Oeschinen Lake

Oeschinen Lake (Oeschinensee) is an alpine lake above the village of Kandersteg in the Bernese Oberland of Switzerland. The lake sits in a glacial cirque and is known for clear turquoise water set against steep mountain walls.

Visitors come for hiking, boating in summer and panoramic mountain views of peaks such as the Blüemlisalp. A cable car from Kandersteg plus a short walk brings most visitors to the lakeside and numerous trails radiate from the basin.

The lake lies at an alpine elevation of around 1,578 metres above sea level and is a popular day-trip destination from the Bernese Plateau. It is surrounded by marked mountain trails and alpine pastures used for grazing in summer.

Geographically Oeschinen Lake is set in the canton of Bern, roughly above the village of Kandersteg in a steep valley of the Bernese Alps; the nearest rail and road access point is Kandersteg village.

• Access: A cable car from Kandersteg provides the quickest access, followed by a short walk to the lakeshore; the area is a launch point for multi-day alpine hikes and via ferrata routes.
• Seasonal conditions: Sits at high altitude and typically remains cool into summer; the lake freezes in winter and ice can persist into late spring at higher elevations.