Photos: Ank kumar, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 Ermell, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 Dmitry A. Mottl, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo credits
Photos: Ank kumar, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 Ermell, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 Dmitry A. Mottl, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Bern's bears and the river that shaped the city
Your local guide
Sandra Kohler
View profile
Highlights
- Bears in an open riverside enclosure
- Where the Aare's current picks up speed
- A park that replaced an old pit
- How locals use the river each summer
- The Aare explained by someone who swims it
About this tour
This session follows Bern's bears and the river beside them, from the open riverside enclosure at BärenPark down to the bank where locals swim. You see how the current changes pace along a short stretch of the Aare, and how the bears' home replaced a much smaller pit decades ago. Sandra treats the river as a living part of the city rather than scenery.
She starts at the bears and gives them proper time before moving down to the water's edge. The explanation stays grounded in what the current is actually doing that day, and questions come naturally between the two stops.
This suits anyone curious about how Bernese people actually use their river rather than just photograph it. It works well in any season, though the water itself is only for warmer months.
Included
- Live video walk with a local guide
- Questions to your guide all the way
- A short list of places to visit later
Not included
- Internet connection
- Travel to the city
Itinerary
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Welcome and sound check 5 min
The guide joins the video call, checks the picture and sound with you, and gives you a quick sense of Bern before heading out.
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BärenPark Enclosure 21 min
The camera follows the bears along their riverside enclosure, open since 2009, as Sandra explains how the park replaced an older, smaller pit.
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Aare Riverbank 21 min
Just below the park, the current picks up speed, and Sandra points out exactly where locals enter the water on warm afternoons.
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Your questions 9 min
Time to ask anything about Bern: prices, safety, food, or whatever you are curious about.
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A short list to keep 4 min
Before you go, the guide sums up with a few things worth remembering: a dish to try: Meringues with double cream and Länggasse, worth a slower look.
Good to know
- A stable wifi or mobile connection makes the picture smoother than a shaky one.
- Any phone, tablet or laptop with a camera works. You watch, the guide does the walking.
- Times are shown in Zurich time, so check the time where you are before you book.
- The session is not recorded, and recording it yourself is not allowed. Feel free to take your own notes.
- Ask questions any time, out loud or in the chat. The guide will pause to answer.
- Sessions run in small groups, up to 8 people, so there is room for everyone to ask something.
Questions about this tour
What will the session cover?
The guide walks through Bern, showing you BärenPark Enclosure and Aare Riverbank live on camera, plus whatever else you would like to see.
What happens if my connection drops?
Rejoin with the same link within a few minutes and the guide will catch you up on anything you missed.
Can I ask the guide questions during the session, or is it a fixed script?
Anything, any time. Sessions leave room for your own questions throughout, not just at the end.
How it works
- You get one join link after booking.
- Join from any device: phone, tablet or laptop.
- We connect on Google Meet and the link arrives with your booking. I carry the phone down to the water myself, so the current is exactly as loud as it really is.
Times shown in Zurich time (CET)
Cancellation
Flexible
- Cancel up to 24 hours before the start: full refund.
- Cancel less than 24 hours before the start, or no-show: no refund.
- If the guide cancels or the date does not reach its minimum group: full refund.
- Cancel in My Account → Bookings; the refund is calculated from the start time in the tour's local time.
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Next: Tue 27 Oct · 8 seats left From 24,00 €
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