Bucket List / Adventure Travel Goals
Paraglide Over Interlaken
Still to do
Glide over turquoise lakes with the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau lined up in front of you.
The adventure
The launch at Beatenberg is a grassy slope high above Interlaken. A few running steps, the wing fills, and you're out over the valley with the town below, Lake Thun on one side and Lake Brienz on the other, both a vivid turquoise.
In front of you, across the valley, stand the three great peaks of the Bernese Oberland: the Eiger, the Mönch and the Jungfrau, snow-covered even in summer. The pilot circles in thermals, gives you a turn at steering and, if you ask, a few spirals on the way down. You land on the Höhematte, the big meadow in the centre of town, often while people stop to watch. Of all the places to go paragliding, this is one of the most beautiful.
Why it’s epic
- Views of the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau.
- Flying between Lake Thun and Lake Brienz.
- Landing on the Höhematte in the middle of Interlaken.
What it is
Interlaken, between Lake Thun and Lake Brienz, is one of the world's paragliding capitals, with tandem flights that launch from Beatenberg above the town.
How to do it
Book a tandem flight with a local operator; they collect you, drive you up and land in the middle of town.
Top tip
Morning flights are usually calmer; afternoon thermals make for longer, bumpier flights.
Need to know
- Flights depend on weather and can be rescheduled.
- Switzerland is expensive; tandem flights are pricier than elsewhere.
- Check your insurance covers paragliding.
Plan this trip
- Rough cost
- £750 to £2,000 per person, including flights from the UK
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Best time to go
- May to October
- Fly into
- ZRH airport
Tandem flights cost more than elsewhere, as does everything in Switzerland.
Make it happen
Why it’s on my list
Not done yet. If you’ve done it and have tips, tell me about it.
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