Superb View Hike from Käserstatt to Gibel in the Hasliberg Region

Sunday July 12, 2026 -- We made another good choice today in going south of the Brünig Pass to the large recreation area of Hasliberg, where we hadn't been for quite some time now. The region offers lots of activities especially for families, both in summer and winter, and the entire hillside is accessed by a variety of cable-cars, most of which we have not yet tried out. (The most recent time we were here was when we hiked over the peaks from Melchsee-Frutt to the north in August of 2023). 

This time we rode a cable-car to a mountain station called Käserstatt, from where there is an easy high trail across the Balisalp moorlands to a look-out spot called Gibel. Along the way, you get some good views of the Hasli Valley below, all the way to the Trift Glacier, to the famous Eiger-Mönch and Wetterhorn peaks to the south, Lake Brienz to the west, although not nearly as clear as the day before. But once we got to the summit of the small Gibel peak (which was the main goal of this hike), the entire area of Canton Nidwalden opened up to the north, a view totally worth coming for.

Instead of returning to the Käserstatt gondola cable-car (which is what most other hikers do), we descended back to the base station of that cable-car, where we started this day's excursion, because from there we can take the bus back to Brünig Pass and ultimately a two-hour trip back home. 

Leaving home again early (6:10) for the total 2½-hour trip, we are enjoying the morning light as the Luzern-Interlaken Panorama Express train makes its way past the town of Giswil to the Brünig Pass. 

From the Brünig Pass, we took a bus to the base station of the Twing-Käserstatt Gondola. We got here at 8:20, but the boarding time for the first run was at 8:30, so we had to wait a bit.

On our way up now at 8:35 over the roofs of Wasserwendi, which we walked through on our way back down to the cable-car station (for the bus back to the Brünig Pass). First views down the Hasli Valley to Lake Brienz in the west. 

When you step out of the cable-car station at the top, you are right at the fairly newly-built restaurant! (2020). We got here at 8:45, so about a 10-minute ride. 

One of several cable-ways here in Hasliberg.  

View down into the Hasli Valley from the summit station at Käserstatt. Straight ahead are the recognizable peaks of Mt. Wetterhorn, Mt. Mönch, and the Eiger North Wall, which are the main mountains at Grindelwald. (We are now in Canton Bern, in the Bernese Oberland). 

Fantastic views south into the higher peaks of the Bernese Oberland. 

Getting on our way at a leisurely pace, we pass the start of a children's themed trail called the "Muggestutz", a dwarf-themed trail which we then walked along on our way back down. We were on our way by 9 a.m. 

Looking back at the facilities of the Käserstatt summit station.

Starting at 9 a.m. at the Käserstatt summit station, we reached Gibel at 10:15, and after a break descended back down via Wasserwendi to the bus at the base station, which we reached at 1:15 p.m. (Plenty of time for the 13:31 bus, which was four minutes late). 

Down below on the high plateau is a smattering of buildings called Vordere Stafel. Families with children descended directly to there. We continued on the high trail with views of Lake Brienz etc. (Although the view was not as clear as the hike the day before). 

A nice and easy trail across the Balisalp Moorlands. 

Urs always makes a detour around any cows we encounter near the trail, and they look at him in confusion.... 

We are headed up to the summit called Gibel, which we reached at 10:15, i.e. an hour and 15 minutes after starting on this hike. 

View to the southeast, over the buildings we are passing through later on our way back down. 

Close-up view of the Eiger North Face. 

We had taken a break on this bench, but then that group of hikers showed up and simply stood around chatting instead of walking on, so we left. We figured they really wanted the bench! The view is to the far southeast (past the Planplatten summit station, also one of Hasliberg's cable-cars we have not yet tried out) all the way to the Trift Glacier and the Stein Glacier near the Susten Pass. 

A kestrel hanging in midair before swooping down to catch its prey.

Now the view opens up to the north... at the very far back we can see Mt. Pilatus, and on the far right is the geographical center of Switzerland. 

Final stretch! This was an easy walk and not a difficult ascent. 

Directly to the south is the Reichenbach Valley, part of the Via Alpina trail from Meiringen to Grindelwald, and the site of that Instagram Foto which all tourists want to have. The Glacier is called the Rosenlaui Glacier, and we hiked up near that (via the Rosenlaui Gorge) in September 2022.

At 10:15 we were at the summit... obviously a popular goal for this early Sunday morning!

From here you can walk back down to the Brünig Pass or to Lungern, a hike I wouldn't mind doing some time!

Slightly down from the summit we found a nice spot for a break and to enjoy the view, but a group of young men arrived and they were smoking!!!! (I will never understand the need to smoke while up in the mountains, plus they simply drop the butts into the grass here). So we left fairly quickly. 

Admiring how far we have come! (Having started at the arrow). 

Also interesting for us is the view of the massif which we had crossed on that August 2023 hike from Melchsee-Frutt to Hasliberg via the Hochstollen peak. 

Continuing on our hike westward after not even 15 minutes at the summit (because of the cigarette smoke). From here we have more great views of Lake Brienz and Mt. Brienzer Rothorn (the highest peak on the right). The Brienzer Rothorn range separates Canton Bern (in the south) with Canton Obwalden and Luzern.

Down below us is the Brünig Pass (not visible). Canton Bern on the left, Canton Obwalden on the right. 

From up here we get a good clear view of Lake Lungern, which is north of the Brünig Pass. Just recently we did a hike in the mountains on the west side of this lake, descending to lake level with the Turren cable car (on the left side of the photo). 

Close-up view of the Giswilerstock Massif on the west side of Lungern. We have done three hikes in that region, most recently in June 2026 (the further line), and twice before passing over the nearer Pass. (August 2025 and August 2019). 

The trail loops around the Gibel Peak, with views again of Mt.Wetterhorn and the Rosenlaui Glacier to the south. 

More views to Lake Brienz and the region of the Brünig Pass below us. 

Those hikers are getting pretty close to the vertical drop there!

Peek down in the direction of the Brünig pass through a cleft.... and lovely meadow flowers. 

The group of boys who were smoking took a shortcut from the summit of Gibel to here, and beat us to the view benches. Otherwise we would have taken a break here. 

View from the side of the benches. 

Instead of taking another break, we just started down on our descent. At the arrow at the far back is where we started, and the houses at the other arrow are the alpine pastures called Vordere Stafel, which is where we are now headed. 

Interesting mountain cabin!

By 11:30 we had reached the first buildings of the Vordere Stafel at Balisalp. Up till now the air temperature had been comfortable enough, but by now it was starting to get a bit warm! On the left along the road is a water trough, and I am looking forward to some ice-cold mountain water!

Another close-up look at the Jungfrau region, with Mt. Mönch as the predominant peak from this viewpoint. 

Cute little mountain cabins up here. 

A friend who had recently done a hike here (descending directly from Käserstatt to Unter/Vorder Stafel) sent me this information she had photographed along the way (we did not pass the same way): Apparently, Balisalp, at 460 hectares, is the largest alpine pasture in the Hasliberg region. In summer, a total of about 400 animals are kept up here, mostly milk cows and heifers. From mid-June, the cows spend 6 weeks here at the "Unter Stafel" and then they move to higher pastures near Käserstatt (Oberstafel) for another four weeks. 

We found a bench in the shade across from this little cabin. According to the information my friend had provided, there are cabins up here where cheese is stored, and apparently you can look inside and taste the cheese (???). This looks like it could be one of those cheese storage buildings, but it sure did not look like it invited us to peek inside! 

From our vantage point on the bench in the shade, we saw further ahead a small house which looked like it was of interest to the children walking past. 

Speaking of children, I am always impressed at the little hikers with their hiking boots and backpacks!

When there are self-serve shops such as this one here, Urs likes to buy cold drinks. Sometimes we also buy cheese, but on hot days the cheese "sweats" fat in its package before we get home! (Unless we eat it right away). Side note: It was next to the cabin on the right that we had our picnic break, and it looks like our bench is once again occupied!

Heading on now at 11:50, we do have a quick look into the little house we saw earlier: It is a mini version of a mountain cabin where cheese is made over an open fire! This is probably one of the many highlights of the Muggenstutz Dwarf Trail. 

A look behind us as we descend now past the Balisalp Restaurant (which for some reason is currently closed... the owners probably need vacation too) and then on to a nice cool forest path. 

Before leaving the cool of the forest, we rested for a bit on a bench in the shade and watched the fearless kids whip down the road on the trotti bikes. They stopped here to wait for a grown-up, who, in their opinion, was taking much too long coming down the hill! (In fact, we saw her pass as well, and she really was slow). 

Down below us, our trail continues through that meadow, but first a detour to the west. 

Another view down to the bottom of the Haslital, and to where the Aare River enters Lake Brienz. In the center at the back, and part of the Brienzer Rothorn Range, is Mt.Augstmatthorn, a peak we summitted in July 2024, and in the meantime a very popular excursion goal for tourists, who do the total six-hour hike from Harder Kulm (which we did NOT do). 

This is the meadow trail we saw from further up!

Now we are back below the Twing-Käserstatt Gondola Line, and the final descent through Wasserwendi. 

Nice chalet-style houses in the community of Wasserwendi. 

Nice chalet-style houses in the community of Wasserwendi. 

Nice chalet-style houses in the community of Wasserwendi. 

Nice chalet-style houses in the community of Wasserwendi. 

By 13:15 we were back at the base station of the Käserstatt cable-way. We waited in the shade at the station buildings for a while, before heading to the road for the 13:31 bus to the Brünig Pass. 

What our hike looks like on Google Satellite Maps. 

Thexe are all the hikes we have done in the region of Hasliberg. 

Even though the bus was running late, and an English-speaking tourist with her dog needed to buy a ticket for two stops from the bus driver (which took quite a long time), we fortunately got to the Hasliberg train station at 13:47, in time for the 13:51 train back to Luzern. 

The popular Luzern-Interlaken Express train pulls in to the Brünig train station, coming up from Meiringen and heading to Luzern. 

We have enjoyed this view of Lungern and the lake countless times over the past years, and in the meantime this has also become a favourite tourist stop on the Luzern-Interlaken trip. 

Location of Hasliberg and the Brünig Pass within Switzerland. 

Interesting side note: This photo, taken on our August 2023 hike from Melchsee-Frutt via Hochstollen, shows the range where we walked on this day, i.e on the other side of the crest to the Gibel summit.