Best of Bernese Oberland Tour from Interlaken

About this tour

When Mia from our team ran this tour, we spent 9 hours rolling through the Bernese Oberland in a private Mercedes minivan—the kind of setup that actually lets you stop when something catches your eye rather than sticking to a rigid timetable. You'll cross the Brunig Pass, hit viewpoints like the Aare Gorge and Giessbach Falls, take a boat across Lake Brienz to wander Brungasse (genuinely one of the region's prettiest lanes), then head into Lauterbrunnen Valley to clock the Staubbach Falls and Trummelbach Falls. The landscape here is proper dramatic—jagged peaks, thundering water, valley greens—and you're mostly riding rather than hiking, which suits a packed itinerary.

Highlights

• Mercedes minivan ride lets you bail out for photos whenever
• Aare Gorge's sheer 200-metre walls leave you genuinely small
• Giessbach Falls and heritage hotel lunch overlooking Lake Brienz
• Boat trip across the lake breaks up the driving nicely
• Staubbach Falls' 300-metre ribbon of water off a cliff face
• Optional cable car to Sulwald for Eiger, Mönch, Jungfrau views
• Air-conditioned van means you're not melting in summer heat

What to expect

You'll start early and spend most of the day in the van, though it's the comfortable kind with proper views out the windows. The route loops through some stunning switchback roads—the Brunig Pass alone is worth the drive. Stops are built in: you'll get time at Giessbach (where the 150-year-old hotel is worth a wander even if you're not lunching there), a proper boat crossing on Lake Brienz, and a stroll through Brungasse where the wooden chalets and flower boxes live up to the hype. The valley villages feel less touristy than you'd expect, probably because most coach groups stick to the same three spots. The cable car option at the end (to Sulwald) is worth the extra if weather's clear—the view of the three big peaks is legitimately arresting on a good day. Pacing is relaxed; you're not being rushed between photo stops.

One thing to clock: Trummelbach Falls aren't included, so if that's on your must-see list, you'll need to budget extra or make your own way. The drive itself is winding, which some find meditative and others find a bit much—take dramamine if you're prone to motion sickness on hairpin bends.

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