Help with a 6 day Itinerary starting in Geneva

Hi there,

I was wondering if you could please help me plan an itinerary. My husband and I are coming to Switzerland on 25th Aug- 31st Aug (next month) from South Africa. We arrive in Geneva. Our main interests are the Alps/hiking/outdoor activities/lakes as opposed to cities/shopping and museums.

We're thinking of getting the train to Lausanne or Bern on day 1 (from Geneva) and staying in one of those places for the night and then finding a base to stay in the Interlaken/Bernese Oberland/Jung frao/ Lauterbrunnen area for the next 5 nights.

Once we find a base then we would like to do the following day trips:

1. Lucerne & Mt Pillaus & Rigi

2. Jung frau

3. Zermatt

And then probably get the train on the 31st back to Geneva and explore Geneva for the day.

Are we missing anything out? Do you have suggestions for a place to base ourselves in for 5 nights in the Interlaken/mountain area that is reasonably priced?

Thank you so much,

Sarah

Hi Sara,

Interlaken or a nearby town would be a good base for the trips you’ve planned. Day trips to Pilatus, Rigi, Jungfraujoch and Zermatt are possible, although you’ll have to deal with long travel times in some cases. You can best consult the timetable to find out which travel times are reasonable to you. Alternatively, you may consider spending one or two days in Lucerne to visit Rigi and Pilatus, and then move on to Interlaken. If this appeals to you, you might just as well get straight to Lucerne on your first day from Geneva, without an extra stop in Lausanne or Bern. That way you’ll also save time otherwise spent on checking in, unpacking, etc. in an extra hotel. A day trip to Zermatt is possible from either Lucerne or Interlaken, but takes lots of time. Just realize that the Lake www.myswissalps.com/lucerne/activities">Lucerne and Jungfrau region have more than enough to offer for a 5 or 6 day trip! Personally, I’d only travel to Zermatt if weather was considerably better there than in your base region. Not because Zermatt isn't worth it, but because there are so many activities close at hand.

As for reasonably priced accommodation: you’ll be traveling in high season and tourist hotspots such as Lucerne and Interlaken can be expensive. There are budget options though: please browse this list and look into the hotel options for Lucerne and Interlaken.

Once your plans are set, it would be wise to look into Swiss rail passes: buying a pass will definitely be worth your money. A Swiss Saver Flexi Pass might fit your needs best, but again, that depends on your
finalized travel scheme. Here’s how to decide.

I hope this helps you plan your trip!