I would be lying if I said I didn't plan our Switzerland trip around this hike. The Panorama Trail is exactly what you would expect, panoramic views of the Lauterbrunnen Valley and the peaks of Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau.
Like any outdoor attraction in Switzerland, check the weather and trail conditions before heading out. Storms can damage the roads and they'll shut down the trail for maintenance. And this hike is best done with clear skies so you can see everything without being obstructed by clouds.
The trail is pretty easy if you're starting from Männlichen. 3 miles one-way with about a 650 ft. elevation loss. It's a pretty gradual loss so you shouldn't feel too much stress in your knees. It's also more scenic starting from Männlichen because you'll have the mountains in front of you the entire time.
To get to Männlichen, we took a cable car from Wengen. You can buy tickets beforehand or come earlier to snag a spot. A cool feature of this cable car is the "Royal Ride," which is the open-air rooftop of the cable car! There's only a max capacity of 10 people so make sure to book this ahead of time. How often can you say you've stood on an open-air cable car while it was zipping up to the mountains? The website only sells 6 tickets per time slot but if you go in person, you can actually buy more than 6, if available.
Right before the trail really begins, there's a restaurant along with a playground. It's probably built for kids but us adults were having a blast climbing the rock wall, going on the see-saw, and riding the swings. The hike itself was so beautiful and peaceful. Unfortunately, we had clouds covering the mountains but we at least got to see some beautiful wildflowers and green meadows. At the end of the trail, you can either hike back or take the train from Kleine Scheidegg.
Highly recommend because you get amazing views for very little effort! read more