Trümmelbach Falls, inside the mountain

What it is

The Trümmelbach Falls are ten glacier waterfalls that plunge inside the mountain, in gorges and tunnels carved by the torrent itself in the rock. They are in the Lauterbrunnen valley, about 3 km from the village towards Stechelberg. The water comes from the glaciers of the Eiger, the Mönch and the Jungfrau: the catchment is 24 km², up to half of it covered with snow and ice, and on the days of heaviest melt up to 20,000 litres a second come down.

It is not a waterfall you look at from a distance, but a visit to the inside of the rock: you hear the water before you see it, you feel the vibration in the railings and the damp, cold air on your face.

What you see and what the visit is like

A lift installed in a tunnel takes you up inside the mountain to the intermediate falls. From there you continue on foot up stairs, walkways and lit galleries that go up and down beside the different falls, sometimes with the water a couple of metres away. At the end of the route you walk down another flight of stairs to the exit.

It is a route with many steps, wet in places and very noisy. Allow an hour, a little more if you stop at every fall.

Times and season

It opens from early April to early November, every day from 9:00 to 17:00. In July and August it extends its hours, from 8:30 to 18:00. Out of season, from November to March, it is closed. The exact dates change each year with the weather: check the official website before going, especially at the start and end of the season.

Tickets and price

Admission costs CHF 18 for adults and CHF 8 for children. You pay at the ticket office at the entrance: there is no advance sale.

Rules and minimum age

For safety, children under 4 and dogs are not admitted. The stairs and the noise make it unsuitable for people with reduced mobility or with a pushchair.

How to get there

From Lauterbrunnen station, take the bus towards Stechelberg and get off at the falls stop. By car, follow the road along the valley floor towards Stechelberg; the falls are about 3 km from Lauterbrunnen. On foot, from Lauterbrunnen there is a flat path along the valley floor, between meadows and the cliffs from which other waterfalls such as the Staubbach fall.

When to go

The best time is the full thaw, from June to August, when more water comes down and the spectacle is at its strongest. In April and October the flow is lower, but there are fewer people. Rainy days are good for this visit: inside the mountain you get wet anyway, and the water comes down more forcefully.

What to bring

A waterproof or a waterproof jacket, because in some stretches it splashes a lot, and footwear with a sole that grips on wet stone. It is cool inside all year: take a warm layer.

With children

From 4 years old it impresses them a lot, because of the noise and the water so close. Hold their hands on the stairs and in the galleries, which are wet.

Combine it

The falls are on the way to Stechelberg, where the cable car to the Schilthorn leaves. You can see the Trümmelbach in the morning and go up to the summit at midday, or the other way round.