Lauterbrunnen · Golden Season
Arguably the best month of all: stable weather, thinning crowds, turning larches, and the most beautiful marathon in the world running right through the valley.
42 km from Interlaken up through Lauterbrunnen and Wengen to the Eiger Glacier at 2,320 m. 4,000 runners, sells out yearly, 'the most beautiful marathon in the world.'
Official source →A glorious mostly-downhill classic through cliff-edge villages and cow country, ending at the valley floor cable car. Easy and outstanding.
Route details →From late September the larches and high meadows turn gold, making it one of the best windows of the year for photography. It is a quiet, connoisseur's season, the colour at its peak just before the lifts wind down for autumn.
An autumn shower suits a tour of Interlaken’s independent Rugenbräu brewery, founded 1866, the region’s beer, brewed between the lakes, with a tasting to finish.
More →Also in late September
As the cattle come down from the high pastures, two nearby villages hold their Chästeilet, the traditional sharing-out of the summer's alpine cheese. Both are free, authentic and deeply local, a real taste of valley life at the turn of the season.
27 September 2026 (village fair from the 26th)
The valley's big one, held on the Wengen ice rink. From 10am the cow-share dividends are handed out beside an impressive tower of around 1.3 tonnes of alpine cheese, with a gourmet market, traditional stone-throwing, alphorns and show cheesemaking. The festivities open the evening before with a village BBQ, live music and bar.
27 September 2026, 10:30 to 16:30
The intimate one, right beside the alpine dairy at Winteregg on the Mürren line, opposite the railway station. The summer's cheese yield is shared among the farmers alongside folk music and stands of regional alpine products.
Common questions
Yes, many consider it the best month. The summer crowds thin out, the weather is often stable and clear, the trails are still open, and from late September the larches turn gold. It blends good hiking conditions with quieter trails and lower prices than peak summer.
Mild and often settled, with comfortable days and cooler nights. Early September still feels like summer; by late month the air sharpens and the autumn colour arrives. It is one of the more reliable months for clear mountain views.
Very, late September in particular, when the larches and high meadows turn gold against the cliffs and waterfalls. With fewer people about and clearer light, it is a favourite window for landscape photography before the lifts wind down.
On the valley floor, steps from the trailheads and the village, the practical, best-value base whatever the season (and right by the winter ski shuttle).