebrated in Küssnacht. The main procession takes place on 5 December at 8:15 p.m. in the village centre of Küssnacht am Rigi. If the date falls on a weekend, the usual schedule may be adjusted; check the exact arrangements before your trip. Sennenchilbi takes place during Carnival every six years. While Klausjagen returns annually, the longer interval between Sennenchilbi celebrations shapes the event’s scheduling. Check the exact dates for this event before your trip as well.

Local history museum and Hohle Gasse

The Küssnacht Local History Museum offers insight into life and history in the Küssnacht district. In various themed sections, it presents the development of the three villages. An audiovisual presentation focuses on the folk traditions of Klausjagen and Sennenchilbi. This gives you another way to encounter both traditions, placing them in the context of the district’s history and life.

The Hohle Gasse is associated with the legend that William Tell shot the bailiff Gessler there. The Hohle Gasse includes a pavilion with an information presentation that starts at the push of a button. A parallel path provides wheelchair users with access to the Hohle Gasse. As visitor facilities may change, check the current status of the path and information presentation before your visit.

Winter tour on the Seebodenalp

On the guided snowshoe tour on the Seebodenalp, the tour begins after the cable car ride from Küssnacht to the Seebodenalp. It follows untouched trails and passes through snow-covered forests. The tour is a seasonal winter offering, available from December to March; conditions depend on the weather. This makes it a different kind of experience to plan for than the recurring local traditions.

The tour also offers the opportunity to warm up over fondue in a cosy restaurant. As restaurant arrangements may change, check the details before your tour. This lets you assess the snowshoe tour in terms of its season, the weather, and the opportunity to stop for a meal, without conflating the guided excursion with other routes or activities.

Discover more destinations: Merlischachen, Immensee.

Go to the main travel overview: Küssnacht.