How to Reach Männlichen and Make the Most of Your Trip

When I discovered Switzerland years ago, I knew that it had truly stunning alpine scenery. But I never knew that it was more than just stunning. The moment I laid my eyes on the views of Lauterbrunnen in the Jungfrau Region, my expectations were surpassed. It was awe-inspiring.

What other travelers said was true: this place is a slice of heaven on earth! Amazingly, Lauterbrunnen is just one of the places in the Jungfrau Region that looks unreal. Another is Harder Kulm, an unmissable experience near Interlaken. However, the most panoramic of all is Männlichen. This peak, located in the heart of the Jungfrau Region, can be found just above Wengen.

An unobstructed view of the Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau awaits you there, as well as an overlooking view of the nearby lake (Lake Thun), villages (Lauterbrunnen, Grindelwald, Murren, Gimmelwald, etc.), and even waterfalls (Staubbachfalls). I believe the entire region of the Jungfrau Region is visible from the top. It is a scenery you’d not want to miss. So let me help you get there. I’ll share everything I know for you to make the most of your visit to Männlichen.

Be inspired to visit Mannlichen!

Tips for Your Visit

Before you go to Männlichen, it’s important to note a few things.

How Much Time is Needed There

First, the duration you might spend on Männlichen may range from a minimum of forty-five minutes to two hours if you’re visiting in total leisure mode. This approximation starts from the time you arrive at Männlichen by cable car from either Wengen or Grindelwald until the point you leave the mountain through another cable car ride or start hiking the panorama trail down to Klein Scheidegg.

• The forty-five-minute approximation involves a swift round trip hike to Mannlichen’s highest point from the jump-off point at either cable car station.
• Spending two hours would involve visiting the mountain’s highest point, dining at the mountain’s restaurant, chilling with kids on the playground, and perhaps people and cow watching.
• If you plan to stay longer than two hours, I can’t imagine what else you’d be doing in Männlichen, but perhaps taking photographs or simply savoring the moment as you take in the view of the entire Jungfrau Region.

That being said (30 minutes to 2 hour visit duration), if you’re going to Männlichen and you’re based outside the Jungfrau Region, it’s practical to plan to visit other attractions in the Jungfrau Region too. I would suggest spending the rest of the day in Grindelwald or Jungfraujoch, which has its train station at the end of the Panorama Trail in Kleine Scheidegg. If you’re coming on a day trip from Bern or Zurich, you can try Thun and Oberhofen Castle. Both are located along the way to the Jungfrau Region.

Check the Weather; Have a Backup Plan

Another important thing to remember is that you must have an alternative destination in place of Männlichen when the weather turns foggy or rainy. For instance, Trummelbachfalls and Iseltwald on the shores of Lake Brienz. You can also try the Saint Beatus Caves, which is one of the attractions around Lake Thun.

Wear Weather-Appropriate Clothes

Lastly, for the tips, bring warm clothing when going to Männlichen, even if it’s summer. The weather up in the mountains is typically colder compared to the city or lower elevations. Wear comfortable walking shoes too. As you may already know, there’s hiking involved in visiting Männlichen, especially if you want to make the most of your trip.

Different Ways To Get There

There are several ways to get to Männlichen. However, if you are coming from outside the Jungfrau region, you have to get to Interlaken first. Interlaken is the gateway and the main transportation hub in the Jungfrau region. After reaching Interlaken, you must get to Wengen or Grindelwald by train. They are the villages closest to Männlichen, where you can find the cable car stations and hiking trail’s jump-off sites to Männlichen. 

Interlaken to Wengen:

• 20-minute train to Lauterbrunnen from Interlaken (30-minute interval)
• 12-minute funicular to Wengen from Lauterbrunnen (1-hour interval)

Interlaken to Grindelwald:

• 35-minute train to Grindelwald from Interlaken (30-minute interval)

Public Transportation

Cable cars are the most convenient way to get to Männlichen. Using this public transportation, you can reach Männlichen as quick as 6 minutes from Wengen and 20 minutes if you are from Grindelwald.

You can book your tickets to Männlichen online from the official website of Männlichen for more convenience. But you can also purchase tickets from the stations in Wengen or Grindelwald. Whether you are buying tickets online or through the station, you have options on different ways to get to Männlichen and back to your village of origin.

There are round-trip tickets that let you start/end your Männlichen journey and have a stop at these specific places: Wengen, Kleine Scheidegg, Grindelwald, Alpigen, Holenstein, and Brandegg. For example, if you are based in Wengen:

• Wengen > Cable car > Männlichen > Cable car > Wengen
• Wengen > Cable car > Männlichen > Panorama Trail > Kleine Scheidegg > Train > Wengen
• Wengen > Cable car > Männlichen > Cable car > Grindelwald Terminal
• If you want to add Holenstein to your round-trip journey, you can try: Wengen > Cable car > Männlichen > Lieselotte Trail > Holenstein > Cable car > Männlichen > Cable car > Wengen.

On the other hand, if you are based in Grindelwald:

• Grindelwald Terminal > Cable car > Männlichen > Lieselotte Trail > Holenstein > Cable car > Grindelwald Terminal
• Grindelwald Terminal > Cable car > Männlichen > Panorama Trail > Kleine Scheidegg > Train > Grindelwald Grund
• Grindelwald Terminal > Cable car > Männlichen > Romantic Trail > Alpigen > Train > Grindelwald Grund

If you are from outside the Jungfrau Region (like Bern), maybe you are wondering, “which village would be the best jump-off location to get to Männlichen?” I would recommend Wengen over Grindelwald. Not only can you get to Männlichen much faster, but also, you see a rewarding view of Lauterbrunnen Valley from Wengen. Most importantly, you can try the Royal Ride (an upgraded cable car experience) from Wengen to Männlichen, which is so nice.

If you have a Swiss Travel Pass, you get a 50% discount for the Wengen-Männlichen Cable Car and Grindelwald Terminal-Mannlichen Cable Car rides. For Jungfrau Travel Pass holders, you can use these cableways and railways for free.

You can check the official website of Männlichen, linked at the end of this post, if you want to know the updated prices of the cable car tickets (with train ride ticket combinations). The complete reduction matrices indicated in the Fare Guides (PDF) are also found on their website.

Private Vehicle

If you are driving from other regions in Switzerland and want to see Männlichen, the quickest way to get to Männlichen is by taking the Interlaken-Lauterbrunnen-Wengen route.

However, you can only bring your car until Lauterbrunnen. Wengen is a traffic-less village; only public/accommodation service vehicles can use the roads in the village. In Lauterbrunnen, you can find a multi-story parking garage beside the train station, where you can park your car before heading to Wengen by train.

Once you arrive in Wengen, you can go to the cable car station (as mentioned previously) to send you straight to Männlichen.

Gemsenweg (Hiking Trail #45) — From Wengen to Männlichen

Hiking is another way you can get to Männlichen. And if you’re a sporty person, you can take the challenge to conquer yourself on your way to Männlichen by hiking Gemsenweg (Gemsen Trail).  Gemsenweg is the hiking trail linking Wengen and Männlichen which usually takes 2 to 3 hours to finish. Although you can find rewarding views from Gemsenweg, it can be really demanding, especially for newbies.

This hiking trail entails climbing a steep inclination (approximately 1000+ meters) over a short path. So, I don’t recommend it if you’re just getting started hiking.

Panoramaweg (Hiking Trail #33) — From Kleine Scheidegg to Männlichen (vice versa)

Gemsenweg is only one of the few hiking trails you can use to reach Männlichen. Another is Panoramaweg (Panorama Trail). It is the hiking trail that links Kleine Scheidegg and Männlichen. And you can hike it in less than 1 hour and 30 minutes.

Things To Do In Männlichen

How you can spend time in Männlichen is pretty straightforward as hiking (skiing during winter) and “relaxing” with a view. Taking in the ultimately panoramic views of the Jungfrau Region in all directions from Männlichen can already be a more-than-satisfying experience. However, you can do a few other things to make your visit to Männlichen even more worthwhile. I have five suggestions:

1. Royal Ride

Among the different ways you can get to Männlichen, the cable car from Wengen is the most exciting. It can be a one-of-a-kind experience, unmissable if you’re going to Männlichen from Wengen. The cable car ride from Wengen to Männlichen is a 6-minute journey. It is a short yet scenic cable car experience, letting you view the Lauterbrunnen valley from different angles as you ascend to new heights every minute.

For only an additional 5 CHF, you can upgrade your Wengen to Männlichen cable car journey to “Royal Ride.” On a Royal Ride, you can stand on a rooftop balcony of the cable car and take in the beautiful vistas all around you like a king or queen!

2. Royal Walk

Technically, you are already in Männlichen as soon as you arrive at the cable car station at the ridge. However, you aren’t at the summit yet, and you still have to do a short hike to get to Männlichen’s peak. They call the summit ‘Gipfel,’ which means ‘summit’ in direct translation from German to English. You should be able to quickly see it from the cable car stations. 

3. Berghaus Männlichen

Like most mountains in the Alps, Männlichen has a hotel and restaurant. If you want, you can dine at the alfresco seating for one memorable chillin’ time in the mountain. It’s the perfect way to cap off the Royal Walk – you’ll be sure to leave with your eyes and stomachs satisfied!

The food in Berghaus Männlichen is priced higher than the restaurants in the villages, but it is justified by the awe-inspiring views and mouth-watering appearance of the food they serve. For us Asians, Berghaus Männlichen has got us covered with their rice meals. There’s a huge selection of grub to choose from for everyone: pesto, pies, fries, steak, ice cream, bread, sausage, coffee, wine, and much more.

4. Panorama Trail

If you’re looking for an ultimately breathtaking hiking trail in the Jungfrau Region, the Panorama Trail, linking Männlichen and Kleine Scheidegg, is the one for you. It’s the second best thing to do in Männlichen, and I’m sure you’ll love it.

Hiking the Panorama Trail from Männlichen to Kleine Scheidegg is an awe-inspiring experience! You’ll have a view of the formidable north face of Eiger and the massive Jungfrau massif the whole way down. It’s a marvelous sight that will fill you with a sense of wonder. 

The downhill path is another advantage of hiking the Panorama Trail from Männlichen. It’s easy and relaxing! Overall, there is an approximately 160-meter elevation loss throughout its 4.5-kilometer length. If you hike the Panorama Trail from Männlichen, you can expect to crush it in two hours. I threw in a few short breaks and some photo ops, so that’s a pretty solid estimate.

5. Paragliding

Thinking it’s all relaxing and chilling in Männlichen? Not totally. You can make your Männlichen trip exhilarating. How? By paragliding! You can fly down the valley from Männlichen for a memorable and unique way of ending your Männlichen visit. You wouldn’t wonder anymore what do the birds see when they fly over the land that’s considered a piece of heaven on earth. 

Paragliding in Männlichen is only available for visitors ascending to Männlichen from Wengen. You can book a paragliding session at the valley station in Wengen. 

Resources

Männlichen is a totally different place when it is winter. There is no Royal Ride, and you can’t hike to the summit. However, there are tens of kilometers of pistes you can ski if you visit Männlichen during winter. You can check Männlichen’s website for more information. Below are the quick links to Männlichen’s cable ticket booking forms and the live camera to see what it’s like at the summit.

• Round Trip Tickets to Männlichen From Wengen
• Round Trip Tickets to Männlichen From Grindelwald 
• Männlichen Live View (Webcam)

If you’re planning a few days in Switzerland or the Jungfrau Region to visit Mannlichen and you’re still looking for a place to stay, I have a suggestion for you. Give my partner’s hotel booking platform a try. I believe they offer some of the best hotel deals in Europe. Plus, they have a map feature that makes it easy to find a hotel in your preferred location. Just so you know, this is an affiliate link. If you book your hotel through it, I earn a small commission which really helps me maintain this blog and create informative content like this. The best part? There’s no extra cost to you! So… thank you in advance for your support! 😊😊