Breathtaking 15-waterfall hike near Adelboden-Lenk. From the Iffigfall, you walk via Alp Ritz to the wonderful karst waterfalls Siebenbrünnen and Simmenfälle.

Text and pictures by Marc Gottwald

• – At least 15 waterfalls, breathtaking hike in Adelboden-Lenk
• – At the Simmen Falls and Siebenbrünnen there are a few people at the weekend, but on the rest of the hike there are hardly any people.
• – Condition: medium; Technique: medium Duration: 4h
• – Starting point: Lenk, Iffigfall (bus station)
• – Destination: Lenk, Simmenfälle (bus station)
• – Short variant for families: From the Simmen Falls to the Siebenbrünnen and back (easy hike approx. 1.5-2 hours)

Probably the most beautiful hike near Adelboden-Lenk

You stand fascinated in front of the Iffigfall above Lenk in the Simmental. The power of nature and the sound of the water make you dream. How calming it is. It is a moment that you simply have to enjoy.

After a while you hike on, because you know there are at least another 15 waterfalls waiting for you.

Welcome to the 15-waterfall hike above Lenk in the Simmental. This is probably the most beautiful hike in Adelboden-Lenk.

Iffig Falls and the romantic Iffig Brook

The starting point is the Iffigfall in canton of Bern, which you can reach by public bus from Lenk. The best place to park your car is at the railway station in Lenk. Or you can just stay in a hotel. For wellness and gourmet lovers, I can recommend the Lenkerhof. Two of the restaurants have 16 and 13 Gault Millau points respectively.

But enough raving about the food, let’s start with our hike. Right at the beginning, you are rewarded for your journey. Overwhelmed, you stand in front of the Iffig Falls and enjoy this indescribable moment.

The water of the Iffig Falls, which falls from a height of almost 100 metres, comes from the Iffigbach. This continues to flow in the direction of Lenk.

After you have enjoyed your time at the Iffig Falls, you hike along this wildly romantic stream in the direction of Iffigenalp. Again and again you will be surprised by beautiful smaller waterfalls.

As soon as you leave the stream, you walk along the road for about 3-5 minutes until you see a signpost. Here you turn left in the direction of Simmenfälle/Alp Ritz and cross a bridge after about 200 metres.

A first restaurant on this Lenk hike

If you are already hungry, it is worthwhile to hike the few hundred metres further in the direction of Iffigenalp. A traditional restaurant called “Iffigenalp” awaits you there. Salads, cheese slices, soups, roasties or meat and vegetarian dishes are served with much love. The Iffigenalp is not only a restaurant, but also a hotel.

And now comes the most strenuous part of this “Lenk hike”.

The climb to Alp Ritz and on to Langermatte is about 400 metres in altitude. Yes, it is strenuous, I know. But after you have mastered it with flying colours, an incredible alpine panorama of the surrounding mountains awaits you. The contrast between the bright green meadows and the stone-grey rocks is unbelievably beautiful.

On the way, you come across a very special bench in a place with a breathtaking panoramic view. Who would you most like to enjoy the moment with?

Siebenbrünne – place of power and one of the most beautiful waterfalls

Wherever you go up, you also go down. In a rather steep descent, you hike for about an hour with the most beautiful view of various waterfalls and a breathtaking mountain panorama over the “Adelboden Lenk” region to the Siebenbrünnen.

Like in a magic show, the water suddenly emerges from the rock. It is a karst waterfall, which means that the water is channelled underground through the chalky rock massif until it emerges.

The place is so magical that it is definitely worth planning enough time here. It is a place of peace and relaxation and at the same time one of the most beautiful waterfalls in Switzerland.

If you’ve never been to the Siebenbrünnen or Lenk im Simmental in general, you must put this on your to-do list.

We did the hike on a Sunday in beautiful weather. Around 4 pm there were only a few people here. They all enjoyed the unique place of power near Lenk.

Simmen Falls – the waterfalls in Lenk

Now it’s time to get back to Lenk in the Simmental. The hike takes about an hour. But this stretch is quite something, because on the way to the Simmen Falls you will repeatedly encounter waterfalls that roar down the valley. Simply breathtaking.

Unfortunately, there was an accident in July 2018 due to the rupture of a glacial lake that devastated the Simmen Falls. With us, they were closed off. Due to climate change, such catastrophes in the Alps are accelerated and therefore happen at faster intervals.

Tip: The “Simmenfälle” bus station is very hidden and can be found in the large car park of the Hotel Restaurant Simmenfälle. Those who love nature can also spend the night here in Lenk. This hotel and restaurant is particularly suitable for families, as there are also animals such as goats to marvel at.

Conclusion to the breathtaking waterfall hike near Lenk

The hike from Iffigenalp to the Siebenbrünnen and Simmen Falls is one of the most beautiful excursions in the “Adelboden Lenk” region. During the hike you will repeatedly come across waterfalls, so that in the end there will have been at least 15, if not many more.
If you want to eat something during the hike, you can stop off at the restaurant on Iffigenalp. After the hike, I can recommend the Simmenfälle restaurant or, for gourmet lovers, the Lenkerhof.