Jungfrau Glacier

The Jungfraujoch is a saddle between the mountains Monch and Jungfrau in the Swiss Alps. It is known as the Top of Europe and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. From here you look down upon the ice wilderness of swirling glaciers and across at 13,000 ft (4,000 m) high mountain turrets. On top of the Jungfrau is a global atmospheric monitoring station.

Visiting the Jungfraujoch's eternal ice and snow is a once in a lifetime experience as the annual two million visitors can attest. Riding the narrow cog railway to 11,300 ft (3,454 m) is a must. On the journey you pass by the foot of the notorious Eiger North Wall, through tunnels, past polar dog kennels, finally arriving at the heart of the glaciers. The longest glacier in Europe, the Great Aletsch Glacier - 14 miles (23km) - begins at Jungfraujoch, and you can see as far as France and Germany.

Practical Info

The only way up to the Jungfraujoch is by the narrow cog railway, the Jungfraubahnen. It leaves from Interlaken OST and takes two and a half hours each way. The final tunnel on the railway passes through the Eiger and took 3,000 men 16 years to build, opening in 1912. Good weather is essential for a visit so check first. It is possible to stay the night up the mountain, at Monchsjochhutte.