Planning a trip to the Jungfrau region near Interlaken, Switzerland, offers an unforgettable experience filled with breathtaking mountain views, charming alpine villages, and endless outdoor activities. During my adventure, I explored scenic valleys and quaint towns. Most importantly, I saw so many alpine cows! This five-day Jungfrau and Interlaken itinerary is designed for those who want to make the most of their summer time in this stunning part of the Swiss Alps, balancing adventure with relaxation. Whether you’re hiking along picturesque trails or riding the famous mountain trains, this itinerary will guide you through the best that Interlaken, Jungfrau, Lauterbrunnen and the Swiss Alps have to offer.

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Jungfrau and Interlaken 5 Day Itinerary: Quick View

The addition of the Jungfrau region of the Swiss Alps to my Sparkling Summer itinerary came late in the game. My original plan was to add the Dolomites after my cycling tour through Alsace. However, I waited far, far too long to book any rifugios so I was SOL. By sheer luck, I scored Taylor Swift tickets only a month before my trip was to start, so Julia and I did a mad dash to book something…anything… and sort out a trip. 

We ended up staying in Wilderswil, just outside Interlaken, for four-ish days between Zurich and the end of my trip. This was not nearly enough time in the area, so I’ve outlined a minimum five days below. You can shorten this, of course, or lengthen it. One of the biggest challenges in the area is travel time. You’re spending a lot of time on trains or cable cars, which limits the amount of things you can realistically do each day. So while five days seems like a lot, it’s the minimum I think you should spend in this area of the Swiss Alps and Bernese Oberland.

Five Day Itinerary for Interlaken and Jungfrau Region in July

Day 1: Arrive by train at Interlaken Ost (West) from Zurich, transfer to your hotel by taxi, bus, train, or cable car. Or a combination of all three! Explore and enjoy a local dinner. 
Day 2: Grindelwald and First for hiking
Day 3: Eiger Express to Jungfraujoch to see the Top of Europe
Day 4: Lauterbrunnen Valley, Wengen and Murren for hiking and alpen huts
Day 5: Schynige Platte and leave by train from one of the Interlaken train stations 

About Jungfrau Region, Interlaken and the Swiss Alps

The Jungfrau region, located in the Bernese Oberland area in Switzerland, is renowned for its stunning alpine landscapes, including towering peaks, picturesque valleys, and charming villages. Dominated by the Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau mountains, the region is a UNESCO World Heritage site and offers a variety of outdoor activities, from hiking and skiing to scenic train rides. 

The area is home to iconic destinations such as Interlaken, Lauterbrunnen, Grindelwald, and Wengen, each offering unique access to breathtaking vistas, waterfalls, and glacial viewpoints. Interlaken sits between Lake Thun and Lake Brienz, and is the largest town in the area. You’ll also find the major train station Interlaken. The area is also home to a number of increasingly smaller villages dotted through the mountains. 

I’ll use different terms to refer to this area, here is a primer:

• Bern: The Swiss canton this area is in. A canton is analogous to our state or province
• Bernese Oberland: The southern part of the canton of Bern, also the most mountainous
• Jungfrau Region: The area within the Bernese Oberland that holds Interlaken, Grindelwald and Lauterbrunnen, and the Jungfrau, Eiger and Mönch mountains. Named after the Jungfrau, the highest of the three
• Interlaken: The largest and main city in the Jungfrau region, where the train station is located.  
• Lauterbrunnen: Town at the base of the Lauterbrunnen Valley
• Grindelwald: Town at the base of the Grindelwald Valley

Jungfrau Region and Interlaken Orientation

It’s difficult to get a sense of how Interlaken and the area is oriented, since the illustrated maps don’t really convey the scale or distance well. 

Interlaken is at the base of the mountains in this area, on a flat plain between two lakes, Thun and Brienz. It’s a two to three hour train ride from Zurich HB to Interlaken Ost, either direct or changing in Bern for a more scenic route. Interlaken is a decent sized town/city, and has a number of hotels and short-term rentals available in town (See below for where to stay). However, if you are doing sightseeing or hiking you’ll need to head into the mountains each day if you stay in Interlaken. 

To reach your hotel, you’ll likely be taking a train to another rail station, like Wilderswil or Lauterbrunnen, to then take a cable car to your desired location. In another post, I’ll outline the various rail card discounts that exist in the area, and you can figure out what’s right for you. 

Most illustrated ski-style maps of the area depict Interlaken in the foreground with the mountains behind it. Using the map orientation, Schynige Platte is the first mountain right behind Interlaken, reachable via a train to Wilderswil, then a narrow-gague old timey train to Schynige Platte. Of note, this orientation is actually upside down – in reality, Interlaken is north of Wilderswil, northeast of Lauterbrunnen, and northwest of Grindelwald. The maps make it seem like Interlaken is to the south of Wilderswil, but it is not. 

Using the illustrated map orientation, to the far left is the valley and town of Grindelwald, reachable by cable car. From there, you can hike or cable car up to First. 

Behind Schynige Platte is the Kleine Scheidegg, which is also the jumping off point to Jungfraujoch and the Eiger Express. 

To the right is the valley of Lauterbrunnen, with the towns of Lauterbrunnen and Wengen. This valley is reachable by train, with a train and bus taking you deeper into the valley. Trains connect the end of the valley with the Kleine Scheidegg area too, to reach Jungfraujoch. 

To the far right, “above” Lake Thun is the Murren area, home to Gimmelwald, Murren, and Winteregg. This area is reachable from a cable car from Lauterbrunnen. Further cable cars can take you up the mountain to the top at Schilthorn. 

Where you base yourself is up to you. My aunt recommended Grindelwald, while Rick Steves suggested Lauterbrunnen, Gimmelwald or Murren. Julia and I talked about this a lot, and if we were going to return we’d probably stay in Interlaken, at least for a portion of the trip. We’d recommend first timers stay in Wilderswil or Lauterbrunnen. More “where to stay” recommendations below. 

Day 1: Arrival in Interlaken and local exploration

Late Morning/Afternoon: Arrive in Interlaken via train

Most visitors to the Jungfrau region arrive by train in the late morning or early afternoon after a two to three hour train ride from Zurich. Depending on what town you are staying in, it could take another 30 to 90 minutes to reach your final destination from Interlaken Ost. For those with a sense of adventure, take the bus, train and/or cable car to your hotel. 

I recommend downloading the SBB app on your phone, for SBB CFF FFS the national Swiss railway. You can purchase tickets directly from the app, to make it easy to hop on any train you want. Of note, you cannot purchase tickets ahead of time from the US due to the security on the SBB website. We had to wait until we were in Switzerland to purchase. 

Zurich HB to Interlaken Ost: 3 trains per hour, direct (2h), or stopping in Bern (2.5h) or Luzerne (2.5h). We took the train stopping in Bern because it was supposed to be the most scenic. It was lovely, but took an extra hour than the direct. Full price fare 96 CHF. 

Geneve to Interlaken Ost: 2 trains per hour, with stops at about 3h. Full price fare 75 CHF. If you purchase the Swiss Half-Fare rail card, it brings this cost down to CHF 37.50. 

Afternoon: Explore your town and go to the TI

Take the afternoon to explore the main street of whatever town or village you are staying in. In Lauterbrunnen, for example, you’ll find a Coop supermarket, a Tourist Information office, and several restaurants and cafes. 

I recommend stopping at the local Tourist Information office (TI) to get a sense of the hiking routes in your area. We were able to get better directions at the Lauterbrunnen TI for our hike, and found a way to make it easier and harder. The Wilderswil TI had unpredictable hours, but Julia found some cute posters and information on local tours there!

You might have time for a short walk or hike before dinner. If you are in Lauterbrunnen, the walk along the valley floor to Trummelbach falls and further is an easy walk. If you find a restaurant you like, make a reservation for later. 

Evening: Dinner 

Enjoy a cozy Swiss dinner at a local restaurant. If you’re in Lauterbrunnen, try Hotel Oberland’s restaurant for classic Swiss dishes. In Wilderswil, Hotel Jungfrau is a great spot to indulge in local fare. They have an amazing barbecue you can smell from all around the area!

Day 2: Grindelwald and First

Days two, three and four below are roughly interchangeable. You’ll want the clearest weather to visit Jungfrau, so schedule that for whichever day looks clearest. 

Morning: Breakfast at your hotel

The hotels in Switzerland almost always include a continental breakfast with coffee, hard boiled eggs, pastries, and cheese. Beware the local alpenkase – the local cheese is unpasteurized and might upset your stomach. Ask Hi Friends It’s Julia how we found this out. 

Late Morning/Afternoon: Train to Grindelwald and First

Start early and take the train from your hotel to Grindelwald, a beautiful alpine village known for its stunning views. From Grindelwald, take the Grindelwald-First gondola up to First. The ride offers views of the surrounding mountains, including the Eiger. The Eiger is one of the trio of the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau, or Ogre, Monk and Maiden. 

Hike the First Cliff Walk for an exhilarating experience high above the valley. For something more adventurous, try the Bachalpsee hike (2 hours round trip), a moderate trek that rewards you with views of a pristine alpine lake. 

There are a number of other hikes in this area if you want to spend a full day of difficult hiking. Hike the Faulhornweg, which stretches from Grindelwald First to Schynige Platte. This is one of the most scenic hikes in Switzerland, but at 16km, it will take all day. Julia and I thought about taking this hike, but decided on shorter hikes instead. 

First also has a number of touristic activities that I hadn’t heard of anywhere else. You can take the First Flyer or First Glider to glide down the mountain back to Grindelwald. This looked so fun, I wish we had tried it! 

Rain Plan

They say there’s no bad weather, just bad clothes. We had a mix of weather when we visited Jungfrau in July: pouring rain the first day, cold and windy the second, stunning hot weather the third, and then medium the last. Even if it rains, you can hike in this area with the proper rain gear. 

If you don’t want to hike, instead you could take cable cars and funiculars across the mountain range. Start by heading up to Grindelwald, then over to Kleine Scheidegg, then to Lauterbrunnen, to Murren, Wengen, and back. You’ll stay mostly dry but get to experience a number of small towns and the views that come with cable car travel. I recommend having the Jungfrau Travel Card (buy your tickets) to save on this, or the Swiss Half-Fare card. See the image above for more ideas!

Evening: Dinner

A number of hotels have restaurants that offer traditional swiss food like fondue or rösti. Fondue is dipping bread, potatoes or meat into melted raclette cheese. It’s delicious, and a local specialty, best for when you have two or more folks in your group.

Day 3: The Jungfraujoch, the top of Europe

Morning: Get thee to the Eiger Express and Jungfraujoch

Assuming it dawns clear, we’re not loading up on breakfast at the hotel today. Instead we are getting up super early to make our way to the Eiger Express train. The first three trains of the day are discounted (two in offseason), which means you can save big to go to the top of Europe. The Eiger Express will whisk you to the top of the Jungfrau mountain, Jungfraujoch, where you can explore, dine, and play in the snow. 

You can get to Jungfraujoch a few ways, although the price is the same:

• The Eiger Express gondola, aka the new “quick way”, which takes 45 minutes from Grindelwald WAB terminal, and transfers at Eigergletscher for the top
• Traditional cogwheel railway, which takes 2 hours from Interlaken via Grindelwald
• Go direct from Lauterbrunnen or Kleine Scheidegg instead of Grindelwald

You must pre-purchase tickets for the train and it is recommended you get a reservation. The first train leaves Interlaken terminal at 6:34am, then 7:04am and 7:34 am. You can also pick up the train at Grindelwald terminal if that is closer to you, which transfers at Eigergletscher for the top. The Good Morning ticket is only CHF 95 each way. Buy your tickets for the Eiger Express here. 

Late Morning/Afternoon: Explore Jungfraujoch

Explore the Jungfraujoch station and the impressive Aletsch Glacier, the largest glacier in the Alps. Visit the Ice Palace, a world of ice sculptures, and don’t miss the panoramic views from the Sphinx Observation Deck. Grab lunch at one of the restaurants at Jungfraujoch. Despite the high altitude, the options range from casual to fine dining with amazing views.

With the Good Morning ticket, you need to be on a return train by around 1pm. 

Is Jungfraujoch worth it? The Eiger Express tickets sound expensive

I asked our hoteliers, the person at the TI, and the other travelers I met if visiting Jungfraujoch was worth it. Our hotelier Fritz said no. However everyone else I talked to said YES, it was worth it at least once. The views on a clear day were unparalleled, and all said we should visit. 

We weren’t able to visit on this trip, since Julia got sick, and I regret not going. I had purchased a Swiss Rail Half-fare card with the intention of going baked into the cost. If you have a free day and great, sunny, clear weather, I recommend visiting. The mountain has webcams available so you can check the forecast before you visit. If you buy your tickets through my link, I receive a small commission which helps support HFIL!

Day 4: Lauterbrunnen Valley, Wengen, and Mürren

Morning: Breakfast at your hotel

You know the drill. Nom nom!

Late Morning/Early Afternoon: 

Take the train to the Lauterbrunnen train station. When you exit the station, stock up on hiking snacks at the Coop supermarket. Julia and I bought lunch here almost every day. We found they had a great selection of premade salads and sandwiches. We also tried and liked the Darvita crackers and Rivella cola. 

Stop in at the Lauterbrunnen TI if you haven’t yet to pick up a better map of the hiking trails. You have a few options for your time in this beautiful valley. 

• Visit the Trümmelbach Falls, which are visible from the TI. 
• Walk or e-bike along the road and path on the valley floor to see 72 waterfalls, which is an easy walk with no elevation. There is a bus that travels the road so you can catch it on the way back. (We did not bike bc I had already biked enough this trip!)
• Take the cable car to Wengen, a car-free alpine village
• Head out on the Allmendhubel hike and then to Mürren, which is what Julia and I did
• Take the cable car to Allmendhubel instead, and then head up to Piz Gloria and Schilthorn for more views

There is an easy version of the hike to Murren and a hard version. We did the hard version, via Allmendhubel, which was about 6 miles and took us the better part of the day. We took a cable car to Grütschalp to begin our hike. There is a charming alpine cafe at the cable car, and we stopped for a pretzel and to make some friends. 

The hiking routes are marked along the way with white and red striped blazes. We hiked what felt like straight up for 30 minutes. We realized yesterday that this hike had a significant elevation gain in the beginning, rather than a gradual increase like we had anticipated. 

What impressed me the most about Allmendhubel was the enormous playground and Panorama walk for kids! The playground was so interactive and kids were having a blast. We saw these at most alpine huts we visited!  

Another activity we could have done in lieu of the insane hike down the hill was taking the cable car up to Piz Gloria and the top of Schilthorn. As it turns out, this view is in the Lonely Planet Travelist as one of the best in the region. The day ended up being cloudy so we wouldn’t have been able to see much anyway. Dang it, we missed it! Buy your ticket for the cable car to Schilthorn. 

Non Hiking Plan

I love hiking, but not everyone is interested in moderate levels of exercise. Great news, there are a lot of other activities in this area to keep you busy. One of the most popular activities is paragliding! We saw someone paragliding off a hillside in Mürren on our hike. A number of tour providers offer paragliding from Interlaken in English, French and German. 

If paragliding is not for you, try kayaking on Lake Brienz or Lake Thun. These beautiful teal waters (from glacial silt!) are perfect for a kayak tour around the lake. We were there during a particularly warm day, and I wish we had popped down to Interlaken to swim and play in the lake. Tours last around three hours, pass by forests and castles, and are a great way to cool off. 

Day 5: Schynige Platte and depart Interlaken

Morning: Breakfast at your hotel

You know the drill. Nom nom!

Late Morning/Early Afternoon: 

Depending on when you need to leave Interlaken to head to the next place in your journey, you should have time for a morning hike. We were able to go up to Schynige Platte the morning we left, and I think it’s a great hike for just a few hours. 

To reach Schynige Platte, you take an old-timey cogwheel train from Wilderswil up to the plateau. The train is a unique way to travel up the hill in the Swiss Alps, although it is not the most comfortable. You sit on narrow wooden seats facing another row for about 45 minutes up the mountainside.

There isn’t much at the top of Schynige Platte, although there is a small gift shop and restaurant with plenty of ice cold beers. There are a number of hiking trails at the top of the Platte, including an alpen garden trail of local flora. We did a loop trail around the ridge of the platte for about an hour. This gave us enough time to explore before heading on the train back down the hill. 

The roundtrip ticket was CHF 64 without any discounts. Buy your ticket to Schynige Platte here. 

Late Afternoon: 

After you return to Wilderswil, pick up your luggage from your hotel and head to the Interlaken Ost station. There is an enormous Coop grocery store across the street with two stories! I picked up some cans of wine and a sandwich for my train to Paris. 

Where to Stay in Jungfrau Region

We booked so late that we did not have much choice in where we stayed for our trip. When I was searching, a few results came up for $1800. I thought, well that’s more than I wanted to spend for a four night stay, but needs must. Friend, that was PER NIGHT. Book early if you can to find a hotel in your budget. 

Like I mentioned earlier, there are a lot of places to stay in Interlaken and Jungfrau. It comes down to how much you want to transit each day, and what kind of views you want. 

For example, Interlaken is an easy base because it has plenty of hotels and restaurants, and has the train stations right there. However, each day you would be spending an hour or two each way to get to a hiking spot. Staying in Mürren front loads a lot of your travel time, but there are ample hikes in the area for you to do if you wanted to stay in that area. 

Where we stayed – Chalet Gafri, Wilderswil

This was a CHARMING hotel with less than a dozen rooms in Wilderswil, just outside Interlaken. This is owned by Gabi and Fritz, an incredibly nice couple with the best sense of hospitality I’ve seen in ages. Julia was sick, and Gabi found some special digestif toast in her own kitchen to make her feel better. 

We met an English couple who has been staying at Gafri for over thirty years! They were accompanied by their adult son, who said he’d basically grown up there. If that isn’t a testament to what an amazing hotel this is, I don’t know what is. 

Our room was very large with two queen beds, a large bathroom, closets, a sofa, and an outdoor patio. Rooms on the upper story had a balcony. Breakfast was included, which had eggs, toast, pastries, cereals, fruit, yogurts, and coffee. Each morning Gabi would check to see what kind of egg and coffee we wanted, and make sure we stayed caffeinated. 

Chalet Gafri is in Wilderswil, a 7 minute train ride from Interlaken. It’s located a 15 minute uphill walk from the train station. There are also free shuttles that drop you off a short walk from the hotel, but they only seemed to run once an hour. We found the walk kind of a grind, especially after a long day of hiking. But the hotel was so charming, we said we’d stay there again to relax. I believe we paid about $260/night in the July high season. 

Interlaken

Budget – Hotel Lötschberg, 3 minutes from the train station. Guests liked the breakfast here. Basing yourself near the train station means easy access to a number of towns for easy hiking, plus easy access to groceries and restaurants. Rick Steves also recommends this hotel.  Cute rooms from $266.

Mid – Hotel Bernerhof, 2 minutes from the train station. I like that they have single, double, and triple rooms. A lot of the rooms have views of the mountains! All have free breakfast. Rates from $310. 

Luxury – Hotel Royal St Georges Interlaken MGallery Hotel Collection, 7 minutes from train station. This hotel looks like it should be in Bridgerton – very Baroque style lobby and dining halls. It’s stunning! Plus a spa and sauna! Rates from $660 for rooms with AC. 

Wilderswil

We stayed at the Chalet Gafri in Wilderswil (see above), a highly charming hotel with amazing hospitality. 

Budget – Hotel Jungfrau, Wilderswil. This is an easy, short walk from the Wilderswil train station, which is the jumping off point for Lauterbrunnen and Schynige Platte. We ate at the restaurant here a few times and found it really good. They have a huge barbecue platter on weekend evenings, which looked amazing. Rates from $250. 

Lauterbrunnen and Wengen

Lauterbrunnen is easy to reach, as it’s a straight train ride from Interlaken Ost. To go into the valley, there is a bus frequently. To reach Wengen, train from Interlaken Ost to Lauterbrunnen station, transfer to Kleine Scheidegg train to Wengen. 

Budget – Hotel Silberhorn, Lauterbrunnen. Easily walkable from Lauterbrunnen Station. This charming hotel looks richer than its price, and has amazing views of the mountains and the falls. There are a number of hikes and walks easily accessible from here or the Lauterbrunnen cable car up the hill, so this is a great location at a great price. Rick Steves also recommends this hotel. Rates from $281. 

Mid – Hotel Falken, Wengen. A short walk from the Wengen train station. This hotel has VIEWS and gets a 10 rating on Expedia. Plus it has ice skating in the winter and free breakfast. Rates from $450. 

Mid – Alpine retreat in the “valley of the waterfalls “ with breath-taking view, Lauterbrunnen Valley floor. There are a lot of chalet-style condos on the Lauterbrunnen Valley floor. This one had a reasonable service fee, balcony, and location off the main road. The drawback to a location like this is it will take you a bit longer to get to any hikes outside the Valley because you have to take the bus shuttle into town. However you’ll have lots of walking opportunities and waterfalls. Rates from $553. 

Luxury – Grand Hotel Belvedere, a Beaumier Hotel & Spa, Wengen. You can walk easily to the famous Staubach falls. This hotel looks STUNNING with an outdoor spa tub, beautiful rooms, and excellent service. There is a ski shuttle in the winter. Rates from $750.

Mürren

Mürren has amazing views, but it can be a trek to get there. Train from Interlaken Ost to Lauterbrunnen, then take the cable car to Grutschalp, then train to Murren. The entire trip takes an hour. 

Budget – Eiger Guesthouse, Mürren. This was our choice for where to stay on our trip, but we missed out on booking it by a few hours. This gets great reviews as a budget hotel with great location and restaurant with stellar views. Rick Steves also recommends this hotel. Rates from $250, and they have single/double/triple room prices as well. 

Budget – Hotel Restaurant Sonnenberg, Mürren. This was another hotel Julia and I would have stayed at had it been available. The restaurant on site looked good, plus it has free breakfast. Rates from $181, and they have single/double/triple room prices as well. 

Mid/Luxury – Drei Berge Hotel, Mürren. This hotel gets rave reviews, is pet friendly, and has a spa. I can’t speak for this hotel in the summer, but in the winter you can ski in and out, plus it has a cute coffee stand in front. Also free breakfast! How charming. Rates from $470. 

Grindelwald

Budget – Hotel Bel-Air Eden, Grindelwald. This hotel has basic rooms that are cheaper than the Youth Hostel in Grindelwald. Great views as several rooms have balconies looking out over the mountains. If you need a budget hotel, this one has some of the lowest rates I saw for a July stay. Breakfast too! Rates from $157 for a basic twin room. 

Budget – Central Hotel Wolter, Grindelwald. Another budget hotel in the heart of Grindelwald. This has basic rooms, a restaurant, and ski in/out. Plus this hotel has larger rooms for families as well. Rates from $257. 

Budget – Holiday apartment Grindelwald for 2 – 4 persons with 1 bedroom, Grindelwald. This was a very reasonably priced apartment with a double bed and a set of bunk beds. Get your own apartment with separate outdoor space for less than the hotels. From $184 a night with a low host fee.

Mid/Luxury – Parkhotel Schoenegg, Grindelwald. This is an eight minute walk from the train station with stellar views. This hotel has a pool, spa, and ice skating in the winter! Rates from $456. 

Luxury – Belvedere Swiss Quality Hotel, Grindelwald. This nicely decorated hotel has an indoor pool, spa, restaurant, balconies, and killer views of the mountains. The Belevedere also offers free train station pickup. Reviewers rate the service as exceptional. Rates from $672. 

Jungfrau Region and Interlaken Itinerary FAQ

If you still have questions about your five day itinerary to Interlaken in the summer, read on:

Is 5 days in Jungfrau area or Interlaken enough? 

No, probably not! We stayed 3.5 days and we still had so much to see. We met an English family who’s been coming here for 30 years and they still find new things to explore. Five days will give you a taste of what this area of the Swiss Alps has to offer. Seven days would be great if you can add on a few days. 

Is Interlaken and the Swiss Alps still worth visiting in July in the summer?

ABSOLUTELY Yes in my opinion. Yes, accommodations were expensive for our week long mid-July trip. We booked last minute and were stuck with excellent, but more expensive accommodations than what I had budgeted. In planning this post, I researched hotel recommendations for next summer and there are a number of hotels in the $200-$250 a night range, which is more palatable. 

What kind of clothing and gear should I bring?

I brought the same clothes I wore on my cycling trip thorough Alsace. I covered my packing list in more detail there as well. 

In short, you need warm and waterproof clothes to hike in this region, as the temperature can still drop significantly during the day time. If you head to the top of the Jungfraujoch, you’ll need winter gear for sure!

• Waterproof raincoat: I wear the REI Co-op Rainier raincoat as the top layer on my hikes. I did not wear the matching rain pants on any hikes, but I had them in my pack. I wore this set in Zion National Park, and it is clutch and inexpensive. 
• Ballcap
• Sunglasses: Goodr sunnies so I could knock them around.
• Sunshirt: REI Co-op sunshirt was perfect for the sunnier day we had
• Wool long sleeved shirt: I wore this under my rainshirt on the chilliest day. Mine is from Costco. 
• Sweatshirt: I ended up putting this on during tastings and lunches to stay warm. 
• Workout tanktop: I did wear just a tanktop on the start of two of the hikes, although I needed to layer up as we hiked.
• Leggings: I always wear lululemon running tights or the bicycle shorts. I brought 2 pairs of leggings and a pair of shorts. 
• Sunblock
• Electrolytes and vitamin C packets daily
• Hiking boots: I wear some Lowa boots that are waterproof. I wish I’d packed sneaks or sandals for the bus or train ride home. 
• Packing cubes: I kept things organized in my hiking pack using REI packing cubes
• Hiking pack: I brought two hiking packs on my trip. I used my primary hiking pack, an Osprey Talon 22 as a carry-on for the plane. I also brought the REI Flash 22L lightweight backpack. It’s not my favorite, but it’s extremely packable for trips like this to have as a secondary pack or day pack for Julia. 
• Casual clothes: Clean pants or a dress for dinner, and casual shorts for lounging around the hotel. 
• Single packets of Tide detergent: We were able to do a load of laundry at Chalet Gafri, but this was helpful for inbetween stuff. I also used this almost every day while biking through Alsace.
• Portable phone battery bank: Strava just eats up that battery and data. I would have also used Airalo as an e-sim instead of my regular phone plan.
• Copy of Rick Steves Switzerland book, a must-have for the area
• Copy of Lonely Planet Switzerland book, another must-have (You can check out my entire Bookshop Swiss List here, including the fiction books I read)

What do I wish I had packed for my trip to the Swiss Alps in July?

• Winter coat, hat and gloves: It wasn’t quite cold enough on our coldest hike at Grutschalp to need these, although a hat would have been nice. If we had wanted to go to the top of Jungfraujoch, we would have needed it. It’s below freezing and snowy up there! 
• Hiking poles: We debated packing hiking poles and ultimately decided to leave them at home. I wish we’d brought them or taken the time to buy/rent some in Interlaken before our trip. Some of the trails were steep and uneven, and this would have been nice to have. 
• Downloaded AllTrails before the hike: Julia did on one hike but we forgot on another. 
• Cicerone Bernese Oberland Hiking Guide or Swiss Hiking book to help with trails

Conclusion: Your 5 Day Itinerary for the Swiss Alps

When you visit Interlaken and the Jungfrau region in July, you’ll have a hiking adventure you won’t forget. Let me know what you thought about this area if you’ve visited!