Top 5 Switzerland Waterfalls
Oh for the sound of the roar and the misty spray on my face!
One of nature’s most amazing attractions are waterfalls and Switzerland has been blessed with an abundance of them, each more beautiful than the other. Over years of travelling, I have always made a point of visiting the closest waterfalls of the regions that I travel to and here is a list of my favourite Switzerland waterfalls
Giessbach Falls
A boat ride on the serene Lake Brienz brought us to a top from where we took a funicular up to these falls. Surrounded by mountains and lush foliage, these falls tumble downwards in 14 stages and over 500 metres to reach the Lake Brienz. There is a walkway around and behind the waterfalls from where we could get really close to and actually feel the chilly ,misty spray of the falls.
After experiencing the falls, we had a coffee at the historical Giessbach Hotel with a view over the falls. Having a dinner would have been better since the falls are lit up at night, but well…maybe next time.
Travel tip- If you are staying in Interlaken, you can add this into your list of things to do in Interlaken. Other great things to pack into your Interlaken itinerary would be a Jetboat ride and a trip to Jungfraujoch. Remember that your Jungfraujoch ticket price will be highly discounted if you hold the Swiss Travel Pass. Also, the boat ride on Lake Brienz which takes you to the stop for the Giessbach Falls is included in the pass, so no extra payment. There is an extra nominal fee for the funicular though.
Rhine Falls
We had heard so much about the Rhine Falls that there was no way we would omit that from our Switzerland package tour. These are Europe’s largest waterfalls and can be reached with a short train ride from Zurich to either the Neuhausen Rhinefalls or the Schloss Laufen train stations .
The falls can actually be seen from Germany or Switzerland ( much like the Niagara falls from Canada or USA). There are several viewing platforms that give you different views of the falls. Since we visited in summer, we could also take a boat ride and get really close to the falls and feel the thunder of the water as it plunges down. The boat ride also lets you alight at The Rock — a mighty rock face that has withstood the elements of time and nature and stands tall in the middle of the falls. A climb up to this rock will give you a birds eye view and ofcourse an amazing selfie. There is also a glass lift which takes you down to viewing platforms that give you a real idea of the force of the falls
You can also visit the exhibition at the Schloss Laufen and the miniature world of Switzerland close to the falls.
Travel tip: If you are tight on time, there are several day tours that you can take from close to Zurich main station. Its much easier when you don’t have to figure your own way around on a tight timeframe. Some of the tours even drop you off at the airport. Ofcourse if you hold the Swiss Travel Pass, your train ticket from Zurich to the Neuhausen or Schloss Laufen stations would be covered in the pass. The boat tours and the lift to the viewing platforms cot a small fee that you can pay locally.
Trummelbach Falls
Interglacial waterfalls, a waterfall inside a mountain!! This is part of what you hear about the Trummelbach Falls and we were beyond curious to find out what they were like. The Lauterbrunnen valley where these falls are located has 72 waterfalls but these are by far the most spectacular and unique.
You take a lift that takes you high up into the tunnel and from there you enter into an almost surreal world of staircases and walkways that are carved into the mountain. Climbing and walking along these paths you can view and feel the spray of the chilly falls from different angles as they thunder and roar past you carrying the water to the Lauterbrunnen valley. The falls carry the meltwater of the Jungfrau mountains (Eiger , Monch and Jungfrau) and transport 20,000 litres of water per second!
Caution: There are over 200 stairs to navigate so make sure you are up for the task. While coming down, you have a choice of taking the lift or walking all the way back down. Walking will allow you to see the lower part of the falls which you will miss if you take the lift.
Travel tip: These falls can be combined with a day tour to Jungfrau. We decided to take a detour at Lauterbrunnen and took a post bus which took under 10 minutes to reach the falls. We needed to purchase tickets to enter the falls but the post bus was free on our Swiss Travel Pass.
Staubach Falls
One of the falls of the Lauterbrunnen Valley these falls drop from a height of close to 300 metres making them the third highest falls in the country. The spray droplets which you can feel in all directions, is what has actually given the falls their name ( Staub, which means dust). There is a steep walk up a pathway which takes you behind the falls for a spectacular view.
Travel tip: If you are staying in Interlaken, you can combine a visit to these falls with your day trip to the Schilthorn or Jungfrau.
Reichenbach Falls
We only decided to visit these falls because of our love for the mysteries of Sherlock Holmes. It is at these falls that our famous detective is said to have plunged to his death. Bur Sherlock Holmes aside, these waterfalls that go down in seven step like formations over close to 250 metres are truly beautiful. You can reach the falls via a bus ride from the town of Meiringen. From here the Reichenbach Funicular takes you up to the viewing terraces for some really beautiful views of the falls and the Haslital valley
Travel tip: The Reichenbach Falls are best visited from May to October. The volume of water being at its peak during these months makes them much better to view. Make sure to visit the Sherlock Holmes Museum in Meiringen as well
Keep in mind that Switzerland is not just about great mountains and lakes. The next time you visit, make sure to add some of these amazing waterfalls to your Switzerland holiday package.
