Dreaming about snowy activity holidays to the Swiss Alps for the adventurous? Then this review of Lenk and Wengen winter adventures in Switzerland is well worth a read.
Looking out over the Lenk mountain tops is a stress buster, as your eye travels over the miles of peace-perfect pistes. Getting there via Swiss trains helped this relaxed feeling, travelling through the ice-clad landscape to our snowy retreat.
Review of Lenk Winter Adventures
British boarders and skiers are only just discovering this small Simmental sizzler. Lenk is the Bernese Highlands’ highest region (1,068 metres above sea level) taking shelter from the Wildstrubel Massif. And it’s at the end of the rail and road route, the ‘no through traffic’ also a welcome relief.
On our first evening the only sound was the sheer-drop Simmenfälle waterfall. It can also be heard from the Restaurant Simmenfälle, where we were fed a fine fondue. WiFi and mobiles aren’t welcome here, so more time to hear more about Lenk over our tasty treat.
Our guide shared the region’s many attractions, and the evening ended with songs around the crackling camp fire. Quite a retreat! Sharing our three-chord tunes would have little purpose, but here’s a little about this place to keep you on point.
Skiing and Snowboarding in Lenk
The smaller villages of Boltigen-Jaunpass, Erienbach, Oberwil, St. Stephan and Weissenburg-Därstetten are included in Lenk-Simmental. In total there’s 205km of groomed slopes.
Freestylers and boarders should head to the Gran Masta Park, where they’ll find a range of rails, kickers and other features. For beginners, it’s Betelberg, which also has a course for ski and snowboard cross.
The wide pistes at Metsch are good for improvers, and the link to Adelboden (over the Hahnenmoos Pass) is great for those skiing at speed. These don’t come much faster than World Cup skier Joana Hählen who grew up here, and is now proud to be Lenk’s brand ambassador.
Skinny ski fans will also have a blast with 60kms of cross-country, including a 5km track on the high altitude Betelberg trail. As winter adventures in Switzerland go there is plenty to choose from!
My Skiing and Hiking in Lenk
I tried the Metsch slopes the next morning, wallowing in great skiing and eye-popping scenery. It was March, and the snow was still good – a big benefit of Switzerland’s long seasons. There’s never enough time in great powder, but there was more to race off to.
The Betelberg also has a 9km toboggan run, which my friends were soon whizzing down. I chose terra firma and hit the high Alpine Gryden’s 7.5km circular hiking trail.
It’s a visual rollercoaster with dramatic rock craters contrasting the rolling Alpine scenery and panoramic mountain peaks. The hike starts and ends at the Leiterli Mountain Station… and that was also our lunch stop.
The Berghaus Leiterli Restaurant serves the best of fresh Swiss mountain food, from Älplermagronen (mountain cheese pasta) to fruit tarte, rosti, salads and warming soups. There’s also winter wonderland vistas out over the Wildstrubel massif.
History of Lenk Winter Adventures in Switzerland
The area’s been attracting folk for centuries, with archaeology finds at the Schnidejoch Pass dating to around 4,500BC.
More recently (well, in the past 350 years), the region’s powerful mineral springs have also been pulling the punters…and us…a small British minority…
Swiss guests make up 95% of Lenk’s visitor numbers thanks to its warm welcome and authentic village feel. Then there’s the sporting opportunities and many annual options, from ski and board competitions to snow sport shows and fireworks.
Review of Hotel Lenkeerhof
You can camp here, or check into a five-star hotel as there’s beds a plenty. We chose luxury, with a stay at the Hotel Lenkerhof. It’s a gourmet spa ‘palace’ … with plenty of pampering.
The views were fantastic and the menu worth flexing your plastic at, all run by a friendly, helpful crew. The first tourists helped found Hotel Lenkerhof, and it’s flavoured with this rich history, yet fine tuned with contemporary comfort.
Its spa soothed mountain-strained muscles meek again, while the tastes of the Gault Millau award-winning food at Restaurant Spettacolo, will stay with more for a long time.
Lenk’s list of future opportunities were still winking, with biathlon, bouldering, bowling, fat biking, indoor climbing, paragliding, riding, snowshoeing, swimming all waiting to explore. But we were on a two-centre trip and the train was a callin’.
Review of Wengen Winter Adventures
It was just two and a half hours from Lenk to Wengen, leaving the highlands for the Oberland. And getting there – a mini adventure, departing from the fast train at Lauterbrunnen to join the cog-wheel ‘express’.
Chugging steadily up the steep, icy valley I felt Narnia calling: Mr Tumnus wasn’t waiting, but there was another magical mountain retreat.
Car free Wengen is wrapped around by ‘must have’ Insta’ vistas, and when we arrived it was swooshed in a swirling cloud.
Skiing and Snowboarding in Wengen
We lost no time setting out on the mountain, as there were 100 kms of groomed piste with our names on. And the powder snow kept us happy, despite the sometimes challenging cloud.
A longer trip, and we’d have explored the 200 kms of piste in the Jungfrau region. As it was, we took time to find out more about our current ‘home’.
Wengen hosts the annual Lauberhorn Downhill Ski Race – famed for being the longest on the FIS Ski World Cup circuit… and very challenging!
It’s also at the foot of the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau mountains, so a knockout, whether you’re competing or scenery seeking. And you don’t have to be fit to get to the heart of the mountain.
Jungfrau: Home of Winter Adventures in Switzerland
We rejoined the Jungfraubahn railway and travelled on up to Europe’s highest train station (3,454 meters) at the summit. It’s now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, where you can see the Aletsch Glacier from its viewing platform.
Head to the Ice Palace for further frozen fun – you’ll find yourself inside the glacier’s blue/white corridors which house a gallery of ice sculptures. We dined at the Crystal Restaurant, a food heaven of Swiss and international cuisine served with a fine wine selection.
There were also super views, with floor to ceiling windows showing off the ever-changing mountains. At some points it was peaky blinders – our view being simply white cloud. Our trip to the top was memory making, and on another jolly, we learnt a very different way to get down.
Unique Adventure: The Velogemel
The locals have a unique mode of transport, the Velogemel.
The Velogemel, which was invented by a postman, 100 years back, to ease his winter travels. It’s bike like with a wooden frame and handlebars BUT wheels are replaced by runners for a roaring white-knuckle slip.
You break with your feet, using your legs for balance… and boy, are you relieved when this run is complete. Less hair raising sports such as bowling, curling, ice rinks and tobogganing are also offered in Wengen, but I needed some ‘no snow’ time and sought out our hotel.
Review of Grand Hotel Belvedere, Wengen
This was found in the 5-star Grand Hotel Belvedere a great place to come in from the snow. The hotel blends its original Art Nouveau features with contemporary Alpine comfort, wrapping you in a cosy top-end retreat.
Think restored frescoes and fine dining and an attentive, friendly staff service, and you’ll be on track. It made the visit complete.
The hotel was only partially open when we visited. Its spa was up and running but the hotel is now fully functioning, making it even more of a treat.
Wengen’s on a roll and I’m definitely returning. Winter adventures in Switzerland’s snow sure mountains will always be my main reason to travel there, but its historic hotels add extra sparkle to any trip.
Factbox for Hike route Winter Adventures in Switzerland
For more information on Switzerland, visit switzerland.com
SWISS connects Switzerland with the world, offering more than 160 weekly flights from London Heathrow, London City, Manchester, Birmingham and Edinburgh to Zurich or Geneva. One-way fares start from £76 to Zurich and from £54 to Geneva, and include all taxes, fees and surcharges, one piece of checked luggage weighing up to 23kg and one piece of hand luggage. SWISS are also happy to transport your first set of ski or snowboard equipment and boots free of charge in addition to your standard free baggage allowance subject to availability (excluding hand-luggage-only fares): swiss.com
The Swiss Travel Pass entitles you to unlimited travel in Switzerland by train, from October 2025 to March 31 2026. Receive an extra day’s free travel when you purchase a four-day pass, or an extra two days’ travel when you purchase an eight-day pass: www.swissrailways.com
