Easy walks in Switzerland – ideas for a day trip

The early bird catches the worm, as the saying goes. But to be honest, there are better things than worms, and hiking in Switzerland is still an enjoyable experience if you go in the afternoon. So, if you’re a late-riser, we’ve put together a handful of hiking routes that you won’t regret doing after a lie-in. The hikes are usually suitable for children, but if you do take the little ones with you, the adventure is best undertaken as an all-day trip. So, pack your backpack and get going!

Go straight to:

Flumserberg Alpine Flora Trail

Take the chairlift from Tannenheim up to Prodalp on the Flumserberg, where the circular route of the Alpine Flora Trail begins. You’ll hike to the Maschgenkamm, then head back to your starting point via Zigerfurgglen and Maschgenlücke. Information boards along the themed trail tell you more about the Flumserberg’s flora, so you can enjoy the variety of plants and the panoramic view of the mountains. You’ll pass restaurants and fire pits en route. The hike is ideal for families with small children, covering a total of 3.7 kilometres and 50 metres in altitude. If the hike isn’t long enough for you, you can also extend it and branch off to the Grosssee lake at Zigerfurgglen, for example, and head back to the Maschgenkamm from there.

Pizol five-lakes hike

This circular hike starts from the Pizolhütte, a hut that’s easily reached by train and bus. Travel via Sargans or Bad Ragaz, then take the Pizol cable car. This Alpine hike takes you past five stunning mountain lakes and promises gorgeous views, making it one of Switzerland’s most beautiful panoramic routes. But be careful: it passes through Alpine terrain, and there are three steep ascents to handle, so you need the appropriate skills and equipment. With a total of 4.5 hours hiking time and an elevation gain of slightly more than 500 metres, it’s the perfect one-day adventure.

Grand Canyon at Creux du Van

The Creux du Van in the canton of Vaud is a popular choice for school trips or class camps. This imposing basin in the Jura overlooks Neuenburgersee lake and is one of Switzerland’s most impressive rock formations. Instead of taking the direct, steep ascent from Travers, we recommend opting for the longer, easy hike from Boudry, as you’ll always have your destination in view. You’ll get to the Creux du Van in around two hours after scaling just shy of 300 metres in elevation.

Faulhorn and Bachalpsee lake

This route promises a 3.5-hour hike in one of Switzerland’s most beautiful regions with stunning vistas of the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau. The tour starts in Grindelwald, where the Firstbahn cable car will take you to First mountain station in half an hour. Then, it’s time for the hike to begin: a wide, manageable path takes you to Bachalpsee lake, passing Berghotel Faulhorn. After a stop for some refreshments, double back and head down to Bussalp, where the Grindelwald bus offers a pleasant way to return to the village. This enjoyable circular hike covers around ten kilometres and climbs around 550 metres in elevation.

Sunset hike on the Rigi

Ascend at a snappy pace by taking the cable car from Weggis or the funicular from Vitznau in the direction of Rigi Kaltbad or Rigi First. From there, the easy, 6.5-kilometre mountain hiking route continues for around two hours until you reach Rigi Scheidegg. This pleasant hike offers a unique panoramic vista of central Switzerland. If you’d prefer to enjoy the breathtaking view of Lake Lucerne from a seated position, there are various rest areas and fire pits where you can get comfy.

Take the cable car from the Ridig Scheidegg mountain station to Kräbel and then use the funicular to get to Goldau. The cable car runs until 7:25 pm on weekends – so, from October onwards, you can enjoy the sunset with a sweeping view of the entirety of Central Switzerland.

If you head in the opposite direction, you could even fit in dinner: the last departure from Rigi Kaltbad towards Vitznau leaves at 10:55 pm daily (as of 2023).

Glacial mills above Flims

Alp Mora, owned by the municipality of Trin and located above Flims, is home to a wonder of the natural world: bathing pools, known as glacial mills, created by the Maliensbach stream running across a rocky ledge. They are usually still full of crystal-clear water as late in the year as autumn – guaranteeing a refreshing dip.

There are various ways to get to the glacial mills.

• You can take the Postauto bus to Trin, then hike to the pools: this climbs around 1,200 metres of altitude, so plan five to six hours for the trek.

• If you’re driving, you can cover a good few metres of elevation in the car and shorten the hike. There is a letterbox at the side of the road in Trin where you can buy a vehicle permit for CHF 20. The road continues on to Alp Mora with various car parks en route, so you can determine the length of your hike for yourself. From Alp Mora, it is another 40 minutes until you reach the glacial mills.

• Want to start your adventure early in the morning? Take the Flims Laax Falera shuttle to Bargis and start from there. From Bargis, hike over Alp Lavadignas until you reach Hochtal Muletg, then past the Platt’Alva avalanche barrier. This hiking route covers around 900 metres of elevation and should take around six and a half hours.

Hike near Oeschinensee lake

The stunning Oeschinensee lake in the Bernese Oberland can be easily reached by taking the chairlift from Kandersteg. Its azure water and surrounding rock walls make it one of the most popular photography sites in Switzerland. On a nice day, the area is buzzing with hikers and anglers.

From the Oeschinensee mountain station, you can continue your hike to the Fründenhütte hut. This brief yet steep climb is rather exposed in parts; you will cover the 1,100 metres of elevation in around three hours.

Romantic Chaltbrunntal valley near Basel

This easy 8.5-kilometre hike takes you from Zullwil to Grellingen (or the inverse) through the Chastelbach gorge, guiding you on a magical route along a riverbed full of mossy stones. At the Chessiloch, you’ll find cave paintings from the First World War and several fire pits where you can stop for a cosy break. From Zullwil, you can take the bus to Grellingen, which is just a 16-minute journey from Basel by S-Bahn suburban train.

If you’d like to complete the entire route, you can take the trail back via the Himmelried meadow to reach the start point. This extends the hike to just shy of 15 kilometres. The circular route is perfect for trail runners or families looking to go hiking together.

From Üetliberg to the moon

Everyone in Zurich has heard of Üetliberg, the city’s local mountain – with many heading to it for a Sunday afternoon stroll. However, it has something to offer for keen hikers of all ages: the planets trail. Start from SZU station Üetliberg and head up towards Uto Kulm, then continue on towards Felsenegg. The hike takes just shy of three hours and is particularly exciting for children, who’ll learn all about the solar system.

The cable car will take you from Felsenegg down to Adliswil. Alternatively, you can tackle the steep descent by foot. From Adliswil, the S4 will bring you back to Zurich’s main train station.