Leukerbad is a typical Swiss alpine ski resort , located at an altitude of 1400 m in a picturesque location right at the foot of the peaks. Nature was very generous to this region. The mild climate and beautiful landscapes make Leukerbad attractive for tourists.
The history of Leukerbad dates back to 400 BC, but it became famous as a winter ski resort only a few decades ago. Since ancient times, people have come here for treatment. Today, this resort is a true paradise for skiers and an ideal place for family and wellness vacations. There are thermal springs right in the center of the town. The water temperature is 51 degrees. The useful mineral water is cooled and poured into numerous pools, in which tourists who come to Leukerbad spend their leisure time.
There are many thermal complexes open at every pool and hotel, closed and open baths, Roman baths with wet steam and Irish baths with dry steam. Various massages and wellness treatments are offered to the guests of the resort. So that nothing distracts the skier from water procedures, the ski pass here is combined with a spa pass, which opens the doors of most health centers.
In addition, in these places you can get acquainted with Welsh traditions, cultural winemaking and ancient architecture. In one of the oldest villages of the Valais canton – Albinen, old houses with dark larch walls and rough stone foundations have been preserved. And in the village of Inden, the last on the way from the Rhone Valley to Leukerbad, you will certainly be charmed by a beautiful church with a unique altar in the Baroque style. If you want to learn about the “drunken” traditions of the region, go to the village of Varen, where winegrowers live. The local wines of Pfyfoltru are just too good!
Both adult tourists and young beginner skiers can study in Leukerbad ski schools. Lessons are held here for toddlers aged 2.5 to 4 years, as well as skating lessons for children aged 4 to 6 years.
How to get there
The nearest airport is Geneva (transfer time 1-2 hours). Travel time from Zurich airport is 3.5 hours. The nearest railway station is Lake, then a direct bus along the mountain serpentine takes you to the center of the resort in 30 minutes.
Tracks and lifts
Lakerbad has two areas for active recreation, located high in the mountains – on the Gemma Pass and on the Torrent. In winter, the slopes of Torrent turn into a ski area for skiers, while fans of ski touring, cross-country skiing, sledding and long walks on snowshoes go to Gemma, where there are no ski tracks. In Lakerbad, there are two cable cars connecting the resort with Torrent and Gemma.
Training and qualifying races of the World Cup are held on the ski slopes. For beginners, there is a slope on the outskirts of the village with three green tracks. There are schools of mountain and cross-country skiing, snowboarding.
The total maximum height difference in the Torrent ski area is slightly more than 1100 m, which is not bad for a resort with only 50 km of slopes. There are practically no transitions, gentle areas, roll-outs and roads – you don’t waste time getting to your favorite steep section, and then getting to the lift. The entire slope is “working”. Skiing in Lakerbad is mainly “black” and “red”. Half of the tracks are for amateurs who ride confidently, another 35% are for those who consider themselves professionals. So there is nothing surprising in the fact that Karin Roten Mayer, who twice won the stages of the Alpine Skiing World Cup, grew up here. In Lakerbadseven black tracks, the most difficult of which is considered Rinderhalde FIS, where races of the Alpine Skiing World Cup are held. It goes into the black Alter Stafel, also FIS certified, and then into another black course that finishes in the Feillerette area. From there, you can return to the resort along the red slope of the same name. In the west, the panorama of Leukerbad, which opens from this route, is particularly good. Higher than the average station Rinderhutte, in a wide valley that stretches from the highest point of the region, there is a snow park with a halfpipe. Snowboarders, new skaters have fun here… It is perfectly visible to the right of the chairlift leading up from the Rinderhutte. Good terrain, many different shapes and close proximity to the lift – all you need! Sometimes, it’s true, the snow park is “overwhelmingly” covered with snow (with snow in Leukerbad, it’s in complete order!
Waldpiste . The nine-kilometer red descent and the Fissian black “Forest track” start from Ringerhütte and finish at the Fläschen gondola lift, returning skiers and snowboarders to the starting point in two stages. Above the Ringerhütte are spacious red slopes, one of which, Fun Park (2.5 km), is specially prepared for snowboarders and “new schoolers”.
Snowpark Sportarena . The children’s zone is located in the center of Leukerbad in the Sportarena complex . There is a special lift for children from 2.5 to 6 years old. There is also a toboggan run there – simple and fairly gentle, about 400 m long. And for slightly older athletes, the Snowpark Sportarena fan park has 6 freestyle tracks designed specifically for extreme beginners.
The halfpipe snow park is located above the middle station of Ringerhütte, in a wide valley that stretches from the highest point of the region. Good terrain, many different shapes and close proximity to the lift – all you need!
Cross-country skis . Fans of cross-country skiing can try their hand at 4 different routes near Leukerbad, or take the lift to the Gemma Pass, where there are several more trails around Lake Daubensee. A total of 25 km of cross-country skiing in the region.
Leukerbad: from the slope to the thermal baths
The famous Swiss resort is a unique place for those who want to go skiing and undergo health and beauty treatments in spa centers, where water comes from local thermal springs.
The ancient Romans, who appreciated the healing properties of local thermal springs, were the first to discover these places. Much later, I.V. Goethe and St. Nabokov And already in the middle of the last century, a ski vacation became an addition to the medical and health program for most of the resort guests: a dozen and a half tracks of varying degrees of difficulty, with a total length of about 50 km, were created in Lakerbad.
In the hotels and clinics of the resort (the largest of them are the Lindner Alpentherme and Burgerbad complexes) there are three dozen thermal pools – indoor, outdoor, sports and with hydromassage, as well as special children’s pools. The water entering them is cooled: its natural temperature reaches +51°С. The resort offers not only thermal baths and spa procedures, but also serious balneological therapy that helps in the treatment of diseases of the musculoskeletal system, respiratory tract, cardiac disorders and neuropathology.
Lindner Alpentherme is the most outstanding among the balneological centers of Leukerbad . The complex includes swimming pools, saunas, a spa center, restaurants, shops and several hotels. The lion’s share of this structure is occupied by a giant pool with thermal water, part of which is under the open sky: lying in the hot, steaming waters and on an underwater hydromassage bed and watching how the snowflakes melt on the approach to your heated body is separate and not which is incomparable pleasure.
Burgerbad.One of the largest thermal complexes in Europe is a real water park created for fans of hydromassage. Here it can be taken lying down, sitting, standing, with the whole body and each part of it separately, in proud solitude or in a cheerful company. And all kinds of swimming pools in general are enough for a small sea – open and closed, large and small, sports and thermal, with hydromassage, waterfalls, grottoes and water slides. You can float your own child there and with a clear conscience do your own thing – the child will happily splash in the warm water under the supervision of the instructors. For the particularly romantic, Burgerbad organizes breakfasts with champagne – for 41 francs, those who get up early will get breakfast right in the pool with orange juice, salmon canapés and coffee. Most tourists prefer to take the Snow & Spa Pass, which gives the right to use all lifts in the region,
Where to stay
There are about 30 hotels in Lakerbad. The main accommodation fund consists of chalets and apartments, there are 1,700 of them (6,900 places). The chic Les Sources des Alpes 5* has an amazing atmosphere that promotes rest and relaxation. Even the rooms here have romantic names instead of numbers: “Hyacinth”, “Orange”, “Violet”. The Le Bristol Leukerbad 4* hotel has a good reputation. The real pearl of Leukerbad is the Lindner Alpentherme 4* hotel, which has a wonderful thermal complex. Tour operators also offer hotels Badehotel ReginaTerme 4*, De France by Thermalhotels 4*, Alpina Adora 3*, Alex 3*, Alfa 3*, Alpenblick-Leukerbad-Therme 3* and some others.
Hôtel Les Sources des Alpes 5-star hotel
Hotel Les Sources des Alpes in Leukerbad , a member of the exclusive Relais & Châteaux hotel group, offers a luxury spa, a gourmet restaurant and free Wi-Fi.
La Malvoisie haute cuisine restaurant with a charming terrace was awarded 15 points by the Gault & Millau restaurant guide. In the wine cellar with a wide selection of the best fine wines of the world, wines from the Valais region are also presented.
The spacious, bright and elegant rooms are equipped with a minibar, a desk and a balcony. For the convenience of guests, there are slippers, bathrobes and hair dryers in the bathrooms.
For relaxation, Les des Sources Alpes has 2 thermal baths (outdoor and indoor), a sauna and a Turkish bath. It is also suggested to use the services of a solarium and a beauty salon. Various wellness procedures, treatment packages and complex programs for cleansing the body and losing weight are available to guests. Additional amenities include a gym and free parking.
Guests are issued a Leukerbad Plus card upon arrival. Its owners are given discounts on visiting public thermal springs and buying tickets for the cable car, as well as the right to free participation in the entertainment program and free use of local buses and various sports facilities in the area.
Le Bristol Leukerbad 4-star hotel
The traditional 4-star hotel Le Bristol Leukerbad is just 200 meters from the Torrentbahn cable car. The guests have their own thermal baths, a massage room and a beauty salon. Free Wi-Fi is provided throughout the house.
Guests can visit the indoor and outdoor thermal baths, relax in the steam room or sauna, and work out in the fitness room. The hotel also offers a wide range of professional cosmetic and massage procedures.
The restaurant with panoramic mountain views serves balanced dishes made with fresh seasonal products. Hotel Leukerbad Le Bristol also has a bar with live piano music.
At the disposal of guests is a room for games, parking, as well as banquet and conference halls.
The Sportarena sports center is a 10-minute walk away. Interlaken is a 2-hour drive away, while Geneva Airport is a 2.5-hour drive away.
Hotel Alex is a 3-star hotel
Hotel Alex is located in a quiet place in Leukerbad . Guests can reach the center of the village and the Torrentbahn cable car without transfers.
All rooms are non-smoking and have a balcony and free Wi-Fi.
The quiet spa area of the Alex Hotel features a Finnish sauna, a steam room, an ice cave, a Kneipp pool and a panoramic gallery.
At the Alex Hotel, you can buy ski passes and tickets for mountain railways at a discount. In addition, the Leukerbad Card Plus can be purchased at the hotel. Cardholders are granted discounts on visits to public thermal spas and cable car tickets, as well as the right to free entertainment and free use of local buses and various sports facilities in the area.
Hotel Alpenblick-Leukerbad-Therme 3-star hotel
Hotel Alpenblick is located next to the thermal baths in Leukerbad. Guests are offered free use of the thermal baths and the Gemmibahn cable car. It has a barbecue restaurant, free Wi-Fi and ski storage.
The spacious rooms have a bathroom and a flat-screen TV with cable channels. Some rooms also have a balcony.
Torrentbahn is 400 meters from Hotel Alpenblick, while Gemmibahn is 800 meters away.
De France by Thermalhotels 4-star hotel
The recently renovated 4-star Hotel De France by Thermalhotels is located right in the center of Leukerbad on the Dorfplatz square, next to the Walliser Alpentherme thermal bath. Free Wi-Fi is provided on the territory.
The rooms are decorated in a modern style and warm colors. Amenities include a flat-screen TV, a desk, a seating area, a minibar and a bathroom. Guests are provided with slippers and bathrobes.
Guests can visit the hotel’s wellness center with indoor and outdoor pools and a salt bath. In addition, guests can visit the Walliser Alpentherme thermal complex, which is connected to the hotel by an underground passage, free of charge.
A rich breakfast buffet with a variety of hot and cold dishes is served daily. Gluten-free or lactose-free dishes can be served upon request. The famous Sacre Bon restaurant on the 1st floor serves Swiss, international, French and grill cuisine, as well as seasonal dishes and half board.
Other attractions include the Torrent cable car (200 m) and the Erli-Tellerlift (600 m). In addition, guests have at their disposal a sports arena with an ice rink, a tennis court, a badminton court, a squash court and a mini golf course. The nearest airport is in Sion, 40 minutes away by car. It takes 2 hours to Geneva Airport and 2.5 hours to Zurich.
Where to have a snack
Note that in Lakerbadthere are 50 restaurants, five bars and a night club. One of the coziest places is the English-style restaurant-bar Chinchilla der Pub. One of the best traditional restaurants in Leukerbad is Waldhaus Grichting. Among the visitors are many families with children (prices are quite reasonable – 60 CHF for a 5-course menu). For little gourmets, there is a special menu, as well as books, educational games and mini-football on the lower floor. Dads will surely appreciate the large bar with a rich collection of wines, local tinctures, liqueurs and all kinds of noble drinks (the owners also own the wine boutique Al Vino and know a lot about it). Another attraction of the Waldhaus is a wooden hut for eight people located in the courtyard with a place for a grill (complex lunch here will cost 95 CHF per person, the order is valid when booking the hut for at least four people).
Active recreation
Skates . In the SportArena sports complex, at the children’s slide Snowpark Sportarena, adults can skate as much as they want for 9 CHF, and children from 6 years old for 7 CHF. Skate rental costs CHF 5, and for CHF 30 you can buy a family ticket for two adults and two children, including skate rental. The quality of the ice is very decent, there are usually not many people. for babies there are funny assistants – penguins and bears, circling the rink with a child on a footstool.
Sledges . There is a toboggan run in the Feuillerette area (3 km) and two more runs are located on the Gemma Pass. From here, directly from the top station of the lift, they lead down to the Daubensee lake. A small lift will take you back to the top. It is not at all necessary to take sleds and other equipment with you to the top – Gemma rents everything you need.
Paragliding. Pair flights start at the Rinderhutte – the top station of the gondola that lifts skiers from Leukerbad to the Torrent skiing area. There are two possible finish areas – Obere Maressen and Susten. Discounts for children and groups.
Sportarena . An impressive set of sports disciplines: skating, curling, football, tennis, squash, fitness. Admission is free for children under 8 years old. Spinning (room with exercise bikes), table tennis, volleyball, 6 tennis courts (CHF 25 per hour), a squash court and even a football field. There is also a children’s playroom with colorful plastic furniture and a children’s slide – you can play with younger children who are not yet chasing a ball or skating.
