The Eiger (3'967 m) is one of the most famous mountains in the Alps, infamous for its North Face – an 1'800-metre vertical wall of crumbling limestone, first climbed in 1938 and still counted among the greatest challenges in alpinism. The story of the North Face is one of tragedy and triumph, making the Eiger world-famous and immortalised in countless films and books.

For non-mountaineers, Kleine Scheidegg provides the classic frontal view of the North Face. The Jungfraujoch railway line passes partly through the Eiger via a tunnel with glacier windows. The Eigertrail – a path running directly beneath the North Face between Alpiglen and Kleine Scheidegg – allows walkers to experience the wall at close range. Only experienced high-alpine climbers should consider routes to the summit.

Kleine Scheidegg is reachable by the Wengernalpbahn from Grindelwald or Lauterbrunnen. The Eigertrail starts from Alpiglen, a stop on the Wengernalpbahn.