Bettmeralp: Glacier Views, Bettmersee and Hotels

Bettmeralp lies at 1,948 metres above sea level in the Swiss Alps Jungfrau-Aletsch UNESCO World Heritage Site. The location is particularly impressive at the accessible Bettmerhorn viewpoint: At 2,647 metres, it offers unobstructed views of the straight section and the large curve of the Great Aletsch Glacier. The viewpoint is 200 metres from the Bettmerhorn mountain station.

Nature

The accessible Bettmersee is also one of Bettmeralp’s prominent destinations. It is a ten-minute walk from the centre of Bettmeralp. Visitors can ride pedal boats on the lake. The mountain landscape, glacier views and lake thus lie between a high-altitude viewpoint and a destination in the nearby surroundings of the village. The two accessible destinations offer different focal points: At Bettmerhorn, the view is directed towards the Great Aletsch Glacier, while Bettmersee is a destination near the village centre. Pedal boating adds a specific activity on the water at the lake.

Winter and Trails

Bettmeralp is a car-free holiday resort with a skiing and hiking area. The Waldpromenade is an easy, 5.24-kilometre circular trail for winter hikes. The easy winter hike begins at the mountain station of the Bettmeralp cable car. The route is designated as an easy circular trail. The Bachtla natural ice rink is also located near the Bachtla sports centre in Bettmeralp and can be used for ice skating. Thus, for the Waldpromenade, the starting point at the mountain station as well as its length, format and difficulty level are specified; the natural ice rink adds to this winter offering at another location described here.

Water, Play and Exercise

For active pursuits, Bettmeralp has a pump track that can be used free of charge and is part of the Raiffeisen Bike Park Aletsch. Gletschiland, an indoor playground, is located in the Bachtla sports centre in Bettmeralp. At Bettmersee, pedal boating complements the activities on the water.

Baschweri has six courses with four levels of difficulty. These include a children’s course for guests aged four and over, featuring rope bridges and ziplines between the trees. The municipality of Bettmeralp offers a wide range of leisure activities and is considered particularly family-friendly.

Culture

The Maria zum Schnee Chapel is part of the Grand Tour of Switzerland. Along the cultural learning trail, Aletscha and Aletschander, two Walser children, tell stories about life in the former village on nine information panels.

A guided goat trek takes place in the hiking area around Bettmeralp from June to September. At a leisurely pace, it lasts approximately three to four hours.

Getting There

Bettmeralp can only be reached by cable car. For the journey, there is a large-cabin cable car from the valley station and a shuttle cable car from the valley station via Betten Dorf. From the municipality of Bettmeralp, the centres of Brig and Visp can be reached by car and public transport in less than 30 minutes.

Other Places

You can also find further destination pages for Ferden, Raron, Grengiols, Steg, Unterbäch, Mörel, Blatten and Wiler (Lötschen).

To the higher-level travel overview: Raron.