Jump towards a memorable, adrenaline-pumping vacation in Switzerland with Olympic gold medallist Neeraj Chopra, the surreal European nation’s newest Friendship Ambassador.
By Bayar Jain
Switzerland is no stranger to Indian tourists. After all, it’s hard to escape the allure of the European nation’s abundant natural beauty, verdant greens, snow-capped mountains, and friendly locals. Now, add Switzerland’s adventurous, sporty, and stunning outdoors to this long list of attractions, too.
Recently, Switzerland Tourism has appointed Indian sports superstar Neeraj Chopra as its Friendship Ambassador. With this, the gold-medal track and field athlete will further help promote the European nation to Indian travellers as an adrenaline-pumping destination.
Chopra’s connection with Switzerland is not new. In the past, the sports icon has travelled to the country for various tournaments and trainings. “While I’ve been to Switzerland many times for my training sessions, I’ve never experienced the country as a tourist,” he reveals.
This time, post winning the Diamond League Championships in September, the reigning athlete—along with his closest friends—holidayed in Switzerland for an adrenaline-pumping vacation. The itinerary came packed with iconic destinations such as Interlaken, Zermatt and Geneva.
Switzerland: As Seen Through Neeraj Chopra’s Lens
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As Switzerland Tourism’s Friendship Ambassador, Chopra will share his experiences in the country to showcase it as the ideal destination for the outdoors. This includes hiking, biking, and other soft and extreme sports. Not to forget—snow sports for everyone, whether novice or seasoned!
Chopra’s itinerary through Switzerland gave a glimpse of these adventure-loaded fun. His holiday covered it all — from canyon jumping, sky diving, and jet-boating in Interlaken and Geneva; monster biking, hiking, helicopter tours in Zermatt; and even sledding and zipping around in snow scooters atop Jungfraujoch! All throughout the trip, he travelled with a first-class Swiss Travel Pass, an all-in-one ticket for Switzerland’s public transport network.
Interlaken
Nestled between Lake Thun and Lake Brienz, Interlaken boasts of being Europe’s top adventure sports destination. Here, find adventures like snow activities atop Jungfraujoch, skiing, jet-boating, paragliding, and skydiving, to name a few. The three majestic peaks—Eiger, Monch, and Jungfrau—in the backdrop feed into these picturesque settings, as do the cascading waterfalls, glacial lakes, and lush green alpine meadows.
Speaking about his time in Interlaken, Chopra exclaims, “I’ve had a blast experiencing Europe’s adventure capital first-hand. Every activity in Switzerland, especially Interlaken, exceeded my expectations! I did everything…sightseeing, sky diving, jet boating, the canyon swing.”
Skydiving in Switzerland
Gushing further, the sports personality reveals the one thing on his itinerary that he had been eyeing for long: skydiving in Interlaken. “Who would want to miss skydiving in Interlaken? The thrill, combined with the amazing vistas, makes it an experience like no other. If you are as big a thrill seeker as I am, skydiving and paragliding in Switzerland should definitely be on your bucket-list! It was exhilarating and therapeutic at the same time, and to share this experience with your inner circle strengthens the bond like no other,” he recounts.
The skydiving experiences in Interlaken begin with a 10-minute-plane ride. Upon reaching 14,000 feet, the instructor facilitates the free fall, post which the parachute opens at 5,500 feet. Next, float over the magnificent Interlaken and soak in surreal aerial views.
Jet-boating in Switzerland
Should free-falls feel too extreme, consider a thrilling jetboat ride on the beautiful Brienz lake. These swift boats are capable of sudden stops and 360-degree spins. In short, be assured of an exhilarating ride that could leave one drenched! For Chopra, it spelled incredible fun. “Jet boating in Interlaken will always be special for me as this was the first time. Our guide was amazing and [was also] willing to go faster upon request. We really enjoyed the speed. The turquoise waters of Lake Brienz that comes from the top of the mountains is clean and full of good minerals. Locals swear that they drink directly from the lake. I tried it and it was very clean…and cold!”
Jungfraujoch
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Jungfraujoch is rightly considered the crowning jewel of Switzerland. Picture imposing mountains topped with ski slopes, countless toboggan runs, and gushing waterfalls in the hotter months. Explore the nine kilometres of train tracks from Kleine Scheidegg, hike along the Eiger Trail that meanders through steep Alpine meadows, or strike a pose at the Sphinx viewing platform. The Ice Palace and Ice Gateway here are must-visits, too. Make a pitstop at Jungfrau Railway, Europe’s highest-altitude station at 3,454 metres above sea level; Europe’s highest-altitude post office; and the Alps’ largest glacier, Aletsch glacier. In summer, pen in time to walk through eternal snow at the Alpine research exhibition.
Chopra explored these beauties by kickstarting his adventure on the Eiger Express, the Jungfrau Railways’ V-Bahn project. The 3S cableway takes passengers straight to station Eigergletscher (Eiger Glacier) in 15 minutes from where a plethora of panoramic views and adventure awaits.
Grindelwald
Home to gorgeous waterfalls, dramatic jumps, spectacular waterslides and richly-hued forests, Grindelwald’s scenic landscapes are mesmerising, to say the least. And what better than a 90-metre free-fall followed by a swing between towering rock faces at 120 kilometre per hour in the awe-inspiring chasm of the Grindelwald glacial gorge? For Chopra, it was akin to a “picturesque painting!”
Canyon Swing
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He says, “Every facet of Grindelwald’s beauty is striking. From mountains to lakes and lush pastures, there is beauty in every corner.” Chopra believes the Swiss outdoors are great for charming hiking trails. The highlight, according to him, remains the 90-metre-high free-fall Canyon Swing!
He reveals candidly, “The instructor told us to select one person who would not freak out at the beginning, because if one does it well then everyone else follows suit. We picked my uncle Surendra first! [On my turn, I went through a] series of emotions at every step – anxiety at the platform before the jump followed by a rush of adrenaline post the fall. This will stay with me forever. I always wanted to do bungee jumping but Canyon Swing was even more challenging!”
Geneva
At Geneva, the icon embarked on a running tour, as well as an e-tuktuk tour, to United Nations and the Gandhi Statue. He even penned in time to do river rafting at the iconic Lake Geneva to see Geneva’s famous landmark – the Jet d’eau.
This southwestern city of Switzerland has many more attractions on offer, too. Home to the headquarters of the United Nations, as well as the International Red Cross, Geneva is a centre for culture, history, trade fairs and exhibitions. While the Jet d’eau, a fountain with a 140-metre-high water jet at the periphery of Lake Geneva, wows with its spellbinding display; the Old Town recreates yesteryear magic with its vintage architecture. When here, explore St. Peter’s Cathedral; walk around Place du Bourg-de-Four, the city’s oldest square; or take a stroll on Grand-Rue, where Jean-Jacques Rousseau was born. For a dose of culture, head to Grand Théâtre and Geneva Opera House where international artists perform. Or visit Musée international de l’horlogerie, a watch museum with a collection of jewellery watches and musical clocks, and the International Museum of the Red Cross and Red Crescent, which provides an insight into the work of humanitarian organisations.
Zermatt
Zermatt is most famous as the home of the mighty Matterhorn. But what truly makes this mountainous space special is that it is also a car-free village. During his trip, Chopra hiked down the Gornergrat mountain to Lake Rifelsee, and even whizzed down from the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise on monster bikes. His favourite? Paragliding and taking a helicopter ride over the village to gaze at the surreal aerial views of the Matterhorn and surrounding Alps.
And as Chopra rightly summarises a trip to Switzerland: “There is only one way to describe this vacation—I’m #InLoveWithSwitzerland and boy did #IneedSwitzerland!”
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