As of: 20 September 2026

Wild camping at Griesalp

Griesalp is where the Kiental road ends: five hotels at 1'392 m, a car park, and above it the paths to three passes and two huts. A hamlet is not a pitch, so this report answers for the Gamchi floor and the Bundalp above it, and the answer is one: federal game reserve, free camping banned outright, CHF 150 on the spot, and nobody in the valley can say yes. Left: a Touristenlager for CHF 25 and two huts.

Leon Helg
Leon Helg · Legal situation checked in September 2026 · Published 20 September 2026
What do these mean?

Illegal A specific rule bans it, usually with a fine, and it can be enforced. Sleep somewhere else.

Not allowed No real place to camp here. A gated site, a developed area, or nowhere sensible to lie down, even if no fine is attached.

It depends You can sleep here, but there's a condition first: ask the landowner, book a spot, stay inside a set zone, or use a bivvy instead of a tent. The report says which.

Tolerated No rule clearly allows or bans it, but a single night is accepted in practice and nobody enforces against it. Normal for high bivouacs above the treeline.

Legal Camping one night is fine here. Either a rule allows it, or we checked every law and found nothing against it. Still: pitch late, leave early, no trace.

What "wild camping" means here: one night. A small tent or a bivvy bag, up at dusk, gone in the morning. No base camp, no camper van. Most Swiss bans are written against camping; whether a single night falls under them depends on the exact wording, and that wording is what this article checks. The whole difference: Wild camping vs bivouacking.

What Griesalp is: a road end with five hotels, and above it the Gamchi floor and the Bundalp

Wild camping at Griesalp is a question about a hamlet, and a hamlet has three answers. Griesalp itself, 1'392 m, on Reichenbach parcel 476: five hotel buildings with 40 rooms, a fee car park north of the Gorneren bridge with forty cars on the orthophoto, the PostAuto turning loop, the Gamchibach gorge and closed spruce forest on every side. Nobody sleeps out here, and anyone who tried on the car park or the loop would be on public ground under the commune's own camping ban before federal law even comes into it.75

An hour above, at 1'640 to 1'670 m, the valley flattens into Gamchibode: the outwash floor of the Gamchi glacier, a braided grey torrent through grazed pasture, the two buildings of the Alp Gamchi and its Alpbeizli, the path on to the Gspaltenhornhütte. On the 25 m grid the flattest cells are 0.6 to 2 degrees, 170 to 350 m west-north-west of the gazetteer point, straddling the gravel wash and the pasture on both banks, 130 to 180 m from the alp huts and in plain sight of them. This is where people pitch: level, water, out of the wind, and treeless, even though at 1'640 m it sits below the regional treeline and the closed forest of the Naturwaldreservat Kiental begins 457 m away. And south-west of Griesalp, 1 h 30 up the alp road at 1'840 m, the Oberi Bundalp on the Hohtürli path: hummocky karst pasture, "oberhalb der Waldgrenze" in the alp register's words, whose best cells at 5.8 to 7 degrees lie 71 to 79 m from the door of the Berghaus Bundalp.78

Would anyone sleep here? On the Gamchi floor, yes, every summer weekend. The terrain test passes there and fails at Griesalp and beside the Berghaus. So the question is the law, and in the Kiental the law is not communal, not cantonal, but federal, and it was decided in 1991.1

The rule: a federal game reserve where free camping is banned outright, CHF 150, and nobody's yes counts

The whole head of the Kiental is federal game reserve Nr. 3 "Kiental", 8'392.1 ha, in the federal inventory since 1991: in the object sheet's words "ein Seitental des Kandertales ... die beiden Seitentäler Spiggegrund und Gorneregrund bis hinauf zur Kette des Morgenhorns und der Chilchflue", reaching "im Talgrund bis gegen Reichenbach im Kandertal". Griesalp, the Gamchi floor, the Bundalp, the Gspaltenhornhütte and the crests of the Hohtürli, the Sefinafurgga and the Gamchilücke all test inside it. The rule that binds a camper there is Art. 5 Abs. 1 lit. e of the federal ordinance on game reserves:12

"Das freie Zelten und Campieren ist verboten. Vorbehalten bleibt die Benutzung offizieller Zeltplätze. Die Kantone können Ausnahmen bewilligen."VEJ, SR 922.31, Art. 5 Abs. 1 lit. e.

Three things follow. The ban has no zone qualifier: the Kiental is a reserve with partial protection, "Für das ganze Gebiet gelten die partiellen Schutzbestimmungen", but the partial-protection carve-out in Art. 5 sits in lit. d and concerns weapons, not lit. e, so the camping ban is unqualified across all 8'392 ha, as this series has established at the Hohtürli, the Rote Härd and the Dreispitz. The fine is fixed: the federal fixed-penalty list, Anhang 2 Ziff. 12005, "Freies Zelten oder Campieren in eidgenössischen Jagdbanngebieten", CHF 150, issued on the spot by the game warden; the CHF 20'000 in the hunting act is the ceiling of ordinary proceedings and is not what a camper faces. And the exception belongs to the canton alone: no alp, no Alpschaft, no hotel and no commune can waive a federal ban, and Bern has exercised no exception for the Kiental. The canton's own record of the same object repeats the sentence, "freies Zelten und Campieren ist verboten", and adds nothing.16

Whom would you even ask? The Gamchi floor is worked by the Alpschaft Gamchi, whose Alpbeizli sells cheese and pizza to walkers in summer; the Bundalp by the Alpschaft Bund Kiental, a cooperative of more than forty right-holders. Both would be the people to call anywhere else in this series. Here their yes is worth nothing, and the article says so plainly rather than sending you to a phone number that cannot help.8

Where the reserve ends, and what else lies on this ground: the Tschingel, the Aue, the commune

The reserve's edge is far away in every direction that matters. From Griesalp the nearest boundary point is 3'394 m due east, on the Hundshorn ridge that is also the Lauterbrunnen line; from the Gamchi floor it is 1'843 m east-north-east, on the ridge above the Sefinafurgga; from the Bundalp 2'009 m south-south-west, on the Hohtürli crest. The Gspaltenhornhütte stands 1'003 m inside. The passes are the line itself: the Hohtürli 6 m inside, the Sefinafurgga on it, the Gamchilücke 6 m inside, the Blüemlisalphütte 12 m outside on the Kandersteg side. Down-valley the boundary crosses the Kiental road once, 5'778 m below Griesalp and 330 m south-east of the "Kiental, Dorf" bus stop: Kiental village is outside by 307 m, and everything above it, the Tschingelsee, the Faulbrunni stop, the Ramslauenen chairlift, the Spiggegrund farms, is inside. So the reserve does not end on a pass you could cross before dark; it ends in a village at 958 m.2

Two more layers sit on the valley head, and one of them bites. The former Tschingelsee, 461 m west of Griesalp, is cantonal nature reserve Nr. 156 "Tschingel", 77 ha of national importance under a decree of 1 March 2022 that bans, in Ziff. 4, "das Aufstellen von Zelten, Wohnwagen, Campern und anderen Unterständen sowie das Biwakieren im Freien" (lit. h), entry to the Betretverbotszone over the flood plain (lit. e) and fires outside the designated Rastplatz (lit. j), with a fine in Ziff. 13: there the bivouac is named outright, on top of the federal ban. The Gamchi floor is also the alluvial site of national importance Nr. 1401 "Gamchigletscher", 84 ha of glacier forefield, but Bern implements that object only as a Sachplan Biodiversität perimeter, "Typ C" in the canton's own sheet, where "die Ausscheidung eines kantonalen Naturschutzgebietes als nicht zwingend nötig erachtet" wird: it binds the authorities, not the camper, and so does the BLN landscape 1507 that covers the whole basin.34

The commune adds a public-ground rule and a car park. Reichenbach's Gemeindepolizeireglement, Art. 10a, in force since 1 July 2014: "Auf öffentlichem Grund ist das Übernachten in Fahrzeugen und Zelten (Campieren) ausserhalb der speziell dafür vorgesehen Flächen verboten", up to CHF 5'000 under Art. 15, with a communal exception in Abs. 2. It reaches the Griesalp car park, the bus loop and the Tschingel car parks, not the alps, and it cannot lift a federal ban. The car parks themselves cost CHF 2 an hour, CHF 10 a day at most, seven days a week; the Kiental-Gornerenstrasse is a public road since 2011, closed from the Tschingel up from late November to late April.5

The exit question: two conditional nights four hours up, and nothing else

Is there any ground within a day's walk of Griesalp that is outside the reserve, outside every other ban and above the treeline? The tiling says no, and it says it with numbers. North, on the Suld and Latrejen side, every cell outside the federal reserve is inside the cantonal Wildschutzgebiet Engelalp or Latrejenalp, both with the WTSchV sentence "Freies/wildes Campieren und Biwakieren sind verboten", all year, and the Latrejen ground is additionally nature reserve Nr. 58 Suldtal under a 1968 decree; the only free cells are the Kiental village notch at 1'026 to 1'307 m, settled and below the treeline. West, the Wildschutzgebiet Gehrihorn's three zones tile against the reserve with no gap, and the free cells beyond are Kandertal farmland below 1'300 m, seven kilometres away. Down-valley is the village.6

That leaves two passes, and both are conditional. South over the Hohtürli, four hours and 1'390 m up: the crest is the reserve edge, and the flat ground 50 to 150 m south of it is Kandersteg, where the Gemeindepolizeireglement bans camping outside designated areas (up to CHF 5'000, CHF 200 on the tariff) but writes "das Übernachten im Freien ohne Zelt, im Iglu oder in einer Schneehöhle (Biwakieren)" out of the definition and lets the commune grant a tent by permit on application. A tentless night is lawful there; the Blüemlisalphütte with 100 beds is 150 m away. East over the Sefinafurgga, about four hours and 1'220 m up: the pass is the line, and beyond it Lauterbrunnen bans camping commune-wide except "das vereinzelte Campieren auf privatem Gelände, zu privaten Zwecken", which puts a night on the Sefinen alp's yes, the case this series worked through at the Hundssee. The Rotstockhütte is 1.8 km outside the reserve. Neither is an evening's stroll from the bus; both are the honest map.11

  • Not on the Gamchi floor, not on the Bundalp, not at Griesalp. All of it is inside reserve Nr. 3; the flat gravel and pasture along the Gamchibach is the trap, level and watered and CHF 150 every time. The Tschingel flood plain adds a cantonal decree that names the bivouac. There is no consent route anywhere in the valley head.13
  • Berghaus Bundalp, 1'840 m, the valley's own answer. On the Hohtürli path, 1 h 30 above the bus: Touristenlager "ab CHF 25.-/Nacht" with blankets, pillows and breakfast, half board for a small surcharge, showers CHF 2, open daily from mid-June to the end of September, Twint, card, cash or euro. The Sennhütte burned on 23 April 2026, the restaurant reopened on 16 June, and in 2026 only the Touristenlager takes overnight guests. Familie Bill-Steiner, 033 676 11 92.9
  • Gspaltenhornhütte SAC, 2'455 m. Section Bern, 60 places, 3 h 30 and 1'100 m above Griesalp through the Gamchi; open to 10 October 2026, online booking until the evening before, then by phone, and a 2026 banner warning of severe water scarcity, no washing. Monika Schmidlin and Thomas Jentsch, 033 676 16 29. Inside the reserve, but a hut is an "offizieller" bed, not free camping.9
  • Blüemlisalphütte SAC, 2'840 m. Section Blüemlisalp, 100 places plus a 16-place winter room, 4 h and 1'450 m above Griesalp over the Hohtürli, 150 m south-east of the pass on the Kandersteg side and outside the reserve; warden Jürg Martig, mid-June to mid-October, 033 676 14 37. Rotstockhütte, 2'039 m, over the Sefinafurgga: open to 30 September 2026, 033 855 24 64.9
  • At the bus stop. Naturfreundehaus Gorneren, 1'471 m, 600 m from the terminus, 45 places, rooms with half board CHF 85 for members and CHF 95 for others, open to 25 October 2026, 033 676 11 40. Berggasthaus Golderli, 60 places, usually dormitories from CHF 80 with half board, but in 2026 open to hotel guests only after a death in the family. Griesalp Hotels, five houses and 40 rooms, doubles from CHF 210, 033 676 71 71.9
  • Getting there, fire, hunting. PostAuto 31.220 Reichenbach im Kandertal to Griesalp runs 23 May to 18 October 2026, arrivals at "Griesalp, Kurhaus" 08:12, 10:12, 12:12, 14:12, 16:12, 18:12 and a last bus down at 18:16; the Tschingel to Griesalp section needs a free reservation on sbb.ch up to an hour before on the marked courses, and outside the season the buses stop at Ramslauenen. By car the public road ends at the Griesalp car park, CHF 2 an hour. Fire: no fire ban in canton Bern on 20 September 2026 (danger level 2), fires banned inside the Tschingel reserve except at its Rastplatz. Hunting: banned inside the reserve, but the cantonal wardens shoot up to 20 red deer in the Kiental as deterrent culls from five days before the main hunt and during the Nachjagd; outside the reserve the Bernese chamois season runs to 30 September.1011

General rules for wild camping

This applies wherever you may actually sleep out, which above Griesalp means a Touristenlager, a hut or a hotel, and nowhere on the alps. It is not statute but decency and common sense, and in a valley where the game warden carries a fixed-penalty book it is also what keeps the huts and the alp kitchens friendly.

  • No fire. An open fire has no place in the mountains. A gas stove is enough.
  • Pitch late, strike early. Set up towards evening, gone again early. A bivouac is one night, not a base camp.
  • Leave no rubbish. Everything you carry up you carry down, organic scraps and toilet paper included.
  • At least 50 metres from any water for the big business, so you do not foul what people and livestock drink.
  • Stay small and quiet. A small group, no speaker, no drone, dogs on the lead, and the alp staff's word goes.

Disclaimer

This article reflects my research and assessment in good faith, as of September 2026. It relies on the publicly accessible and official sources linked below. It does not replace legal advice and is not a binding statement of the current legal situation.

Federal inventories, cantonal decrees, communal regulations and hut seasons change. Whether the canton has ever granted an exception under Art. 5 of the game-reserve ordinance for the Kiental is not on any record I could reach and is stated as an absence; the owners of the two alps are taken from 2026 building applications, not from the land register; the two SAC huts publish no prices I could read; and the PostAuto day restrictions on three courses did not survive text extraction, so check the day on sbb.ch. Check the current sources yourself before every trip and follow the instructions on site. A genuine emergency bivouac in a situation of distress is a different question from a planned camp. Whoever spends the night outdoors bears the responsibility for their own conduct and all consequences. Hikebeast, Leon Helg and Saftladen GmbH accept no liability for decisions taken on the basis of this text and call on no one to break the law in force.

Frequently asked questions

Is wild camping allowed at Griesalp?
No, nowhere above the hamlet. Griesalp, the Gamchi floor, the Bundalp and everything up to the Hohtürli, the Sefinafurgga and the Gamchilücke lie inside federal game reserve Nr. 3 Kiental, where Art. 5 Abs. 1 lit. e of the federal game-reserve ordinance bans free tenting and camping outright, with a fixed penalty of CHF 150. Only the canton can grant an exception and it has granted none; no alp or hotel can say yes. The hamlet itself is also public ground under the commune's own camping ban. Beds: the Bundalp Touristenlager from CHF 25, the two SAC huts, the Naturfreundehaus Gorneren.
How high is the fine?
CHF 150, on the spot. The federal fixed-penalty list, Anhang 2 Ziff. 12005, prices free tenting or camping in a federal game reserve at CHF 150, issued by the game warden without a court. The CHF 20'000 in the hunting act is the ceiling of ordinary proceedings, not what a camper faces. On the Tschingel flood plain the cantonal decree adds its own fine for tents and bivouacs; on the Griesalp car park the commune's police regulation adds up to CHF 5'000 for sleeping in a vehicle or tent on public ground.
Where does the reserve end?
In Kiental village, 5.8 km down the road. The boundary crosses the Kiental road 330 m south-east of the Kiental, Dorf bus stop; the village is 307 m outside, the Tschingelsee, Faulbrunni, Ramslauenen and every farm up-valley are inside. From Griesalp the nearest boundary is 3.4 km east on the Hundshorn ridge, from the Gamchi floor 1.8 km, from the Bundalp 2 km. The Hohtürli and the Sefinafurgga are the line itself, the Blüemlisalphütte 12 m outside on the Kandersteg side.
Is there any legal place to sleep out within a day of Griesalp?
Two conditional ones, both four hours up. South of the Hohtürli crest, in Kandersteg, a tentless bivouac is lawful under the commune's police regulation and a tent needs its permit; east of the Sefinafurgga, in Lauterbrunnen, a night rests on the Sefinen alp's consent under the commune's private-ground exemption. North and west, every cell outside the federal reserve is a cantonal wildlife reserve where camping and bivouacking are banned all year, and down-valley is the village. Nothing is reachable in an evening from the bus.
Can I camp on the Gamchi floor if I ask the alp?
No. The Gamchi floor is the flattest ground in the valley head and exactly where people pitch, and it lies 1.8 to 2 km inside the federal reserve. The federal ordinance reserves exceptions to the canton, so the Alpschaft Gamchi, the Alpbeizli and the commune cannot make a night lawful; asking changes the price of nothing. The floor is also an alluvial site of national importance, which binds the authorities rather than you, and its closed forest and torrent are 130 to 180 m from the alp huts in full view.
Leon Helg

Leon Helg

Swiss filmmaker and software developer. Spends his free time in the Swiss Alps and maps his favourite spots for Hikebeast. Posts as @leon.helg on Instagram and TikTok.

Swiss Guide Wildcamping Checker Color Grading

Sources

  1. The norm. Verordnung über die eidgenössischen Jagdbanngebiete (VEJ), SR 922.31, consolidated version in force since 1 February 2025, read on Fedlex on 20 September 2026: Art. 5 Abs. 1 lit. e ("Das freie Zelten und Campieren ist verboten. Vorbehalten bleibt die Benutzung offizieller Zeltplätze. Die Kantone können Ausnahmen bewilligen."), lit. d for contrast ("Die Kantone können für Personen, die innerhalb des Banngebiets wohnen und für Gebiete mit partiellem Schutz, Ausnahmen gestatten.": the partial-protection reservation attaches to weapons, not to camping), lit. a ("Die Jagd ist verboten."), Art. 8 and 9 (deterrent culls by the canton). Ordnungsbussenverordnung (OBV), SR 314.11, version in force since 1 August 2026, Anhang 2 Ziff. 12005 ("Freies Zelten oder Campieren in eidgenössischen Jagdbanngebieten (Art. 18 Abs. 1 Bst. e und Abs. 3 JSG, Art. 5 Abs. 1 Bst. e VEJ) 150"), Ziff. 12003 (entering a Wildruhezone off the routes, 150). Jagdgesetz (JSG), SR 922.0, Art. 18 Abs. 1 lit. e ("Mit Busse bis zu 20 000 Franken wird bestraft, wer vorsätzlich und ohne Berechtigung: ... e. Massnahmen zum Schutze der Tiere vor Störung missachtet"), Abs. 3 (negligence): the ceiling of ordinary proceedings. Bundesinventar der eidgenössischen Jagdbanngebiete, object Nr. 3 "Kiental", 8'392.1 ha, "Gebiet mit partiellen Schutzbestimmungen"; object sheet, 2023 revision, read in full: "Das Schutzgebiet liegt in einem Seitental des Kandertales und umfasst die beiden Seitentäler Spiggegrund und Gorneregrund bis hinauf zur Kette des Morgenhorns und der Chilchflue und reicht im Talgrund bis gegen Reichenbach im Kandertal.", under c) Besondere Massnahmen only "Für das ganze Gebiet gelten die partiellen Schutzbestimmungen."; word-boundary scan Zelt, Campier, Biwak all 0. Canton of Bern WILDSG record of the same object, Nr. 24 "Kiental", "Eidgenössisches Jagdbanngebiet / Wildtierschutzgebiet", 8'392.12 ha, rechtsverbindlich, Schutzzeit 01.01. to 31.12., Beschlussjahr 1991, Grundlage "SR 922.31 - Verordnung über die Eidg. Jagdbanngebiete (VEJ)", Zusatzinformation "Hunde sind an der Leine zu führen; der Betrieb von Drohnen ist verboten; freies Zelten und Campieren ist verboten; kantonale Bewilligung erforderlich für sportliche Anlässe (gemäss Art. 5 VEJ)", cantonal provision field empty. fedlex.admin.ch (VEJ), fedlex.admin.ch (OBV), Objektblatt Nr. 3 Kiental (PDF). ↩
  2. The reserve's geometry, 20 September 2026 (identify on ch.bafu.bundesinventare-jagdbanngebiete with an envelope 2'618'000 to 2'634'000 / 1'146'000 to 1'162'000, returnGeometry=true: one polygon, no holes, 8'392.1 ha, bounds E 2'619'006 to 2'629'820, N 1'149'381 to 1'162'747; invalid-layer control HTTP 400 in every run; positive control 2'626'000 / 1'154'500 returns Kiental; nearest boundary point computed on the returned polygon): Griesalp (Ort, 2'624'845 / 1'155'219) inside, boundary 3'394 m at bearing 99.5 (2'628'193 / 1'154'661, the Hundshorn ridge and the Lauterbrunnen line); Berggasthaus Golderli inside, 3'318 m; Gamchibode label (2'626'798 / 1'153'153) inside, 1'843 m at bearing 70.4 (2'628'534 / 1'153'770, ridge north of the Sefinafurgga); flattest Gamchi cell 2'626'598 / 1'153'328 inside, 1'986 m; Alphütte Gamchi inside, 1'840 m; Oberi Bundalp inside, 2'009 m at bearing 196.8 (2'624'649 / 1'151'721, Hohtürli crest); Berghaus Bundalp inside, 2'005 m; Gspaltenhornhütte SAC (2'628'520 / 1'151'334) inside, 1'003 m; Blüemlisalphütte SAC (2'625'557 / 1'151'040) outside, 12 m; Hohtürli pass outside by 6.3 m (the 8 m of the Hohtürli article); Sefinafurgga (2'628'715 / 1'153'431) on the line; Gamchilücke inside, 6 m; Rotstockhütte (2'630'654 / 1'154'952) outside, 1'792 m; Dreispitz summit inside, 16 m. Sixteen rays from Griesalp: 3'788 m due south (Hohtürli crest), 3'609 m at 198 (Bundstock chain), 3'909 m at 88 and 3'918 m at 110 (Hundshorn / Sefinafurgga ridge), 4'258 m at 264 (Gehrihorn chain), 5'152 to 6'785 m from 352 through 0 (Dreispitz / Latrejen ridge, then the valley floor). Road crossing: a polyline through the bus stops from Griesalp to Reichenbach crosses the boundary once, at 2'621'888 / 1'159'567, 5'778 m along the road and about 330 m south-east of "Kiental, Dorf"; Kiental village (Ort, 2'621'790 / 1'159'892) outside by 307 m, Kiental, Dorf outside by 257 m, Kiental, Rufenen by 104 m, the ARA by 58 m; Ramslauenen top station 958 m inside, the Spiggegrund farms 1'430 to 1'466 m inside, Kiental, Faulbrunni 2'528 m, the former Tschingelsee 2'557 m, Kiental, Tschingel 3'441 m inside; Reichenbach station outside by 1'055 m. api3.geo.admin.ch, map.geo.admin.ch. ↩
  3. The Tschingel and the Suldtal. Schutzbeschluss zum Naturschutzgebiet «Tschingel», NSG Nr. 156, Wirtschafts-, Energie- und Umweltdirektion des Kantons Bern, Bern, 1 March 2022, national importance, 77.0 ha, replacing RRB Nr. 3393 of 12 August 1987 (Ziff. 17), served through the ÖREB cadastre: Ziff. 4 ("Im Schutzgebiet sind sämtliche Veränderungen, Vorkehren und Störungen, die den Schutzzielen zuwiderlaufen, untersagt, insbesondere: ... e. das Betreten der Betretverbotszone; ... h. das Aufstellen von Zelten, Wohnwagen, Campern und anderen Unterständen sowie das Biwakieren im Freien; ... j. das Anzünden von Feuern ausserhalb des bezeichneten Rastplatzes;"), Ziff. 5 ("Die Abteilung Naturförderung kann in begründeten Fällen Ausnahmen von den Schutzbestimmungen bewilligen."), Ziff. 13 ("Widerhandlungen gegen diesen Schutzbeschluss werden mit Busse bestraft."); the Betretverbotszone (35.0 ha, "IV 4e") is the flood plain itself, centroid 2'623'656 / 1'155'639; the reserve lies 461 m west-north-west of Griesalp (bearing 280), 3'222 m from Gamchibode, 1'847 m from the Bundalp; the Kiental, Tschingel bus stop is 21 m outside its boundary. Naturschutzgebiet Nr. 58 Suldtal, RRB 5583 of 9 August 1968, regional importance, 1'948.6 ha, 4'537 m north of Griesalp: Ziff. 3 lit. e ("das Campieren, das Aufschlagen von Zelten oder andern Unterständen" untersagt), Ziff. 4 lit. c (designated places reserved), Ziff. 8 ("Widerhandlungen ... werden mit Busse oder Haft bestraft."). Canton of Bern NSG GeoPackage: no cantonal nature reserve at Gamchi; the nearest to Gamchibode is Tschingel at 3'222 m. Schutzbeschluss Tschingel 2022 (PDF), Schutzplan Tschingel (PDF), RRB 5583 Suldtal (PDF). ↩
  4. The Aue, the BLN and the cadastre. Bundesinventar der Auengebiete von nationaler Bedeutung, object Nr. 1401 "Gamchigletscher", Gletschervorfeld, 84.22 ha, sheet coordinates 2'627'640 / 1'151'860, 1'980 m, inventory 2001, revision 2017: HIT at the Gamchibode label, no hit at Griesalp or the Bundalp. Auenverordnung SR 451.31, Art. 4 ("Die Objekte sollen ungeschmälert erhalten werden.") and Art. 5 (measures delegated to the cantons); neither the ordinance nor the Bern Sachplan carries a rule addressed to a camper. Canton of Bern, Sachplan Biodiversität, Massnahmenblatt Umsetzungsperimeter Auengebiete, 28 August 2019: "Typ C (20 Objekte): In diesen Auengebieten (meist Gletschervorfelder) wird heute die Konfliktsituation als gering beurteilt. Deshalb wird die Ausscheidung eines kantonalen Naturschutzgebietes als nicht zwingend nötig erachtet. Mit dem behördenverbindlichen Schutz durch den Sachplan Biodiversität erscheint die rechtliche Sicherung genügend gewährleistet." BLN object 1507 "Berner Hochalpen und Aletsch-Bietschhorn-Gebiet (nördlicher Teil)", subarea 1 "Nordtäler (BE)", 15'018.6 ha, HIT at Gamchibode; sheet scanned, Zelt, Campier, Biwak, Betret all 0 (controls "Art" 28, "Objekt" 6). ÖREB extracts with geometry (oereb2.apps.be.ch, 20 September 2026), geometry audit all surfaces, none unparsed: parcel 476 Griesalp (31'931 m², EGRID CH120644463543; 14 restrictions): Landwirtschaftszone at the label, communal overlay "Schutzgebiete Engelhorn, Spiggental, oberes Kiental" (Baureglement 2006), Gefahrengebiet mittlere Gefährdung, Gewässerschutzbereich Au; not concerned: cantonal nature reserves, forest reserves, groundwater zones, Sachplan Biodiversität; the hotels stand in the Hotelzone Griesalp HG (Baureglement Art. 43: "Die Hotelzone Griesalp ist für Beherbergungs-, Verpflegungs-, und damit zusammenhängende Gewerbe-, Dienstleistungs- und Ausflugsaktivitäten bestimmt. ... Der Bereich nördlich der Brücke zur Gorneren ist für öffentliche, gebührenpflichtige Parkplätze und für Anlagen des Wasserkraftwerkes bestimmt."). Parcel 173 Gamchibode (370.5 ha, EGRID CH553646043529, the whole Gamchi basin to the Gspaltenhornhütte; 17 restrictions): Landwirtschaftszone, the same overlay, Gewässerschutzbereich Au, Naturgefahrenkarte Gefahrenhinweis, Sachplan Biodiversität "Umsetzungsperimeter Auengebiete von nationaler Bedeutung (AU_1)" at the label and at the flattest cell ("Der behördenverbindliche Sachplan Biodiversität ist bei der Beurteilung von Bauvorhaben zwingend beizuziehen. ... Da der Sachplan Biodiversität lediglich mittelbar grundeigentümerverbindlich ist, erscheint es im ÖREB-Kataster als Zusatzinformation gemäss Artikel 8b ÖREBKV."), Waldreservat "Minimale Eingriffe (Naturwaldreservat Kiental, 160_BE_3140)" 457 m from the flattest cell and 718 m from the label, contract 1 January 2022 to 31 December 2071; not concerned: cantonal nature reserves. Parcel 165 Bundalp (EGRID CH573504364668; 22 restrictions): Landwirtschaftszone, the overlay, Au, Gefahrenhinweis; Flachmoor regional FM_2 perimeter at 280 m; forest reserve at 592 to 655 m; not concerned: cantonal nature reserves. Objektblatt Aue 1401 (PDF), Sachplan Biodiversität, Auen (PDF), ÖREB extract 173 (PDF), ÖREB extract 476 (PDF). ↩
  5. Reichenbach im Kandertal, 55 communal documents enumerated on 20 September 2026 (Abfall, Abwasser, Baureglement 2006, Feuerwehr, Friedhof, Gebühren, Gemeindepolizeireglement and its Gebührentarif, Kurtaxen, Markt, Organisation 2025, Parkplatzreglement and Verordnung, Personal, Strassenreglement Kiental-Gornerenstrasse, Wasser and others; no Campingreglement), scans OCRed at 300 dpi, every zero proven with a control word. Gemeindepolizeireglement der Einwohnergemeinde Reichenbach, version of June 2008, adopted by the Gemeindeversammlung on 2 June 2008, in force 1 July 2008, amendments to 1 December 2018: Art. 10a, inserted 1 July 2014 ("Campingverbot. 1 Auf öffentlichem Grund ist das Übernachten in Fahrzeugen und Zelten (Campieren) ausserhalb der speziell dafür vorgesehen Flächen verboten. 2 Die Gemeinde kann in begründeten Fällen Ausnahmen bewilligen. 3 Die Bewilligung kann unter Vorbehalt erteilt werden, dass für allfällige Ersatzvornahmen (insbesondere Reinigung) Sicherheit geleistet wird."); Art. 15 Abs. 1 ("Wer gegen eine der nachfolgenden Bestimmungen dieses Reglementes oder eine gestützt darauf erlassene Allgemeinverfügung verstösst, wird mit Busse bis zu 5'000 Franken bestraft.", the list naming "Art 10a Abs. 1"), Abs. 2 (warning in minor cases), Abs. 4 (federal and cantonal penal provisions reserved); the Gebührentarif of 1 January 2025 prices only the dog tax, so no communal fixed tariff exists for Art. 10a. Baureglement 2006 (5 March 2007, amendments 2009 and 2014, 58-page ÖREB scan cross-checked against the commune's text copy): overlay "c Schutzgebiete Engelhorn, Spiggental, oberes Kiental. Bei diesen weiträumigen voralpinen und alpinen Gebieten handelt es sich um wertvolle naturnahe Landschaften. Gebäude und Anlagen sind sorgfältig in das Gelände zu integrieren. Für die Bauten gelten die analogen Bestimmungen wie für die Landwirtschaftszone (Art. 51)."; Zelt, Campier, Biwak, Lagern, Übernacht, Wohnwagen all 0 (controls "Art." 159, "Bauten" 40, "Zone" 63); the three "Camping" hits are the repealed Überbauungsordnung Camping Kiental (Art. 63) and the campsite zone in Anhang A. Parkplatzreglement (7 June 2018, in force 1 January 2019) Art. 3 (Griesalp, Tschingel hinten and Tschingel vorne as Freizeit Parkplätze) and Verordnung (last revision 15 December 2022) Art. 1 (Griesalp parcel 3312, Tschingel parcel 186, maximum 14 days), Art. 3 ("Für Freizeit Parkplätze beträgt die Parkgebühr 2 Franken pro Stunde", "Bei Freizeitparkplätzen betragen die Parkgebühren pro Tag maximal 10 Franken", 07:00 to 19:00 every day). Strassenreglement für die Kiental-Gornerenstrasse (in force 1 January 2019): Art. 4 ("eine öffentliche Detailerschliessungsstrasse gemäss Art. 106 BauG"), Art. 5 ("Sie beginnt bei der Spiggenbachbrücke und endet bei der Gamchibachbrücke auf der Griesalp"), Art. 8 ("Die Gornerenstrasse ist in der Regel von Ende November bis Ende April ab Tschingel gesperrt"), Art. 11 Abs. 1 (no parking in passing places or on private ground without the owner's consent). Kurtaxenreglement (28 November 2017) Art. 4 (CHF 2.00 to 5.00 per night, also on campsites). Gemeindeverwaltung Reichenbach im Kandertal, Bahnhofstrasse 6, 3713 Reichenbach, 033 676 76 76. Gemeindepolizeireglement (PDF), Verordnung Parkplätze (PDF), Strassenreglement (PDF), reichenbach.ch (Dokumente). ↩
  6. Bern cantonal wildlife reserves and the tiling of the exits. Verordnung über den Wildtierschutz (WTSchV), BSG 922.63, Anhang 2 as of 1 December 2024 (belex PDF with annexes, 195 pages): Kategorie F measures carry the camping ban inside named Wildschutzgebiete; Ziff. 28 Latrejenalp and Ziff. 8 Engelalp verbatim "Freies/wildes Campieren und Biwakieren sind verboten.", Gehrihorn the same. Canton of Bern WILDSG GeoPackage (revision 2024) and the federal portal layer, distances from the four points: Kiental Nr. 24 (the federal reserve) inside at all four; Gehrihorn Nr. 11 Zone 2 (810 ha, rechtsverbindlich, 01.01. to 31.12.) 3'648 m west-south-west of Griesalp, 3'214 m from the Bundalp; Gehrihorn Zones 1 and 3 3'983 to 5'106 m; Latrejenalp Nr. 28 Zone 1a (1'402 ha, 2024, rechtsverbindlich, year-round, plus a path rule 1 March to 31 July) 4'537 m north of Griesalp at bearing 26; Zone 1b 7'026 m; Engelalp Nr. 8 (831 ha, 2024) 5'411 m at bearing 338; Breithorn Nr. 5 (3'165 ha, 2018, no camping measure) 3'560 m from Gamchibode. Wildruhezonen on the federal portal: no hit at Griesalp, Gamchibode or the Bundalp. Exit tiling on a 250 m grid: north (box 2'621'500 to 2'626'500 / 1'159'500 to 1'163'500) every cell outside the federal reserve lies in Engelalp or Latrejenalp 1a/1b, the Latrejen ground also in NSG 58 Suldtal, the only free cells the Kiental village notch at 1'026 to 1'307 m, 5.4 to 6.7 km from Griesalp; west (box 2'617'500 to 2'621'500 / 1'153'500 to 1'157'500) the three Gehrihorn zones tile against the reserve with no gap (0.0 percent outside both, as the Ärmigchnubel article found), the free cells all below 1'300 m on the Kandertal flank 6.9 to 7.5 km away; the Dreispitz north bench at 2'253 m inside Latrejenalp 1a and NSG 58. No exercised cantonal exception under VEJ Art. 5 Abs. 1 lit. e for the Kiental in the WILDSG record, the object sheet or the Amtsblatt. Bern Amtsblatt API, rubric gerichtliche Verbote: Griesalp, Gamchi, Bundalp, Tschingelsee, Kiental, Gorneren 0 each (unfiltered total 2'847'360; "Kiental" 140 hits across all rubrics as control). belex.sites.be.ch (WTSchV), Objektblatt Latrejenalp Nr. 28 (PDF), WILDSG GeoPackage (ZIP). ↩
  7. Terrain, 20 September 2026 (swissALTI3D 25 m grid, swissimage orthophoto at 0.67 to 1 m per pixel, swissTLM3D forest via WMS, since the forest layer is not identify-queryable). Griesalp: five hotel buildings, a car park north of the Gorneren bridge with about forty cars on the flight date, the bus turning loop, the Gamchibach gorge, closed spruce forest on every side; the gazetteer label in the Landwirtschaftszone meadow between the hotels and the bridge. Gamchibode: 529 cells, 1'636 to 1'847 m, median slope 17.6 degrees, 128 cells under 10; the label cell 13.7 degrees at 1'668 m; flattest cells 0.6 degrees at 2'626'598 / 1'153'328 (1'640 m, 266 m at bearing 311), 1.1 at 2'626'548 / 1'153'403 (1'638 m), 1.3 at 2'626'648 / 1'153'253 (1'643 m) and 2'626'623 / 1'153'303, 1.4 and 1.6 at 2'626'623 / 1'153'078 and 1'153'103 (1'645 m); on the orthophoto they straddle the braided gravel bed of the Gamchibach and the grazed pasture on both banks, the 0.6-degree cell on the west edge of the wash, the 1.3-degree cell at 2'626'648 / 1'153'253 pasture on the east bank between the channel and the alp buildings; a grey debris fan to the north-east, moraine hummocks toward the forefield to the south; Alphütte Gamchi (2'626'760 / 1'153'284, two buildings, Gamchi 1009 and 1009a; a small building at 2'626'573 / 1'153'155) 130 to 180 m from the flat cells in plain sight; the marked path Griesalp, Gamchi, Gspaltenhornhütte crosses the floor; the 2026 building application places a new boulder dam and the rebuilt foot and cattle bridge at 2'626'630 / 1'153'045, 100 m south of the flattest cell; water the glacier-fed Gamchibach. Treeline: closed forest to about 1'700 m in the Gamchi gorge (Bürgli 1'617 m) and 1'750 to 1'800 m on the Bund slope, a last stand at 1'826 m below the Oberloch; the Gamchi floor is treeless outwash at 1'640 m, below the regional treeline, the Naturwaldreservat Kiental 457 m north-west of the flattest cell. Oberi Bundalp: 529 cells, 1'714 to 1'992 m, median 23.9 degrees, 39 cells under 10; best cells 5.8 degrees at 2'625'279 / 1'153'695 (71 m from the Berghaus at bearing 45) and 6.3 at 2'625'304 / 1'153'670 (79 m); two smoother benches at 2.9 to 4.4 degrees 257 to 292 m south-south-east at 1'874 to 1'875 m (2'625'354 / 1'153'420), same alp, 2'000 m inside the reserve; hummocky karst pasture with limestone outcrops, the Berghaus with outbuildings and parked cars at the end of the gravel alp road; alp register: "Das ganze Weidegebiet liegt oberhalb der Waldgrenze". The "ehemaliger Tschingelsee" is a silted flood plain, no water surface to mask. api3.geo.admin.ch (profile), Amtsblatt Bern (Gamchi). ↩
  8. The alps and their owners. Amtsblatt des Kantons Bern, Baugesuch BP-BE10-0000008530 of 18 March 2026: "Wiederherstellung Fussgänger- und Viehsteg über Gamchibach, Neubau Schutzdamm mit Steinblöcken ... Parzelle Nr. 173, Koordinaten: 2'626'630 / 1'153'045 ... Landwirtschaftszone (LWZ) kommunales Landschaftsschutzgebiet, BLN-Objekt Nr. 1507 (Berner Hochalpen und Aletsch-Bietschhorn-Gebiet), Auengebiet von nationaler Bedeutung, Eidg. Jagdbanngebiet / Wildtierschutzgebiet", Bauherrschaft "Alpschaft Gamchi, p. Adr. Bernhard Bhend, Ausserschwandiweg 4, 3713 Reichenbach i. K."; Baugesuch BP-BE10-0000009174 of 1 July 2026 (relocation of the cheese store to the Sennhütte Läger at 2'625'785 / 1'153'155, "Nachträgliche Bewilligung der Parkplatzfläche"), Bauherrschaft "Alpschaft Bund Kiental, Ueli Schneider, Brüggmatteweg 28, 3714 Frutigen". Alpbeizli Gamchi, 1'672 m (operators' own listing): Stefan and Elisabeth Bühler, alp 033 676 24 57, valley 033 676 01 87, mobile 078 713 16 85, cheese and food for walkers, "Pizza auf Vorbestellung", access "Mit dem PW oder ÖV bis Griesalp, dann auf Wanderwegen in ca. 1 Stunde auf die Alp."; no overnight offer, no tent position. alporama, Alpkataster 567-114 Bundalp (private alp inventory, colour): "Genossenschaftsalp der Alpschaft Bund mit über 41 Alpansprechern", 300 ha, "geseyt für 140 Kuhrechte", Oberi Bundalp "150 Stösse in 65 Tagen (Ende Juni bis Anfang September)", "Das ganze Weidegebiet liegt oberhalb der Waldgrenze", fire of 23 April 2026 citing Schweizer Bauer of 25 July 2026. Berghaus Bundalp (operators' own site): Familie Christina und Daniel Bill-Steiner, 033 676 11 92, info@bundalp.ch; 2026 notice "Infolge eines Brandfalls ist im Sommer 2026 ausschliesslich unser Touristenlager für Übernachtungen verfügbar." No consent route: VEJ Art. 5 Abs. 1 lit. e reserves exceptions to the canton (source 1). Amtsblatt Bern (Kiental), alp-beizli.ch (Gamchi), alporama.ch (Bundalp), bundalp.ch. ↩
  9. Beds, checked 20 September 2026. Berghaus Bundalp, 1'840 m, on the Hohtürli path: "Übernachten ab CHF 25.-/Nacht", Touristenlager with blankets and pillows, breakfast always included, half board for a small surcharge, showers CHF 2, "ab Mitte Juni bis Ende September täglich geöffnet", Twint, card, cash, euro; 2026: restaurant reopened 16 June after the fire of 23 April, only the Touristenlager takes overnight guests; bed count not published; 033 676 11 92. Gspaltenhornhütte SAC, 2'455 m, section Bern, 60 places, Hüttenwart Monika Schmidlin and Thomas Jentsch, 033 676 16 29, info@gspaltenhornhuette.ch; from Griesalp "Aufstieg 3:30 h, 1100 Hm"; open July to September, partly June and October, site banner on 20 September 2026 "geöffnet bis 10. Oktober" and "Aufgrund der grossen Wasserknappheit können wir keine Waschmöglichkeiten anbieten"; online booking mandatory until the evening before, then by phone; prices not extractable from the site. Blüemlisalphütte SAC, 2'840 m, section Blüemlisalp, 100 places plus a 16-place Schutzraum open all year, Hüttenwart Jürg Martig, 033 676 14 37, info@bluemlisalphuette.com; from Griesalp "Aufstieg 4 h, 1450 Hm", "Bewartung Mitte Juni - Mitte Oktober, je nach Witterung"; 150 m south-east of the Hohtürli on the Kandersteg side, 12 m outside the reserve. Rotstockhütte, 2'039 m, Lauterbrunnen, Skiklub Stechelberg, 033 855 24 64, open 6 June to 30 September 2026, 1'792 m outside the reserve. Naturfreundehaus Gorneren, 1'471 m, 600 m from the Griesalp bus stop, 45 places, host Daniel Bösch, 033 676 11 40, gorneren@nfh.ch, summer season 9 May to 25 October, rooms with half board CHF 85 members and CHF 95 non-members, youth 63 / 73, children 50 / 60, silk liner included. Berggasthaus Golderli, 1'440 m, 60 places (9 double rooms, 2 four-bed rooms, dormitories of 6, 4, 10 and 14), Touristenlager CHF 80 plus CHF 4 Kurtaxe, with bedding CHF 90, double CHF 220 plus CHF 8, all with half board, 033 676 21 92, reservations by e-mail mail@golderli.ch; 2026 notice "Wegen Todesfall ist diese Saison nur noch für Hotelgäste geöffnet." Griesalp Hotels, five houses, 40 rooms, Classic double from CHF 210, Superior from CHF 305, 033 676 71 71, "Wildspezialitäten ab Sonntag, 20.09.2026", summer "Zufahrt mit dem Auto bis zum Hotel möglich (Gratisparkplätze)", winter road to the Tschingel car park only, hotel snowmobile CHF 15 per person. bundalp.ch (Übernachten 2026), gspaltenhornhuette.ch, sac-bluemlisalp.ch, naturfreundehaeuser.ch (Gorneren), golderli.ch, griesalp-hotels.ch. ↩
  10. Access, fire, hunting. PostAuto line 31.220 Reichenbach i. K., Kiental, Griesalp, timetable year 2026 (as of 3 March 2026): Griesalp served 23 May to 18 October 2026 only; arrivals at "Griesalp, Kurhaus" 08:12, 10:12, 12:12, 12:35, 14:12, 16:12, 18:12; departures 08:43, 10:43, 12:43, 14:43, 16:43 and a last course at 18:16 (18:26 Tschingel, 18:58 Reichenbach Bahnhof); several courses carry day restrictions whose symbols the PDF text does not resolve, check the day on sbb.ch; footnote "Obligatorische Reservation (gratis) via SBB Mobile oder sbb.ch bis 1 Stunde vor Abfahrt" for the Kiental, Tschingel to Griesalp, Kurhaus section on the marked courses; winter (19 October to 22 May) buses end at Kiental, Ramslauenen. The Griesalp Hotels call the road "die steilste Postautostrecke Europas", 28 percent (colour). Road and parking: sources 5 (Strassenreglement, Parkplatzverordnung); the Griesalp portal (colour): free hotel parking for guests, public car park CHF 2 an hour. Fire: Regierungsstatthalterämter, 20 September 2026, "Aktuell sind keine Feuerverbot im Kanton Bern in Kraft"; Amt für Wald und Naturgefahren: "Die Waldbrandgefahr wird in folgenden Regionen des Kantons Bern als «mässig» beurteilt (Stufe 2): ganzer Kanton Bern"; inside NSG 156 fires only at the designated Rastplatz (Ziff. 4 lit. j). Hunting: VEJ Art. 5 Abs. 1 lit. a bans the hunt inside the reserve; Amtsblatt KA-BE50-0000001777 of 24 June 2026, "Vergrämungsabschüsse Rotwild in eidgenössischen Jagdbanngebieten": "durch die Wildhut, in Zusammenarbeit mit den freiwilligen Jagdaufsehern ... Kiental bis 20 Stück. Die Vergrämungsabschüsse finden ab 5 Tage vor der Hauptjagd und während der Nachjagd ab Ende Brunftzeit statt"; outside the reserve, WEU Jagdzeiten 2026: "Die Gämsjagd dauert vom 10. bis 30. September 2026.", Rothirsch Nachjagd 10 October to 15 November. Fahrplanfeld 31.220 (PDF), griesalp.ch (Anreise), rsta.dij.be.ch (Feuerverbot), weu.be.ch (Jagdzeiten). ↩
  11. The two exits, from the primary texts this series has already read. Kandersteg, Gemeindepolizeireglement, in force 1 January 2021 (ballot 294 to 53): art. 6 lit. c (camping defined, "... Nicht darunter fällt das Übernachten im Freien ohne Zelt, im Iglu oder in einer Schneehöhle (Biwakieren)."), art. 7 Abs. 1 ("Das Campieren ausserhalb der speziell dafür vorgesehenen und bewilligten Flächen ist nicht gestattet."), Abs. 2 ("Die Gemeinde kann Ausnahmen auf Gesuch hin bewilligen."), art. 26 Abs. 1 (Busse bis Fr. 5'000); Gemeindepolizeiverordnung Kandersteg (1 January 2021) art. 8 Abs. 3 lit. a ("Art. 7 Campingverbot 200.00"); the flat ground south of the Hohtürli crest (0.6 degrees at 154 m south, 2'785 m; 1.2 degrees at 51 m south-south-west, 2'757 m) is Kandersteg and outside the reserve. Lauterbrunnen, Camping-Reglement, in force 1 January 2025: commune-wide ban on camping outside campsites, Busse bis CHF 5'000, CHF 200 tariff, exemption for "das vereinzelte Campieren auf privatem Gelände, zu privaten Zwecken"; the Sefinen alp (Alpkorporation Sefinen, people at Boganggen next to the Rotstockhütte) is the consent party east of the Sefinafurgga. Distances from Griesalp: Hohtürli 4'119 m straight-line, 2'778 m, about 4 h and 1'390 m up; Sefinafurgga 4'263 m via the Bundalp, 2'612 m, about 4 h and 1'220 m up. gemeindekandersteg.ch (Reglemente), Camping-Reglement Lauterbrunnen (PDF). ↩