Swiss Hiking Paradise

ITINERARY

A typical itinerary will look like this, with changes to account for weather conditions and the preferences of the group.

Day 1 Fly to Zurich
Arrive on Day 2 (Saturday) - Pick up the Swiss Card for free transfer to Mürren at the ticket counter and send your luggage ahead if you wish (detailed instructions to be provided)

Day 2 Arrive in Mürren The train leaves from Zurich's low stress airport and the Swiss Card will cover the cost of the trip. We will provide you clear and easy instructions for getting there and traveling to Mürren. It will take you about four hours from the time you board the train, so depending on when your flight arrives, you will probably reach Mürren around mid-day. You can settle into the Jungfrau Hotel then go out for a stroll around the village and, for those who wish, take a hike to the picturesque Allmendhubel, where you can look across the blooming meadows and the valley to the North Faces of the famous Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau peaks. Relax with a cup of tea. In the evening the group is meeting and greeting at 7 pm for general orientation and dinner.

Day 3: Schilthorn and Sprutz Have breakfast atop the famous Schilthorn Piz Gloria, reached by cable car. Be sure to bring a sweater. From the middle station at Birg the cable car takes you up to the slowly revolving restaurant where on clear days you can see over 200 mountain peaks. Later we will hike to the waterfall of Sprutz and on to the little farm of Spielbodenalp for some bread and fresh alpine cheese. The North Face Trail takes us through meadows and uphill towards Schiltalp, through the woody and rocky sides of Schiltgrat into the valley of flowers.

Day 4: Hike to Kilchbalm A 4 to 5 hour hike takes us through the quiet little village of Gimmelwald, where you are likely to see farmers working in the fields. The trail leads to the valley and follows the wild river of the "Sefinen-Lütschine," which brings down the glacier water from the peaks above. At the end of the valley is a sunlit plain where waterfalls pour down from rocks high above. This is a great place to have a picnic, followed by a walk up near the glaciers. Back to Mürren in time for dinner. As a rainy day option, or for those who want to take it easier, take a train trip down the valley to Lauterbrunnen and to Interlaken, where a boat takes you to the town of Thun and its picturesque castle.

Day 5 Hike to Oberberg-Marchegg-Saustal-Grütschalp This hike leads us through the dense forest outside Mürren to the colourful meadows of Mittelberg and Oberberg. We will enjoy the magnificent view of the valley of Trimmleten and the glaciers of Jungfrau und Mönch. From Oberberg we follow the trail along the hills towards a lookout point from which we see the three valleys of Saustal, Lauterbrunnental und Lütschinental. A steep path leads down towards the alpine plain of Saus. Perhaps we will stop at the hut for a drink and a chat with the shepherd, who if we are lucky will be making cheese. From Saustal we hike through a forest with occasional views over to the other side of the valley.

Day 6 Excursion to Kleine Scheidegg and Grindelwald, optional Hike to Eiger Glacier This might be the day to take the train down to Lauterbrunnen and up to Wengen, where we can stroll through the village, known for its famous downhill ski race "the Lauberhornrennen". The red train goes further up to Kleine Scheidegg, which is the starting point for serious climbs up the North Face of the Eiger. This will be a good place to have lunch. The train trip continues down to Grindelwald, another famous resort with lots of shopping opportunities. Those who want to rest their feet can go back by train to the original point of departure in Lauterbrunnen and up to Mürren. Others may want to take a hike from Kleine Scheidegg to Männlichen and catch the cable car down to Wengen, from which point they can either walk or take the train down to Lauterbrunnen.

7: Hike to Bryndli and Rotstockhütte Today we can explore the Sefinen valley on the upper level. The North Face Trail leads to the cozy alpine farm of Spielbodenalp. Winding uphill from there, we will reach the craggy peak of Bryndli, with its widescreen view of Mürren and the Lauterbrunnen valley. A narrow mountain path from there crosses meadows where we will pass some “musical cows.” Rotstockhütte, with its excellent cheeses and soups, is a popular stop-over on the trail over the Sefinenfurgge. On the way back we will have another view of the whole North Face range.

Day 8: Trail of the Waterfalls The beautiful Lauterbrunnen valley has 72 waterfalls. We will visit the Trümmelbach Falls, a huge drainage system for the melted snow inside the mountain. From the end of the valley we walk to Trachsellauenen, a soup hut and small hotel from the 19th century which is still working without electricity. It is worth a stop for a drink and one of their homemade cakes. Further up the trail we come across the majestic Schmadrifall, one of the highest falls of the valley, thundering over the rocks. Day 9: Zürich After breakfast in the hotel you will board the train to Zürich where you can check into a designated hotel in the heart of city, or one near the airport. The old part of the city is a nice place to stroll or to enjoy night life, and the famous Bahnhofstrasse is the place for window shopping and restaurants. You may send your luggage directly to the airport station or take it with you on the train.

Day 10: Fly home A shuttle bus takes you to Zurich airport where you check in or pick up your luggage to check in for the flight home.