Tour of lake Sanetsch - A high mountain little adventure for the whole family
🗺️ Overview
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Starting Point: Tiny cable car from Gsteig (Bern side)
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Highest Point: Hut above the lake (about 2,050m)
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Distance: 4 km (lake loop)
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Elevation Gain: ~50m
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Time: 1h10 walking time – we took 3h with a 4-year-old, picnic, swimming, and photo stops

Lake Sanetch is an artificial lake right at the border between Bern and Valais. Even though you cross over from the Bernese side, it is still French-speaking territory, and most people reach it from Sion by road (there’s even a bus). It’s a perfect place for panoramic picnics, whether by the river or along the lake shore, and you can even go for a swim – surprisingly “warm” for a lake at 2000m!
We, however, did not come by car. Instead, from the Bern side in Gsteig (which would take several hours by bus), there is a tiny cable car. Be aware: it’s really tiny, with just one cabin and a maximum capacity of 40 people per hour. If you arrive late, you will likely face a wait – we queued almost 40 minutes.
At the top, not even five minutes on foot brings you to the hut, which is surprisingly large for such an isolated place. But we didn’t stop – our plan was a picnic by the lake. Continuing downhill past the hut, you soon reach the lake shore near the dam. We turned left, where a cluster of rocks on the lake edge made for a scenic and peaceful picnic spot. We had lunch, dipped our feet in the water, and even scrambled on the rocks.
Afterwards, we started the tour of the lake. The path begins above the beach before continuing across grassy slopes, almost flat at first. Around halfway, the trail skirts a small cliff with some ups and downs – the path narrows but never feels truly dangerous. A further ten minutes brings you to a little bridge, marking the halfway point of the loop.
Just before the bridge you’ll find a charming little waterfall, and afterwards the river offers excellent picnic spots.
On the far side, several trails split off but all eventually rejoin into a rocky lakeside path. This stretch is fun for children, with plenty of rocks to climb. After about 15 minutes, the trail merges onto the road, and another short walk brings you back to the dam. From there, it’s just a few more minutes back to the hut and the cable car.
Because of the cable car’s low capacity, the operators set up a ticket system: when you arrive, you’re given a reserved return slot. This avoids having to queue in line, though the wait can be long, especially for large groups – up to two hours. Officially, the lift closes at 17h, but if you get your ticket before then, they will still run extra trips afterwards.
Overall, the lake loop is 4 km long, with about 50m of elevation gain, and takes around 1h10 of pure walking. With Gaia (4 years old), photo breaks, swimming, and snacks, our tour lasted closer to 3 hours. Either way, it’s an excellent, family-friendly hike – short, scenic, and full of fun spots for kids.
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