Canyoning Interlaken vs Grimsel vs Chli Schliere: Which One Is Right for You?
Three canyoning trips in the Swiss Alps, three completely different days. If you're trying to decide which one to book, here's the short version:
Canyoning Interlaken. If you just want to get into the gear, try the activity, and get a taste of canyoning in a nearby canyon, this is the one. You'll experience everything canyoning has to offer in a short amount of time.
Canyoning Grimsel. If you want to go deeper into the Swiss Alps, get into the wild, start with a crazy rappel, and have options for bigger jumps and even a zipline, this one is for you.
Canyoning Chli Schliere. This is for people who want to go all in. If Interlaken is level 1 and Grimsel is level 3, then Chli Schliere is a 10. There are alternatives to help you through the canyon, but this is where being sporty and confident really matters.
Below, the long version.
Canyoning Interlaken
The Interlaken canyon is the starting point. Close to town (10-minute drive), short enough for half a day (3 hours total), and set up so that every single obstacle can be bypassed. Jumps up to 2 metres, a 10-metre rappel controlled by the guides, and the highlight: a rope swing over a 5-metre waterfall.
The canyon for people who've never tried canyoning, for families with kids aged 12 and up, and for anyone who wants a real canyon without committing to a full day. You're back at base by lunchtime with a free drink, a free photo, and time for the afternoon.
Runs in almost all weather, up to five departures per day. From CHF 139.- per person.
Canyoning Grimsel
Grimsel is one step up, but still accessible to most people. The canyon sits on the Grimsel mountain pass, about an hour's drive from Interlaken, and the experience starts with a 50-metre rappel. That's the only way in, so: no easing into it.
Once inside, the canyon is wide and open at first, with easy jumps and slides. Further down it narrows, the pale granite walls close in, and the highlight is a zipline with a release drop into the clear water below. In the middle, there's an optional 8-metre jump (or a 4-metre alternative).
Grimsel takes about 5.5 hours including the drive. Food and drinks are included. The scenery is spectacular: high alpine, remote, mountain ridges on every side. Minimum age 14. From CHF 161.- per person.
Canyoning Chli Schliere
Chli Schliere is for people who want to be challenged. The most technical, most physical, and most intense canyon in the region. Multiple jumps up to 10 metres, slides up to 15 metres, a 20-metre waterfall rappel, and a pace that barely lets up.
The canyon is an hour from Interlaken, starts with a 20-minute hike to the entrance, and from the first jump you're enclosed in towering vertical walls. There's a walking section in the middle to catch your breath, but the rest flows with high intensity. The day ends with a 20-minute walk down the riverbed to a well-earned lunch and cold beer.
A 7-hour day. Suitable for fit, confident people who are comfortable with big jumps. If the 10-metre platform at your local pool makes you nervous, this isn't the right canyon. Minimum age 14. Chli Schliere doesn't run during or after wet weather. From CHF 179.- per person.
Interlaken | Grimsel | Chli Schliere |
|---|---|---|
First-timers, families, half a day | More intensity, no extreme | Fit adventurers, full programme |
Biggest jump: 2m | Biggest jump: 8m | Biggest jump: 10m |
Biggest rappel: 10m | Biggest rappel: 50m | Biggest rappel: 20m |
Duration: 3 hours | Duration: 5.5 hours | Duration: 7 hours |
Not sure where to start? If it's your first time, go Interlaken. You can come back for Grimsel or Chli Schliere once you know the sport.