Blue Lake & Öschinen lake – Private day tour from Interlaken

Two alpine lakes, one full day. This private tour from Interlaken links the small, forest-framed Blausee with the grand mountain setting of Oeschinensee, using private transport to save you the trouble of piecing together trains, buses, and cable cars. I especially like the door-to-door driving and the chance to set your own pace, plus the included cable car ticket to Oeschinensee.

The day also adds several shorter stops, including the historic Ruedihuus, Spiez Castle park, and Neuhaus on Lake Thun. The main drawback is price: at $834.38 per person, this is a serious splurge, and lunch, boat rides, the alpine coaster, and the electric taxi at Oeschinensee cost extra.

Key points to know before booking

• Blausee offers a gentle first stop: You get about an hour for the lake, forest paths, terrace, playground, fish farm, or an optional boat ride.
• Oeschinensee is the main event: The cable car is included, followed by a walk of about 30 minutes through mountain meadows to the lake.
• The private format saves time: Your group has its own vehicle, guide, WiFi, snacks, and a flexible schedule.
• The electric taxi is not included: It brings you back toward the cable car station, but you need to budget separately for it.
• The day includes more than two lakes: Ruedihuus, Spiez, and Neuhaus add variety, but they also make the schedule fairly full.
• Sibi receives especially warm praise: If Sibi is assigned as your guide, her friendly service is a strong reason to feel confident about the day.

Two very different alpine lakes in eight hours

The appeal here is contrast. Blausee is small, calm, and shaded by woodland. Oeschinensee is larger and more open, with mountain views, walking trails, and a higher-altitude feel. Seeing both in one day gives you two distinct versions of Swiss scenery without asking you to manage the connections yourself.

The tour begins at 8:30 am in Interlaken and lasts about eight hours. That early start matters. It gives you a better chance to enjoy the lakes before the day feels crowded, and it leaves enough time for the added stops around Kandersteg, Spiez, and Interlaken.

Because this is a private activity, only your group takes part. That matters most when you want to pause for photographs, shorten a stop, or spend more time at the lake instead of moving on with a large party. The pace is flexible, but do not read that as unlimited time. There are several planned stops, so a full day is still a full day.

Blausee: a quiet forest setting for the first hour

Blausee, or Blue Lake, sits in Nature Park Blausee among trees and mountain scenery. The stop lasts about one hour, which is enough for a compact visit rather than a long hike.

I like this as the opening stop because it is easy to enjoy without much physical effort. You can walk beside the water, sit on the scenic terrace, visit the fish farm, or let children use the playground. An optional boat ride offers another way to see the lake, but it is not included in the price.

The setting feels more enclosed than Oeschinensee. Trees frame the water, so you get a shaded, intimate view rather than wide mountain horizons. That makes Blausee a good place to start the morning, especially if your group includes people who prefer a short walk and quiet scenery.

The one-hour limit is worth noting. If you want a boat ride, time on the terrace, and a walk through the park, you may need to choose rather than fit in everything. Families have several options here, but children may find the playground more appealing than a quick scenic circuit.

An unusual extra is the fish farm. It gives the park a little more substance than a simple photo stop, while the forest setting makes the lake feel separate from the busy resort towns farther down the valley.

Ruedihuus and the Riccola herb garden

After Blausee, the tour includes about an hour at Landgasthof Ruedihus in Kandersteg. This historic building is presented as a place to see living Swiss traditions, with a Riccola herb garden in front.

This stop gives the day a cultural pause between the two lakes. The focus is not on a major museum or long guided visit. Instead, you get an old Swiss setting, a traditional restaurant, and a small herb garden connected with Ricola.

Coffee and tea at the historic restaurant are not included, and lunch is also excluded from the tour price. If you want to eat here, plan to pay separately. The advantage is choice: you can make this a short cultural stop, or use it as one possible place for refreshments if the timing suits your group.

The tour description does not promise a full meal at Ruedihus, so I would not count on this stop as your main lunch plan. Oeschinensee offers the more scenic setting for a typical Swiss lunch, but prices and availability there are also your responsibility.

Oeschinensee: the day’s main mountain view

Oeschinensee gets about three hours, making it the centerpiece of the day. From the cable car station, you ride up toward the lake, then walk about 30 minutes along mountain paths and meadows.

The cable car ticket is included, which is important because this is one of the tour’s larger built-in costs. The walk afterward means you should wear shoes suited to an uneven outdoor path. The information provided describes a 30-minute walk, not a strenuous full-day hike, but the route still requires more effort than the short visit at Blausee.

The payoff is a much wider alpine setting. Oeschinensee gives you space to sit, walk, eat, or simply look across the water toward the surrounding mountains. You can take a boat ride, hike farther, or stop for a typical Swiss lunch with a view. These activities are optional and are not included.

The boat ride is separate from the included cable car ticket. The same applies to the alpine coaster, which offers family-friendly fun near the cable car area. If you want to ride it, treat it as an extra activity rather than part of the basic package.

There is one cost detail you should clarify before departure. The route back toward the cable car station uses an electric taxi, but the electric taxi is listed as not included. You may need to pay for that ride separately. The 30-minute walk to the lake is included in the plan, so anyone trying to control costs can ask the guide about walking back instead, though the provided details do not confirm whether that option is always practical.

Three hours sounds generous, but it can disappear quickly. A walk each way, lunch, photographs, a boat ride, and the alpine coaster will not all fit comfortably unless your timing is carefully managed. I would choose your priorities before reaching the lake.

Spiez Castle park and Lake Thun

The stop at Park Spiez lasts about 30 minutes and focuses on the castle park above the bay of Spiez. From the park, you get a broad view across Lake Thun.

Castle entry is optional and not included. With only half an hour scheduled, the park itself may make more sense for many people. You can take in the view, photograph the castle and bay, and enjoy a short pause without turning the stop into another major visit.

This is a useful addition for anyone who wants more than mountain lakes. Lake Thun gives you a different Swiss scene, with water, a historic castle setting, and a town beside the lake. It also breaks up the drive back toward Interlaken.

Do not expect a full castle tour during this stop unless your private schedule allows changes and you pay the separate entry fee. The advertised visit is centered on the park view.

Neuhaus gives the day a soft finish

The final stop is Neuhaus, described as a sunset point and harbor area near Interlaken. It lasts about 30 minutes and offers a view over the lake, with a nature reserve where you can walk for another half hour if time allows.

This is a pleasant way to finish because it brings you back to the familiar Interlaken area without ending the day in the vehicle. If your legs still want movement after Oeschinensee, the nature reserve offers a short walk before you return to town.

The exact sunset quality depends on the season and weather, so I would treat the name as a scenic promise rather than a guaranteed sunset show. Still, the harbor and lake view provide a calm last stop after a busy day.

The tour combines five stops, but the two major lake visits remain Blausee and Oeschinensee. Spiez and Neuhaus are short viewing stops, while Ruedihus adds a small taste of local tradition.

What the $834.38 price really buys you

At $834.38 per person, this tour is expensive. The value is not simply in the admission tickets. You are paying for a private vehicle, a guide, route planning, WiFi on board, snacks, taxes and fees, and the convenience of fitting two scenic lakes into one day from Interlaken.

The price makes more sense for a small group that would otherwise need to arrange several transport legs and pay for them separately. It also has value for visitors who place a high price on time and do not want to watch train schedules or coordinate a cable car connection.

It makes less sense if you are traveling alone, watching your budget, or are comfortable using Swiss public transport. Lunch is extra. Boat rides are extra. The alpine coaster is extra. The electric taxi at Oeschinensee is extra. Coffee and tea at Ruedihus are extra. These costs can add up quickly.

Group discounts are offered, so the per-person price may work better for a larger private party than for a solo booking. Since the tour is private, you are not paying to share the day with strangers, and you can ask for small changes to the pace. Still, you should compare the total cost for your group with the price of arranging transport independently.

The included cable car ticket is a real benefit because Oeschinensee depends on that uphill connection. The private driving between locations is the other major convenience. If those two points solve your main planning problems, the price may feel justified.

How flexible is the private schedule?

The tour is described as customizable, with a flexible pace. That gives you room to discuss priorities with your guide. You might prefer more time at Oeschinensee, a shorter stop at Spiez, or a slower visit at Blausee.

But flexibility has limits. The tour lasts about eight hours, begins at 8:30 am, and includes several planned stops. You cannot treat every optional activity as a guaranteed addition. If you want lunch, a boat ride, the coaster, and extra hiking, ask the guide how those fit before you start.

A private vehicle also means less wasted time gathering a large group. WiFi on board is included, and snacks are provided. Those are modest touches, but they help on a day with several drives and no included meal.

Service animals are allowed, and most people can participate. The provided information does not give detailed mobility guidance for the walk to Oeschinensee, so anyone with specific access needs should ask the operator before booking.

Guide service and the strongest praise

The clearest personal praise attached to this experience is for Sibi from Pure Switzerland. Her service is described as superb, which suggests that the guide can add real warmth to a day that could otherwise feel like a long list of scenic stops.

That personal connection matters on a private tour. A good guide can help you decide how to use the three hours at Oeschinensee, point out the best way to handle the optional activities, and keep the day from becoming rushed.

The available comments also praise Blausee as looking as beautiful in person as it does in photographs. One especially useful detail comes from an early visit with a dog: entry for the dog was listed at CHF 8, and the site was nearly empty at opening time. Since the current dog policy and fee are not included in the tour details, confirm them directly if you plan to bring a pet. The tour does allow service animals.

Who should book this day?

I would choose this tour if you want both famous alpine lakes but do not want to plan the connections yourself. It is also a good match for families or small groups who value a private vehicle, snacks, a guide, and the ability to adjust the pace.

It suits people who want variety. In one day, you get a forest lake, a high mountain lake, a traditional Swiss building, a castle park, and a Lake Thun viewpoint. That variety keeps the day interesting, though it also means you will not spend all day at either lake.

I would hesitate if you want a slow hiking day. Oeschinensee receives the most time, but the schedule includes several other stops and a return to Interlaken. I would also hesitate if your main goal is saving money. The price is the tour’s biggest weakness, especially after adding lunch and optional activities.

Book at least 24 hours before the start if you want the option of a full refund. Cancellations made less than 24 hours before departure are not refunded, and late changes are not accepted.

Should you book the Blue Lake and Oeschinen Lake tour?

Book it if convenience is worth paying for. The private transport, included cable car, adjustable pace, and mix of major and minor stops make this an efficient way to see a lot of the Interlaken region in one day.

Skip it if you prefer independent travel, want to spend a full day hiking at Oeschinensee, or need to keep costs low. For the right small group, especially with a well-liked guide such as Sibi, the tour offers an easy route to two memorable lakes. Just budget for lunch, the electric taxi, and every optional activity you hope to add.

FAQ

What time does the tour start?

The tour starts at 8:30 am.

How long does the tour last?

The experience lasts approximately eight hours.

Is transportation included?

Yes. Private transportation and WiFi on board are included.

Is the Oeschinensee cable car included?

Yes. The cable car ticket to Oeschinensee is included.

Are lunch and activities included?

No. Lunch, the Oeschinensee boat ride, the alpine coaster, coffee and tea at Ruedihus, and other activities are not included. The electric taxi is also listed as an extra cost.

Can I cancel for a full refund?

Yes, if you cancel at least 24 hours before the experience begins. Cancellations made less than 24 hours before the start time are not refunded.