Kayaking on Lake Brienz: Summer Tour or Winter Drysuit Tour?
Updated October 20, 2026 · 4 min read
Short answer
Two guided kayak tours on Lake Brienz start from Interlaken, and both run three hours with 4.9 stars. Interlaken: Kayak Tour of the Turquoise Lake Brienz costs €134.84 and has 289 reviews. Interlaken: Small-Group Winter Kayak Tour on Lake Brienz costs €149.94 and has 281 reviews.
The difference is the season and the gear. The first is described as a guided tour for all levels, paddling past cliffs, alpine views and calm turquoise water. The second is a winter tour in a small group in a fully sealed expedition drysuit. The second costs €15.10 more.
Why the lake is turquoise
Lake Brienz is 14 km long, 2.8 km wide and up to 260 metres deep. Its colour comes from extremely fine sediment carried in by glacier-fed rivers, the Lütschine and the Aare. The particles sink very slowly, so they stay suspended and scatter the light. Interlaken Tourism says the colour is especially beautiful in spring and autumn.
Seen from a kayak, the lake feels wilder than Lake Thun on the other side of Interlaken: the mountains are closer and the shore is steeper. The Giessbach waterfall and the village of Iseltwald are on the lake, but neither description says whether the tours go there, so don’t book expecting a stop.
The two tours at a glance
| Tour | Price | Rating | Duration | Gear and group |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kayak Tour of the Turquoise Lake Brienz | €134.84 | 4.9 · 289 | 3 hours | guided, all levels |
| Small-Group Winter Kayak Tour | €149.94 | 4.9 · 281 | 3 hours | small group, sealed drysuit |
Choosing between the two
- Take the standard tour if you want the cheaper price and no drysuit. It says “for all levels”, so you don’t need paddling experience.
- Take the winter tour if you visit in the cold months, and want to see snowy mountains from the water. The description stresses the drysuit and the small group. It is the only kayak tour here that is aimed at winter, so check the dates on the booking page.
Both are guided, so a guide leads the paddling. The listings don’t specify group sizes for the standard tour, the starting point, or the minimum age; those are on the booking pages. Check them if you travel with children.
Practical points
- Weather. The lake can be calm or choppy. Operators cancel when conditions are poor, so read the cancellation terms and keep a flexible day.
- What to bring. The booking page lists what the operator provides. Ask about spare clothes, as you can get wet on any paddling trip.
Who should skip it
Three hours of paddling is real exercise. If you want to see the lake without effort, a boat is easier: see boat trips on Lake Brienz and Lake Thun. If you want more speed, there is a jetboat ride on Lake Brienz (50 minutes, €128.37, 4.7 stars from 438 reviews). For whitewater instead of a lake, see rafting on the Lütschine, one of the two rivers that give the lake its colour.
Our pick
In the warm months, the standard kayak tour. In winter, the drysuit tour. Both have almost the same number of reviews and the same rating, so the season decides.
