Camping can be a fun and relatively inexpensive way to explore in Switzerland. However camping in Switzerland (and all over Europe) is perhaps not what you expect. It is quite civilized, with most campgrounds filled with elaborate caravans and bungalows rather than tents.
To me, camping means setting up a tent in the wild with a roaring campfire and roughing it. That is definitely not Switzerland camping. But my kids want to sleep in a tent, so we make it happen and we always have fun even if it’s not so wild. Here’s what to expect when camping in Switzerland.
What to expect at a Swiss campground?
Swiss campgrounds are typically organized into lots of plots that vary in price based on location and size.
They usually have a playground, sports facilities like tennis courts, a pool and often organize leisure activities like kids clubs and hiking groups.
Campgrounds usually have one or more restaurants and a small grocery with daily bakery delivery. Most campers bring their own portable grills for cooking. Campgrounds rarely have fire pits but usually have a couple grills for people that do not have their own cooking facilities. They have a washing area for cleaning dishes, though you usually need to bring your own soap.
Campground have normal flush toilets and showers, usually very clean.
How much does camping in Switzerland cost?
Camping in Switzerland may not be as inexpensive as you might imagine. They usually charge a fee for each person (and dog), for the tent (based on how big the tent is), sometimes for the car parking, plus tourist tax.
For example, the price for a family of four to camp in a tent, I would expect to pay about CHF 60-100/night in high season. The price can be much higher if you book a spot with a view or have a very large tent. A bungalow for 4 people might cost about CHF 175 – 250, depending on how big and nice the bungalow is and if it has a view.
When to book camping
Camping is extremely popular and campgrounds can get booked out a year in advance for summer holidays. So plan ahead.
For advanced booking, you often have to book for a minimum of six days.
If you are tent camping, you can usually find a place last minute and can stay just 1-2 nights. But you often cannot make reservations for tent camping. It’s first come, first serve. I usually call that morning and see if they have room.
Renting camping equipment
If you have no equipment you can still stay at a campground. They rent all sorts of bungalows, RVs, camper vans and even tents, with supplies like sheets and pillows to rent and a grocery and cafe on site.
Is wild camping allowed?
Wild camping is generally tolerated in Switzerland above the treeline, with some restrictions. Wild camping is definitely not allowed in protected areas nature preserves, game rest zones, hunting grounds or Swiss National Park. Check the signs posted at the entrance to the nature area. There may be additional restrictions by the canton, city or mountain resort. So best to ask at the local tourist information office.
Generally, you are expected to use a Bivouac bag, not a tent. Make sure to leave no trace, packing out all trash and human waste.
On private land, you are expected to get permission from the farmer. This is common practice and we’ve done it before. We saw wild campers on one of our hikes, so we asked at the local hut and they gave us permission. So we came back the next weekend and camped.
Many mountain areas have added new restrictions on wild camping since lockdown. Many more people than usual went wild camping during this time and left litter and human waste in their campsites, very disrespectful and harmful to the dairy farmers and land owners.
For example, I noticed on my last hike at Pizol near the popular Five Lakes Trail, they now have lots of signs indicating that wild camping is forbidden and carries a large fine, up to CHF 10,000 in some places.
See the wild camping guidelines from the SAC organtions (German and French)
Campgrounds we suggest
Below are some of the campgrounds we’ve stayed at in Switzerland, as a starting point for your planning.
For more campground ideas, see the “Let’s Go Camping” on Z-nuni.com
2 responses
Good day,
We are planning a 2-week visit to mainly Switzerland during May 2026, and then a couple of days in Austria. Is there a website or place where we can find out or research which camp site does offer bungalows and/or chalets for renting? Obviously, we would like to see pricing also. Coming from South Africa, the exchange rate is not in our favour.
For now, we are planning to spend time around Lucerne and Interlaken. From what we researched so far it does seem as if accommodation is less expensive outside the main cities. This is perfect for us, as we prefer not to spend too much time in crowded places.
You may find this website helpful in finding campsites. I recommend reserving far in advance as they book out quickly. https://www.tcs.ch/en/camping-travelling/camping/