This section is dedicated to take away all your "I wish someone had told me that before I went!" experiences. This way, you are better prepared for what to expect, what not to expect and can spend less time settling in, and more time making new friends in your chosen hostel. We share our insider knowledge of tips, tricks and important things to look out for in Gimmelwald. To help you make friends with Gimmelwald before you visit, we've included a few helpful and fun things you should know about the area. Enjoy!
If you're looking for some of the most stunning sites imaginable, quick access to the outdoors, and some quiet revery away from the tourist crowds, then come to Gimmelwald. This quaint mountain town nestled away in the Swiss Alps will take your breath away. There's immediate access to a plethora of hiking and biking trails, with headquarters for extreme sports like BASE jumping, hang gliding, and bungee jumping just a quick tram ride away in Lauterbrunnen within the valley below.
There are only a few hostels in Gimmelwald from which to choose. Somehow the town got away with an avalanche code, which prohibits developers from descending in a similar fashion, even though there's informative signs detailing how the shield forests make avalanches extremely unlikely. Take advantage of this bureaucratic loophole and avoid the over-visited nearby towns like Murren or Grindelwald.
There's next to no shopping or similar amenities to be found other than maybe a local farmer selling homemade cheese or sausage. However, most Gimmelwald hostels offer a small restaurant or little grocery to buy a few snacks. If you're looking for foodstuffs to cook up in the hostel kitchens just take the cable car up to Murren, or better yet, enjoy a pristine hike on a paved road to get to the sister town in under thirty minutes without the cost.
Gimmelwald hostels are generally warm, friendly, but still a little expensive like the rest of Switzerland. Gimmelwald makes up for it with million dollar views, family-like hospitality, a complete absence of cars, and a calm solitude away from the tourist crowds befitting a relaxing vacation in the alps. Enjoy this piece of heaven anytime of year, but bring a coat! It can snow in the middle of June.
Written by local enthusiast for Gimmelwald hostels
Carlyle
