A gondola ride up to First is a must when visiting Grindlewald in Switzerland! Not only is it a lovely gondola ride up, but there’s also so much to do at the top. From hiking to ziplining, to enjoying a bit to eat with some of the most incredible views ever! There’s even a free skywalk if you’re brave enough to face the drop! If you are looking for a hike, there’s one hike you must do! It takes you to one of the prettiest lakes I have ever seen, Lake Bachalpsee.
Grindelwald
Grindelwald is a lovely, little Swiss village, not too far from Interlaken. It’s full of accommodations, campsites, cafes, restaurants, and shops. With the village surrounded by gondolas, cable cars, and great walks, you could easily spend a week or more here!
During the summer months, Grindelwald is a perfect place for hiking. During the winter months, the village transforms into a popular ski resort, attracting skiers and snowboarders from all across Europe.
Where To Stay With A Campervan
If you are travelling in your campervan and would like a campsite within walking distance from the Grindelwald-First gondola station, I recommend Camping Gletscherdorf. If you are visiting in peak season, you may want to book in advance as I’ve heard, they do get full. The campsite is about a 10-minute walk from the Grindelwald-First station, which is brilliant! It means you can leave your campervan at the campsite, and not have to worry about parking.
Here’s a link to their website:
When To Visit
The best to visit Grindelwald for hiking is anywhere between June to October. July and August are often the busiest times. September and October are the quietest. We visited the 2nd week in September and the weather was lovely and warm!
Please note: the Grindelwald-First Gondola closes end of October, and reopens in December for ski season. So if you decide to visit Grindelwald in November, you won’t be able to ride up to the First station.
Grindelwald-First Gondola
The Grindelwald-First Gondola goes from the village of Grindelwald to the First Station at 2,166 meters (7,106 feet) above sea level. It takes around 25 minutes to get to the top.
For cost and opening times, please visit their website:
https://www.jungfrau.ch/en-gb/grindelwaldfirst/
When you purchase your gondola ticket, you will have a choice of buying one of the packages they offer. We purchased just a return gondola ticket. However, if you are feeling more adventurous, you can add the adventure package, which includes ziplining down the mountain!
The Adventure Package At First
There is so much to do at First, depending on how adventurous you are feeling, how much time you have, and of course how much money you want to spend!
Here are First biggest thrill attractions, which cost and can be brought as part of the adventure package:
- First Flyer
- First Glider
- First Mountain Cart
- First Trottibike
For more information on each of the thrills at First, please head over to their website: https://www.jungfrau.ch/en-gb/grindelwaldfirst/adventure-package/
The Free Stuff At First
If you are on a budget, or the thrill adventures aren’t your cup of tea, then don’t worry, there are lots of other great things to enjoy, and they are completely free!
Here are some free things to do at First:
First Cliff Walk
The First Cliff Walk is a must! It’s completely free too and it’s exactly how it sounds. A metal path that hangs you off the edge! Honestly, it sounds worse than it is! I’m not the greatest with heights, but I was ok with this!
The downside to the cliff walk, it does get very busy. It’s likely, you will often have to queue to get that selfie on the ledge that hangs off the mountainside. But it’s worth the wait! The views are insane!
Take One Of The Hiking Trails
There are lots of different trails to choose from at First. I walked the trail to Lake Bachalpsee, which I have written a full hiking guide:
Grindelwald-First Most Popular Hike: Lake Bachalpsee
The hike to Lake Bachalspee is the easiest of walks, First has to offer. However, there are other routes to choose from. You can walk on from Lake Bachalpsee and head up the Faulhorn, you can walk down part of the way from First, and catch the gondola from the mid-way station. The list goes on!
Here is a site, which has some other walking routes you can follow from First: http://www.hikingwalking.com/index.php/destinations/sw/sw_bernese/grindelwald
How To Complete The Day
Honestly, one of my favourite ways to end a walk in the Swiss Alps is to enjoy a cup of coffee and a slice of cake at the mountain refugee. First has a fantastic refugee that offers a great selection of cakes, including gluten and dairy-free options. To top of it, the views are incredible! We ended up spending a good couple of hours chilling on the balcony, soaking up the alpine scenery, before heading back down the gondola to Grindelwald.
Want to see what else there is to do in Switzerland? Check out some of my other blogs:
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