3.5 km downhill hike with a stunning alpine playground, 13 adventure stations along the way and a quest to uncover a secret word. No strollers.
Männlichen | Access from Wengen & Grindelwald (Canton of Bern, Switzerland).
The "it" factor
What makes it special:
Lieselotte playground
12 adventure stations along the way
Special quest to uncover 13 letters
Wood playground with treetops paths
What needs to be considered:
Can get crowded during holidays
Hike is 600m downhill - can get tiring for the feet and knees
No stroller
Don't feel like reading? Watch a video instead!
The fun factor
Grindelwald is a picturesque village near Interlaken and part of the Jungfrau region in the Bernese Oberland region of Switzerland. It is renowned for its stunning natural beauty, which we have experienced and can definitely confirm. It's truly postcard-perfect or, in the modern world, Instagram beautiful!
The most photographed and promoted adventure is the Grindelwald First Cliff Walk. This elevated viewing platform offers amazing views and many attractions for older kids (from 130 cm or 35 kg). However, access can be pricey, and attractions for younger kids are more limited.
If you are traveling with kids who can handle 3-4 km hikes, we recommend prioritizing a visit to Männlichen. It offers two family-friendly hikes, two playgrounds, and karaoke gondolas!
One of the hikes is the Lieselotte trail, which we absolutely loved. This trail is based on the famous character from Alexander Steffensmeier’s children books. The stories revolve around the humorous adventures of a curious cow named Lieselotte, who often gets into amusing situations and finds creative solutions. We really enjoyed how this interesting character and her friends are incorporated into the trail, making it fun for the whole family.
Note - this hike can also be accessed from Wengen.
The other hike is APPLE FRITTER TRAIL which we will cover in the future.
Here are our top 4 Fun Factors of Lieselotte Trail in Männlichen
1. Enjoy the alpine herdsman's playground
To start the hike, take the gondola to Männlichen, either from Grindelwald or Wengen (see practical info) which sits at an elevation of 2'227 meters. Upon arrival, you'll be greeted by a giant Lieselotte statue, surrounded by an Alpine Herdsman's Playground. Kids (and we have also seen many adults!) can enjoy swinging, spinning, wooden bowling, climbing, and sliding, all while taking in the breathtaking alpine views. Just next to the playground, there’s a Restaurant Berghaus Männlichen with a terrace that overlooks the play area, making it a perfect spot to relax and take in the beautiful scenery before you begin your hike.
2. Hit the adventure stations along the way
When you are done with the playground fun, you can hike down 3.5 km to the Holenstein middle station. Along the way, you will encounter 12 adventure stations with fun activities, all themed around Lieselotte stories from Alexander Steffensmeier’s books. The first (or last) station can be found at the Grindelwald terminal or at the Wengen valley station.
Some of the adventure stations are simpler, such as Lieselotte statues that you can watch or climb on, and Lieselotte houses you can explore. Others are more interactive, like bells you can ring or binoculars to investigate the surroundings. Some are more elaborate, like water shooting guns to shoot at wooden chickens, or a huge nest with a fork you can climb. These stations are located quite frequently along the hike, providing great encouragement for kids to keep going.
3. Embark on a special mission
The hike also includes a fun quest where you can earn a small prize. Pick up a free map at the ticket office and punch letters using special punchers located around the adventure stations, plus one at the bottom Grindelwald or Wengen station. If you punch all the letters, you can hand in the completed map at the sports shop to receive a prize. We didn't complete our quest as we lost our map just before the last adventure station—so here's a tip: keep an eye on yours! Despite this, we had a lot of fun doing the quest, and it added an extra layer of adventure to our hike.
4. Enjoy the wood playground
The hike concludes at the middle Station Holenstein, where you will find a wood playground. There are treetop paths, viewing platforms, slides, a zip line, and even Lieselotte's house. You can also enjoy a picnic and relax after the hike. Just note that there are no restaurants here, so be sure to bring your own food.
5. Ride a unique Karaoke gondola
If you are taking the gondola from Grindelwald, this hike also has a unique treat: two gondolas with Ricola karaoke cabins. You can't reserve them or track when they are coming— you just have to be lucky, like we were, to get them. Inside, there are two microphones and a selection of songs to sing your heart out. We, of course, started with "Let It Go" and moved on to classics like Oasis's "Wonderwall". Now, every time we take a gondola, our kid asks for the singing one!
The fitness factor
The hike is 3.5 km and can be walked in less than an hour, but with all the fun at the play stations plus a picnic break, it took us almost 3 hours. It descends about 600 meters, making it easier to walk initially, but the descent can impact your feet and knees over time. Despite this, the hike is manageable for kids who are comfortable walking over 3 km, as the play stations keep them motivated. Just ensure you plan enough time for breaks.
The path is safe and easy, but there are some downhill gravel sections and stones where you need to be careful. Be sure to bring shoes with good grip.
This hike is not suitable for strollers.
The views factor
The views are absolutely stunning. You start at an elevation of over 2'200 meters, where even in the summer you can see snow-covered peaks in the distance. As you walk down, if the weather allows, you'll see majestic mountains in the background surrounded by green forests. Depending on the season, parts of the trail are also covered in flowers, making it a beautiful and varied hike. We were in awe.
The food factor
The hike starts next to the Restaurant Berghaus Männlichen, which offers both served and self-service sections. Although we didn't try it this time, it looks good and has received positive reviews. You can check their menu here. There are no additional restaurants on the hike.
There are two dedicated picnic spots: one next to adventure station number 8 and another near the Wald Spielplatz at the end of the hike, next to the forest playground. We recommend bringing a picnic with you to enjoy at these spots.
The value factor
From Grindelwald -> Gondola access: Grindelwald Terminal – Männlichen | Hike: Männlichen – Holenstein | Gondola return: Holenstein - Grindelwald Terminal
Adults: 52 CHF | Kids (6 - 15): 26 CHF | Kids below 6: Free
Discounts: SBB Card: 50% | Local guest cards: 30%
From Wengen -> Gondola access: Wengen – Männlichen | Hike: Männlichen – Holenstein | Gondola return: Holenstein - Männlichen – Wengen
Adults: 76 CHF | Kids (6 - 15): 38 CHF | Kids below 6: Free
Discounts: SBB Card: 50% | Local guest cards: 30%
Liesellotte Trail in Männlichen | Practical info
From Grindelwald ->
Arrival by car: Parking address - Grundstrasse 54, 3818 Grindelwald
Arrival by public transport: Take the R61 from Interlaken Ost to Grindelwald Terminal train station. Check latest schedule for details.
Start & end:
Take the gondola from Grindelwald terminal to Männlichen (do not exit the gondola in Holenstein middle station)
Hike down from Männlichen to Holenstein
Take the gondola from Holenstein back to Grindelwald terminal.
There is a path you could take to walk down all the way to Grindelwald, but there are no adventure stations along the way. We decided to take the gondola down, as we felt this was enough of a walk, especially for the little legs.
From Wengen ->
Arrival by car: Parking address - Grundstrasse 54, 3818 Grindelwald
Arrival by public transport: Take the R62 train from Interlaken Ost to Lauterbrunnen. Change to 62 train to Wengen.
Start & end:
Take the gondola from Wengen to Männlichen (do not exit the gondola in Holenstein middle station)
Walk down to the Männlichen Herdsman playground
Hike down from Männlichen to Holenstein
Take the gondola from Holenstein back to Männlichen.
Walk to the other Männlichen gondola
Take the gondola down to Wengen
Stroller friendly: no
Duration: Half a day / Full day (depending on how much time you will spend on food and play). The hike itself, can be done in 1 hr, but wit all the adventures and fun stuff it took us 5 hours in total.
Length: 3.5 km one way
HIKE MAP
