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Suggest an itinerary with Ringgenberg as base

We are family of 6 adults and 4 children- eldest 73 years and healthy and youngest 5 yrs on our first trip to Switzerland. We will arrive at 7.30 Am on May 11 th -Zurich. We have already booked our stay at Ringgenberg and will be leaving to Paris at 1 pm on May 16. We have taken a swiss saver pass for 11 th may and is planning to take a half fare card and the BO pass if the weather is not too bad. We intend to maximise the free travels in the card. We definitely want to go to Grindelwald First , a snow mountain and a Chocolate factory. Can anyone please suggest a detailed itinerary for the 5 days. Also suggest an easy hike open in May during the time. Any help would be deeply appreciated. I have been pondering over the itinerary for days, getting confused because of the closures in may and not knowing whether the places we want to visit are near to each other.

Posted by
7 posts

I had booked and made an itinerary based on Luzern. The airbnb cancelled 3 days back. Saw a good deal in Ringgenberg in bookingdotcom. Booked without even thinking as we have only a few days.

Posted by
21012 posts

We will arrive at 7.30 Am on May 11 th -Zurich. We have already booked our stay at Ringgenberg and will be leaving to Paris at 1 pm on May 11

Sounds like you are leaving for Paris as soon as you arrive in Zurich. Take it you are really arriving on May 6.

Posted by
21012 posts

Most of the chocolate factories are in western Switzerland, or around Zurich. Maybe this place in Interlaken will suffice.
https://funkychocolateclub.com/

For the rest, play it by ear depending on the weather.

Posted by
7 posts

Day 1
Land in Zurich 7.30/ 11 am
Options
Train to ringgenberg check in at 1 pm
Explore Bern - Bundezplatz,old town,baren park,einstein museum

Or Travel to Luzern- swiss transport museum
Or Luzern - mount Rigi

Day 2
One of the mountains if weather is good- Titlis or Juanfrau
Lauterburren

Day 3
Grindelwald first
Go to Pfingstegg and do toboggan

Chocolate factory evening

Day 4

Oeschinen Lake
Neisen or Stockhorn

Day 5

Options
Bernier express
Or
Lucern and museum of transport

Or Schilthorn

This is what I am currently working on

Posted by
21012 posts

If by Bernier Express, you are referring to the Bernina Express, that is too far away to be considered.
If you are getting the Berner Oberland Pass, Mt Rigi is not included, but Engelberg and Titlis are half fare from Luzern (which is included). If you want a scenic train journey, take the Golden pass train toward Montreux, It is fully covered to Saanen, then half fare to Montreux. Other mountain top journeys close to Ringgenberg are the Brienzer Rothorn, the Schynige Platte, Harder Kulm, Niederhorn.

Again, shape your itinerary by the weather. Bern day trip would be a good rainy day activity. Take advantage of good weather to go into the mountains when it is favorable. With a pass, you are not locked into doing anything on any particular day.

Posted by
7 posts

Brienzer Rothorn and Schynige Platt is closed in may, is it?.
Should I book a seat for the Golden express

Posted by
599 posts

For 4.5 days, weather dependent….

May 11 - check in, afternoon boat ride on Lake Brienz

May 12 - Ringgenberg > Interlaken Ost > Grindelwald > Grindelwald First > Eiger Express > Kleine Scheidegg > Optional Easy Walk to Wengernalp or train > Wengen for dinner > Lauterbrunnen > Interlaken Ost > Ringgenberg

May 13 - Ringgenberg > Interlaken Ost > Lauterbrunnen > Easy Valley Walk to Stechelberg > Schilthorn > Murren > Gimmelwald > Stechelberg > Lauterbrunnen > Interlaken Ost > Ringgenberg

May 14 - Ringgenberg > Interlaken Ost > Lauterbrunnen > Wengen > Kleine Scheidegg > optional Jungfraujoch > Eiger Express to Grindelwald > Pfingstegg or Glacier Canyon > Interlaken Ost > Ringgenberg
OR
Ringgenberg > Interlaken Ost > Luzern > Interlaken Ost > Ringgenberg

May 15 - Ringgenberg > Interlaken Ost > Interlaken West > Lake Thun Boat Ride with Stops at Spiez, Oberhöfen & Thun to see castles > Thun for dinner > Interlaken Ost > Ringgenberg

May 16 - Ringgenberg > Paris with optional stop in Bern or Basel to explore for a bit

Posted by
7 posts

Thanks Wanderweg.
Thanks. I will work based on this plan and get back with my doubts.

Posted by
7 posts

Day 1
11/5/2024
Arrive in Zurich at 7.30 AM. Travel to Ringgenberg. Check in.
After lunch Berne. Old Town,Cathedral,Zytglogge,Bear pit. ?zoo
Berne to Interlaken Cruise
Return to Ringgenberg

Day 2
12/5/24
If the weather is good –Jungfraujoch
Is the stay at the hut on top worth it?
Can children hike up to the hut? We all have snow boots and -10 Jackets. None of us have seen snow, not even a temperature less than 20.
If not going to the hut – then on the return walk murren Grütschalp
(to get to murren would be Grindelwald- Lauterbrunnen – by bus Stechelberg – Murren am I right? as Grindelwald Murren line is closed))
Will that be too much for the day ?

Day 3
Morning Grindelwald First
Afternoon Lauterbrunnen, Trummelbach Falls
?Wengen too in the evening

Day 4.
Oeschinen Lake
THUN Castle
Harder Kulm or Neisen or Stockhorn
Day 5
Golden PASS Express to Luzern
Explore Lucern

Evening Chocolate factory at Interlaken for Kids

Can you please have a look at this itinerary and suggest edits.

Posted by
599 posts

Day 1 - if you want to see Bern on the way to Ringgenberg, stop and store your luggage there on the way. Don’t backtrack. And there is no such thing as a Bern to Interlaken cruise, there is just a train. You can take a boat from Interlaken to Ringgenberg though, on Lake Brienz. You can do Harder Kulm for sunset if you want.

Day 2

Jungfraujoch + Murren is too much in one day, but you can do Jungfraujoch + Grindelwald First this day. Take the Eiger Express down to Grindelwald after Jungfraujoch and do First in the afternoon.

Day 3

Ringgenberg > Bus to Interlaken Ost > Lauterbrunnen > Walk to Stechelberg > Cable car to Gimmelwald & Murren > Cable car back down to Stechelberg and Bus to Trummelbach Falls > Bus to Lauterbrunnen > possibly up to Wengen for dinner > back to Lauterbrunnen > Train to Interlaken Ost > Bus to Ringgenberg

Day 4.

Oeschinensee is a lot of logistics and I wouldn’t recommend unless you really want to spend your whole day doing it. A boat ride on Lake Thun + Thun castle would be nice.

Day 5

Luzern