Bern Small-Group Day Trip from Zurich Including Cheese Tasting

Recommended by 91% of travelers

Badge of Excellence

Zurich, Switzerland

10 hours 30 minutes (approx.)
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English

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Overview

Delve into the cultural and architectural delights of Bern during a day trip from Zurich. With a guide at your side, you’ll admire the Swiss landscape as you travel by minibus, and then discover city landmarks when you arrive in Bern. Learn the secrets behind fine Swiss cookies at the Kambly Experience; explore Bern’s UNESCO-listed old town on a tour; and visit a traditional dairy to sample Emmental cheese.

Skip driving, and relax as you travel through the Entlebuch Valley
See a master Swiss confectioner at work at the Kambly Experience
Orient yourself around Bern’s top landmarks including Bern Cathedral
Enjoy a mix of guided activity and ample free time through the day

What's Included

Visit to Kambly Experience, including biscuit tasting with drink and biscuit samples
Emmentaler show dairy, including cheese tasting
Guided Old Town walk in Bern
Visit of a dairy farm with photo opportunities
Full guided tour by a professional English speaking driver-guide
Small group experience (maximum 16 guests)
Transportation in a comfortable minibus with AC and free Wi-Fi
Carbon-balanced operations certified by myclimate

Hotel pick-up and drop-off
Food and drinks
Gratuities
Personal expenses

Meeting and Pickup

Meeting point

Best of Switzerland Tours AG
Sihlquai Bus Station, Limmatstrasse 2, 8005 Zürich, Switzerland
The official departure point for all tours departing from Zurich is Sihlquai Bus Station, near Zurich’s main train station (Zürich HB). Please check in at least 15 minutes before departure at the “Best of Switzerland Tours” counter with your QR code on your voucher ready, printed or electronically.

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

Operating hours
.8:30 am

Itinerary

Greet your guide at a central Zurich location and climb aboard a comfortable, air-conditioned Mercedes minibus destined for Bern. Get acquainted with the rich history of the region and admire the scenic Entlebuch Valley as you pass through the UNESCO-listed Biosphere Reserve.

Make your first stop at the Kambly Experience, a premium biscuit factory cradled by the green landscapes of the Upper Emmental Valley, and see how the sweet specialties are produced during a demonstration. Sample a few treats before returning to your coach for the onward journey to Bern.

On arrival in Switzerland’s medieval capital, explore the UNESCO-listed Old Town on a guided tour and see popular attractions such as the Münster and Bern Cathedral as you stroll.

Spend some leisurely free time exploring Bern after the tour, perhaps enjoying lunch in a local restaurant (own expense). Return to your vehicle for the scenic drive to an Emmental dairy. Once there, tour the facilities and learn more about the famous Swiss cheese before enjoying a tasting session.

From there, enjoy a smooth and scenic journey back to your original Zurich departure point.

Zurich (Pass By)

UNESCO Biosphare Entlebuch (Pass By)

Kambly Erlebnis

45 minutes • Admission Ticket Included

Bern

2 hours 15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Emmentaler Schaukäserei

1 hour • Admission Ticket Included

Zurich (Pass By)

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking, unless booked within 12 hours of travel. In this case confirmation will be received as soon as possible, subject to availability
Not wheelchair accessible
Stroller accessible
Service animals allowed
Near public transportation

Infant seats available
Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
Not suitable for infants under 6 years, exceptions only on request.
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 16 travelers

Supplied by

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

Traveler Photos

Gallery picture 1 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 2 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 3 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 4 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 5 (from a traveler's review)

Featured review

StephenCornell_W

The guide was great. The cookie company and cheese company products were not what anyone should eat. On the list of killer, habit forming things that should not be eaten. Full of sugar, carbohydrates, highly processed grain, saturated fat and cholesterol. The views from the bus were great. Bern was great except for the bear habitat. Would have been nice if there was time for lunch in Bern. Great photo opportunities in Bern.

Reviews

4.6

based on 57 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

We perform checks on reviews

Not fit for human consumption.

StephenCornell_W, Jun 2025

Not the worst?

Bellina_J, Jul 2024

Honestly, I was a little disappointed in this trip. I think it was not suited to my interests. If you are extremely interested in Switzerland history & facts, prefer cars over trains, or have mobility issues I would recommend it. However, my sister and I are very active and did not like how much time we spent in the car. We would’ve preferred taking public transport and walking more at each of the stops. Additionally, our guide was a BIG talker. Which can be great if you are super interested in all things Switzerland. However, when he rambled for the entire trip it was hard to retain anything. I feel like he was filibustering on the topic of Switzerland. I prefer tour guides that tell you the highlights and try to make it entertaining. Unfortunately we both kept falling asleep. Despite this, the things we did were super fun! The highlights being the Kambly biscuit factory, Bern walking tour, and the Emmental cheese factory. However, we had extremely limited time at each stop. Kambly had 60 different items to sample, a cafe, and a shop but we only had 45 minutes. With Bern we had a tight 2 hours, mind you this was without any lunch time allotted. I think I would’ve preferred to spend an entire day in Bern! It was beautiful! We did a few photo stops which were pretty but my sister and I had just done an amazing hike with views, we had already gotten a look into the classic Swiss landscape. But like I said, if you have limited mobility or endurance, it would work for you. Overall it was an okay experience, but I would consider the points I made above to make your decision. Maybe it will be right for you! But it was not for us.

Response from Host, Aug 2024

Dear Bellina, Thank you very much for joining our small group tour to Bern and for sharing your feedback. We are sorry to read that the tour did not align perfectly with your hiking preferences and that you were hoping for a more active experience. Please note that Bern is over an hour and a half away by highway from Zurich. To make the journey more scenic and entertaining, we make part of the journey though a countryside route. While public transportation could definitely be an option, all the different stops would be missed. The time allocated at each stop is carefully planned to ensure that all activities can be included within the tour duration. Extending time at specific locations like Bern, would impact the schedule and limit the opportunity to experience the other unique aspects of the tour. We are surprised to read that you found the amount of information overwhelming, especially as we had received positive feedback from other passengers on the same tour. Please note that small group tours are specifically designed for people that want more in-depth information and a variety of activities, rather than spending extended time in one place. We are glad to hear that you enjoyed the Kambly biscuit factory, the Bern walking tour, and the Emmental cheese factory. These highlights are designed to offer a diverse experience of Switzerland. We would be happy to welcome you on a different tour in your next visit and thank you again for your feedback, we hope you enjoyed the rest of your stay in Switzerland. Best regards Magdalena from Best of Switzerland Tours

Great tour.

robert_s, Oct 2023

Bear pits - big Healthy bears. Great driver and tour guide. Small Group tour is a plus. Kambly stop was fun and sampling of treats generous. Tasty.

Bern Day Trip from Zurich

Donna_M, Oct 2023

Best of Switzerland Tours is very well organized. I wish we had seen the cheese making happening instead of a cute animated experience. We went in the PM, maybe be at the farm/factory in the AM? Bern was a beautiful city to visit and the cookie factory was fun!

Response from Host, Dec 2023

Dear Donna_M, Thank you very much for joining our small group tour to the picturesque city of Bern and taking the time to share this feedback with us. Due to logistical reasons, we plan the visit to the Emmentaler Farm in the afternoon. We regret to hear that by the time you arrived, the cheese makers had already left. To still provide the visitors with an insightful experience, they offer an interactive and animated presentation that highlights the key steps and craftsmanship involved in the cheese-making process. While we understand that this may not fully substitute for witnessing the live production, we strive to make the best of the situation and provide an engaging learning opportunity for our visitors. We appreciate your input and will evaluate the feasibility of adjusting our schedule to enhance the chances of observing the cheese makers in action. On a positive note, we're delighted to hear that you enjoyed exploring Bern and had a fun time at the cookie factory. We hope you had an unforgettable stay in Switzerland and look forward to welcoming you on tour on your next visit to our country. Best regards, Ambika from Best of Switzerland Tours

Try A Different Trip Instead of This One

Michele_J, Oct 2023

Going to the Kambly cookie factory and cookie shop…a “do-it-yourself” try before you buy…was a lot of fun. The only problem was having the willpower to resist sampling more than a few cookies! 🍪 The cheese tasting at Emmentaler Farm, not so much fun. As a former teacher of young children, I can tell you that the program was geared for an 8 year old and was less than entertaining to me, my husband, and the couple with us. Emmentaler needs to revamp their program and consider who their target audience is. Perhaps if the cheese was being made early in the day, Taste of Switzerland could change the order of the contents of the trip by visiting the farm early and watching the process of the cheese being made. As far as the visit to Bern went, it is a nice town, but not the picturesque-ness of Lucerne. If you choose to go, skip the tour with the guide and meander around on your own. I honestly have to say that I would not recommend this trip. Viator Switzerland has many more trip selections that are unbelievably wonderful.

Response from Host, Dec 2023

Dear Michele_J, Thank you very much for providing this feedback on your recent small group tour to the beautiful city of Bern. We're thrilled to hear that you enjoyed the visit to the Kambly cookie factory and cookie shop! The Emmentaler farm attracts a broad and diverse audience with children being the primary visitors. For this reason, an interactive and animated presentation is provided to showcase the essential steps and craftsmanship of the cheese-making process, aiming to meet the preferences of all guests. We'll explore the possibility of adjusting the itinerary to enable guests to observe the cheese-making process earlier in the day. We truly regret to hear that the picturesque city of Bern fell short of expectations. As the capital of Switzerland, Bern stands as an attractive destination that captivates the hearts of many visitors with its unique charm and historical significance. One can enjoy the beauty of the well-preserved architecture of the UNESCO-listed old town, marvel at the iconic Zytologge clock tower, and visit the Federal Palace and the Bear Park, among others. Bern is a living canvas of Switzerland's past, where historic landmarks seamlessly merge with contemporary life. We hope that you still keep fond memories from your stay in Switzerland and that you give us a second chance on your next visit to this wonderful country. Best regards, Ambika from Best of Switzerland Tours

We love Bern!

Joyce_M, Sep 2023

Very much enjoyed the day trip to Bern. We enjoyed the views of the countryside, & the farmhouse visit Gallvus was an excellent tour guide. Bern is a must visit place.

Day in the country

PeterD, Sep 2023

We enjoyed the cookie factory and cheese factory. The countryside was lovely and tour guide was very knowledgeable.

Fantastic trip 👍

Judy_P, Aug 2023

The tour guide Gallus was a very Knowledgeable person, so he made whole trip more interesting, and of course Bern is such beautiful old city .

Great experience!

PaulAlexandru_T, Feb 2020

It was a great day! Brigitte is a very nice guide and she did her best to help us with whatever questions we had, she offered us a lot of useful information and she has a very professional style! I would definitely recommend her to anyone taking this trip and not only!

Not a hectic trip

Crescencia_F, Sep 2019

A small group but organize tour..our guide Thomas set the rules clearly and our group respected the rules..no shoving or being on top of one another unlike our jungfraujoch tour..

Great trip!

Emily_K, Sep 2019

Peter was our driver and guide on this private day tour. It was a great day filled with history and a guided walking tour in Town before having free time on our own. Would highly recommend this tour!

Feedback

Ravi_N, Jul 2019

Was good and informative. Tour guide took us around and showed us the highlights of the location. Was very pleasant and hospitable.

Long drive just for a 10-minute video of Kambly

MARIOM7228, Jun 2019

Monica, our guide, is very knowledgeable about the regions we passed on the tour, including their history. I learned a lot about Switzerland in such a short time. Now , about the tour package: It's great seeing the country side scenery coupled with Monica's narratives. Old Town Bern looked impressive from the bridge with the rooftops and steeples and river. But the arcades at ground level don't look old at all. Whoever rebuilt these arcades did not fully restore the quaint charm of old architecture. But this is why I'm giving this tour only 2 stars: The Kambly biscuit tour was a disappointment. A little animatronics and video and that was it. A long trip for only a 10-minute video is SO NOT WORTH IT. We didn't get to see any inside-the-factory action at all. Another thing, I just wish the Emmental (cheese) and Kambly tours were more accessible and sensitive to those with special needs. I didn't see any ramp at all. Again, with the animatronics and videos telling the story of Emmental cheese and Kambly biscuits -- there were no close captions on the video or story posters with the animatronics. Forget this tour if you're deaf, wheelchair bound or pushing a heavy stroller with a sleeping kid inside.

I enjoyed the trip. We spent a couple...

Adam, Oct 2018

I enjoyed the trip. We spent a couple hours in Bern, which included about a half hour walking tour. If you want to spend more time a Bern it would be better to take the train there. However, the benefit of this day trip is the scenery and stops along the way there and back. On the way there they take the scenic route, so you see some very nice views. On the way there we stopped at a cookie store, where we walked around on own sampling all the cookies on the shelves. You can eat as much and as many as you want. There was at least 20 different types of cookies. After this we went to Bern. On the way back from Bern we stopped at a small cheese making place, where we watched how the make cheese and then tried some already made cheese. Overall, it was a good trip. It consisted as a small group 15 people in a small minibus.

Thomas was a good guide and was able to...

B R, Sep 2018

Thomas was a good guide and was able to guide us well during this tour. We stopped at the biscuit factory and a dairy farm on the way, as well as the old city of Bern. I personally would have liked to spend more time in Bern, considering it was the title of the trip. The biscuit factory stop was good for sampling the biscuits and purchases. The dairy farm stop was a bit confusing and all over the place, since we were trying to look at the old way of making cheese but there was already a demo in progress in the local language and it didn't look like it was about to stop anytime soon, so we just were roaming around randomly, as opposed to having details on what was happening. There was also supposed to be another cheese making demo, which was also just sort of watch and learn process. And there was a cheese tasting event, which was very minimal - I definitely expected more variety for cheese tasting and maybe some details on how to differentiate or determine the freshness. The old Bern city was pretty idyllic and was the first old city that I saw during my trip. It had a lot of modernization incorporated with the old buildings. The wires that run all over to support the trams don't let you take good pics cause they are always running in the middle. Thomas gave a guided tour for the first 20 minutes and then we roamed on our own. I would have liked a bit more time to explore everything. Since the city is full of cobblestones, it is not very comfortable for folks on wheels. The transport vehicle was smaller, since this is a smaller group. And since we were starting from the Zurich station, there was some beginning details about the city itself. Personally, with the well established train lines, I would have chosen to travel on my own to Bern, since it was mostly tour on my own.

On time departure, clean, spacious...

HueyWen_T, Jul 2018

On time departure, clean, spacious mini bus, tour guide professional and polite. But felt the time we stopped at the Kambry shop and cheese factory is too long, would been great to have spent an extra hour exploring the old part of city of Bern.

This was a fun trip, but it's not a...

amullady16, Jan 2018

This was a fun trip, but it's not a full day trip to Bern. It's a trip through Switzerland, with a stop in Bern. I still totally recommend this trip, but just be aware that it is not a full day in Bern.

A slow paced, relaxing and...

Noor Adzlin A, Dec 2017

A slow paced, relaxing and comfortable small group tour. The guide, from Best of Switzerland Tours, was very kind, knowledgeable and very friendly. The tour provided ample free time to venture out on our own. As temperatures dropped below zero degrees, the tour was more interesting with the occasional snow. Overall, the tour was awesome.

Great trip to learn about Bern and...

Sunny L, Oct 2017

Great trip to learn about Bern and the countryside. We had a small group so there was a lot to learn about.

Marvelous trip with terrific guide...

Jane D, Sep 2017

Marvelous trip with terrific guide. Not only did we see the sights, taste the cheese and cookies but we learned both history and the current happenings. during our day tour. An unexpected plus was the bringing the cows down from the mountains.

Very well informed and patient guide...

Naomi W, Sep 2017

Very well informed and patient guide. The places we visited were interesting.

This was an opportunity to view the...

Margaret W, Sep 2017

This was an opportunity to view the countryside as the drive from Zurich to Bern and back took the scenic route - and scenic it was. The stop at the cookie factory was a good time for a break, and likewise on the return, the cheese factory was timed well. We took the trip on a Saturday, so as it turned out there was no opportunity to see the cookie factory in operation and limited chance to observe cheese making in progress. The city of Bern is interesting, charming, and my wish would have been to have more time in the city itself and less time on the stops in the morning and afternoon. The guide, Beat, walked our group through the city to highlight some of the unique features of the city and then we had time on our own to get some lunch.

This was a very enjoyable trip and...

Pam K, Aug 2017

This was a very enjoyable trip and the visit to Kambly Bisquit was outstanding - we are still enjoying some that we purchased. The countryside was beautiful and we found the cheese factory very interesting. Our time in Bern was wonderful and our guide showed us to many out of the way places there. It was a wonderful day!!

We loved this tour! It was very...

geykhman, Aug 2017

We loved this tour! It was very well organized and Thomas, our guide, was great. Also, we had the luxury of having the tour with only 5 people in total which made the experience even better. We saw as much of Bern as possible in a short amount of time and loved the city's beauty as well as the beauty of the Swiss countryside. I highly recommend this tour.

The guide, Konrad, arrived on time...

Adriana L, Jul 2017

The guide, Konrad, arrived on time and was very organised. While we were driving to our first stop, he gave sufficient information about the tour, landmarks and points of interest. We visited the Kambly Biscuit factory in Trubschachen, where we watched an interesting video about the origins and history of the Kambly family business. We spent time tasting biscuits, exploring the beautiful art collection of biscuit tins and having coffee at the coffee shop. Our next stop was Bern for a short walking tour with the guide. Despite the challenges extreme heat, difficulty to find suitable parking space and the demands of some tour members, Konrad patiently guided us through the city, pointing out landmarks which we could visit in the ample free time afterwards. After having a good lunch we departed to the beautiful Emmental where we visited an dairy farm and sampled some cheese. On the way back we again could relax and enjoy the beautiful Swiss countryside.

I enjoyed this trip. Perfect amount...

Nimish A, Jun 2017

I enjoyed this trip. Perfect amount of time in the city. Karen was a great tour guide, and she provided a great amount of interesting information.

we loved our trip. Andreas our...

Monica M, Jun 2017

we loved our trip. Andreas our guide saved it. He is so knowledgeable. We found out so much about life in Switzerland. I plan to return to Bern for a visit as the city is so beautiful that one day wasn't enough.

We enjoyed this trip a lot. Amazing...

Maya_N, May 2017

We enjoyed this trip a lot. Amazing! Highly recommended.

We had a group of 12 persons. Our...

ChiCheung_P, May 2017

We had a group of 12 persons. Our guide Monika also our driver, did a good job. She even take care of us during her meal time. Really exceeding our expectation. We were all very happy ! Thanks Monika !