Aare Swim + Riverside Picnic
Swim, float and picnic on the Aare — all gear included
The Aare is glacier-cold, crystal clear and utterly unlike any river swimming you've done before. Konrad knows the safe entry points, the current shifts between Thun and Bern, and the quiet bends where you can float for 30 minutes without seeing another group.
Everything for a proper river day is included: wetsuits, dry bag, and a picnic of local Swiss produce laid out on a gravel bank. Come for the swim, stay for the afternoon.
Itinerary
Meet at the entry point
Konrad scouts conditions that morning. Wetsuits fitted, dry bags packed, current briefing for the stretch you'll swim.
First float
Into the river. Konrad leads from inside the water. The current does the work — you steer with your feet.
Gravel bank picnic
Take-out on a quiet bend. Picnic laid out — local bread, cheese, fruit and cold drinks. The best lunch setting in the Berner Oberland.
Second float (optional)
If conditions and energy allow, a second stretch before returning. Konrad reads the current and decides the safest line.
The region
Uttigen Bend
Wide, calm and almost always empty. The best single-spot swim on the Aare below Thun.
Schwäbis, Münsingen
Shallow gravel sections ideal for children or nervous first-timers. Safe, warm (for the Aare), and scenic.
Marzili, Bern
Combine the float with a city afternoon — the Bundeshaus is a 5-minute walk uphill from the take-out.
What’s included
- Wetsuit and neoprene socks
- Dry bag for valuables
- Swiss riverside picnic with drinks
- Konrad as safety-certified river guide
- Entry point scouting and current briefing
More in Water
Your guide
Konrad Federico
Water · Sports · Latin