# Lakes Thun and Brienz to the Grimsel Pass

> 3-day road trip of about 90 km (56 mi) with 9 stops, from Thun to Grimsel Pass. About 1 h 15 min of driving in total.

Source: https://camping-spirit.com/guides/b4-thun-brienz-grimsel/

**At a glance:** 3-day road trip of about 90 km (56 mi) with 9 stops, from Thun to Grimsel Pass. About 1 h 15 min of driving in total. Lakeside castles and caves, Giessbach’s cascades, the Aare Gorge and a granite pass high above the Haslital.

| | |
|---|---|
| Distance | 90 km (56 mi) |
| Driving | 1 h 15 min |
| Suggested days | 3 |
| Stops | 9 |
| Route | Thun → Grimsel Pass |
| Countries | Switzerland |
| Updated | July 25, 2026 |

## Route description

Thun, with its castle above the Aare, is the gateway to the Bernese Oberland. Follow the north shore of Lake Thun to Oberhofen, where the castle’s tower stands in the water, and on to the St. Beatus Caves above the lake, with the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau ahead.

Interlaken lies between the two lakes; skip it or stop for a stroll. Continue along Lake Brienz to Brienz, a wood-carving village, and take the narrow road to the Giessbach Falls, which tumble down fourteen steps to the lake.

At Meiringen, walk through the Aare Gorge and see the Reichenbach Falls, where Sherlock Holmes “died”. The town is also said to be where meringues were invented.

Road 6 then climbs the Haslital through Guttannen and past dams and granite slabs to the Grimsel Pass at 2,164 m, from where you can descend into the Valais or continue over the Furka. The pass is usually open from June to October; the road is wide and suitable for motorhomes.

## Stop-by-stop itinerary

1. **Thun** (Switzerland)
2. **Oberhofen Castle** (Oberhofen am Thunersee, Switzerland): A castle whose slender tower stands in Lake Thun, surrounded by a lakeside park. The tower against the Alps is the classic photo.
3. **St. Beatus Caves** (Beatenberg, Switzerland): Caves above Lake Thun where legend says St. Beatus drove out a dragon, with waterfalls at the entrance and lit halls inside. Parking is on the lake road below.
4. **Interlaken** (Switzerland)
5. **Brienz** (Switzerland)
6. **Giessbach Falls** (Brienz, Switzerland): Fourteen cascades tumble through the forest to Lake Brienz beside a grand old hotel, and a path leads behind one of them. The road from Brienz is narrow; the lake boat is the easy alternative.
7. **Meiringen** (Switzerland)
8. **Aare Gorge** (Meiringen, Switzerland): Walkways cling to the walls of a 1.4 km limestone gorge, barely a metre wide in places. A small train links the entrances at each end.
9. **Grimsel Pass** (Guttannen, Switzerland): A 2,164 m pass of polished granite and reservoirs between the Bernese Oberland and the Valais. The road is usually open from June to October.