When I mention my nationality in places around the world it’s a reoccurring theme that people proceed to tell me about places in their country that are named “Little Switzerland”, “Switzerland of ….” or similar names. Out of curiosity (and to get that alpine fix every now and then without returning to Europe), I’ve visited a number of them. Here are the ones that in my opinion deserve the title:
Lake Khuvsgul (Mongolia)
Mongolia was definitely not a place where I expected to feel like I’m in Switzerland. But looking at the clear water of Lake Khuvsgul with Yaks grazing on its shore, I could easily imagine Heidi & Peter running around the vast green valley.
European Alps
(France, Italy, Austria, Slovenia)
A far more obvious one are the alpine nations surrounding Switzerland. Austria and France have long been popular spots for Swiss people to holiday in summer & winter for a fraction of the cost in the homeland. The Italian & Slovenian alps as well as Andorra boast some unreal national parks too!
Mt. Tateyama (Japan)
Returning to Asia, we have the Japanese Alps. Especially the southern alps are popular for hiking and lots of other mountain activities. Mt. Tateyama and the Nagano region look pretty similar to Switzerland, but the wildlife is slightly different (more bears & less cows).
Bariloche (Argentina)
One of the first places abroad where I suddenly felt like I’m back in Switzerland. Imagine my parents flying half-way across the world only to be greeted by Swiss mountain dogs in northern Patagonia… I highly recommend going for a hike with a bunch of Empanadas as a snack.
Phalgam & Dharamshala (India)
“… and tomorrow you can go on a day trip to Mini-Switzerland!”, my host in Srinagar said excitedly. Not having the heart to tell him that I’d probably be underwhelmed, I decided to join the tour anyway. While the scenery indeed gave strong Switzerland vibes, the rest of the experience was VERY Indian. A close second for India is the area in Himachal Pradesh, especially the treks to Triund & Lake Kareri.
Shymbulak (Kazakhstan)
Between eating delicious food and attending concerts in Almaty, I also went on a hiking day trip to the nearby mountains. Shymbulak can easily pass as a small Swiss resort. The only minus points I would give is the hiking trail along the asphalt road. But I’d love to go back in winter for skiing too.
Honourable mentions: I haven’t been to Kyrgystan and New Zealand yet, but from the pictures I’m seeing, both places have areas that strongly ressemble the Swiss mountains.
thattravelstory 