kamal chilaka 6/23/19 kamal chilaka 6/23/19

One week in Switzerland, Exploring Jungfrau Valley and Zurich

20 years of travel and photography in Europe but somehow I had never made it to Switzerland for a proper holiday or photography trip.Somehow visiting Switzerland for a holiday felt like a cliche from all those Bollywood movies I watched while growing up. Finally during this spring of 2019 we decided to visit Switzerland for a family vacation enroute to the US.

Tulips and Other spring flowers decorate the streets of Interlaken

We decided to restrict ourselves to the Jungfrau Region of Switzerland as my research said it was one of the most photogenic areas and also great for a family holiday. We also decided to spend 2 days in Zurich to explore the city and take a break before continuing our Journey to the USA.

Getting there

Zurich Airport is the main International gateway into Switzerland . Zurich is served by a host of Airlines. You can check out the list of airlines flying to Zurich here.

The best options from India are Swissair, British Airways, Lufthansa, Emirates, and Qatar Airlines.

From Singapore , Swissair and Singapore offer direct flights to Zurich.

From Zurich to Interlaken if you are traveling light you can take the train from Zurich airport to Interlaken.

Here I must mention that getting a Swiss Travel Pass for your holiday in Switzerland is a great option which allows you to travel by Train, Bus and Boat on Swiss public transportation.

if you have a lot of luggage like we did the best option would be to hire a car or van to drop your your Interlaken hotel.

High Street Shopping at Bahnoffstrasse, Zurich

Some useful Info

Switzerland Time

Switzerland Time is in the Central European Time Zone . Central European Standard Time ( CET ) is 1 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time ( GMT+1 ) and GMT +2 in Summer

Switzerland Currency

The local currency is the Swiss Franc

As of this writing the exchange rate is as follows

1 Swiss Franc = 70.8 INR = 1.38 SGD

Interlaken and the Jungfrau Region

Paragliders taking break under a tree at Interlaken

Interlaken is a traditional resort town in the mountainous Bernese Oberland region of central Switzerland. Built on a narrow stretch of valley, between the emerald-colored waters of Lake Thun and Lake Brienz, it has old timber houses and parkland on either side of the Aare River. Its surrounding mountains, with dense forests, alpine meadows and glaciers, has numerous hiking and skiing trails.

Inviting arrangement go Spring flowers in front of a cafe,Lauterbrunnen

The Jungfrau region begins in Interlaken, the largest town in the region. Interlaken is easy to reach by train and car. The Jungfrau region stretches out to the Jungfrau mountain range in the south, which is a Unesco World Heritage. There's a lot of beautiful alpine nature and several little villages.

We decided to use Interlaken as a base while we explored the region via day trips. interlaken is a great option as a base of your first trip to the region because it has the most number of hotel and stay options and a wide variety of food options as well including Indian and Asian food options. Don’t miss the famous Swiss Fondues when you are in Switzerland.

Where to Stay in Interlaken

Interlaken has a a variety of Hotel and Stay options to choose from. These range from some incredibly expensive hotels , some mid range hotels and inexpensive (by Swiss Standards) hostels and homesteads.

Hotel Lindner Grand Beu Rivage, Interlaken

Luxury

Lindner Grand Beau Rivage

Jungfrau Hotel

Hotel Royal St Georges Interlaken Mgallery by Sofitel

Budget

Budget Waldhotel Unspunnen

Getting about

Swiss Rail Pass

As I mentioned earlier the Swiss Travel pass is your best travel companion which allows you to explore on all the public transport options.

Taxi

Taxis are an expensive option but if you need to take a break from walking or if you have young kids or seniors in your group this is a quick way to get around Interlaken from point to point.

Photography Locations

Charming Horse Carriage Rides at Interlaken

Interlaken and Harder Kulm

Lauterbrunnen

Lauterbrunnen is a municipality in the Swiss Alps. It encompasses the village of Lauterbrunnen, set in a valley featuring rocky cliffs and the roaring, 300m-high Staubbach Falls. Nearby, the glacial waters of Trümmelbach Falls gush through mountain crevices past viewing platforms. A cable car runs from Stechelberg village to Schilthorn mountain, for views over the Bernese Alps.

Grimmelwald

Muren

Jungfraujoch

Lake Thun

Lake Brienz

Kids enjoying the weather and beauty around Lake Brienz

Giessbachfälle

The Giessbachfälle is a beautiful and popular waterfall which runs into Lake Brienz. The Grand Hotel Giessbach is located such that you access the waterfall through the hotels car park.

Exploring Zurich

Where to Stay in Zurich

Luxury

Hotel Schweizerhof Zürich

Le Bijou LQ82 Spectacular Limmatview Penthouse

Park Hyatt Zurich

Mid Range

Crowne Plaza Zürich

Budget

iQ130 Guesthouse

Suggested City Tours of Zurich

Zurich Tour Including Lake Cruise and Lindt Chocolate Factory Outlet

Fondue and Wine Tuk Tuk Tour in Zurich

What was in my Camera Bag

As this was a holiday primarily I was traveling with just the minimum of cameras gear. I had with my trusted Canon 5DS-R and a couple of zoom lenses which I can’t live without. The Canon 70-200mm f2.8 L IS II and a wide angle zoom the Canon 17-40mm F4 L which has served me well over the last several years but will be upgrading soon. I also carried with me the superb Zeiss Otus 55mm f1.4 which I like to shoot detailed street and sharp portraits with.

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kamal chilaka 3/25/19 kamal chilaka 3/25/19

Spring Photography Guide to Grand Tetons and Yellowstone National Parks, USA - by Kamal Chilaka

Yellowstone and Jackson Hole National Parks have long attracted all types of people ranging from Native Americans , European Fur Trappers , Conservationists , Nature lovers and Photographers alike. They are right there on top of the list of National parks which provide great photo ops.

After they had been on my bucket list for a couple of years I finally decided to make the trip with a photography enthusiast friend from Boston.

Classic View of the Tetons from Schwabacher Landing, Grand Tetons

Yellowstone and Jackson Hole National Parks have long since attracted all types of people ranging from Native Americans , European Fur Trappers , Conservationists , Nature lovers and Photographers alike. They are right there on top of the list of National parks which provide great photo ops.

After they had been on my bucket list for a couple of years I finally decided to make the trip with a photographer friend from Boston.

Getting There and Getting Around

We flew to Jackson Hole from Boston via Denver. As we had decided to travel in late spring the tourist season had not officially begun as we wanted the park to ourselves and avoid the summer crowds. Other option is to fly to Salt Lake, Utah and drive from there.

The views as you prepare for landing are just amazing. We were on a smaller commuter Jet from Denver to Jackson Hole which doesn’t allow for even have enough storage for a 26 L backpack and I ended up having to check it in at Gate.

I did manage to take my camera bodies and a couple of lenses in my hand and stowed them under the seat. Something to keep in mind while packing your gear for a trip to Yellowstone specially if you are flying on on the smaller jets.

At Jackson Hole Airport we picked up our rental car for the week a nice compact SUV which would be our ride for the duration of the trip.

Where to Stay at Jackson,WY

We stayed at the Rustic Inn Creekside during the first leg of our trip which was a 3 day stay at Jackson Hole. The inn had all the creature comforts one would need on such a trip. The rooms were spacious. The layout allows for easy access to the car park without too much walking from the rooms which were split level chalets. The lobby had hot coffee ready to take out early in the morning which is typically when photographers and adventure lovers like to head out to take in the best scenery . The Buffet breakfast was ample and was the perfect way to charge ourselves after a nice early morning shoot in the still chill Spring Air.

Jackson Hole has a wide selection of accommodations to choose from specially once the tourist season begins. During the shoulder season the options would be significantly lower.

Here are a few more options to choose from

Luxury

Wyoming Inn of Jackson Hole

The Rusty Parrot Lodge and Spa

Hotel Jackson

Budget

Motel 6 Jackson, WY

Jackson Hole and Grand Tetons Scenic Locations

While choosing which locations you want to visit within the park you have to decide on what your interest is. The choices would vary depending what you want to do be it back country camping or spotting wildlife or shooting scenery . Here i focus on my interest which is Landscape photography. Some of these locations would also be good for spotting buffalo , moose, and the occasional Coyote .

The first afternoon were there we did a bit of exploring by driving around the area between Jackson and the airport. We had our first sighting of a Bull Buffalo just as we were turing in a bend in the road to Mormon Row. What was that? When you get up close to American Buffalo for the first time it hits you hard just how big and dangerous these animals are.

These are wild animals and you must maintain a minimum distance from them when you are observing them or trying to photograph them. To ignore that advice is putting yourself at peril as many over enthusiastic tourists have found out the hard way.

For our first full day of photography at Grand Tetons we had lined up the services of a local guide as we wanted to get quickly acquainted to the lay of the land in as short a time as possible. Our guide promptly picked us up before sunrise and took us to some of the spots mentioned here.

Not only did he take us to the best spots but also times that to coincide with when the light was optimum. We managed to get a few pics but planned to get back to the same locations again for shooting at dusk for a different mood.

Snake River Outlook ..The Spot for which Ansel Adams shot his iconic image

The Location from where Ansel Adams shot his iconic image of Snake River with the Tetons in the background is a look out point but the car park is further back now meaning one can’t really take the same image without the help of a drone.

We had a half day to explore and shoot in and around Jackson before heading off to West Yellowstone in Montana for access to Yellowstone National Park through the west Entrance. The road from Grand Tetons to Yellowstone is closed till further in May . So we had to access Yellowstone via the west entrance .

Farmhouse in the backroads around Jackson,WY

We were able to capture scenes in the back roads around Jackson and also enroute to West Yellowstone.

Yellowstone National Park

The Yellow coloured Rock that gives the park its name

On day 3 after a morning photo outing at the Tetons we checked out of the hotel and started driving towards West Yellowstone through the rolling meadows of Idaho with a ceiling of puffy white clouds against a backdrop of big blue sky we reached our Hotel in the evening and rested for the night.

Driving through Idaho to West Yellowstone

Where to Stay at West Yellowstone

We stayed at the Kelly Inn West Yellowstone a nice premium inn just a short distance from the West Entrance to Yellowstone Park and also 5 minute walk from the Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center.

Other Stay Options

Luxury

Explorer Cabins at Yellowstone

WorldMark West Yellowstone

Budget

Evergreen Motel

Moose Creek Inn

We had a surprise snowfall our first morning in West Yellowstone. The Landscape had changed overnight. There was a nice blanket of snow covering everything which made our first drive into Yellowstone magical. We had gotten a taste of winter when we were not expecting it.

Yellowstone National photo Locations

On our first day we decided to explore the valleys and wildlife and waterfalls of Yellowstone.

Lamar Valley

This wide, expansive valley is home to bison, elk, coyote, grizzly and wolf, and is must visit area for serious wildlife watchers. Bison and elk are readily visible, and coyotes can oftentimes be spotted.

Visitors who are willing to rise early in the morning or wait up until dusk also may have the opportunity to see bears and wolves. In fact, Lamar Valley is the no 1 destination for viewing wolves. There are also abundant fishing opportunities in the Lamar Valley.

Yellowstone Falls

How to Get There

The Lower Falls area is located just to the east of Canyon Village. A one-way loop drive takes you to the brink of the Grand Canyon and offers four views, with the last stop at the trail that leads to the top of the Falls.

Brief Description

Lower Falls, the biggest waterfall in Yellowstone, is the most famous in the Park, hands down. In fact, the 308-foot tall waterfall it is most likely the second most photographed spot in Yellowstone, with Old Faithful Geyser being the first. There are numerous views of the Falls from both the east (Inspiration Point, Grandview Point and Lookout Point) and west (Artists Point) sides of the Grand Canyon, most of which require only a short walk or virtually no walk to see. The trail to the top of the Falls (3/4 of a mile roundtrip, but steep with many switchbacks) is a must, as the experience of standing atop the Falls is one of the most breath-taking experiences in the entire Park.

Inspiration Point

Inspiration Point is a promontory cliff on the north rim of the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone east of Yellowstone Falls on the Yellowstone River in Yellowstone National Park. The point was originally named Promontory Point in 1878 by W. H. Holmes but later given the name of Inspiration Point by G.L. Henderson, a park concessionaire in 1887. The point is a natural observation point over the rim of the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone.

The Geothermal Attractions of Yellowstone

On day 2 we decided to cover the more photogenic Geysers. Yellowstone National Park’s thermal features can be seen as the product of millions of years of geology at work. Much of Yellowstone sits inside an ancient volcanic caldera (the exploded crater of a volcano).

Old Faithful shooting steam into the Sky

The last major caldera forming eruption occurred 600,000 years ago. For hundreds of thousands of years following that, subsequent lava flows slowly filled in most of the caldera. Even now, in some places, nearly molten rock resides as little as 2-5 miles below the surface. Heat from the volcanic activity makes its presence known by heating ground water and creating the thermal features we now see.

The four basic types of thermal features present in the Park are geysers, hot springs, fumaroles, and mudpots. Many of these are concentrated in Yellowstone’s major geyser basins: Upper, Midway, Lower, Norris, West Thumb, Shoshone and Heart Lake.

Geysers are hot springs that erupt periodically. The eruptions is the result of super-heated water below-ground becoming trapped in channels leading to the surface. The hottest temperatures are at the bottom of these channels (nearer the hot rock that heats the water) but the deep water cannot vaporize because of the weight of the water above. Instead, steam is sent upwards in bubbles, collecting in the channel’s tight spots until they essentially become clogged, leading to a point where the confined bubbles actually lift the water above, causing the geyser to overflow.

This causes the pressure to decrease until suddenly violent boiling occurs throughout much the length of the column, producing a tremendous volume of steam which forces the water out of the vent in a superheated mass. This is an eruption. As the eruption continues, the heat and pressure gradually decrease, and the eruption stops when the water reservoir is depleted or the steam runs out. The two types of geysers are fountain geysers (which shoot water out in various directions through a pool) and cone geysers (which shoot water out in a fairly narrow jet, usually from a cone-like formation).

Chromatic Pool hot spring in the Black Sand Geyser Basin in Yellowstone National Park

Hot Springs are similar to geysers, but their underground channels are large enough to allow rapid circulation of water. Rising hot water releases heat energy by evaporation or hot water runoff, while convection currents return the cooler water to the underground system, thus maintaining equilibrium.

The microorganisms which live in and around the hot springs often make the pools very colorful.
Fumaroles are holes or vents from which steam rushes into the air. It is like a hot spring, but lacks liquid water. Either there isn’t enough water or the underground rock is too hot and boils off all of the water so a pool can’t form. The small amount of water that does seep into the area is converted to steam and expelled from the vent, oftentimes creating a hissing noise.

Mudpots are thermal areas where water-saturated sediment (similar to clay) is affected by super-heated steam below. Rising steam forces its way upwards through the mud and ground water, bursting upwards sending showers of mud into the air, as if in a small explosion.

Buffalo grazing near Steam Vents, Yellowstone

Steam Vents are cracks in the surface of the ground through which pressurized steam from below escapes to the surface, oftentimes with a hissing sound.

Mammoth Hot Springs

Mammoth Hot Springs are a surficial expression of the deep volcanic forces at work in Yellowstone. Although these springs lie outside the caldera boundary, scientists surmise that the heat from the hot springs comes from the same magmatic system that fuels other Yellowstone thermal areas.

A large fault system runs between Norris Geyser Basin and Mammoth, which may allow thermal water to flow between the two. Also, multiple basalt eruptions have occurred in this area. Thus, basalt may be a heat source for the Mammoth area.

Thermal activity here is extensive both over time and distance. Terrace Mountain, northwest of Golden Gate, has a thick cap of travertine. The Mammoth Terraces extend all the way from the hillside where we see them today, across the Parade Ground, and down to Boiling River.

Patterns in the Geothermal waters of Mammoth Hot Springs

After 6 days of break taking views and enjoyable photography it was time to head back to Jackson and catch a flight home.

Tips for Travel to Grand Tetons and Yellowstone National Parks

What was in my Camera Bag and what did I end up using

This screenshot from Lightroom shows what gear I used for the trip…

My tripod was moderately used specially for the Landscapes near Jackson and Grand Tetons and the Views of Yellowstone Falls and Grand Canyon of Yellowstone. For the rest I choose to remain fluid and agile and shoot at higher shutter speeds to counter shake.

Clothing for Spring Weather

Pack Layers and a good lightweight and waterproof jacket. Definitely carry a good pair of photography gloves. The temperatures can dip low making it difficult to handle the camera and tripod without gloves.

If you plan to hike carry a good comfortable pair of hiking boots.

Safety

Both parks are Bear Country and it advisable to carry Bear Spray with you. This can be purchased in gas stations and convenience stores at Jackson or West Yellowstone. Handle with care.

These are large parks and mobile phone coverage is weak or not available except in some areas.

Travel with a friend or as a group but if you have to travel alone let people know where you will be.

I had a great time photographing at these locations and definitely plan to head back there sometime. Possibly in Winter to experience and capture a different perspective.

Order Prints of select Images from Grand Tetons and Yellowstone here

Buy Stock images from Grand Tetons and Yellowstone here

Source References

Wikipedia

Yellowstone.net