August 22 - 29Family NomadFestSwitzerland
An Unconference for Unconventional Families
hosted in partnership with NomadFest
High in the mountains of Europe, a moment for expat and travelling families to share fresh ideas about care, learning, and community.
❋ The Great Outdoors
Hike, climb, glide, and trot from peak to peak across lush alpine meadows and lakes. Each day includes a challenging excursion for teens and adults, as well as an easy-going nature activities for all ages. Braunwald is an entirely car-free village, surrounded by peaks.
❋ A Touch of Magic
Charming Swiss folktales and traditions make for tales and trails tinged with whimsy. Your journey begins by funicular - a tiny mountain railway - up to the fairytale hamlet of Braunwald, which is completely car-free. Adventures continue in the enchanted forest, home to many creatures, real and mythical!
❋ Fellowship
Make lifelong connections with others who understand the joys and challenges of a life less ordinary. Families stay together in a mountain lodge, sharing leadership of group events and a daily meal, making connection effortless. Every evening ends with games, crafts, or stories in the playroom or around the fire.
❋ A Space to Dream
The unconference format centers the burning questions and unique strengths of conference participants. What is your ideal community? What do you need help with? Each day will include opportunities to give and get fresh perspectives from insightful peers, facilitated by NomadFest, the global leader in convenings for world travelers.
Typical Day
Mindfulness7:00 – 7:30am
Start the day with an early morning walk, meditation, or yoga session.
Breakfast8:00 – 8:30am
Families make their way to a self-catered breakfast in the restaurant lounge.
Outing9:00am – 3:00pm
Each day features outings at a variety of levels. Teens and adults can challenge themselves with big hikes, rock climbing, mountain biking, paragliding, and paddling. Kids and adults can do a children’s via ferrata, easy hikes, a ropes course, a “crazy jump” trampoline, gondolas, a lichen walk, a carriage ride, and a light-hearted story path of Bartli the dwarf.
Unconference4:00 – 6:00pm
Adults are invited to share skills and ideas in an unconference facilitated by NomadFest. Meanwhile teens and kids lead their own thought exchange with the support of The Field School of Hvar. Formats include panels, tutorials, roundtables, and one-on-one feedback sessions.
Dinner6:00 – 7:00pm
The community comes together for a hearty, traditional Swiss dinner in the lodge restaurant.
Evening8:00 – 10:00pm
NomadFest hosts fireside chats on the terrace for grown-ups and mature teens, while improv, crafts, karaoke, and creative challenges take over the game room.
The Location
Our mountain retreat is the Adrenalin lodge in the car-free hamlet of Braunwald, located in central Switzerland.
Getting Here
On average, 25 trains per day depart from Zurich Airport to the valley town of Linthal. The train takes 2-2.5 hours. From Linthal, a funicular departs for Braunwald every 15 minutes.
Accommodations
Families can choose between private bedrooms with ensuite bathrooms and a single-sex hostel room for children ages 11 and older.
Price
A typical price for a family of four for the week is €2,450, not including travel to Braunwald and private meals.
Program | €120 ppThe daily program fee is €20 per participant, or €560 for a family of four for the week. This includes all entrance fees, materials, local transportation, and facilitation.
Meals | €210 ppNightly group dinner is €30 per person. Breakfast and lunch are not included. Food is available for purchase at a local bodega. grocery stores in Linthal, and restaurants.
Lodging | €260+ ppAccommodations are offered in partnership with Adrenalin, a backpacker lodge. The nightly rate starts at €37.50 per person or €150 for a family of four, which is €1.050 for the week.
How it Works-
Submit an application on Field’s enrollment page. You will receive a registration form and a member of the Field School team will offer to schedule a call if you have any questions.
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Once you’ve submitted your registration form, you will receive booking information for the lodge and an invoice for program fees, which are non-refundable.
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After booking, we'll send you a Welcome Packet with everything you need to know—detailed schedules, packing list recommendations, add-ons to consider, and more. We will also host an orientation call where we will invite parents and kids to host skillshares, such as a morning wellness activity, an afternoon talk, or a craft night.
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We'd recommend booking your transportation to and from the event as soon as possible with information provided in the welcome packet.
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Now all that's left to do is pack your bags and get excited for adventure and new friendships!