Jungfrau, in the heart of the Swiss Alps, is a winter wonderland all year round and you can get to the top without climbing up the sheer face
Majestic as one of the tallest mountains in the Alps – Jungfrau makes up the trio of The Eiger and Monch.
Standing at 13,642 feet (for context, that’s 9,000 feet higher than Ben Nevis, the UK’s biggest mountain) its huge peaks are covered in snow all year round.
As someone who it’s fair to say is not a natural mountain climber – I’d blame it on my crippling fear of heights – the mountain dubbed the ‘top of Europe’ wasn’t something I ever thought I’d scale in my lifetime but how wrong I was.
The ever ingenious Swiss have come up with a way of making this peak accessible to everyone, and I mean everyone.
From our base in Interlaken we first travelled by train through the Swiss mountains, taking in meadows, peaks, farms, chalets and views too beautiful to be real before arriving at the Grindelwald Terminal. From here it was a short walk to a cable car which scales thousands of feet of the mountains, including flying past the north face of the Eiger, in a mind-blowing 20 minute journey.
The final part of the journey, while lacking the immense views, is no less spectacular – what feels like an almost vertical train through the heart of the mountain – before arriving at the top of this immense peak.
A word of caution here, you are VERY high up so when you arrive it’s absolutely vital to take a few minutes to acclimate yourself to the height and avoid altitude sickness.
As soon as you disembark a true winter wonderland awaits. Snowy peaks as far as the eye can see, views for hundreds of miles,
With almost terrifying Swiss planning, the scene at the top is organised into an epic tour so you don’t miss a thing. The route could not be more clearly signposted, and takes at least 90 minutes.
First up there is the unbelievable Sphinx platform, and home to the Sphinx Observatory, one of the highest in the world, another 1,000 feet in the air with utterly epic views of the mountains below, there are ice sculptures, ice tunnels, frolicking in snow, snow sports and the highest Lindt chocolate shop in the world – note, do not be tempted to part with your money here, the prices are also sky high.
A cafe on what feels like the top of the world – it felt rude not to order hot chocolate with all the trimmings and while away half an hour gazing at the perfect white snow and splendour.
- You can book the 8-day Goldenpass, Mont Blanc & Jungfrau Express from £2,799pp. Find out more at greatrail.com.



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