To the unsuspecting crowd at Zurich airport, we might look like a sedate group, sipping on coffee and snacking on cake. However, in our hands, we’re clutching an itinerary that reads like the script from a well known spy movie. It has all the ingredients: a futuristic terminal, adrenaline fuelled adventures by land, lake and air, fine food and jaw dropping scenery. All we know as we read on is that our contact, ‘M,’ awaits us in Wengen ready for one final mission before signing off from her current role.

It might all sound fantastical, but we really are living the dream as we board the train bound for the Jungfrau Region. Our opening scene begins with the lakeside tranquility of Lake Geneva that drifts out of shot to be replaced by the jaw-dropping trilogy of the "Eiger" (13,025 ft), "Mönch" (13,448 ft), and "Jungfrau" (13,642 ft) which gives a glimpse of the action to come. If these mountains were films, they would all be blockbusters.

Stepping off the train we stand in awe at our surroundings before our contact ‘M’ steps out of the shadows and introduces herself as Myriam from Switzerland Tourism and our host for the next five days. 

With the pleasantries out of the way, it’s time to take a short train ride to the Grindelwald Terminal. Suspended on gigantic concrete legs and clad in rows of wooden slats, the Swiss have achieved a mission impossible by designing a structure that feels sympathetic to the area's UNESCO World Heritage Site status. Inside is just as impressive with an array of shops selling everything from souvenirs to high end watches.

Every detail has been carefully considered, from the storage and replanting of wildflower meadows before and after the construction, to the neutral tones of black and grey used to ensure the Eiger Express gondola merge seamlessly into the rocky backdrop of the Eiger. It does nothing to dampen the appeal of the longest tricable gondola in the world,  which can whisk 2,200 visitors an hour up to the Eiger Glacier station in just 15 minutes.

As exciting as a trip up the gondola looks, we have a more pressing journey to make to our destination, the Beausite Park Hotel Wengen. Located a short stroll through the village center, we pass the quaint main street with an assortment of shops, bars and restaurants and make the short climb to our hotel.

With check-in complete I drop my case in the room and head to the balcony, where a stunning panorama emerges over the Jungfrau and the Lauterbrunnen valley. We can also see the Männlichen cable car making regular passes in the distance. It is all very impressive, as is the hotel mountain spa. With an indoor pool, saunas, steam bath, and tepidarium it is the perfect way to relax and celebrate the completion of Mission One: getting to Wengen.

The next morning over breakfast, Myriam provides a briefing for the day ahead, snowboarding across the Swiss Alps in the safe hands of Wengen’s oldest ski instructor. As the red and white suits of the Swiss Ski School outfits approach, so does John. With his tanned weather beaten face he looks for all the world to be Wengen local, well that is till he opens his mouth and what comes out is a pure unfiltered Australian accent that sounds like he left the gold coast that morning.

At 63, John still considers the option of getting a real job and putting an end to his extended skiing gap year, which he has stretched to over 30 Wengen winters. With a glint in his eyes I am not sure he has any plans on following through on this, especially after declaring he took up the new sport of paragliding at the tender age of 60. They say age is definitely a state of mind, and John is a testament to that!

Starting at the top of the Männlichen cable car, today’s conditions vary from whiteouts to blazing hot sun. Thankfully, John could cover all this terrain with his eyes closed, and his red suit provides the perfect focal point for carving down the slopes.

The fresh snow underfoot and warm March weather have made the slopes perfect for snowboarding, and it is all smiles as we slide into Kleine Scheidegg and head on foot to the Eigergletscher restaurant. The outside terrace proves to be a perfect place to take in the views of the Mönch and Jungfrau and the departing trains to the Jungfraujoch. 

Indoors, a warm welcome awaits, and we sit down to a side salad and diavola pizza, contemplating the challenge ahead the world famous Lauberhorn, the longest downhill run on the circuit and our own daring descent.

After lunch, we continue onwards,stopping briefly for some Dutch courage at the Lauberhorn Start Bar which overlooks the starting gate of the Lauberhorn. It’s here over a pint that John turns serious and begins to set the scene, dramatizing the route ahead.

He continues “Make no mistakes—this is a bucket-list piste for anyone into skiing, and on race day, it is purely terrifying”.

Thankfully, the ice-hard slopes have been allowed to mellow for our trip, with multiple layers of snow softening the terrain. While we might not quite meet the frightening speeds of 170km an hour set by the experts, we still feel like we are flying at some pace as we descend the world-famous route. The Russisprung gets our legs working before revealing the imposing rock face of the Hundschopf, and the safety netting, which we glance at nervously as we pass by.

The short, sharp descent speeds under the “Wasserstation” through to the Hanneggschuss and the finish line, where we check our watches to see how we did. Somewhere around 10 minutes seems to be the general consensus from the group. Unbelievably, on race day, they do it in under three.

Not that you need to wait a long time in Wengen for such experiences. As we find out later whilst climbing to the Jungfraujoch - Top of Europe, Europe’s highest  via the Jungfrau Railways. The cogwheels whir into life and we make the steep ascent inside the hollowed-out mountain, toward the Eismeer mid-station. Stepping through the hand picked hollowed-out rock, we approach the only source of daylight, a huge viewing window that allows you to peer onto the sheer rock face of the North Face of the Eiger. To be this close to the legendary face is a little overwhelming.

Back on board, the 9.3-kilometer route to the Jungfrau plateau continues, allowing us to depart at the top of Europe. A 360-degree movie experience projects across the stone walls, adorned with a history of the build, hitting home just how advanced our past masters' project was.
Turning our focus to the next part of the tour, we arrive in the Jungfraujoch Ice Palace, where out of the icy walls, an eagle leaps, talons piercing the ice, whilst an ice piano gently tinkles in the distance.

Outside we opt to ascend the final 117 meters via lift rather than the optional stairs, we step out onto the Sphinx observatory viewing platform. And the clouds lift, we take in the spectacular view of the Swiss Mittelland, the Aletsch Glacier and the mountainous peaks all around us. We have made it to the top of Europe: Mission Two complete. 
Continuing the rail theme, we bid our goodbyes to Wengen by taking the train from the dizzying heights of the Jungfraujoch to Kleine Scheidegg and on to the terminal, where a frequent rail service connects us to our next destination.
 

Arrival into Interlaken

We are at the lakeside setting of Interlaken and things seem a little more sedate as we stroll towards our destination, the Hotel Artos. The Artos is a hotel with a difference as it shares its reception and restaurant area with the residents of the nursing home next door. It is a concept that shows a respect for the elderly that is lacking in many societies, often leaving them isolated. This is certainly not the case in Interlaken, where the residents are a lively bunch who mingle with the guests over wine and lunch. It’s the perfect trade off where travelers can tap into their decades of knowledge and the residents get constant interactions.

If the hotel check-in was a unique experience, then what comes next is equally intriguing. Standing by the turquoise waters of Interlaken is another Australian tour guide, the much younger version is offering a trip that maybe even daredevil Aussie John hasn’t tried; ‘Raclette Rafting’. Just one of many trips organized by Outdoor.ch, the trip involves a fondue experience whilst floating on the open waters of Interlaken.

Donning our life jackets, we climb aboard the vessel and sit four abreast on each side of the raft. At the head, our oarsman starts to paddle across the calm waters of Bönigen to Interlaken. Once in the flow, we are handed a steaming hot bowl of potatoes, some lovely Swiss wine, and a bounty of Swiss Raclette Cheese. Now comes the interesting part: placing our cheese on the mini grills that simmer before our eyes. The table opposite us makes it look very civilized and I am sure they are on their third piece of cheese before we even get underway. On inspection it seems our flame has gone out and with some more paraffin in hand, we try again, and things really start to burn. As smoke suddenly billows across the lake, we realize we have set fire to the side of our grill and our wooden cooking utensils in the process. Thankfully, there is a lake of water all around us to extinguish such an outcome. 

They say the third time’s the charm, and our next attempt sees our cheese sizzle to golden brown perfection. We clink our glasses and cozy up under the warm blankets, and watch the house lights of Interlaken gradually illuminate the riverbanks and the snow-covered mountains that surround us.

If we were pampered with our oarsman on the raclette rafting ride, we are on our own the next day as we assemble for a kayaking adventure on Lake Brienz. The base for hightide.ch. is an amazing spot with an open-air swimming pool and a cafe area that looks onto the lake.

Gathered beachside we have a few minutes of tuition and set off with our destination in mind, a series of rock faces far in the distance that submerge into the lake. Once everyone gets the hang of the kayaks things get a little competitive with a bit of racing to see who can make it to the destination first. Nearing the rock-faced shoreline, we stop for a group photo opportunity and share some hot tea, and biscuits. It is a little less fancy than the previous night but equally as satisfying as our arms take a moment to recover from the paddling. Heading back is a much more leisurely affair as we are more than happy to sit back and take in the nature and tranquility of this beautiful scene.

After two days on the waters of Interlaken, I am glad to get my feet on dry land and stroll around the center. The sights of the flowing Aare River and numerous beautiful buildings provide tonic for the soul, as does our stop for lunch in the sunshine-soaked splendor of Victoria-Jungfrau Grand Hotel. We soak in the elegant surroundings with a glass of Aperol Spritz and a pizza. A peek inside the hotel reveals even more elegance—this is certainly a location with blockbuster potential.

For the first time on our trip, it is time for some solo spy missions. While some of us take to the air for a spot of paragliding, hoping the bird’s-eye view will highlight potential escape routes for our Swiss cargo of chocolat and cheese, I have the sole task of infiltrating the Funky Chocolate Club and smuggling out some Swiss gold, otherwise known as homemade Swiss chocolate. From the outside, it looks like an innocent location selling chocolate and various drinks to unsuspecting tourists, but the real secrets lie behind a closed door where we are offered chocolate-making workshops, teaching the secrets to aspiring chocolatiers. Donning my chef hat and apron, I try to blend into the surroundings, playing the role of a budding chef as I am given a history of the different types of chocolate, their variety of tastes and textures, and the locations from where they are sourced. Next comes the mixing session. I opt for milk chocolate beans, mixing and melting the mixture, and begin pouring myself a few bars into nearby molds, allowing them to time set, I perch myself at a nearby bar and enjoy the sunset, and recover my bars under the cover of darkness.

Excusing ourselves from the table at our evening meal we head to the balcony high above the city where we gaze in amazement at the twinkling lights of Interlaken. It is here, out of earshot, that we debrief each other.

 

The paragliding mission has uncovered the possibility to snowshoe over a higher mountain pass where we can take our cheese and chocolate bounty with us.
These outlandish plans seem a little less clear the next morning after a post-meal drink at one of Interlaken’s trendy watering holes, the Barracuda Cafe and Bar, but nonetheless, we are all ready for the off.

With our luggage packed, we check out of the Atlas and leave the lush green of the valley floor of Interlaken, arriving at the winter wonderland of the Lombachalp. Here, we put on our snowshoes and head onto the mountain. Our hike climbs steeply through a wooded glade before opening up to offer us one last glimpse of the Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau.

We are all intoxicated by the mountain air and the climax of the mission. Retracing our steps, we arrive back at the base before our escape driver transports us to the nearby rail station. We climb on board, departing on time, having completed our mission impossible. We are bound for glory, cheese and chocolate safely secured.

If you would like to unleash your inner secret agent and visit the Bern Region to experience the thrilling highs of both Wengen and Interlaken, you can do so by flying to Zurich with SWISS (prices starts at £72 one-way, book at swiss.com), and onwards with a Swiss Travel Pass (prices start at £229 for a three-day second-class pass, book at switzerland.com/travel). For more information on the Jungfrau Region and Interlaken, visit: jungfrauregion.swiss | interlaken.ch