Interview with mountain guide Hans-Christian Leiggener

350 km² of glaciated terrain, 50 mountain peaks over 3,500 meters, nine peaks over 4,000 meters, and 23 participating municipalities – this is the remarkable diversity of the first and largest UNESCO World Heritage Site in the Alps.

In 2001, the 824 km² UNESCO World Heritage Site Swiss Alps Jungfrau-Aletsch was awarded the UNESCO label, placing it on the same level as the Great Barrier Reef, the Serengeti, Yellowstone, and the Grand Canyon. It is a landscape defined by its uniqueness, variety, and breathtaking beauty.

Unlike many other World Heritage sites, the Swiss Alps Jungfrau-Aletsch region is not off-limits – quite the opposite. The area is open to people and offers countless adventures: hiking, mountaineering, ski touring, or a ride to the highest railway station in Europe – the possibilities are endless.

A key goal of the Swiss Alps Jungfrau-Aletsch UNESCO World Heritage Foundation is to raise visitor awareness. With its visitor center in Naters, in the canton of Valais, the foundation aims to bring both the natural and cultural landscapes of the region closer to people.

An interactive exhibition shares fascinating stories and facts about the area, appealing to visitors of all ages. Those who want to experience this information directly in the alpine landscape can do so on a variety of hikes.

Hans-Christian Leiggener, managing director of the foundation, recommends the hike from Alpiglen to the Glacier Gorge above Grindelwald. Flanked by the Eiger, the trail leads across meadows and through forests to Bonera, from where the descent follows the deep Glacier Gorge.

The special feature – at Alpiglen train station, hikers will find a signpost with a QR code. When scanned with a smartphone, geolocated information is provided throughout the roughly two-and-a-half-hour hike. You are immersed in Europe’s water tower. Here, water bubbles between rocks; there, it forms pools; suddenly it plunges over cliffs into the depths – the beginning of a long journey.

Various streams and, ultimately, the steep Glacier Gorge are proof of the power of water and ice, bearing witness to an ancient past. This hike vividly highlights the importance of the region for Europe's water cycle.

Ich bin Hans-Christian Leiggener, 46 Jahre alt. Ich habe ursprünglich die Bergführerausbildung gemacht, arbeite auch noch auf diesem Beruf und bin seit sechs Jahren Geschäftsleiter der Stiftung UNESCOWelterbe Swiss Alps Jungfrau-Aletsch.

A one-day hike in the UNESCO World Heritage Site Jungfrau-Aletsch, where we descend along the north face of the Eiger, explore the glacier forefield of the Lower Grindelwald Glacier, and finish with a visit to the Glacier Gorge.
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A one-day hike in the UNESCO World Heritage Site Jungfrau-Aletsch, where we descend along the north face of the Eiger, explore the glacier forefield of the Lower Grindelwald Glacier, and finish with a visit to the Glacier Gorge.
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From Grindelwald to the Gauli region, we experience the full diversity of our alpine landscape. We start in the alpine meadows of the Grindelwald valley, ascend through increasingly rocky terrain to the Gleckstein Hut, and ultimately reach the glacier.
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