First

First – Top of Adventure

In the village centre of Grindelwald, the First gondola valley station is the gateway to a mountain with lots of adventurous highlights. But also the viewpoint itself is well worth the trip!

First, the longest chairlift transformed into a gondola

1947 the Grindelwald-First chairlift opened. It was then the longest of its kind leading in 4 sections to the summit station at 2,165 m. The 2-seater chairs could be coupled to the cable, thus a relatively high speed was possible. In November 1991 the current 6-seater gondola was opened.

Because of the new gondolas, the capacity increased dramatically and the trip is much more comfortable now. After about 17 minutes the summit station is reached. From here there are several hikes possible. But at First (!) enjoy the beautiful panorama and discover wellknown and lesser known mountain peaks.

Another hike leads to the Grosse Scheidegg 1,962 m, a mountain pass just underneath the Wetterhorn 3,690 m, the famous mountain seen best from Grindelwald. From here a bus service runs to Grindelwald every hour during the summer season.

Wetterhorn, Schreckhorn and Finsteraarhorn seen from the Bachalp

For thrill seekers, a whole range of activities are possible.

The First Cliff Walk
The terrace rises 45 metres out into the void. In order to reach it, visitors must first climb to dizzying heights on the west side of the First summit.

First cliff walk, a perfect photo or selfie spot

First Glider and Flyer
On these thrills seeking devices passengers glide the 800-metre-long flight route at up to 83 km/h.

Mountain Cart and Scooter
Whether with 3 or just 2 wheels, in both cases the direction is given, down! Determine your own pace and enjoy the ride down from the Schreckfeld station (cart) or Bort station (scooter).

Highlight

The most popular trail undoubtedly is the 1 hour hike to the Bachalpsee (Lake Bachalp). This lake offers a perfect view of the high mountain peaks of the Schreckhorn 4,078 m, and the Finsteraarhorn 4,274 m. When enough time available and weather conditions are fine, a continuation to one of the oldest mountain hotels of Switzerland on the summit of the Faulhorn 2,680 m is a good choice. This hotel built in 1830 and can only be reached by foot.

Eating and drinking

At the summit station, the Berghaus surprises not only with Swiss classics and new creations. It also provides a fantastic view of the Alps of the Bernese Oberland with the imposing Eiger north face. Both the panorama and the menu are top. The products are as fresh as the air. Other restaurants are found at the Schreckfeld and Bort station.

Good to know

Because Grindelwald-First is an active destination, we recommend wearing hiking boots and good clothing so you can decide to spend some more time and do one of the hikes or attractions.

Duration of the trip

Included is some time at the restaurant for drinks or a meal. A bit longer based on the activities you choose.

The First gondola and the Wetterhorn