The 15 Best Winter Activities in Switzerland

1.Winter Kayak Tour of the Turquoise Lake Brienz

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 439 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $202Our pick

Meet Hightide Kayak School in Bönigen for a three-hour winter paddle on Lake Brienz. You get a kayak, dry suit, warm layers, instruction, and photos. Guides such as Sean, Ryan, Chris, Patrizia, and Manu help first-time paddlers handle the boat, while clear weather brings views of Ringgenberg Castle, the Bernese Oberland, and the Swiss Alps.

“This was a fantastic experience! Ian our guide was friendly and very knowledgeable. He photographed the entire trip for us and ensured we all had a wonderful experience. Would love to work with them again!”

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2.Snowshoe Adventure in the Swiss Alps

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 29 reviews · 4 hours (approx.) · from $130Best value

From Outdoor in Wilderswil, you’ll ride into the snowy hills above Interlaken for an easy 1.5 to 2 hour snowshoe walk. Your guide provides snowshoes, poles, boots, snacks, and route planning. Expect quiet forests, alpine meadows, Swiss hamlets, and views toward the Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau. Groups are limited to 12.

“Great experience very well organised and good equipment. Very knowledgeable and friendly guides - highly recommended”

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3.Private Swiss Alps helicopter tour over snow covered mountain peaks and glaciers

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 28 reviews · 42 minutes (approx.)

Take a private 42-minute helicopter flight from Belp with your own pilot and group of up to three. Look down on the Jungfraujoch, Aletsch Glacier, Eiger north face, Schilthorn, Interlaken, Lake Thun, and Lake Brienz. Headsets, clear cockpit views, and a FunFlights souvenir are included.

“The helicopter tour over the Swiss Alps was an incredible experience and well worth the cost. The check-in process was smooth, safety instructions were clear, and the staff were friendly and professional. Our pilot Oliver was knowledgeable, pointing out major peaks such as the Matterhorn, Jungfrau, and Mont Blanc, and he gave interesting background on the surrounding regions. The flight itself was very comfortable, with large windows providing excellent visibility from every seat. The entire route offered breathtaking views of glaciers, lakes, and mountain villages, and there were plenty of opportunities for photos. The ride felt safe at all times, and noise-cancelling headsets made communic...”

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4.Interlaken Valley Winter E-Bike Tour: Rivers, Lakes & Castles

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 23 reviews · 2 hours 15 minutes (approx.) · from $130

Ride through Interlaken with guide Tommy on a compact winter e-bike tour covering the Aare, Lakes Thun and Brienz, Weissenau Castle, Unterseen, Schaalbrücke, and Bönigen. The roughly 2-hour ride includes an e-bike, helmet, gloves, poncho if needed, and hot chocolate beside Lake Brienz. English guidance and groups of up to 10 keep it personal.

“My husband and I completed this bike tour and could not have been more pleased. Tommy was awesome! Informative, engaging, very friendly and an absolute pleasure. He even went out of his way to show us our next meeting location for our next excursion and also chat through some lunch options. Would definitely recommend to anyone looking to explore Interlaken via bike!”

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5.Guided Excursion to Mount Titlis Eternal Snow and Glacier from Lucerne

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 17 reviews · 6 hours (approx.) · from $239

Travel by coach from Lucerne to Engelberg, then ride the Titlis Xpress and revolving Rotair cable car to Mount Titlis. Your ticket covers the Glacier Cave, Cliff Walk, Ice Flyer chair lift, and snowtubing at Glacier Park. The guided portion is mainly the bus journey, with free time to explore the mountain on your own.

“The tour sights were incredible as Titlus was the best peak we visited. Tour guides helped us make the most of our time at the site. The only negative was the "Viator" website had the wrong meeting location. Because of this we almost missed the tour but fortunately the tour guide communicated and waited for us to arrive which unfortunately caused the tour to leave 10 minutes late. Apparently the meeting location had changed about three months prior.”

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6.(KTG303) – Winter Montreux, Chillon & Chaplin’s World from Geneva

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 15 reviews · 8 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $210

Travel from Geneva by minivan to Chaplin’s World, Château de Chillon, Lavaux, and Montreux. You’ll see Chaplin’s family home and studio sets, tour the lakeside castle, stop for vineyard views, and visit Queen’s Mountain Studio. Guides such as Roger, Evan, Ivars, and Yolanda have been praised for warm, lively commentary, though the guiding style can vary.

“Tour guide was very informative, and the castle was the highlight, although we didn't have a guided tour as I'd thought we would. The Christmas market was nice, although items are expensive by American standards. The scenery is beautiful though. The only thing that I really didn't like about this tour is that it was supposed to start at 10am, but the tour guide waited for 30 minutes for extra people to book, which took away from shopping time at the market.”

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7.ZRH Zurich Airport to Zurich City Private Transfer–Winter Special

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 14 reviews · 20 minutes to 1 hour (approx.)

Meet your multilingual chauffeur at Zurich Airport Arrivals 01 or 02, then ride privately to your Zurich hotel in a winter-ready Mercedes. Drivers such as Mohamed offer clear communication, luggage help, WiFi, child seats, refreshments, and flight monitoring. The ride usually takes 20 minutes to 1 hour, depending on your destination.

“Mohamed was very friendly, prompt, and even reached out the day before to ensure we knew where to meet him.”

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8.Winter Alpine Adventure

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 12 reviews · from $226

From Interlaken, your guide leads you by gondola to Sulwald for a snowshoe walk beneath the Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau. You get boots, snowshoes, poles, a sled, fondue lunch, and a drink. Afterward, sled downhill toward Isenfluh before returning to the meeting point.

“We had an absolutely unforgettable day trip to the Alps! From start to finish, the experience exceeded all our expectations. Our hosts were nothing short of amazing—warm, knowledgeable, and attentive to every detail, making sure Read more”

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9.Titlis, the eternal snow mountain, and Lucerne Village

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 12 reviews · 10 hours (approx.) · from $216

This 10-hour tour links Lucerne’s Chapel Bridge with Mount Titlis at 3,020 meters. You ride the rotating Rotair cable car, visit the glacier cave and Cliff Walk, and may use the Ice Flyer if selected. Guides such as Tony add practical help, but mountain weather, ticket delays, and fixed departure times matter.

“Good trip overall even with the delays leaving and getting back. Wish the tour company would purchase the tickets before we arrive at Titlus. This would save about 45 minutes of sitting around waiting for the guide to buy tickets.”

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10.Winter Gruyères, chocolate & cheese tour from Lausanne

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 10 reviews · 5 hours (approx.) · from $202

Travel by bus from central Lausanne to Broc and medieval Gruyères on a roughly five-hour outing. Visit the Cailler chocolate museum with tastings, learn how Gruyère AOP cheese is made, sample cheese, and enjoy free time in the village. Fondue, castle admission, and other village activities cost extra.

“Description of where to get the bus isn’t quite right. From Metro entrance, cross the street so that you’re on the lake side, and wait by the parking lot for Chateau d’Ouchy. We enjoyed the tour of the Cailler chocalate factory — just realize you don’t see much of the actual factory; it’s more of a history of chocolate coming to Switzerland. But there’s a room where you can sample their chocolates! Gruyere cheese museum was interesting too. We only had about an hour to look around in the town after. If you want to see the castle, bring your own lunch!”

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11.Private Snowboarding Lessons – 3 Hours Zermatt

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 9 reviews · 3 hours (approx.)

Meet your English-speaking PDS Snowsport instructor at Sunnegga for three hours of private snowboarding coaching. Your lesson can cover first turns, beginner skills, technique work, or freestyle and park practice. The instructor adapts the session to your group, with the Matterhorn and Sunnegga area providing the setting.

“Greg was a great instructor for snowboarding. He helped me gain confidence in what I was doing and I was ready for the beginner slopes by the time we finished our session. A lot of helpful tips to fix my mistakes! This was my first time snowboarding and I now believe I’ll be ready next ski trip!”

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12.Matterhorn Private Skiing Day Zermatt

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 9 reviews · 1 day 7 hours (approx.)

Spend a private ski day with an English-speaking Evolution Ski School guide in Zermatt. Your instructor can shape the day around your group, from first lessons to stronger skiing across Switzerland and Italy. Guides such as Romana, Polyan, and Marco have helped families find the right lifts, slopes, views, and mountain lunch spots.

“Romana is the absolute best! My boys had an amazing time. Cannot recommend enough. Such a wonderful day! Romana went above and beyond. She even made a reservation at the best place on the mountain for lunch. All in all, it was a magical day.”

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13.(KTL303) – Winter Tour Montreux and Chaplin’s World from Lausanne

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 7 reviews · from $173

Travel from Lausanne through the UNESCO-listed Lavaux vineyards to Chaplin’s World, Montreux, Queen’s Mountain Studio, and Chillon Castle. Your driver-guide handles the route while you enjoy free time for lunch and exploring. Guides such as Norman, Roger, and Evan have been praised for clear explanations and helpful photo stops.

“A very friendly and personable tour guide. He was Knowledgeable and willing to share history of the places we visited. Beautiful sights, including Chaplins world and a medieval Chateau, a visit to the town of Vevey and the beautiful Montreux. Read more”

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14.Fun Day in the Snow All Year Long! (Private Tour)

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 6 reviews · 9 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $989

Travel by private Mercedes from Zurich to Lucerne and Mt. Titlis with an English-speaking driver-guide. Ride the Rotair cable car to 3,000 meters, visit the Glacier Cave, cross the Cliff Walk, and try snow tubing or the Ice Flyer. Hotel pickup and cable cars are included, but lunch is not.

“Amazing Day. Ivo our guide was great. A true professional and knowledgeable. Super Friendly and a pleasure to spend the day with. My Titles was a dream day. What an experience. And a great lunch at Lucerine. Definitely recommend this experience.”

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15.(KTG114) – Chamonix Skiing day from Geneva

★★★★★★★★★★3.5 · 5 reviews · from $273

Travel by bus from Geneva to Chamonix for about 10 hours of skiing, with a lift pass, skis or snowboard, boots, and equipment rental included. You will ski around areas including Planards and Brévent, then return to Geneva. The day suits advanced skiers best, and you must bring a passport, gloves, hat, and mask.

“We were brought by bus (fine) to Charmonix were we were led to a ski shop that didn't have enough gear for all participants. Then the "guide" left us. Just bailed. We didn't have ski gear and she just left. Eventually, enough people returRead more”

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