Lakes & boats

A walk and boat ride by and on the unspoilt and romantic Lake Brienz

Walk along the idyllic lakeside trail from Iseltwald to the impressive Giessbach Falls. In combination with a boat ride on the shimmering blue-green Lake Brienz, this promises to be a perfect day out.

Start your excursion with a leisurely boat ride from Interlaken to Iseltwald, letting yourself be enchanted by the magical atmosphere along the way. Experience the Bernese Oberland in a calm, enjoyable and relaxed manner. Let your heart be gladdened by the turquoise waters of Lake Brienz, framed by imposing mountain peaks to create an incomparable natural backdrop.

The trail between Iseltwald and Giessbach is one of Switzerland’s most beautiful shoreline walks. The vast majority of it lies directly along the shores of the sparkling blue-green Lake Brienz, taking you through gnarled mountain forests to cosy swimming spots before finally bringing you to the world-famous Giessbach Falls and the legendary Art Nouveau Hotel Giessbach.

At the end of your walk, you can re-board the boat and let yourself be carried to Brienz or back to Interlaken.

Walking trail / shoreline trail

The starting point of your walk is the former fishing village of Iseltwald. The lakeside promenade begins where the lido ends, and this is also the start of the gravel path that leads you directly along the shore to Giessbach. The trail takes you through woodland and meadows, with many wonderful views of the lake along the way. After a good two hours, you will reach the lower section of the Giessbach Falls.

From Lake Giessbach, the boat will carry you to Brienz or back to Interlaken Ost.

Key figures

Route	Iseltwald–Glooten‒Giessbach
Distance	5.3 km
Elevation difference	584 m
Walking time	1 hour 30 minutes
Difficulty level	easy

Swimming

If you have your swimming outfit with you, you will find several idyllic bathing spots along the way. However, Lake Brienz only reaches pleasant swimming temperatures during the high summer on days with no breeze.