Meet Daniela: The Alpine Cheesemaker Who Gets Up Before the Mountain Does

High above the lakes of Interlaken, tucked into a valley the tourist maps skip, Daniela Thierstein and her family begin their day before sunrise.

By the time most visitors to the Bernese Oberland open their eyes, she has already lit the fire beneath the copper cauldron, the Chäschessi, and the first batch of alpine cheese is already taking shape.

This is Alp Signswiler. And this is where our Farm Tour takes you.

A valley with a 300-year tradition

The Justistal isn't on most tourist maps. Stretched 7.5 kilometres between the Sigriswilergrat and the Güggisgrat ridges, the valley sits above Sigriswil in the Bernese Oberland, accessible only by foot or 4x4 from Büffelboden.

Farming families have worked this valley since long before Switzerland became Switzerland. Since 1739, they gather every September for the Chästeilet: an ancient ceremony where the summer's cheese is distributed among farmers according to how much milk each cow produced. No lawyers. No contracts. Just tradition, trust, and 300 years of keeping one's word.

700 wheels of cheese. One summer.

Daniela and her family produce around 700 wheels of cheese between late May and September. Each wheel is made by hand, the way the family has always made it: milk goes into the copper cauldron, heat is applied, the curd is cut and stirred, and the result is pressed into the form where it becomes the round, golden wheels you'll see lining the cellar shelves.

When you arrive for our Farm Tour, you'll often catch the process mid-stream. The cheese is out of the cauldron and already shaping by 9am. What you witness is the real work of a real morning.

The Chucheli breakfast

After watching Daniela at work, her family sets the table in the Chucheli, a warm, timber-beamed gathering room, for an alpine breakfast that follows the same logic as everything else on the farm: local, seasonal, made here.

Fresh cheese. Butter that came from the grass outside the window. Bread baked the same morning. Coffee that actually warms you up at 1,400 metres.

This isn't a tourist breakfast. It's what the farmers eat.

About Daniela and her family

Daniela Thierstein and her family have been working Alp Sigriswiler for years. They are part of a community of about 15 farming families whose collective herd of 250 cows grazes the valley each summer. She knows every animal by name. She knows the grass by month. And she knows, better than anyone, that the best cheese comes from patience, not shortcuts.

She'll tell you this herself, in Swiss German, with a smile.

You might not understand every word. But you'll understand exactly what she means.

In September, when the first frost reaches the ridge above Sigriswil, the cows come down and the valley empties. Daniela and her family pack up the copper cauldron, lock the Chucheli, and join the other 14 families at the Spycherberg for the Chästeilet. Each family takes home the wheels they earned. Then they wait for May, when the grass comes back.

Your Questions About the Farm Tour

Is the farm experience suitable for children?

Yes. Children are welcome and they usually love it: meeting the animals, watching the cheese being made, and eating a real alpine breakfast. The hike to the alp is gentle enough for kids aged 6 and up.

What is included in the CHF 139 price?

The price covers everything: transport from Interlaken, the guided farm visit with Daniela and her family, participation in the cheese-making process, and a full alpine breakfast with products made on the farm.

Can I buy cheese to take home?

Yes. Daniela sells her wheels directly at the alp. Ask her on the day, as availability depends on the season and production.

What if the weather is bad?

We monitor the forecast 24 hours in advance and contact you with alternatives if conditions are unsafe. Mountain weather changes fast, so we always have a plan B.

How to visit with us

The Alp Sigriswiler Farm Tour departs from Interlaken at 8:00am. On a clear day, guests take the short trail from Büffelboden through the valley, the first views of the farm appearing just as the morning light hits the ridge above. On wet days, we drive directly to the farm.

We arrive at 9:00am and stay until 11:30, when Daniela's family begins their lunch service.

Groups are maximum 8 people. Always.

Book your Farm Experience

After the visit, cheese is available for purchase directly on the farm. CHF 20/kg. Cash only.

Season: Late May to September
Access: Büffelboden — parking + 20 min walk, or direct by car in bad weather
Language: Swiss German (your SLA guide translates)
Bring: Warm layers, walking shoes, appetite, cash for cheese
Rubber boots available on site for wet days
Group size: Maximum 8 | Price: CHF 139/person

Also read:
→ Alpine Farm Tour Near Interlaken, Switzerland
→Meet the Alpine Farmer Who Makes 700 Wheels a Summer

*Written by Pierre Vetsch, founder & head guide at Swiss Local Adventures

Source:

On-site visit and interview with Daniela Thierstein, Alp Sigriswiler, Justistal, 2026.