Extreme Sports in Zurich

By Chris Hanneman -

1.31.16

In the minds of most the financial capital of Zurich may well be considered a city of skyscrapers, angular lines, tailored suits, the colour grey and briefcases. After all, it isn’t coincidental that Zurich is also the home of the wristwatch. There is no denying this city loves business and has a somewhat bizarre affection for punctuality. Still, there is another side to Zurich that is a lot more wild and fun. A side that is scraping through clouds in a paraglide, pushing through to new frontiers on a bike, staying afloat through tumultuous seas, crawling tens of meters above the ground on ropes or going deep underground in a narrow trail encased in rock. This is the Zurich that i’m talking about, where adventure is knocking on your front door.   

For a great way to warm up to your adventure holiday start in the middle of the city of Zurich itself with a Segway PT i2. These super convenient little commuters run on electricity and allow you to set about town much faster than walking and yet without the hazards of a bike. Take a guided Segway tour that will include all the city’s highlights, great views along Lake Zurich and short stops on Bahnhofstrasse, Münsterhof and Limmatquai. A comprehensive commentary can be provided so that you can try something fun and new, discover new places and be a smidgen smarter by the end of it too!  

Put your balance, coordination, courage and skills to the test as you navigate your way on rope between trees at the Seil & Adventurepark Zürich - Kloten. Over 10 courses are available to match different skill levels, so whether you’re a four year old with more excitement than skill or perhaps a 20 year old with more ability than common sense, this is guaranteed entertainment for the both of you! Enjoy over 130 obstacles that are all set up and ready to be climbed over or wriggled through. For some strange reason, not yet fully understood, there seems to be little more hilarious than being suspended 10 meters above the ground wondering how the heck am i going to get down from here???

For the thrill of adventure go dragon boating on the Rhine for the unique slice of China in Switzerland. As the perfect bonding exercise for families, colleagues or groups of friends, each dragon boat can seat up to 20 paddlers. Paddling is dictated by the beat of a drum (as it really always should be) while it is steered from the rear by a sweep. Be prepared to get wet and break out into a sweat as you and the team pick up motion pushing the boat from a leisurely pace to full on racing speeds. It is a great team building exercise as the teams with the most endurance and strength never win in competition with those teams that are able to paddle in perfect harmony. It gives a whole new ironic meaning to the expression “we're all in the same boat”!  

In Horgen, go back to school to finish off your education and learn how to go Magiclift paragliding (one can only wonder why that education is so consistently overlooked)? To say, that it is awesome, really doesn’t do the experience much justice as you go spearheading through clouds as free as a bird. In a one day training session, you’ll be set up with gear and making small leapes. By graduation, you’ll be flying through the sky in a first paragliding flight, albeit with the aid of instruction by radio transmission on the training slopes. Still, i’ve enrolled and my school bag is packed. It might be all land for me today, but it’s the skies tomorrow!

Race to Breitenau’s mountain pinnacle in an exhilarating mountain bike ride, that offers some of the most amazing and breathtaking views of Lake Zurich and the Linth Plain. The trail starts out from Kaltbrunn and trails for over 20km on dirt road and narrow strips that snake their way through country landscapes, forests and then rugged terrain. The cycle concludes 1,270 meters above sea level, ensuring that you will have crossed the last 470 meters on two wheels. Wildly adventurous and awesome fun, this is a guaranteed extreme sport that will see you coming back for more.    

Don’t wait until you arrive in Zurich to start your extreme sports holiday, hire a luxury sports car from Zurich Airport and get in on the action early.