News of School trip to the alps with my classmates came right before our geography lesson and it was a double lesson. Fast forward to our memorable trip to Switzerland, I had only seen the Alps in pictures snow-capped peaks, cozy wooden chalets, and cows grazing on green hillsides. It all looked beautiful, but also distant and unreal, like scenes from a movie. I never imagined I’d be standing on one of those peaks myself, wind in my face, sky above and valleys far below.
Our destination that day was Mt. Pilatus, a legendary mountain that towers over Lucerne and we knew our great teacher of geophysical had something magical planned for us. As we gathered early in the morning, jackets zipped up and cameras ready, I could feel the anticipation in the air. Our teachers told us we’d be going up the mountain on the world’s steepest cogwheel railway, and that alone was enough to make us all a little nervous and very excited.
The journey began at the base of the mountain, where the red cogwheel train looked more like a theme park ride than something serious enough to scale an Alpine giant. But once we began the climb, everything changed. The incline was intense almost vertical at times and the train moved slowly, as if savoring every meter of elevation. Out the window, the landscape began to shift. Rolling meadows gave way to rocky cliffs and alpine forest, then to open skies and craggy outcrops. We even saw mountain goats perched casually on ledges that looked impossible to stand on. The higher we went, the quieter we got. Everyone was too amazed to speak.
When we finally reached the summit station, it felt like entering another world. We were over 2,100 meters above sea level, and everything from the air to the light felt different. It was cooler up there, with a crispness that made every breath feel fresh. Snow patches still clung to the edges of the rocks, even though it was summer. I stepped out onto the viewing platform and just stood still for a moment. All around me were mountain peaks, layered like waves stretching into the horizon. Below, Lake Lucerne glistened in the sun, its surface catching the light like a mirror. The silence was unlike anything I’d known, deep, pure, and oddly comforting.
We spent time exploring the summit trails, climbing higher to even more spectacular viewpoints. Our guide told us about the local legends, how people believed dragons once lived in the caves of Mt. Pilatus, and how the mountain had a mystical reputation in Swiss folklore. Standing up there, surrounded by mist and sky, I could see why. It didn’t just feel like a mountain, it felt like a place that held secrets. This reminded me of the story about the school trip to the castle of Dracula that was legendary in our school.
After lunch at the mountaintop restaurant where even the sandwiches felt elevated, we began our descent in aerial gondolas. I had never been in one before, and stepping into the swaying cabin made my stomach flip. But once we were in the air, gliding slowly down the mountain with the entire landscape stretched out before us, I felt something shift inside me. We floated above trees and waterfalls, past ridges and alpine farms, watching the world slowly return to its normal size. It was peaceful, like a dream you don’t want to wake up from.
By the time we reached the bottom, my camera was full of photos, but none of them really captured how I felt. Mt. Pilatus wasn’t just a place we visited, it was a moment, an emotion, a reminder of how vast and beautiful the world can be. I didn’t just climb a mountain that day, I stepped into a whole new perspective.
Looking back and the reflecting on the life changing benefits of school trips and sure this experience taught me more than I expected. About nature, about myself, and about the joy of discovering something for the first time. It’s a memory I’ll carry with me long after school is over and a story I’ll be telling for years to come.
The fun fact, we saw the mountain goat 🙂 See the photo above
