EXPERIENCING INTERLAKEN, SWITZERLAND
Switzerland, beautifully mountainous and known for its cheese and chocolate, is one of my favorite countries in Europe. The culture is unparalleled and the outdoor experiences are so memorable. My parents and I visited in August 2019 and we loved everything about the country, especially Interlaken. This town in the Bernese Oberland region is located in between two lakes - Lake Thun and Brienz. We stayed at this beautiful Airbnb (I highly recommend this Airbnb - the hosts are amazing and the location is perfect) and it was so close to everything we wanted to do and see.
This is what we did in the Bernese Oberland region and what we enjoyed the most!
H I K I N G
Lake Bachalpsee // Shot on Mavic 2 Pro
LAKE BACHALPSEE
This trail is possibly one of the prettiest mountainous hikes in Switzerland. The lake is so blue and is surrounded by tons of wildflowers and cute swiss cows! The lake spot has a gorgeous view of the Jungfrau region and is an awesome area to relax after a 1-hour long hike.
How to get there
The best way to the beginning of the hike is to take the Firstbahn cable car from Grindelwald to First. The ride is around 25 minutes long and passes through 2 other stops (Bort and Schreckfeld), but continue to the final stop, First, to access Bachalpsee.
You can buy advance tickets for the cable car here for 64 CHF ($70). The price is a bit steep but there are other options like the JungFrau Travel Pass, which allows unlimited access between 3-8 days starting from $208.24, so you can also visit JungFrauJoch, Schynige Platte, Harder Kulm, Mürren, and many more!
Hanging out with cows before the hike
Quick Info & Tips
Distance: 3.65mi (5.88km) total
Time: 1 hour to reach the lake, recommended 3-4 hours (for sitting at the lake, taking photos, watching cows)
Difficulty: Easy
Best season: May - October
Time of day: Start cable car around 9am to beat the crowds and still enjoy lunch at the lake
What to bring
Hiking shoes - it’s relatively flat, so any athletic shoes will also work
Hat/sunglasses/sunscreen - it gets hot during summer and the entire trail is exposed!
Lunch/snack - eating by the lake is a must, so bring food with you to eat while there
Camera
JUNGFRAUJOCH
Jungfraujoch is a glacier saddle that sits right in between the two largest peaks, Jungfrau and Mönch. The third peak, Eiger, is right next to Mönch. The glacier sits at a height of 11,371 ft (3,466m) and houses the beautiful Sphinx Observatory, which is one of the highest astronomical observatories in the world! At a height of 11,332 ft (3,454m) the Jungfraujoch railway station is the highest railway station in Europe, which bred the name, “Top of Europe”.
This glacial peak is one of the more unique experiences in Switzerland, since you can see views miles away. You must take a long string of trains to reach the peak, but all the trains take scenic routes so there is a lot to see. There are a few steps to properly plan Jungfraujoch, so I will help walk through what is necessary!
How to get there
There is a lot to explore and do in this area so plan accordingly! The ticket deal you purchase has a time frame so it’s important to choose how much time you want to dedicate here. Depending on where you are located, the travel journey can take quite a bit of time. The most important point to reach is Klein-Scheidegg because this stop has the last train (called the Jungfraubahn) up to Jungfraujoch. You can begin the main journey at either Interlaken, Grindelwald, Lauterbrunnen, or another small town in Bernese Oberland (Mürren, Gimmelwald, Wengen, etc.)
Lines in red are part of the Jungfrau train connection.
My family and I began at Interlaken (station is called Interlaken Ost) and took the Interlaken Ost — Lauterbrunnen — Wengen — Kleine-Scheidegg — Jungfraujoch route. You can find the timetable for this route here.
The first train leaving from Interlaken Ost is 7:35am.
We took this 7:35am train. I highly recommend leaving early because the total travel time is around 2 hours.
We arrived at Klein-Scheidegg around 8:49am, then switched trains to the Jungfraubahn. There is a 10 minute window to switch trains.
The Jungfraubahn departed at 9:00am and took 35 minutes to reach the peak at around 9:35am.
You can plan and buy tickets here. Tickets are pricey at around 200 CHF ($219) so this is an activity to do if it is in your budget. When booking tickets, you have to book departure and return. I recommend spending at least 5 hours here. We returned back to Kleine-Schiedegg around 3pm.
WHAT TO DO
Sphinx Observatory // Shot on Mavic 2 Pro
Sphinx Observatory
One of the highest astronomical observatories in the world, the Sphinx Observatory has a private international research facility and a public viewing deck. Up on this deck, you can get a nice view of the Aletsch glacier. During the summer, it’s a bit chilly but surprisingly still warm with the sun out, so you can spend a bit of time enjoying the glacial views.
Ice Palace
This ice palace museum is a really fun addition to Jungfrau. This tunnel is fully built with ice and there are tons of cute sculptures hidden in different ice blocks throughout. My personal favorite was the Ice Age squirrel! The ice walkways can be a bit slippery, but there are handrails you can hang on to while you walk around.
Alpine Sensation
This tunnel connects the Sphinx Hall to the Ice Palace. Inside, it displays the history of Jungfrau and the Sphinx Observatory and pays homage to the miners who originally built the train station. It’s filled with beautiful glowing stars and digital media projections. Very nice to walk through and learn history.
View of glaciers from top of Glacier Plateau // Shot on Sony a6000
Glacier Plateau
This spot is the most popular area for picture taking, since there is a massive Swiss flag that many people like to pose in front of. My family particularly enjoyed this spot because you could see both the Jungfrau and Silberhorn peaks. The views were stunning from this area and the snow was fresh enough to make snowballs!
Mönchsjochhütte
This mountain hut, which is the highest hut in Switzerland, has 120 beds available to stay in as well as a restaurant. The hike up takes 45 minutes and has beautiful scenery on the way to the top. The hike is definitely not easy. You have to wear good hiking shoes with traction because the snow can get slippery. The high altitude also really takes your breath away (literally) and you definitely need to take quite a few breaks while walking up.
Overall, my family really enjoyed Jungfrau and wanted to stay even longer to play in the snow and just enjoy the scenery. Although very expensive, this excursion is definitely a must and is worth it because of how truly unique and exciting it is!
Quick Info & Tips
Time: 2 hours train commute, recommended 5-6 hours once there to fully enjoy everything
Best season: May - October, can visit in winter months but much colder and can be cloudier
Time of day: Start train journey around 7am
What to bring
Hiking shoes
Hat/sunglasses/sunscreen - even in the snow, the sun is powerful!
Lunch/snack - food up there is a bit expensive, so bringing your own packed lunch is much more fulfilling
Water
Layered clothing - it’s cold but after hiking up to Mönchsjochhütte, you will get warm
Camera
Klein-Scheidegg to Männlichen route with a view of Jungfrau // Shot on Mavic 2 Pro
KLEIN-SCHEIDEGG TO MÄNNLICHEN
Instead of taking the trains back down to Interlaken, we opted for this moderate hike up to Männlichen. This completely panoramic trail leads away from the Jungfrau glacier and passes through wildflowers, cows (who actually walk on the trail with you), and a couple small lakes. We chose to hike away from Klein-Scheidegg because we wanted to do something active after Jungfraujoch. If you want to hike down to Klein-Scheidegg after taking a cable car up to Männlichen, the hike is easier because there is an elevation loss around 540 ft.
This hike is truly amazing and leads to an incredible playground in Männlichen. There is a massive cow slide, play structure, seesaw, and a giant bowling lane. We spent a lot of time here playing around and just enjoying the views because we were the only people cherishing this area! There is also a restaurant here which has nice views of the surrounding area. It was closed when we got up to the mountain top but is a dining option for those who want to eat with a view!
Giant cow statue!
Quick Info & Tips
Trail Name: Panorama Trail (Panoramaweg)
Distance: 2.75mi (4.4km) each way
Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Difficulty: Moderate
Best season: June - October
Time of day: Anytime. Most people take trains up to Klein-Scheidegg and back down to Interlaken, Grindelwald, or Lauterbrunnen.
MÄNNLICHEN TO WENGEN CABLE CAR
Once you reach this stop, the way to get down the mountain is to take a cable car to Wengen. This cable car is open air and has a beautiful view of the entire valley and the surrounding towns. You can buy tickets in advance here or buy them for 5 CHF ($5.50) at the ticket stand. Luckily, our Airbnb host had a special Swiss cheap fare pass and we were able to get a lot of cable car tickets for a discounted price.
Lauterbrunnen Valley // Shot on Mavic 2 Pro
LAUTERBRUNNEN
Lauterbrunnen, known as the Valley of 72 Waterfalls, is home to some of the most stunning waterfalls in Switzerland. We visited Staubbach Falls, which is one of the more notable falls in the valley. It sits at a height of 974 ft (297m) and you can hike .4 miles up to the viewpoint. The viewpoint is dug into the wall of the cliff and you can see the valley and be under the waterfall itself!
Other than enjoying the waterfalls, there are many smaller casual trails to walk through to explore the area. We walked for a couple hours around Lauterbrunnen watching cows and goats and just finding more waterfalls.
ACTIVITIES
PARAGLIDING INTERLAKEN
Paragliding is one of the coolest airborne experiences and is great to do in Interlaken. Since the town is situated between two lakes and is surrounded by mountains, you get the chance to jump off a mountain and fly right in between the two lakes, seeing incredible views. My parents and I booked the “Big Blue” Summer package from Outdoor Interlaken. I highly recommend this company. Not only are their instructors super nice and engaging, but they have many more outdoor activities you can book together to make your trip easier.
This company offers free pick up from any hostel/hotel or train station. After getting to their meeting point, you drive for 20 minutes in a van up the mountain and then walk 3 minutes to the edge of the cliff where you jump off!
Paragliding price: 160 CHF ($175)
With photo and video: 40 CHF ($44)
CANYONING GRIMSEL
This was probably one of the most exciting things I’ve done in a while! Canyoning is when you travel through a canyon by swimming, jumping, and sliding through the river and waterfalls. We went with Outdoor Interlaken again and booked their Canyoning Grimsel pack. We also ordered a full length video for 2 people (my mom and me) because it’s difficult to bring any equipment on this trip.
If you’re able bodied and love adrenaline rushes, I highly recommend canyoning! My dad has bad knees so he went hiking instead, but my mom and I really wanted to try this activity.
After meeting at the main office and get suited up in their gear, you take a 45 minute van ride through a gorgeous canyon to get to the top of a road where you rappel 150 feet off a vertical wall. It’s amazing! After that, the rest of the morning is filled with jumping off cliffs, sliding down waterfalls, and squeezing through rock tunnels. The 2 instructors make sure that everyone is safe and comfortable. There was never a point when I felt like my life was at risk.
Canyoning price: 143 CHF ($156)
With video for 1: 48 CHF ($53)
With video for 2+: 40 CHF ($44)
FOOD
GROCERY SHOPPING
If you are staying in an Airbnb/other homestay and have access to a kitchen, I recommend going grocery shopping to make your breakfasts, packed lunches, and dinners. Although it’s important to try Swiss food for the cultural experience and immersion, Switzerland can be expensive for visitors, so cooking for yourself can save lots of money.
Grocery Store Options
Migros
Coop
Aldi
OBERLAND
Located in Lauterbrunnen, Oberland is a relatively popular Swiss restaurant among visitors. Definitely get the cheese fondue set. It tastes really delicious and comes with a lot of bread pieces and potatoes to dip. Authentic Swiss fondue has a stronger white wine taste than fondue made in the US, so there’s a more rich flavor to it. Definitely worth a try!
