Private Zurich tour: Waterfalls, lakes and chocolate tasting

Waterfalls, mountain lakes, and a walk behind falling water

A private tour from Zurich with a local guide that follows Lake Zurich, Lake Walensee and four separate waterfalls (including one in the UNESCO Sardona site where you walk behind the cascade) before finishing with chocolate tasting in Bilten. The route adapts to your pace and interests.

Step-by-step itinerary

Zurich to Swiss waterfalls and lakes

• Pickup by local guide in Zurich
• Drive along Lake Zurich with insights
• Visit secret lookout above Lake Walensee
• Stop in Weesen for Walensee views
• Walk to see Seerenbach Falls
• Visit mountain lake near Glarus
• See Diesbach Falls
• Walk behind hidden Sardona waterfall
• Chocolate tasting in Bilten
• Return to Zurich hotel

The experience

You're picked up in Zurich by a local guide who knows the region's history and landscape. The drive starts along Lake Zurich itself, then climbs to a quiet viewpoint above Lake Walensee, one of Switzerland's most secluded lakes. In Weesen you stop to see the lake from another angle, and the route then turns toward the waterfalls that define the day.

Seerenbach Falls comes first, particularly powerful in spring, where you walk close enough to feel the spray. Next is a mountain lake above Glarus, its green-blue water ringed by steep peaks. The Diesbach Falls, a three-stage drop, follows. The centerpiece is Sardona, a UNESCO World Heritage Site where a hidden waterfall lets you step behind the falling water itself, something most visitors never experience. This is not a quick photo stop. You actually walk into it.

The tour ends at one of Switzerland's most famous chocolate makers in Bilten, where you taste and can buy to take home. Your guide handles the route and timing, and the itinerary flexes to match what interests you most. Hotel pickup and all entry fees are included, along with lunch sourced from local producers.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup in Zurich.
• personal transport throughout the day.
• entry to all sites including the Sardona UNESCO area.
• a local guide fluent in English or German.
• lunch sourced from local producers.
• chocolate tasting at the manufacturer in Bilten.
• all fees and taxes.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day5 departure times: the first at 07:30, the last at 08:30

Book up to12h before

AgesAdult (12 to 85 years) · Under 12: can't be booked

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish and German

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

ConfirmationConfirmation within 48 h

Prices and times updated 5 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortStroller-friendlyInfant seats availablePublic transport nearby

Operated by Myswisspanorama

Is this one for you?At seven to eight hours, this tour fills most of a day, so book it when you have a full morning or afternoon free rather than trying to squeeze it between other plans. The private format means your guide waits while you linger at a waterfall or viewpoint, and the route shifts to match what you want to see. Something a group tour cannot do.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and German.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What waterfalls do I actually visit on this tour?

You see four: Seerenbach Falls in spring when water volume is highest; Diesbach Falls, which drops in three stages; a hidden waterfall inside the Sardona UNESCO site where you can walk behind the cascade; and a smaller waterfall discovered along the way. Sardona is the standout. The walk-behind moment is unique to that site.

How much time do I spend driving versus stopping to walk and explore?

The tour runs seven to eight hours total from Zurich. Most of that is split between scenic drives and stops at each lake and waterfall, where you get out to walk and take in the views. The guide paces it so you're not rushed, and the route can shift based on what you want to linger on.

Is this tour suitable if I'm visiting Zurich for just one afternoon?

The seven to eight hour commitment means you'd need most of a day, but if you arrive in the morning or have a full day free, this covers the major Alpine lakes and waterfalls within reach of the city. The guide can adjust stops if you're tight on time.

What is Lake Walensee like compared to Lake Zurich?

Lake Walensee is much quieter and more remote. The tour takes you to a secret viewpoint above it where few tourists go. Lake Zurich is the city's lake, busier and closer to Zurich itself. Both are on the route so you see the contrast between urban and Alpine Switzerland in one day.

Can I choose which waterfalls to visit, or is the route fixed?

The tour is flexibly adapted to your wishes, so you can tell your guide which stops matter most to you. If one waterfall interests you more than another, or you want extra time at Sardona to walk behind the water, the guide adjusts the day around that.