Winter excursions: Nature

Enter the animal kingdom a few minutes from Lausanne!

Ballons du Léman offers several exceptional hot-air balloon flights, from discovery flights to fondue tastings on board a balloon or high-altitude flights. They operate all year round in French-speaking Switzerland.

At Lake Lugano, it is wonderfully easy to escape one’s daily routine: by enjoying a sunbath below palm trees, cruises on the lake or hiking tours through magnificent landscapes.

What was in 1806 a dramatic and catastrophic event for humans, is today a blessing for endangered animal species: the landslide of Goldau. In the area where the landslide took place, the Goldau Nature Park and Zoo offers non-domesticated animals a species-appropriate home in an impressive landscape.

Thanks to natural barriers, the Tropiquarium permits you safely getting close to creatures from all around the world. It’s also home to several endangered species such as the Siamese crocodile, the African penguin and the Galapagos tortoise.

Switch off and relax – exclusively on Lake Lucerne!

The journey in the big Säntis cable car from Schwägalp across the rocky ridges to the mountain station is an impressive experience in itself. And once you reach the “weather mountain”, the view of six different countries will take your breath away.

The Alpine zoo is discovered at an altitude of 1,100 meters surrounded by woods, where the majority of alpine-dwelling animals can be observed in their natural habitat. Adjacent to the zoo visitors discover an outdoor alpine pool, nestled in the natural rocky landscape. Parking, Restaurant-Pizzeria and picnic area are also at your convenience.

An unforgettable experience, pure adventure; that is Flying Fox. On the six courses of varying difficulty you can slowly approach your limits. You cross challenging balance bridges, hanging bridges and tyrolean slides loaded with action.

The Schöllenen Gorge is probably the most legendary section of the historic Gotthard route. On the Devil's Bridge over the roaring Reuss, you can get an idea of how hard and dangerous the path across the Alps once was.

The Swiss Ornithological Institute in Sempach is the national centre of research and protection of local birds and their habitats, which is supported by the population. The new visitor’s centre is clearly the destination and the tourist attraction on Lake Sempach.

Sikypark rescues native and exotic animals such as tigers, wolves, lynx or parrots and gives them a home. Experience a day out for the whole family with playtimes with animals, picnic tables, a restaurant and the Siky Express.

It’s no wonder that the Moléson has a special place in the hearts of Fribourg’s citizens: the journey up to the panoramic peak is an adventure in itself. Once you reach the summit, you are greeted by wonderful 360° panoramic views of the Gruyère Pre-Alps and the Bernese and Valais Alps.

The pool and spa in the middle of the mountains offers the latest indoor and outdoor pool technology, pure relaxation and fun for the little ones.

At the new Riding Center in Crans-Montana, the encounter with horses takes center stage – an impressive experience for all age groups.

Ibex, chamois, lynx, wildcat, deer and wild boar are among the native Swiss animals at the Peter and Paul wildlife park on the scenic St. Gallen-Rotmonten hilltop.

At the heart of the Peuchapatte wind farm (canton Jura), this original educational trail will teach you more about wind energy, the wind and the Franches-Montagnes region.

Between the Basel area and Solothurn’s Thal nature park lies the scenic Passwang range of hills. From Liestal you reach the Jura heights in solely 45 minutes by bus and gondola rail to Wasserfallen.

Between Sion and Sierre in Valais lies Europe's largest natural underground lake. In a rowboat, you will travel 300 meters through the illuminated cave and learn exciting facts about the geology and history of the lake from your guide.

More than 100 animals from all over the world are at home in the Zoo al Maglio to marvel at. These include lions, panthers, snow leopards, serval, the Bennett wallaby, gibbons, macaques and capuchin monkeys as well as parrots.

Discover the St. Beatus Caves above Lake Thun: Stalactite grottoes, waterfalls and the exciting dragon saga await you. In the cave museum you will learn everything about the hidden world inside the mountain.

Wellness in Switzerland’s largest thermal baths. The varied experiences on offer at Therme Zurzach invite visitors to take a moment and relax.

The Verbier 3-D Foundation Sculpture Park is a free, year-round open-air museum at 2,300 meters in the Swiss Alps. It showcases contemporary art created during artist residencies, blending seamlessly with the alpine landscape between La Chaux and Les Ruinettes list stations above Verbier.

The River Orbe created a fascinating cave system at the Vaudois town of Vallorbe. The tour leads visitors along the subterranean course of the Orbe (an outflow from the Vallée de Joux), passing by stalactites, stalagmites, drip-stone formations, columns and galleries. Once upon a time fairies that charmed young men were supposed to have lived here.

The Aletsch Arena offers an impressive mountain backdrop in the heart of UNESCO World Heritage site Swiss Alps Jungfrau-Aletsch, with a view of the longest glacier in the Alps, the Great Aletsch Glacier.

After an active day on the slopes or in the snow, relax your muscles in the soothing thermal water or steam-filled sauna: what more could you want? This is something that is almost taken for granted at the Leukerbad, the biggest thermal spa and wellness holiday resort in the Alps. The sauna complex in the Valais Alpine resort is particularly recommended.

Surrounded by no fewer than 29 peaks above 4,000 meters, such as the majestic Matterhorn and the Dufourspitze as well as the third-longest glacier of the Alps, Gornergrat rewards visitors with unparalleled views.

Climb up 1,500m in altitude from Andermatt to the Gemsstock, at almost 3,000m above sea level. From this vantage point that is truly in the heart of the Swiss Alps, you have all-round views sweeping across half of Switzerland.

The La Garenne zoo is home to a host of mammals, birds and reptiles, in addition to an important collection of European birds of prey.

There is always something to experience aboard the flotilla of the Basle passenger cruise company: lock passages between Basle and Rheinfelden, city and harbour tours, rich brunch offer and much more.

A petting zoo and large playground make the Dählhölzli an ideal family outing destination.

Vullierens Castle, together with its magnificent gardens and sculpture park, constitutes one of Switzerland’s most remarkable heritage sites with a superb 180° view of the Alps, Mont Blanc and Lake Geneva.

Get away from your daily urban stress, and come for a restful outing on our 100-year-old paddlewheel streamboat or one of our 3 modern ships. Greifen Lake is a true paradise where moments and memories rock lazily along waves of endless pleasure.

Steamboats operate scheduled services on eight of Switzerland's lakes today. Thanks to donations, the “Stadt Zürich” and “Stadt Rapperswil” have also been saved from the scrapyard. The two paddle steamers were renovated between 2003 and May 2006, and are now in use almost every day.

The most beautiful pistes and the most impressive viewpoints of the Aletsch Arena: discover all this on the Glacier Panorama Tour.

It’s hardly surprising that the Vigezzina-Centovalli Railway passes over 83 marvellous bridges and viaducts along its route from Locarno to Domodossola. Before this panoramic route was built, the “hundred valleys” were still completely untouched. Whether in spring, passing thundering waterfalls, or during a golden Indian summer – a trip on the Vigezzina-Centovalli Railway is an experience in itself.