Family · Swiss Alps
Swiss Alps Family Adventure
Waterfalls, a guided family hike and a boat on Lake Brienz around Lauterbrunnen, then car-free Zermatt and the Gornergrat railway to the Matterhorn.
- Duration
- 6 nights
- Guide price
- from $5,600 pp
- Best time
- Jun–Sep
Three nights in Lauterbrunnen and three in Zermatt, with one train ride between them, so the family repacks only once. After the drive in from Zurich, every journey is by train, boat or mountain railway. It’s planned for summer.
The itinerary
Day by day
Day 1
Arrival in Lauterbrunnen
A driver meets you at Zurich airport for the two-hour drive to Lauterbrunnen, where waterfalls pour from the cliffs above the village. Walk to the nearest of the falls to shake off the flight, and plan on an early dinner.
Day 2
A Family Hike
A guide leads the family along a ridge path chosen for the youngest walker, with the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau in view and lunch high on the mountain.
Day 3
Lake and Mountain
Cross turquoise Lake Brienz by boat in the morning. The afternoon is the kids' choice: a summer toboggan run, cable cars toward the peaks or a swim in an alpine lake.
Day 4
Onward to Zermatt
A train journey of under three hours brings you to car-free Zermatt, where electric taxis and horse-drawn carriages replace traffic. Catch your first glimpse of the Matterhorn from the village.
Day 5
The Matterhorn Up Close
Ride the Gornergrat railway to a panorama of glaciers and summits, and walk down to the Riffelsee, where the Matterhorn reflects in the water. Finish with a chocolate or cheese workshop in the village.
Day 6
Free Day in Zermatt
Try the Five Lakes Walk if legs are willing, or give them a day at the hotel pool. Fondue for dinner is close to compulsory.
Day 7
Home from Zermatt
The train to Zurich or Geneva airport takes three and a half to four hours, and your luggage is forwarded ahead, so you travel with just your day bags.
Want it a little different?
Start with two nights in Lucerne for the lake steamers and Mount Rigi, turn it into a winter ski week, or add the Glacier Express from Zermatt to St. Moritz.