The Mannlichen to Kleine Scheidegg Hike | Panorama Trail

The Jungfrau region offers some of the best hiking that the world has to offer. One of the most popular and iconic trails is the one from Mannlichen to Kleine Scheidegg. The hike has sweeping views of the Eiger, Monch, and Jungfrau mountain range as well as incredible views of the valley down to Grindelwald.

If you are around the area during your trip to Switzerland, believe me you will want to hike the Mannlichen to Kleine Scheidegg trail. This guide will go over everything you need to know to take part of the hike and what to expect along the way.

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1) Mannlichen – Kleine Scheidegg Trail Facts

Below are some helpful facts about the Mannlichen to Kleine Schedeigg Panorama Trail.

All you need to do to take part of the hike is make your way to the top of the Mannlichen cable car station and begin the trail from there. While you can do the hike in reverse, starting in Kleine Scheidegg, you will have your back to the best views.

That is why I would recommend starting from Mannlichen and making the walk towards Kleine Schedeigg. It is nearly flat hike all the way through, making it the perfect trail for anyone to take part of.

• Name: Panorama Trail
• Starting Point: Mannlichen
• Ending Point: Kleine Scheidegg
• Trail #: 33
• Duration: 90 minutes (one way)
• Distance: 3.5 miles / 5.6 KM (one way)
• Difficulty: Easy
• Open: June to October

For an a more in-depth view of the hike and everything you need to know about the trail, continue reading onwards

2) How to Get to Mannlichen

Before you can begin the hike, you first will need to get to its starting point located at Mannlichen.

And in order to get to Mannlichen you first will need to get to either Wengen or the Grindelwald Terminal (20 minute walk or quick train from Grindelwald).

• From Wengen: Take the Aerial Cableway (LWM) → departs every 20 minutes → 5 minute ride
• From Grindelwald Terminal: Take the Gondola Cableway (GGM) → departs constantly → 20 minute ride

Both the gondola and aerial cableway usually open end of May / beginning of June and close in mid October. They run from around 8:30AM to 5:00PM, depending on the time of year. Take a look below at the schedule and be sure to take a look at the Mannlichen website for the latest.

Note: If taking the cableway from Wengen, for a few extra CHF you can actually stand on top of the cablecar instead of standing inside.

Hiking Resources & Checklist

Before heading out for the trails, be sure to read up on some of the hiking resources up on the site. These are here to better prepare you for all types of outdoor adventure.

• Gear: Hiking Packing List
• Weather: How to Prepare for Hiking Weather
• Navigation: Hiking GPS & Navigation
• Tips: 20+ Hiking Tips & Tricks for the Trail
• Accommodation: Book Your Hotel Today
• Rental Car: Book Your Car Rental Today

3) Train & Cable Car Costs

While hiking the Mannlichen to Kleine Scheidegg trail is free, getting to the start of the trail is not (that is unless you also hike to the starting point).

Below are the costs from both Wengen and Grindelwald, as well as options to either hike both ways or hike one way and train back from Kleine Scheidegg.

From Wengen

Cost of the Aerial Cableway is 26 CHF one way / 52 CHF round trip (half off with either a Swiss Travel Pass or Half Fare Card – 13 CHF one way / 26 CHF round trip). The only reason to purchase a round trip here is if you plan to hike from Mannlichen to Kleine Schedeigg and then back to Mannlichen.

If you are not planning on hiking directly back from Kleine Scheidegg to Mannlichen you can also purchase a combo ticket for 55 CHF that includes a one way cable car ticket from Wengen to Mannlichen, and then a one way train ticket from Kleine Scheidegg to Wengen.

Price Recap

Here is the price recap for taking the cable car from Wengen to Mannlichen, and then the train from Kleine Scheidegg back to Wengen.

• Without Pass: 55 CHF
• With Swiss Travel Pass or Half Fare: 27.50 CHF

From Grindelwald Terminal:

Cost of the Gondola Cableway is 32 CHF one way / 64 CHF round trip (half off with a Swiss Travel Pass or Half Fare Card 16 CHF / 32 CHF).

Similar to above, if you are not planning on hiking directly back from Kleine Scheidegg to Mannlichen you can also purchase a combo ticket for 64 CHF that includes a one way cable car ticket from Grindelwald to Mannlichen, and then a one way train ticket from Kleine Scheidegg to Grindelwald.

Price Recap

Here is the price recap for taking the cable car from Grindelwald to Mannlichen, and then the train from Kleine Scheidegg back to Grindelwald.

• Without Pass: 64 CHF
• With Swiss Travel Pass or Half Fare: 32 CHF

Swiss Train Resources
Switzerland Train Overview: Train Travel in Switzerland
Travel Pass Choice: Swiss Travel Pass vs Half Fare Card
Purchase a Pass: Buy the Swiss Travel Pass Today

4) Trail Opening Times

The hike usually opens around early to mid June time period depending on snow coverage.

Once snow begins to fall later in the season they will close the trail down. To check the status of the trail take a look at the homepage of the Mannlichen site or contact the Wengen tourism team.

I would not recommend hiking the trail if it is not officially opened. There are avalanche dangers on the trail as it wraps around the side of a mountain.

When I was there in mid June, the trail had just recently opened and it seemed like they had a couple small bulldozers on the route clearing snow.

If the trail is closed maybe check out other hikes in the region like Bachalpsee Lake and the Murren to Gimmelwald Trail.

5) Mannlichen Webcams & Weather

You should also think about the weather on the particular day that you want to hike the Mannlichen to Kleine Scheidegg trail.

One of the highlights of the trail is to see the Alps out in front of you as you go along the route with the beautiful valley off to the side. If it is very cloudy and rainy, that can take away from the experience.

There are two ways to better understand the weather – a mountain forecast website like Meteoblue and the local Mannlichen webcams.

Instead of searching for the weather of Grindelwald or Wengen, you are better off checking the weather of higher up locations like Kleine Scheidegg. As you head up higher in elevation, the weather can be very different.

So before you go I would check the Kleine Scheidegg weather for the latest forecasts. Meteoblue is a great site that has more accurate readings for mountain weather, and you can better understand cloud coverage and hours of sun each day.

When you are set to actually head out on the hike or would like to just understand what the weather up by Mannlichen and Kleine Scheidegg looks like, you can rely on the webcams of the area. They give you a live shot of what the weather is and can better help you prepare for your time in the mountains.

→ Take a look at the Mannlichen and Kleine Scheidegg webcams to get a live view of the area and check out the Weather in Switzerland Guide that goes into more detail about both of these helpful tips.

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Hiking Packing List

In general when it comes to hiking, there are a few main aspects to consider. These includes clothing layers, hiking shoes, hydration & fuel, electronics, and other essentials.

Below in a breakdown of some of the top items, but be sure to check out the Hiking Packing List for a more comprehensive view.

Clothing Layers

Layering is going to be a top consideration when hiking. You will want to be prepared for all sorts of weather so you can be comfortable in different situations. Some items may include:

→ Hiking Shorts
→ Hiking Pants
→ Short Sleeve Shirt
→ Long Sleeve Shirt / Sun Hoodie
→ Mid Layer Fleece
→ Puff Jacket (not always needed)
→ Packable Rain Jacket (Columbia Watertight II)

Note that your layers should be made of moisture wicking material as they are breathable and quick drying.

Footwear

Having appropriate footwear will also be very important. You will want to have shoes with the necessary grip and support to keep you safe on the trail.

→ Hiking Shoes (Keen Targhee)
→ Hiking Socks (Darn Tough)

Other Essentials

Whether it is hiking gear, electronics, or just some miscellaneous items, here are some other essentials to bring along on hikes.

→ Hiking Backpack (Osprey Talon 22) & Rain Cover (Joy Walker Cover)
→ Hiking Poles (Black Diamond Trekking Poles)
→ Water Bottle (CamelBak Chute or Katadyn Filter Bottle)
→ Portable Charger (Anker PowerCore 5000mAh)
→ Action Camera (GoPro Hero)
→ Energy Bars & Snacks
→ Hat & Sunglasses
→ Sunscreen & Bug Spray

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6) Hiking the Mannlichen – Kleine Scheidegg Trail

The Mannlichen to Kleine Scheidegg trail begins right up top near the cableways. You will see yellow trail signs pointing you in the correct direction, and from there it is a pretty simple hike to follow.

As you continue along the trail that zig zags along the side of the mountain, you will see the Eiger, Monch and Jungfrau come into and out of focus throughout the duration of the hike.

To your left you will be able to take in the beauty of the green valley down to Grindelwald out in the distance. You are sure to also pass by views of lakes, streams, wildlife and potentially even some cows!

The path itself is well maintained with very little elevation gain or declines along the way, which makes it perfect for people of all ages.

There are also a few rest stops and benches on the trail so you can really relax and take it all in.

As you near the end of the hike you will start to see Kleine Scheidegg in the distance with a a few hotels & restaurants.

Once you reach Kleine Scheidegg you can eat and hang out for a bit in the area before either turning back to Mannlichen or taking the scenic train back down to Wengen or Grindelwald.

7) Royal Walk and Jungfraujoch

At the beginning and end of the trail there are some additional activities that you can take part of if you have the time.

The first is a short hike called the Royal Walk near Mannlichen and the second is heading all the way to Jungfraujoch for some of the best viewpoints in the area.

Royal Walk

Right when you get off the cableway in Mannlichen, instead of going directly to the Mannlichen to Kleine Scheidegg trail, you can head up the hill on the Royal Walk.

The trail takes about 30-45 minutes and is entirely uphill but you will get views of the Alps, Lauterbrunnen valley, and maybe even see some paragliders jumping off the mountain as well.

Once you reach the top and take in the views for a bit, you can head back down which should take much faster than the way up.

After you are back at the starting point you can head in the opposite direction to start the Mannlichen to Kleine Scheidegg hike.

» Learn more in the Mannlichen Royal Walk guide up on the site

Jungfraujoch

At the end of the trail in Kleine Scheidegg is where the Jungfraujoch – Top of Europe train departs from. If the weather is looking good, you have enough time, and Jungfraujoch is something you already had on your list of things to do, then this could be a good time to head up there.

Note that the round trip from Kleine Scheidegg can cost up to 156 CHF (117 CHF with Swiss Travel Pass / 78 CHF with Half Fare Card) depending on season.

8) Where to Stay in the Jungfrau

There are a lot of different options to where to stay around the area. The easiest spot will be Wengen followed by Grindelwald, the tourist hub would be Interlaken.

Or you could stay in nearby towns such as Lauterbrunnen or pick a hotel in Murren.

I put together a guide comparing the towns of Wengen, Murren and Grindelwald if you want some help deciding.

Some of my recommendations would be:

• Murren: Hotel Edelweiss Superior | Hotel Alpenruh
• Interlaken: Hotel Bellevue | Hotel Roessli | Balmers Hostel
• Wengen: Hotel Edelweiss | Hotel Baeren
• Grindelwald: Hotel Lauberhorn | Hotel Belvedere

With all that said, I hope you found this guide to the Mannlichen – Kleine Scheidegg hike useful. Feel free to comment or ask any questions below!

For more helpful info about the area check out the Switzerland itineraries and guides up on the site.

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