Grindelwald First Day Trip: Cliff Walk & Lauterbrunnen

Two mountains, a suspension bridge, and a valley of waterfalls in a single day from Zurich

This 12-hour guided day trip from Zurich takes you by coach through the Bernese Oberland to Grindelwald First, where you ascend by cable car, walk the First Cliff Walk by Tissot suspension bridge high above the valley, and hike to Bachalpsee Lake before exploring Lauterbrunnen Valley and its 72 waterfalls. Your multilingual guide handles the route, timing and stops. You choose your language (English or Spanish) at checkout, and optional activities like the zip line, mountain cart or Trottibike scooter are available for extra cost depending on the season.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Swiss Alps from Zurich

• Meet guide at Zurich Sihlquai Bus Station
• Coach ride to Interlaken
• Brief stop and orientation in Interlaken
• Continue coach to Grindelwald
• Take cable car to Mt. First
• Walk the First Cliff Walk by Tissot
• Relax or snack at Berggasthaus First
• Hike to Bachalpsee Lake
• Optional: First Flyer zip line, Mountain Cart, or Trottibike
• Coach ride to Lauterbrunnen Valley
• Explore Lauterbrunnen and see Staubbach Falls
• Return coach to Zurich

The experience

The day starts at Sihlquai Bus Station near Zurich's train station, where you board a coach for a 2-hour drive through the Bernese Oberland. The route passes through Interlaken, a brief stop for orientation, before arriving in Grindelwald, the mountain resort where the real ascent begins. Your guide stays with you throughout, handling the logistics so you focus on what you came to see.

At Grindelwald, you take the cable car up to Mt. First and step onto the First Cliff Walk by Tissot, a suspension bridge that hangs above the valley with nothing between you and the drop. After that, the day opens up: you can rest on the sun terrace at Berggasthaus First with panoramic views, grab a snack (your own cost), or hike down to Bachalpsee Lake, where the water reflects the surrounding peaks so clearly it looks photoshopped. Optional activities (the First Flyer zip line, a Mountain Cart descent, or a Trottibike scooter ride back through alpine meadows and past grazing cows) are available depending on the season and weather, though slots fill up and cannot be reserved in advance. Each activity costs from CHF 25 and is subject to availability.

The afternoon takes you to Lauterbrunnen, a valley with 72 waterfalls that once inspired Goethe and Tolkien. You get free time to walk through the village, see Staubbach Falls, Switzerland's third-highest waterfall, and absorb the scale of the cliffs around you. Then it's a scenic coach ride back to Zurich, arriving after dark. The tour may run in reverse order (Lauterbrunnen first, then Grindelwald) depending on the day's schedule.

What’s included

• Fully guided tour in English or Spanish.
• transportation by air-conditioned coach from Zurich through Interlaken to Grindelwald and Lauterbrunnen.
• cable car ascent and descent on Mt. First.
• access to the First Cliff Walk by Tissot suspension bridge and the First View vantage platform.
• hike to Bachalpsee Lake.
• scenic stops in Interlaken, Grindelwald and Lauterbrunnen with free time to explore.
• carbon-balanced operations certified by myclimate.

Options for this experience

2 options

EnglishAvailable from 28 Nov · 08:00

SpanishAvailable from 28 Nov · 08:00

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 08:00

Book up to12h before

AgesAdult (16 and older) · Child (6 to 15 years) · Infant (under 6): free

GroupUp to 48 · max 9 per booking

Live guideEnglish and Spanish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Moderate physical effortStroller-friendlyInfant seats availablePublic transport nearby

Operated by Best of Switzerland Tours

Is this one for you?Book this tour if you want the Alpine highlights (a suspension bridge, a mountain lake and a waterfall valley) without arranging your own transport or timing between them. The fixed 12-hour schedule and multilingual guide mean the day holds together and you move through three distinct landscapes in sequence, which is what makes the full route possible in a single day from Zurich.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Spanish.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (6 to 15 years); Infant (under 6): free.

Can I do the zip line, mountain cart and Trottibike on the same day?

The First Flyer zip line, Mountain Cart descent and Trottibike scooter are all optional activities available at Mt. First, each costing from CHF 25. They are subject to availability and weather, and slots cannot be pre-booked, so you book and pay on the day if you want to do them. The zip line and glider operate from late November through October. The mountain cart and Trottibike run May through October only.

Do I need to be fit to do this tour?

The tour requires at least a moderate level of physical fitness. You ascend by cable car (not on foot), but the day includes a hike to Bachalpsee Lake and walking the First Cliff Walk suspension bridge, so some stamina is needed.

Does the tour include hotel pickup in Zurich?

No, the tour meets at Sihlquai Bus Station near Zurich's train station. Hotel pickup and drop-off are not included, but public transportation options are available nearby to reach the meeting point.