Gemmi Pass to Lämmerenhütte: The Best Hike in Leukerbad, Switzerland

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Looking for a breathtaking alpine hike in Switzerland that’s easy, accessible, and packed with stunning mountain views? The Gemmi Pass – Lämmerenhütte Trail in Leukerbad is a fantastic option.

This scenic route follows historic paths once used by traders and travelers, leading to the Lämmerenhütte (Lambs’ Hut), a mountain refuge surrounded by dramatic peaks and glaciers.

The biggest part of the hike is relatively easy, making it a great choice for anyone looking to experience stunning mountain landscapes without extreme elevation gain. That said, the final ascent to the hut is really steep and requires some scrambling, but you can decide on the spot whether to climb to the hut or loop back. Either way, it’s a rewarding short hike and a great addition to any Leukerbad itinerary.

In this guide, we cover everything you need to know about hiking the Gemmi Pass – Lämmerenhütte Trail, plus personal tips and photos from our experience.

Good to know: Leukerbad is a small mountain village in the Valais canton, near the Kandersteg-Goppenstein car train, which links the Bernese Oberland to southern Switzerland. It’s a nice – and lesser known – addition to any Switzerland road trip itinerary, especially if traveling to or from Zermatt.

PRO TIP: When booking your hotel in Leukerbad, check if they offer perks like free Gemmibahn cable car tickets (which you’ll need for this hike). We stayed at Hotel Viktoria-Leukerbad-Therme, and our stay included tickets to both the cable car and the thermal baths. Even better, the hotel has direct access to the baths, making it the perfect place to relax after a day of hiking!

Lammerenhutte hike from Gemmi Pass in Leukerbad Switzerland — Mountain scenery along the Lämmerenhütte trail

Gemmi Pass – Lämmeren Hut Hike Overview & Map

Total distance: ~9.3 km (+-4.6 km each way).
Duration: 3.5 hours (~1.5-2 hours each way).
Ascent/Descent: 460 m/ 460 m.
Starting/Ending Point: Gemmi Pass (2,322 m.), reachable via the Gemmi cable car from Leukerbad.
Highest Point: Lämmerenhütte (2,501 m).
Difficulty: Easy (most of the hike) to moderate (a steep 30-minute ascent to the hut).
Season: Summer (mid-June to mid-October). The hut is also open in winter, but this guide focuses on the summer season.
Facilities: Restaurants and bathroom facilities at Gemmi Pass and Lämmerenhütte.
Gear: Good hiking shoes are essential, and hiking poles are nice to have. Dress in layers – it can be windy and cold, even on a sunny summer’s day. Bring a small backpack, a water bottle, and some snacks.
Hike extensions:
- Lämmeren Glacier (+-2 hrs extra).
- Return via Daubensee (various – easy – options).
- Via Daubensee, it’s also possible to hike to Kandersteg (known for the stunning Oeschinen Lake), but it’s not ideal for a day hike. Getting back to Leukerbad requires a train and bus ride, taking at least two hours.

Gemmi Pass

Gemmi Pass, where this hike starts, can be reached by the Gemmibahn cable car from Leukerbad town. The ride offers stunning panoramic views of the surrounding mountains.

Once at the top, don’t rush to start the hike just yet. Instead, check out the panoramic restaurant with a terrace and viewing platform. It’s a nice place to get some drinks or lunch – before or after completing the hike.

TIP: Use the bathroom facilities here before you start the hike.

Gemmi Cable Car in Leukerbad Switzerland — Gemmi Cable Car in Leukerbad.

Gemmi Pass observation deck in Leukerbad Switzerland — Gemmi Pass observation deck.

Leukerbad, Switzerland - view from Gemmi cabke car — Leukerbad town as seen from Gemmi Pass.

Trail Description from Gemmi Pass to Lämmerenhütte

The hike begins at the Gemmi Pass cable car station. From here, follow the path to the left, and you’ll soon see signs for Lämmerensee (1 hour) and Lämmerenhütte (90 minutes) – this is the shortest and best route.

True to its name – Lämmerenhütte (Lambs’ Hut) and Lämmerensee (Lambs’ Lake) – we spotted some sheep grazing along the way.

Hiking signs at Gemmi Pass in Switzerland — Hiking signs at Gemmi Pass.

Lambs Hut hiking trail in Leukerbad Switzerland — The first part of the Lambs Hut hiking trail, and we already met some sheep with lambs ;).

The first section of the trail descends slightly. After about ten minutes, the path splits. The lower trail passes through a narrow tunnel, while the upper trail goes over a small hill.

It doesn’t matter which trail you choose, as they meet again on the other side, but the signs point to the left rather than through the tunnel. I think this is because the tunnel might be really wet, especially at the beginning of the summer.

Shortly after, you’ll reach a small dam, and from here on, you will walk next to a glacial river. When we hiked here in late August, there was still quite some snow along the trail here.

Tunnel on the Gemmi Pass Lammeren Hut hike in Leukerbad — On the first part of the trail, you can choose to walk through the tunnel (if dry) or follow the signs and take the path to the left.

Sheep with lambs on the Lammerenhutte (lambs hut) hike in Leukerbad Swizerland — We met many sheep and lambs on the Lambs Hut hike.

From here, the trail levels out and follows a glacier-fed river deep into the valley, leading toward the Wildstrubel Glacier. In the distance, you’ll already spot the Lämmeren Hut, framed by rugged peaks. This stretch is easy, scenic, and incredibly rewarding.

You’ll be walking along the right bank of the river, with the water on your right. Eventually, you’ll reach a series of bridges, and you’ll need to cross the river to reach the hut. You have two options:

First bridge leads past Lämmerensee (the small lake) before continuing to the hut.
Second bridge takes you directly to the Lämmeren Hut, with the option to visit the lake on the way back.

We recommend staying along the river longer and crossing at the second bridge. The views ahead are stunning, and this route lets you enjoy them for as long as possible before making your way to the hut. In terms of difficulty, there’s not much difference, but the views are better in this direction.

Lämmerenhütte hike from Gemmi Pass - Leukerbad, Switzerland — Lämmerenhütte trail from Gemmi Pass.

Mountain scenery on the Gemmi Pass hike to Lambs Hut - Leukerbad Switzerland — Mountain scenery along the way to the hut.

Bridge over a glacier river on a Gemmi Pass - Lammerenhut hike in Leukerbad — The second bridge toward the mountain hut and the view looking back in the direction of Gemmi Pass.

Swiss mountain landscape with yellow summer flowers at Gemmi Pass in Leukerbad — Mountain landscape with summer flowers.

No matter which route you take, you’ll end up at the base of the final ascent to Lämmeren Hut. This section is short but intense, with a steep, rocky climb that takes about 30 minutes.

If you’re looking for a relaxing hike, you might consider turning around here and looping back toward Lämmerensee. But if you’re up for a bit of adventurous Alpine hiking, the views from the top are absolutely worth it.

The ascent starts with zigzagging switchbacks, which don’t seem too bad at first. But soon, you’ll find yourself scrambling over rocks, gripping chains for support, and stopping to catch your breath every few steps. The steepest section, secured with chains, is really narrow and since this is a popular trail, expect to encounter hikers going both ways, which may slow you down.

If you decide to go for it, hiking poles can be helpful – especially for the descent. The climb is challenging but exhilarating, and reaching the hut feels like an incredible achievement.

Lammerenhut hike toward the glacier — Hiking toward the mountain hut and the glacier.

Hiking at Gemmi Pass in Switzerland — The last part of the trail – ascent to Lammeren Hut.

Lammerenboden - mountain valley view from Lammerenhutte hike — The views are well worth the climb.

Lammerenhutte hiking trail - steep final section to teh mountain hut — The final ascent toward the mountain hut.

Lämmerenhütte

Lämmeren Mountain Refuge at 2,501 meters, is the final point of this hike. There is a restaurant here and you can also use the bathroom facilities.

The scenery is spectacular, so be sure to take some time to soak up the views. We also saw some marmots and ibexes here.

Like everywhere in the Alps, the glaciers have been receding further and further every year. If you want to go all the way to the Wildstrubel Glacier (aka Lämmeren Glacier), you can extend the hike and continue further. According to the signs at the hut, the hike to the glacier takes at least 45 minutes one way. So you’ll need to allow an additional two hours for this detour.

We didn’t go to the glacier. After enjoying the views and having a picnic lunch, we headed back down the same way. The steep hike down to the river valley took us about 20 minutes (vs 30 minutes to go up). After that, the trail is mostly flat and really easy.

Good to know: The shortest hiking trail from Lammeren mountain hut back to Gemmi Pass takes at least 1h15, without any detours. More info further below.

Lammerenhutte mountain hut and glacier near Leukerbad in Switzerland — Lämmerenhütte.

Swiss mountains view from Lammerenhutte — View from Lämmerenhütte.

Lammerenhutte mountain hut near Leukerbad, Switzerland — Lämmerenhütte.

Challenging hiking trail at Lammerenhutte in Switzerland — What goes up goes down… You’ll have to do the most challenging part of the trail twice.

Lämmerensee

On the way back, you can take a slightly different route to visit Lämmerensee, a small alpine lake nestled in the valley.

Instead of crossing the river immediately, follow the path to the left toward the lake—you’ll see it from here, so there’s no risk of getting lost.

To be honest, the lake itself isn’t particularly remarkable, and it looks better from a distance. But since it’s right along the way back to Gemmi Pass, you can just as well take the route past the lake instead of going back the same way you came.

Lammerensee mountain lake near Leukerbad in Switzerland — Lämmerensee – a small mountain lake you can visit on the way back. In all honesty, it looks more beautiful from a distance.

Hiking at Gemmi Pass in Leukerbad Switzerland — Hiking toward the lake.

Return to Gemmi Pass

After leaving Lämmerensee, follow the left riverbank back toward Gemmi Pass. The first section is on wide, easy paths, allowing you to fully enjoy the scenery.

As you get closer to the river, the terrain may become more challenging, depending on water levels. For the most part, a clear path follows the river, but in some sections, you’ll need to choose between walking in the riverbed or scrambling over rocks.

Early in the summer, when the glacier river is higher, rock scrambling may be the only option.

Alpine hiking trail near a glacier river at Lammerenboden, Gemmiweg, Switzerland — The trail back follows the riverbed. You can see the buildings at Gemmi Pass in the distance.

Lammerenhut hiking trail next to a glacial river at Gemmi Pass — The white/red markers indicate the hiking trail. If the water levels are too high, hiking here could get more challenging.

As you get closer to Gemmi Pass, you have two options: take the shortest route back or make a detour toward Daubensee. The direct route involves a short uphill section but is much quicker than any other option. If you’re ready to wrap up your hike, this is the best way back.

If you choose to detour toward Daubensee – as we did – you’ll have the option to take a small cable car directly up to Gemmi Pass. However, this route is significantly longer, and you may need an extra ticket for the ride. Keep in mind that the cable car is tiny—if you’re in a larger group, you might have to wait for multiple trips to get everyone back up.

Another alternative is to hike all the way around Daubensee (+5.5 km). We did this on a separate occasion, and while it’s a nice walk if you have plenty of time, it’s not really worth the detour if you’re short on time. Instead, head back to Leukerbad and spend more time relaxing in the thermal baths—a much better reward after your hike!

Gemmi Pass and Daubensee lake in the Swiss Alps — Here, you can choose to go to the right and take the short uphill trail to Gemmi Pass or continue further toward Daubensee and take the cable car (this route is quite a lot longer than it looks at first sight).

Daubensee gondola at Gemmi Pass in Leukerbad Switzerland — If you take the longer route, you can take this small Daubensee gondola back to Gemmi Pass.

Hiking to Lämmeren Hut with Kids

Whether this hike is suitable for kids depends on their experience and endurance.

The first section of the trail, up to the base of the final ascent, is relatively easy and manageable for children around 5–6 years old. However, the climb to Lämmerenhütte is steep and strenuous, with exposed sections and ropes for support, making it challenging for younger hikers.

If you’re with small children, it’s best to turn back at this point or opt for a gentler hike around Daubensee. But if your kids are strong hikers and up for a challenge, you can give it a try and decide on the spot.

We did this hike with our three teenagers. They loved the first part, but in typical teen fashion, some of them found the climb to the hut unnecessary and said the views were just as good at the bottom. That said, difficulty wasn’t an issue for them—it’s just a matter of motivation.

Lammerenhutte hiking trail - steep section secured with metal ropes — This is the most challenging part of the trail. If your kids are too young for this, just loop back toward Gemmi Pass and skip the final ascent to the mountain hut.

Sheep on the Gemmi Pass Lammerenhut trail in Switzerland — There are so many sheep on this hike – kids will love it!

The Gemmi Pass – Lämmerenhütte hike is a fantastic way to experience Switzerland’s high-alpine landscapes without big crowds. With stunning views and an easy-to-follow trail, it’s a perfect hike to add to your Leukerbad itinerary.

TIP: Stay in Leukerbad for two nights and book a hotel as close to the Therme as possible. We stayed at Hotel Viktoria-Leukerbad-Therme, which had direct access to the pool area, and it was perfect.

If you are looking for more hiking inspiration for Switzerland, you can see some of our favorite trails highlighted below. For more travel inspiration, destination guides, and insider tips, check out our Switzerland travel guide!

Some of our favorite hikes in Switzerland:

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Gemmi Pass to Lammerenhutte Hike in Leukerbad Switzerland

Hiking trail from Gemmi Pass to Lammeren Hut in Leukerbad Switzerland

Jurga Rubinovaite

Jurga is the founder of Full Suitcase, one of the world’s leading family travel blogs with millions of readers. Her travel advice has been featured on CNN, BBC, and Lonely Planet. Since 2015, she has shared experience-based tips, destination guides, and trip advice to help travelers plan unforgettable trips with family and friends.
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