Breathtaking Views from the Summit of the Jungfrau: Hundreds Jump 1,350 Meters Daily

Reported and photographed by reporter You Ru / Switzerland

If you stand in Interlaken, the city at the foot of the Jungfrau, and look up, it’s easy to understand what it feels like to be surrounded by the continuous peaks of the Alps: endless mountains, towering cliffs rising into the sky, almost embracing the entire city. On one side of the city, high in the mountains directly facing the Jungfrau, at an altitude of 1,350 meters, there is a gorge.


Hundreds of people jump down from the gorge every day, soaring above the Jungfrau — this is arguably the most spectacular and romantic flying experience in the world.



The view of people paragliding in the streets of Interlaken. Colorful paragliders fill the sky, and almost every five minutes, someone lands on the central grassy area of the city. This sight naturally attracts many travelers seeking thrilling experiences. A 1350-meter flight lasting about 20 minutes costs 170 Swiss Francs, approximately 5,600 New Taiwan Dollars. The price is understandably higher for such an experience, especially since the Jungfrau is truly one of a kind, and few places in Europe offer such a breathtaking mountain view.




Travelers interested in paragliding can book pickup times and locations with paragliding companies. There are quite a few such companies in town, and you can find registration booths even in the central square. The paragliding company will arrange transportation from downtown Interlaken up the mountain, which takes about 20 minutes by car along mountain roads, followed by a 10-minute walk to the gorge. The final step is waiting for the instructor to open the paraglider, then running with them before taking off into the air.



The reporter visited Interlaken in early autumn and waited in the gorge opposite the Jungfrau. The temperature on the mountain was already below 10°C, and it happened to be a windy day. Looking from the gorge toward Interlaken, the city was shrouded in clouds. “We might have to wait a bit until the wind direction is suitable for jumping,” said local instructor Domin, a native of Interlaken who has been working as a paragliding instructor for five years and jumps up to seven times a day. “I’ve gone skydiving over a thousand times in my life.”






▲The coach will take videos or photos for travelers to document the experience.

Domin explained while two other paragliding instructors ran off on their own, circling and gliding through the valley, their wings spreading out like eagles in the gorge. “That’s how we test the wind speed. We’ll have to wait a bit longer.” At the foot of the Interlaken mountains, there seems to be a weather station specifically for paragliding. Instructors standing in the gorge can see the wind readings from the station. As the clouds gradually cleared, Domin put on his gear. “Alright, ready for takeoff.”



Once all the gear is strapped on, it’s time to start running. There’s no special trick to paragliding — it just begins with running. Don’t stop during those first 10 seconds of running, and then suddenly, your body lifts off the ground. Before you know it, you’re flying. Riding the thermal currents, the paraglider climbs higher, and the summit of Interlaken city appears, with the Jungfrau coming into view. On a clear evening, when the sunlight shines brightly on the snowy peaks, the entire mountain glows golden.



Big Blue 170CHF 
Double Airtime  270CHF
Sunset  260CHF