Spending 4-5 days in Switzerland in mid-July

Interlaken is a great jumping off point. Not sure what driving is like in Switzerland, but lots of great hiking options, etc. Consider going further into the Alps from there. Lots of options!!

I stayed in Grindelwald for a week in 2007 and loved it. It is close to all the small mountain towns and you can drive your van there. I loved the day hikes to first and the Jungfrau and Schilton. I would buy a swiss pass to save on the lifts train passes.

suyog, can you tell us where you will be coming from before Switzerland, and where you will be going afterwards? That will help us make suggestions that fit your needs.

Also, where do you plan to pick up the van, and are you sure you need one? Many of the best places in Switzerland are car-free villages and a car is a hinderance. Train/lift/boat trfamily groups of 7 to 9 people, always by train and other public transport.

I am not trying to talk you out of the van idea if that is what you have decided is best for your group, but just asking if you have considered the limitations.

"Many of the best places in Switzerland are car-free villages and a car is a hinderance." I would politely disagree here. Two of the most popular villages with Rick Steves travelers are car-free (Gimmelwald and Murren), but this situation is not common in Switzerland as a whole. And even for these two villages, there is ample parking by the gondola stations in the valley.

Suyog, for what you want, I would recommend Lauterbrunen. While trains in Switzerland are very convenient and quite inexpensive, I would think that with 8, a van will be more economical. There are several places to stay including a camp ground in Lauterbrunen. From there you can easily get to Muerren and Wengen. Do not get sucked into Gimmelwald. There is no there, there. Take the lift there and hike to Muerren to see what I mean.

Rick may only mention two car-free villages , but there are many lovely places he does not cover (starting with Wengen right across the valley), that can only be reached by public transport.

I am not necessarily advocating against the van idea, just wondering if they have fully considered the train option. It may or may not be more expensive, depending on whether there ar children in their group, and where they wish to go.

I also wonder if they can even find an 8-person van to rent. I did a quick check on Auto Europe for vehicles available for pickup in Zurich. The largest is a 7-passenger van, but maybe that is actually 8 including the driver? And have room for luggage? For a 5-day rental, returning to the same spot, that van is around $2,000. Maybe they can find something for less from another agency, or maybe they already have the van and will be driving it in from another country. But if not, they may want to look into actual costs before committing to the van idea.

Have you considered renting a minibus with chauffer/
It will be more expensive than a van, but there will be room for all, and a chauffer is agreat advantage.
He knows where to go and quick!!!