Switzerland is famous for having the best of many things, but none more popular than the breathtaking Alps. Winter adventures are undoubtedly the most sought-after activity, especially when many ski resorts enjoy snow all year round. However, being surrounded by the Alps doesn’t only mean snowy peaks. With it comes a diverse natural landscape fit for outdoor fun any time of the year.
Switzerland’s Great Outdoors
Switzerland has a total area of over 4 million hectares. By size, it’s not a very big country and in fact, only accounts for less than 1% of the size of the US. But for a country so small, it’s jam-packed with so much beauty and natural attractions. Well over a million tourists visit Switzerland every month, most of them traveling to experience the scenery alone.
Just how much of the great outdoors can you
experience?
Sitting at the heart of the Alps,
Switzerland has 250 summits exceeding 3,600 meters. These include many of the
most iconic peaks and many other more minor peaks that still provide an
excellent adventure destination. Within these peaks are 40 glaciers, some of
which are easy enough to traverse for beginners.
There are over 7,000 lakes in Switzerland with 103 over 30 hectares in surface area. They’re not just any lake, however. Meltwater from the Alps and glaciers give these lakes a cool blue color with water so clear you can almost always see to the bottom.
Switzerland is one of the best countries to visit in June! In the summer, most of the popular lakes are clean and safe enough to swim in. In the winter, some of the smaller lakes also freeze over to create a natural ice rink.
Of Switzerland’s 4 million hectares, over a million of it is covered in lush forests, most of it untouched. These forests hide hundreds of waterfalls as well, not counting those that cut through cliffs and gorges.
Outdoor Adventures in Switzerland
With a vast playground to explore, here are
some of the best outdoor adventures in Switzerland that everyone must try when
visiting.
Skiing, Snowboarding & Snowshoeing
You can’t visit Switzerland and not
experience the snow in some kind of way. And one of the most common ways is to
strap on some skis or a snowboard. Whether you’re a seasoned pro or you’ve
never seen snow in your life before, skiing in Switzerland is practically a
required adventure. For most people, skiing can look intimidating. However,
with the vast network of slopes and pistes in Switzerland, there will always be
the perfect slope for anyone of any skill level to ski on.
And, if skiing is not your thing, most places offer snowboarding or the even more sedate – snowshoeing. Snowshoeing is like hiking but in winter. However, in this case, you can go almost anywhere there is snow.
There are endless places in Switzerland to visit
for a ski holiday, some of them enjoying snow all year round. Perhaps the most
popular ski destination is the glitzy St. Moritz,
known for its glamourous flair that hosted the Winter Olympics twice. This ski
resort town is a favorite among many A-listers ever since its birth as a
tourist destination in 1864. It caters to a higher-end clientele, but its
location in the Engadin Valley near the Italian border gives it a balanced
atmosphere of snow and sun. There are 88 pistes with the highest peak at 3,305
meters, so skiing in this area is both extensive and breathtaking.
Veering away from the bling and more
towards the sport, skiing in Davos,
whose slopes are linked to the much smaller Klosters, is ideal for intermediate
to expert skiers. Davos is more widely known as the host to the World Economic
Forum, but the 300 kilometers of pistes spread across six sectors also make it
a sought-after ski destination. Between Davos Platz and Davos Dorf, the latter
part of Davos is the usual base to access the slopes. Unlike St. Moritz, Davos
was not intended to be a ski resort and is, therefore, less glitzy, but
adventurers visit Davos for the clean, crisp air and challenging ski
experiences.
For a little bit of everything, Zermatt, known for the iconic Matterhorn, is an excellent choice for skiing as well. It’s the highest ski resort in Switzerland at an altitude of 3,883 meters. Its 360 kilometers of runs promise fantastic skiing for all skill levels. Skiing in Zermatt is available even in the summer and there are several ski schools that are open during that time. If you’re in for a more unique experience, Air Zermatt also provides heli-skiing tours to experience one of the 38 mountains towering around Zermatt.
After an exhausting day in the snow, don’t forget to take part in après ski. Each town has bars where locals and tourists gather to cap off a great day with cocktails and hot drinks.
Hiking
There are 66,200 kilometers of marked hiking trails all over the
country. Hiking is not just a tourist activity – over 2 million Swiss locals
consider themselves as active hikers. With the kind of trails and scenery to
see, it’s not hard to understand why.
Many of Switzerland’s hiking trails are
suitable for all ages, making it the go-to activity for adventurous families.
Every town and city has a hiking trail to boast, but two of the more popular
destinations for hiking are Zermatt and Interlaken.
There are several trails in Zermatt creating
a network that is 400 kilometers long. The trails bring adventurers around
Zermatt, Tasch, and Randa and welcome hikers with different skill levels. The
three popular ones are the Five Lakes Walk, a photogenic trail passing through
five beautiful lakes, the Matterhorn Glacier Trail, a 6.5-kilometer trail at
2,900 meters above sea level, and the Botanical Nature Trail, a rigorous uphill
trail lined with beautiful flowers.
Another popular destination for outdoor adventures is Interlaken, the adventure capital of Switzerland. While known for many high-adrenaline activities, this town is incredibly stunning and is also an excellent choice for hiking. There are over 70 trails in its map, and most of them won’t require advanced skills. It’s also very central and a great base for hiking to nearby Grindelwald, Lauterbrunnen, and Murren and be back in Interlaken on the same day.
Related Post: Hiking Must Haves Packing List for a Day Hike
Water Sports
With all the lakes big and small all over
Switzerland, water sports are the go-to activities in the summer. Cities and
towns lucky enough to be sitting on the lakeshore definitely take advantage of
clear blue waters whenever they can.
Steamboats are popular ways to cruise around the lakes, but jetboating is a lot more exciting. Children as young as 5 years old are allowed to take a ride on jet or speed boats, so this is a very possible activity for the whole family. Take a tour around Lake Brienz and speed past Iseltwald and Giessbach falls, or even enjoy panoramic views over Mt. Niesen.
If skiing on snow is too mainstream, you
can also try Surf Ski Paddling. Whether in high waves or still water, you can
go for Surf Ski Paddling any time of the year. Lake Thun is the most popular
place to try this out. Several shops offer lessons for beginners.
For a less grueling activity, Stand Up
Paddling is also another popular option. SUP looks easy, but it does require a
little bit of skill to balance the board and move forward. At a beginner level,
Stand Up Paddlers can stay on their knees for better balance.
Not visiting a town by a lake? Chances are
there is a river nearby.
Stand up paddling, kayaking and canoeing is a common activity along rivers as well as lakes. A more extreme version of cruising down the river is white water rafting. This can be done with kayaks or rubber boats for anywhere between two to 10 people. Different places have different levels of rapids, so it’s still possible to make this a fun activity for people of all ages. As expected, Interlaken is one of the best places to go rafting, but there are other good locations such as Valais or down the rapids of Lütschine or the Simme region.
Skydiving
How does free falling at 200 kilometers per
hour sound like? If it’s thrilling more than it’s terrifying, then there’s no
better place to do it than Switzerland.
Many places in the world offer skydiving,
but being surrounded by snow-capped Alpine peaks is an unparalleled adventure.
Most adventurers will go on a tandem dive buckled to an experienced instructor.
There’s minimum fitness or training required, although all divers will go
through an orientation. For more advanced divers, there’s the Accelerated
Freefall. It’s skydiving without being attached to an instructor.
As with many adventure sports in
Switzerland, skydiving is possible all year round. Of course, sceneries will
vary but for the iconic Swiss view, then wintertime would be the best time.
Skydiving between December to February treats divers to what looks like a
fairytale – powdering white snow topping off peaks, pines, and meadows. The
stunningly white views are enough to take anyone’s breath away even after
jumping out of a plane or helicopter 4,000 meters above-ground.
As you may have expected by now, Interlaken is well-known for skydiving. With Alpine peaks on one side and two lakes flanking the town, soaring above Interlaken is quite memorable. You can also take off from Lucerne and jump above the beautiful Lake Lucerne for an adrenaline rush. In Zurich, skydiving is usually paired with a helicopter tour for a complete airborne experience.
Paragliding
For something a little less expensive but
just as exhilarating is paragliding. It’s very similar to skydiving in that
gliders are usually buckled to an instructor. However, instead of jumping out
of a plane, paragliders go for a running start and leap off a cliff to soar
slowly above the beautiful towns of Switzerland.
You can go paragliding almost anywhere in Switzerland, with every town or city blessed with mountains nearby. Interlaken is once again a prime spot for paragliding thanks mainly to its ideal topography. The town is surrounded by cliffs that provide good altitude for a jump but has enough open space for a smooth and unobstructed glide. Different operators offer different jumps, but paragliding in Interlaken provides amazing views of Lake Thun and the famous peaks of the Jungfrau region. For more unique scenery, choose the jump from Schynige Platte where sunset jumps offer a dramatic look of the orange-tinged alps.
Similar to skydiving, paragliding can be done during the winter or summer.
Bungee Jumping
It seems like Switzerland is fond of
freefall, and bungee jumping is part of it. It may not have the benefit of
soaring over magnificent views, but bungee jumping platforms in Switzerland are
worthwhile destinations on their own.
Perhaps the most popular bungee experience is taking a leap of faith off the Contra Dam. This is the very same spot where James Bond took off, giving the jump the nickname the Goldeneye or 007 Bungee jump. The dam is installed on the Verzasca River in Ticino and is also the highest jump in the world from solid ground. The jump starts at a height of 220 meters and can carry anyone between 45 to 110 kilograms. While the actual jump in the James Bond movie was done in the day, it’s also a beautiful experience to do the jump at night. The dam is fully lit up and creates a completely different environment.
Another popular town for bungee jumping is, you guessed it, Interlaken. There are several platforms within and around Interlaken for bungee jumping, but the most popular one is in Stockhorn. Contrary to the Goldeneye Bungee, the one in Interlaken is done from a mountain gondola that stops 134 meters aboveground. The drop is done over the mountain lake Stocksee for views of mountain, meadows, and lake to zoom past you as you freefall.
Toboggan Run
Whizzing by exceptional scenery in a toboggan is both fun and thrilling adventure. Usually built on mountainsides, Switzerland’s toboggan runs twist and turn downhill in some of the country’s best tourist destinations.
The longest toboggan run in Switzerland is found in Churwalden, in the Arosa-Lenzerheide ski resort. The run is exactly 3,060 meters long, gliding down a height difference of 480 meters and ending into the valley. This particular run is on rails, so it’s operational in both summer and winter. Despite the length of the run, the entire ride lasts anywhere between seven to 10 minutes, depending on how fast or slow the rider goes.
There are officially 150 toboggan runs in the country and can be found in many cities and towns all over Switzerland.
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Making the Most out of the Great Outdoors in Switzerland
Some of these activities may seem dangerous
and extreme, but all official operators go through safety training of the
strictest standards. However, it’s advisable to still do extensive research on
the activities and operators before you embark on your adventure. There is no
such thing as being too prepared.
Another lookout is the weather. While most
of these activities can be done at any time of the year, the scenery, the
experience, and sometimes the prerequisites will be different. Winter is the
best time for that iconic snowy scene, but it also poses many challenges in
terms of dealing with the cold and special equipment.
At the end of the day, Switzerland is one of the best countries to have memorable outdoor adventures. Between cool, clean air, and endless breathtaking views, spending one’s vacation in nature is a great way to explore the country.
Guest Author:
Anna Timbrook was born to travel the world having studied languages all her life. Although she has traveled the world, she now calls Switzerland home and spends her time writing about her experiences on Expert World Travel. You can follow her on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.
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