Extreme Sports in Switzerland

Switzerland may be neutral when it comes to global politics, but it's definitely passionate about adventure sporting. With a landscape that seems more like a playground, it's impossible not to explore and venture into its wilderness. Take your adventures to the extreme with these ultimate sporting opportunities.

Snowkiting
If you don't know what this sport is, but are excited by the name, then this article is for you. Think snowboarding meets windsailing, and you'll get the basic idea of snowkiting, winter's fastest-growing new sport. You'll ride fresh powder all day without ever getting in a liftline; the wind will lift you up hills instead of only carving down them. The entire mountain becomes your very own freestyle park.

Extreme Sports Cafe offers a wide range of snowkiting courses and trips for beginners and advanced riders. We do recommend you feel comfortable on a board without a kite before taking sail. Visit the official snowkiting site to pick up some tips before you strap in and take off.

Skydiving
If a kite doesn't provide enough air for you, we've got the solution. Put your courage to the test by skydiving or helidiving over the scenic Swiss Alps. Skydive Switzerland offers tandem skydiving for novices over a targeted airfield. Throw in a little extra cash to have the job recorded to video. Those with the cash and the courage can enroll in the solo jump day course and brave the air on their own.

Extreme Sports Cafe offers an alternative to traditional skydiving called helidiving. The drop zone overlooks the stunning panoramic views of scenic Lake Zurich in Canton of Aargau. Hover over the Swiss scenery, and see if you can find the nerve to throw yourself out of the helicopter. It's always better to be scared with a friend, so make sure you ask about the group rates.

Ride the Pipe
Visit the Les Crosets snowboard camp in French-speaking Switzerland, and progress from switch to jumps to fakies to rails. Located in the Portes du Soleil ski area that straddles the domain between Switzerland and France, the camp was created for those wishing to take their freestyle ride to new levels.

Professional snowboarders with experience in sports education will show you the ropes, even building on your ability to build and hit jumps in the backcountry. Draw inspiration from the many well-known snowboarders who hit Les Crosets' terrain regularly: Romain de Marchi, Trevor Andrew, Jules Reymond and Nicolas Mueller to name a few.

Canyoning
It might be hard, but you should definitely tear yourself away from the mountains and explore the twisting gorges, valleys and Swiss cliffsides. Canyoning in Interlaken will take you into hidden Swiss worlds where you can cliff jump, slide down waterfalls and swim through pristine pools.

The professional guides at Outdoor Interlaken will provide awesome outings, detailed instruction and top-of-the-line equipment. If you've never been on skis or a snowboard, or maybe snow just isn't your thing, then this is for you.

Heliskiing and Heliboarding
For experienced skiers and boarders only, this activity maxes out on the best of the sport: fresh powder, unbelievable views, open terrain, high elevations and zero lift lines. While considerably more expensive than an all-day lift pass, it's the opportunity of a lifetime and every mountain enthusiast should try it once.

The Swiss Alpine Guides offer helicopter trips throughout the season, weather permitting. If you're going solo, weekends are your only bet, but get a group of adrenaline junkies together and you can arrange a trip any day of the week. Before you hit the freshies, if you're a boarder make sure your board is waxed and sharpened; if you're a skier, Fatboys or Freeriders are recommended and available for daily rentals in Interlaken.

The Complete Package
If you and a group of adrenaline fiends are heading to Switzerland for the ultimate vacation, book a complete package tour with Tours 4 Sport. Tours can be booked in advance or when you arrive at Interlaken. Activities include: paragliding, parachute jumps, whitewater rafting, bungee jumping and ice gliding.

Even better, the friendly people at Tours 4 Sports can arrange flights, hotel accommodations, sports travel insurance and they guarantee a good time. So head to the breathtaking Swiss countryside on a vacation that will stress your nerves but not your bank account.