ABOUT THIS ADVENTURE
It took me 33 years to finally do a big backpacking trip throughout Europe. Why? For some reason I had this idea that Europe lacked the outdoor adventures I could get in places like Australia, South America, and Southeast Asia. WRONG!
I was blown away and discovered one of the best spots in the world for adrenaline junkies – Interlaken Switzerland.
Located centrally in the Bernese Oberland Region of Switzerland, Interlaken is known as “the adventure capital of Europe” and rightfully so. This town is surrounded by mountains, forests, rivers, emerald lakes and glaciers making it a perfect playground for extreme sports. If you’re an adrenaline junkie looking for things to do in Interlaken check out Alpin Raft.
Alpin Raft is the original adventure tour company in Interlaken operating for nearly 30 years. The company’s three main tours include bungee jumping, canyoning and river rafting. Alpin Raft also books skydiving, paragliding, hang gliding and ice climbing with their partners. When Alpin Raft offered to sponsor my activities I jumped at the chance. After three days with Alpin Raft I left genuinely impressed by their sense of community and caliber of services. The guides are some of the most experienced in the country, probably in all of Europe. The staff is a tight-knit unit and welcomes guests as members of the family. Compared to the competition, Alpin Raft has maintained a rare mom-and-pop energy over the years while still offering mainstream tours. On every tour I felt safe, cared for and in the company of friends.
TRAVELING THERE
As a solo backpacker the easiest way for me to get to Interlaken was by train. The small town has two stations 1 mile apart – the main station Interlaken Ost Train Station aka Interlaken East and Interlaken West. The Alpin Raft office is located in the middle and has a friendly staff happy to help arrange things to do in Interlaken. If you can’t make it there in person, the staff is easily accessible by email mail@alpinraft.com. When you’ve booked your tour, Alpin Raft provides hotel and hostel pickup/dropoff to their base camp and then transportation to and from the adventure.
WHAT I DID
With so many options it was hard for me to choose what things to do in Interlaken! I settled on Alpin Raft’s three main tours bungee jumping, canyoning and river rafting.
1. BUNGEE JUMPING
The first time I went bungee jumping was 12 years ago in Queenstown New Zealand so I was ready for another shot at it! Round 2 with Alpin Raft led me to Stockhorn, Erlenbach im Simmental in the Bernese Alps. No doubt, this is one of the most gorgeous spots to jump out of a gondola! For an in-depth look at bungee jumping Interlaken, click here.
2. CANYONING
Canyoning is a sport that involves climbing, jumping and swimming through waterfalls and canyons. I’ve been canyoning several times around the world (Australia, Costa Rica & United States) and I can say that (so far) my best experience was in Switzerland with Alpin Raft. For starters, location. Chli Schliere is an hour drive from Interlaken Switzerland and locals refer to it as the best spot for canyoning in the region. For 3-4 hours we smiled and laughed as we enjoyed jumping off cliffs, sliding down natural waterfalls, rappelling and hiking. For an in-depth look at canyoning Interlaken, click here.
3. RIVER RAFTING
The best thing about river rafting – it happens rain or shine! On a day when hang gliding, skydiving, canyoning, etc. were canceled due to the bad weather, river rafting wasn’t. With that said, rafting in the cold rain isn’t an experience for everyone! Did the bad weather stop me from going? Nope! For an in-depth look at river rafting Interlaken, click here.
WHERE I STAYED
I stayed at Balmers Hostel. When I posted a video of my arrival on Instagram story I had multiple friends message me saying that’s where they stayed during their college study abroad. It’s a party hostel with a campus dorm vibe. I was actually there at the end of high season so the property wasn’t that rowdy or crowded. However, I can image at full capacity with its outdoor space, hot tub, bar and dorms it delivers a party. For a cost-efficient, centrally located and clean option, I recommend Balmers. My biggest complaint is there are no lockers in the rooms and they charge for locker space.
JUSTIN’S TAKEAWAYS
Life’s short, live on the edge!
That’s exactly what I did with Alpin Raft in Interlaken Switzerland! For anyone who loves the outdoors, adrenaline rushes and thrill-seeking… join Alpin Raft for world class adventures. And for those that aren’t outdoor thrill-seekers, travel is all about stepping outside our comfort zones. You don’t necessarily have to jump 134m out of a gondola, but challenge yourself to take even a baby step into the unknown. There are so many things to do in Interlaken! It’s a great place to conquer fears, try something new and enjoy thrills.
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