Experience · Interlaken, Switzerland

Paragliding

You run three steps down an alpine meadow and then the ground simply resigns — tandem paragliding from Beatenberg, high above Interlaken, delivers ten to twenty minutes of soaring between the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau with two turquoise lakes below.

Best forAdventure seekers · Couples · Photographers
In October17°C · 15 rainy days
Ideal stay2–3 nights in Interlaken
Approx. flying time~11h 55m from Los Angeles

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Happens around Paragliding, Interlaken, Switzerland — nearest airport Zurich (ZRH), about 100km away.

CurrencyCHFSwiss franc
LanguageGerman, French, Italian and Romansh
Local time14:021h ahead of the UK
PlugsType C / JBring an adapter
Drive on theRightOpposite to the UK
Dialling code+41

The experience

Take-off is over in seconds. You run a few paces down a grass slope at Beatenberg, the wing lifts, and the ground simply drops away into a valley with a turquoise lake at either end. Tandem flights last roughly ten to twenty minutes, banking between the peaks of the Bernese Oberland with the Eiger, Monch and Jungfrau wall to the south. The pilot flies; your job is to sit still and look.

Interlaken sits between Lakes Thun and Brienz and is built for this sort of thing, with canyoning, skydiving and the mountain railways all within reach. A flight takes half a morning, so it slots into a wider Swiss trip easily. Flights run in most months but need calm, clear weather, so leave a spare day. Anyone uneasy with heights usually finds this gentler than expected, since there is no jump involved.

Ideal stay: 2–3 nights in Interlaken
The vibe: Alpine, weightless, briefly terrifying

From our guides

The pilot handles everything; your job is the running and the gawping. Ask for a morning flight for the smoothest air, or afternoon thermals if you fancy acrobatics. It is weather-dependent, so leave yourself a spare day.

Featured in Ten adrenaline days out: canyons, bridges and big jumps

Make a trip of it

The Beatenberg launch

Most tandem flights start from a meadow high above the north shore of Lake Thun, reached by minibus, with the whole valley laid out at take-off.
Eiger, Monch and Jungfrau

The three-peak wall dominates the southern skyline throughout the flight and is what makes the view here different from other alpine launch sites.
Two lakes at once

Thun to the west and Brienz to the east are both visible from altitude, separated by the flat green strip of land where the town sits.
Acrobatic add-ons

Afternoon thermals allow spirals and wingovers if you ask in advance. Morning air is smoother and better if you would rather simply glide.
Landing at the Hohematte

Flights come down on the large meadow in the middle of town, which means anyone not flying can watch the whole descent from a bench.

Getting there

Fly to
Zurich (ZRH)

Nearest airport to Paragliding, about 100km away as the crow flies.
Then
To Interlaken

Zurich (ZRH) is the usual gateway, about two hours to Interlaken by direct train; Bern's small airport (BRN) is under an hour away by rail if a flight happens to suit.
On the ground
Getting around

Operators meet you in Interlaken and drive up to the launch at Beatenberg or Amisbühl, landing back in the town park by the Höhematte.

Public transport: Swiss trains, lake steamers and postbuses make Interlaken one of the easiest alpine bases to reach without a car.

Flights

Los Angeles Paragliding, Interlaken, Switzerland

Flying from

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Roughly 11h 55m in the air from Los Angeles (LAX), estimated from the distance — check for a direct route. Pick a month to see every available flight with live prices.

Check dates and prices

Pick your departure date, then your return.

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Flight times are estimates; prices open on Google Flights.

When to go

Daytime highs run from about 5°C in January to 25°C in July. Driest January to April; wettest in June, with rain on about 20 days.

The year at a glance — pick a month for detail

October17° · rain 15 daysCool and often wet.

Monthly figures averaged from daily records for 2020–2024 at this location (ERA5 reanalysis).

Where to base yourself

Alpine hotels, hostels and self-catering chalet apartments, with grand old lakeside hotels at the top end. Interlaken has a lot of beds and fills anyway.

Best base overall
Interlaken

Nearly every operator meets in town and shuttles you up to Beatenberg, so staying central removes all the logistics. It is the busiest and priciest bed in the valley in summer.
Find stays in Interlaken
Quietest
Beatenberg

The launch village itself, a terrace of chalets high above Lake Thun with the view you paid to fly over. Quiet evenings and a funicular or bus ride down for anything else.
Find stays in Beatenberg
Best value
Wilderswil and Matten

Villages a few minutes out with cheaper guesthouses and apartments and the same train connections. Less to do on the doorstep, but Interlaken is minutes away.
Find stays in Wilderswil and Matten
Best with children
Bönigen and Iseltwald

On the lakeshore east of town, with swimming, boat stops and family apartments away from the traffic. Bus or boat back into Interlaken, which children generally count as a treat.
Find stays in Bönigen and Iseltwald

Worth knowing before you book: Flying is weather-dependent, so allow a spare day and pick a flexible room rate. July and August rooms in Interlaken should be booked by spring, especially at weekends.

Search everything else in Interlaken by budget. These are indicative budget bands in GBP per night for two people, not live quotes or guarantees of hotel type. Check your dates, guests, taxes and final price on Booking.com.

Or see everything in Interlaken

Good to know

Weather: Flights are cancelled in wind, rain or low cloud, often at short notice. Book early in your stay so a lost slot can be rebooked.
Timing: Morning air is smoothest and afternoon thermals are livelier. Flights operate through most of the year, snow permitting at the launch site.
Pack this: Closed shoes with grip for the run-off, a warm layer and sunglasses. It is noticeably colder at altitude than down in the valley.
Weight limits: Operators apply minimum and maximum passenger weights for safety, and children usually need to be above a set weight. Check before booking.
Motion sickness: The turns are more pronounced than most people expect. Say so at the start and the pilot will fly a straighter line.