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See our Guided Tour Schedule arranged by date.
Switzerland, France and Italy tours
Jungfrau + Matterhorn Regions (village-based walking/hiking tour)
This two-week guided tour takes us to the heart of the most breathtaking mountain scenery anywhere! Start in Mürren, for the best hiking in the Swiss Alps, at the foot of the Jungfrau. Then it's on to Grindelwald, nestled at the base of the fearsome Eiger North Face. Afterwards, we'll stay in the world-famous hiking center Zermatt, tucked against the Alps' most striking mountain, the Matterhorn. Finally, we'll finish with 2 days in unassuming Leukerbad, a small village famed for its spas and healing waters. This tour has a little of everything, and is a perfect introduction to the Swiss Alps.
see a detailed itinerary
| 2010 Departure: | June 14-26 |
| Tour Cost: | $4595 per person |
| $350 single supplement |
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Hiking the Jungfrau (village-based walking/hiking tour)
The Jungfrau and Eiger mountains are the highlights of an incredible rock wall stretching across the entire region. Visit Mürren, a quiet car-free village perched at the edge of a sheer cliff, and Grindelwald, with a dramatic location at the base of the Eiger North Wall. Everybody's perfect picture of the Swiss Alps - age-old glaciers, colorful wildflowers, towering waterfalls, and peaceful villages.
see a detailed itinerary
| 2010 Departures: | June 14-20 |
| August 1-7 |
| September 5-11 |
| Tour Cost: | $2495 per person |
| $200 single supplement |
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Hiking the Matterhorn (village-based walking/hiking tour)
See the storybook village of Zermatt, at the foot of the mighty Matterhorn, and quiet Leukerbad, tucked at the base of the historic Gemmi pass. The Matterhorn is the most captivating mountain in the Alps, dominating an area of surpising richness, while Leukerbad is another gem - a quiet hideaway surrounded by thermal hot springs that feed luxurious spas. Our walks lead us to wild gorges, colorful flowers, peaceful lakes surrounded by soft larch forests, and enchanting, traditional alpine hamlets. Truly a hiker's paradise!
see a detailed itinerary
| 2010 Departure: | June 20-26 |
| Tour Cost: | $2695 per person |
| $200 single supplement |
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Great Alpine Classics (village-based walking/hiking tour)
Hike beneath the Jungfrau, Mont Blanc and Matterhorn mountains, and ride the Glacier Express to the peaceful Engadine region. Tour Chamonix, Mürren, Zermatt, and Pontresina, four of the most scenic and historic mountain villages in the world. Along the way, we'll stay in absolute comfort in traditional, exquisite 3 and 4-star hotels. Welcoming hotels, walkable villages, and beautiful locations make this a perfect choice for non-hikers as well.
see a detailed itinerary
| 2010 Departure: | July 5-17 |
| Tour Cost: | $4795 per person |
| $550 single supplement |
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Great Alpine Classics, Parts A & B (village-based walking/hiking tour)
Join us for either half of the Great Alpine Classics tour. Part A begins with 3 days in Chamonix followed by 3 days in Mürren. Part B begins with 3 days in Zermatt and finishes with 3 days in Pontresina. Each is a wonderful week-long tour, with breathtaking mountain scenery, beautiful train rides, and unforgettable villages.
see a detailed itinerary
| 2010 Departure, Part A: | July 5-11 |
| Tour Cost: | $2695 per person |
| $400 single supplement |
| 2010 Departure, Part B: | July 11-17 |
| Tour Cost: | $2695 per person |
| $200 single supplement |
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The Grand Tour (village-based walking/hiking tour)
Stay in luxurious inns, enjoy classic train rides, and hike three of the grandest mountain destinations in world. Tour beautiful Mürren, then stay high above Zermatt at the 5-star Riffelalp Resort, and ride the Glacier Express across the Alps to Pontresina. World-class hotels and great hikes in perfect combination.
see a detailed itinerary
| 2010 Departure: | June 27-July 4 |
| Tour Cost: | $4695 per person |
| $600 single supplement |
| includes 1st class railpass |
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Gemmi to the Matterhorn (village-based walking/hiking tour)
A first-class luxury tour starting in beautiful Kandersteg. Hike over the historic Gemmi pass to the thermal spas of Leukerbad, then continue to Zermatt to the 5-star Riffelalp Resort. Enjoy great walks by day and world-class hotels by night on this fantastic combination
see a detailed itinerary
| 2010 Departure: | June 27-July 4 |
| Tour Cost: | $3895 per person |
| $500 single supplement |
| includes 1st class railpass |
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Bernese Oberland Traverse (inn-to-inn hiking tour)
Our signature tour, on this tour we'll move often, staying in a different location most nights, as we hike this breathtaking and challenging section of the Alpine Pass Route. Spend 4 nights in charming mountain inns - remote, memorable spots, and 6 nights in comfortable 3-star village hotels. Our luggage is transported separately, so you can hike unencumbered. This is inn-to-inn hiking at it's best!
see a detailed itinerary
| Tour Cost: | $3695 per person |
| $350 single supplement |
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Bernese Oberland Traverse, Parts A and B (inn-to-inn hiking tour)
You are welcome to join us for half the Bernese Oberland Traverse. Part A starts in Meiringen and crosses two moderate passes on the way to Mürren. Part B picks up in Mürren, with two strenuous passes on the way to the Gastern valley near Kandersteg. Part A is slightly easier, with more villages and more famous mountains. Part B is more challenging with quieter trails and destinations.
see a detailed itinerary
| 2010 Departure, Part A: | Aug 9-14 |
| Tour Cost: | $2095 per person |
| $200 single supplement |
| 2010 Departure, Part B: | Aug 14-19 |
| Tour Cost: | $2095 per person |
| $200 single supplement |
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Tour du Mont Blanc (inn-to-inn hiking tour)
The Tour of Mont Blanc is one of the world's great hikes. At 15781', Mont Blanc is the highest mountain in the Alps - a snowy giant surrounded by many other famous peaks with a towering beauty special to this region. Cross through 3 countries - France, Italy, and Switzerland - enjoying an unequaled variety of cultures, views, and beautiful hikes. This is a fairly rugged itinerary with three nights in simple, remote inns. Classic mountains, high passes, and varied trails make this tour a memorable feat.
see a detailed itinerary
| 2010 Departures: | July 24-August 1 |
| August 28-September 5 |
| Tour Cost: | $2995 per person |
| $350 single supplement |
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Bernese Oberland Highlights (inn-to-inn combo tour)
Our Bernese Oberland Highlights tour combines great dayhikes from comfortable village-based hotels with a short and spectacular inn-to-inn stretch. We'll enjoy outstanding stops at 3 and 4-star hotels as well as the most breathtaking and memorable inn-to-inn stretch of the Alpine Pass Route. Starting with 2 nights in Wengen, we'll hike to the far end of the Lauterbrunnen valley for 1 night at the charming mountain inn of Obersteinberg. We'll continue to Mürren for 2 nights there, followed by 2 more in quiet Kandersteg. Enjoy first-class hotels, and plenty of flexibility for longer or shorter hikes each day.
see a detailed itinerary
| 2010 Departures: | June 6-13 |
| July 18-25 |
| Tour Cost: | $3095 per person |
| $200 single supplement |
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Dolomites Val Gardena Traverse (inn-to-inn combo hiking tour)
The Dolomites are a unique region, where green meadows, surprising wildflowers, and quaint villages give way to huge pink and yellow limestone towers laced with hiking trails. Situated in northern Italy near the border with Austria, the Dolomites hold a fascinating mix of Italian, Tyrolean and ancient Ladin cultures. Meet in Bolzano, home of the Ötzi ice-man, and transfer to the charming village of St Ulrich. We'll hike a stunning inn-to-inn circuit around the Gardena valley, in the heart of the Dolomites. Spend 2 nights in mountain huts and 4 nights in luxurious 4-star village hotels, exploring gorgeous hiking trails. A great exploration of an impressive region.
see a detailed itinerary
| 2010 Departure: | June 27-July 3 |
| Tour Cost: | $3095 per person |
| $350 single supplement |
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Private Guided and Self-guided Tours (inn-to-inn, village-based, train or combo tours)
| "We had the best time in Switzerland! It is the ultimate hiking destination. The people are great, the hotels are wonderful, the food is excellent, the country is clean (how about those public bathrooms!?), the hiking trails are well marked, and the scenery is beautiful, and your itinerary and attention to detail were PERFECT. We will be going again (maybe next summer- in August this time), and we wouldn't even consider traveling there without you setting up the trip." |
| -Blake Simpson, Self-guided Bernese Oberland, 2000 |
If you're an independent hiker and prefer to go at your own pace, or have travel dates that don't match up with our guided tours, you may prefer to do a self-guided hiking tour. Our self-guided tours include prepaid hotels with breakfast and dinner, a Swiss transfer ticket for travel to and from the airport or border (Switzerland tours only), hiking maps, detailed route descriptions (including longer, shorter, and rainy day options), instructions for independently sending luggage ahead, and lots of useful information that will help your trip run smoothly.
We offer self-guided versions of all of our village-based hiking tours and of many of our inn-to-inn tours. In addition, both private guided tours and independent self-guided hiking tours are available at surprisingly affordable prices. If you'd like to lengthen or shorten one of our existing tours, or create a customized tour of the Swiss Alps from scratch, let us know. We've organized hundreds of independent self-guided tours over the past 10 years, and have extensive expertise in Switzerland and the surrounding areas of France and Italy. We will be happy to work with you to build the hiking or train-based vacation that best suits your needs. We can help you choose among the mountain villages of Mürren, Wengen, Grindelwald, Kandersteg, Guarda, Pontresina, Zermatt, Riederalp, Zinal, Ortisei and Chamonix. Add city stops like Lucerne, Zurich, Basel, Lugano, Montreux, or extensions to Italy's lake Como or Cinque Terre regions.
Our Swiss Sampler tours are designed specifically with non-hikers in mind. These include scenic train rides, more city stopovers (Lucerne, Lugano, Montreux) and easy light walks and non-hiking ideas in some of Switzerland's most spectacular mountain villages. All of your hotels, railpasses, maps and reservations are arranged so that all you need to do is enjoy your trip. Our 8-day Swiss Sampler and 13-day Swiss Sampler self-guided tours are designed for a more relaxed sightseeing tour of Switzerland.
It is also possible to hire a private guide for your family or small group at prices similar to our group tours. Click here to learn more about self-guided tours and private guides.
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Spring & Fall Southwest US Tours
Arizona Red Rocks (lodge-based hiking tour)
Although we summer in Switzerland, the rest of our year is spent in the gorgeous landscapes of Northern Arizona. Prescott, Sedona and the South Rim of the Grand Canyon are all world-class hiking destinations, with towering granite and red sandstone cliffs, beautiful lakes, and green forests. Take the historic Grand Canyon train from Williams, stay in gorgeous hotels, and enjoy the ideal spring and fall climate of Northern Arizona.
see a detailed itinerary
| 2010 Departures: | April 4-10 |
| April 18-24 |
| May 2-8 |
| October 3-9 |
| Tour Cost: | $2295 per person |
| $600 single supplement |
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Arizona Alumni (lodge-based hiking tour)
This is a special version of our Arizona Red Rocks tour, open to all past clients of our guided and self-guided tours. We'll visit Prescott, the Grand Canyon and Sedona, with your choice of either a hotel or camping at the Grand Canyon South Rim.
see a detailed itinerary
| 2010 Departure: | October 17-23 |
| Tour Cost, hotels: | $1195 per person |
| $500 single supplement |
| Tour Cost, camping: | $995 per person |
| $350 single supplement |
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Arizona-Utah Grand Circle (Grand Canyon, Bryce, & Zion) (lodge-based hiking tour)
Our home state of Arizona and northern neighbor Utah are superb destinations for fall hiking, and our Arizona-Utah Grand Circle hiking tour to the Grand Canyon, Bryce and Zion is one highlight after the next at the most spectacular National Parks in the US Southwest. This tour is lodge-based, spending two nights apiece at the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, Bryce and Zion National Parks.
see a detailed itinerary
| 2010 Departure: | October 9-16 |
| Tour Cost, hotels: | $2895 per person |
| $500 single supplement |
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California Lake Tahoe and Yosemite Hiking (lodge-based hiking tour)
Lake Tahoe is a jewel amid one of the most spectacular regions of the Sierra Nevada mountains of California, while nearby Yosemite National Park is world-renowned for towering granite domes, powerful waterfalls, and abundant wildlife. This tour combines the best of both regions. Visit the famously blue waters of Lake Tahoe, hike below Half Dome and El Capitan in Yosemite Valley, and enjoy peaceful nights in Tuolumne Meadows, the scenic Yosemite "High Country".
see a detailed itinerary
| 2010 Departure: | September 7-18 |
| Tour Cost: | $4795 per person |
| $1550 single supplement |
Or join us for either half of the full tour, on one of our
numerous Lake Tahoe Hiking tours or September 12-18 Yosemite Hiking tour.
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