Grindelwald, Interlaken & Lauterbrunnen Guided Day Tour from Zurich

Interlaken, between two lakes

Interlaken, as its name suggests, lies between two lakes: Lake Thun to the west and Lake Brienz to the east, both famous for their turquoise glacial water. The resort grew in the 19th century when travellers came to admire the Jungfrau, whose snowy summit is visible from the Höhematte, the large meadow in the centre of town.

During your stop you can stroll along the Höheweg promenade with its grand hotels and watch paragliders land on the meadow. Interlaken is also the gateway to the Jungfrau railways, so a guided day trip from Zurich to Interlaken is the perfect way to see what the region offers before planning a longer stay.

Grindelwald and the Eiger

Grindelwald is one of Switzerland's most famous mountain villages, spread across a green valley beneath the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau. The Eiger's north face, a 1,800-metre wall of rock and ice, was one of the last great challenges of the Alps and was first climbed only in 1938. From the village centre it towers directly over the chalets.

You have several hours here, the longest stop of the day. You can simply walk and enjoy the views, or choose an optional excursion: the cable car to First with its cliff walk and viewing platform, the Glacier Gorge carved by meltwater, or the cable car to Pfingstegg. Cable cars are not included, and your guide will help you choose depending on the weather and season.

Grindelwald First and optional adventures

The most popular choice is the cable car up to First at about 2,170 metres. At the top, a cliff walk clings to the rock face and ends in a platform that juts out over the valley, with the Eiger and the Wetterhorn straight ahead. In summer, a short hike from there leads to the Bachalpsee lake, one of the most photographed spots in Switzerland.

If you prefer to stay low, the Glacier Gorge is a walk on wooden paths through a narrow canyon of marble-like rock, loud with rushing water. Is Grindelwald worth visiting even without a cable car? Absolutely: the village streets and meadows already offer postcard views in every direction.

Lauterbrunnen and the Staubbach Falls

The last stop is Lauterbrunnen, a narrow U-shaped valley carved by glaciers, with sheer cliffs on both sides and around 72 waterfalls. The most famous, the Staubbach Falls, drops almost 300 metres from the cliff edge right beside the village church, turning into fine spray before it reaches the ground. The poet Goethe was so moved by it that he wrote a poem here.

You have about an hour to walk through the village, photograph the falls from the meadows and take in the valley that inspired Tolkien's Rivendell. For the best photo, walk a few minutes along the main road away from the falls to frame them with the church and the chalets.