Kander River

The Kander River is the main river of the Kandertal in the Bernese Oberland, and in the Gasterntal, its uppermost stretch, it is a wild, glacier-fed stream. It begins in the high basins and glaciers at the head of the valley and flows through the Gasterntal in braided channels over wide gravel plains, before plunging through the narrow gorge known as the Klus on its way out toward Kandersteg. The river water is cold and milky grey-green, coloured by fine rock flour that glaciers grind from the mountains, and its volume rises and falls with the daily and seasonal melt: highest on summer afternoons and lowest in winter.

The river is the organising feature of the valley. A path follows it for much of the way between Selden, the hamlet at the upper end of the road, and Kandersteg, crossing the stream on timber bridges and passing alpine pastures, mountain huts and stands of larch and spruce. On the broad valley floor the Kander splits into many shallow channels that shift with each flood, and the gravel banks and young willows are a rare habitat that has been lost on most Swiss rivers. Dippers and wagtails are common along the water, and chamois can be seen on the slopes above.

Below the valley, the river runs through Kandersteg, then continues down the Kandertal past Frutigen to Lake Thun. The Kander has a dramatic history. In the early 18th century it flooded the lower valley repeatedly and threatened the town of Thun, and in 1714 engineers diverted it through a tunnel and a channel straight into Lake Thun, a pioneering work of river engineering in the Alps. The channel left the lower valley safer, and the river’s mouth in the lake is now a delta. This story of flood and diversion is one of the best-known in the Bernese Oberland.

Visitors who walk along the river in the Gasterntal should take care. Glacial streams are cold and can rise quickly, especially on hot days or after rain, and stepping onto gravel banks near the water can be dangerous. Follow the marked trail, keep children close, and never cross the river except on bridges. The valley’s private roads are managed by the local farming community, and rules about traffic and parking apply.

The river is best enjoyed as part of a hike from Selden to Kandersteg, with changing views of the water, the gorge and the peaks. It suits walkers, photographers and nature lovers who enjoy wild scenery.