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Self-Guided Great Hikes: Jungfrau and Matterhorn regions

Discover Mürren and Zermatt on this base camp adventure – Explore two of the most stunning hiking destinations in Switzerland.

Self-Guided Great Hikes: Jungfrau and Matterhorn regions

Discover Mürren and Zermatt on this base camp adventure – Explore two of the most stunning hiking destinations in Switzerland.

    Support
  • Self-Guided,
    Style
  • Base Camp Adventures,
    Activity Level
  • Relaxed to Moderate,

If you ask us for our two favorite hiking bases in the Swiss Alps, they would be Mürren and Zermatt. Jungfrau and Matterhorn. So different, yet similar.

Mürren is a tiny pastoral paradise, gazing at the heavenly Jungfrau and surrounded by mountains, waterfalls, cows, flowers and trails. It’s the perfect place to get away from it all and relax. Zermatt is lively and thrumming with energy, dominated by the incomparable Matterhorn and boasting some of the best hotels in the Alps (which is saying a lot). We’ll send you out on hidden trails to powerful viewpoints, and pamper you with a luxurious hotel for the evenings.

If you want a stunning, rejuvenating trip to the Alps, you won’t find anything better than Mürren and Zermatt, the Jungfrau and Matterhorn. These are two of the most varied and rich hiking regions in the Alps.  Get to know them, and you’ll fall in love.  Wake up, exhale, explore, discover, come home, relax, and repeat.

 

See our private guided version

    Length
  • 7 days, 6 nights
    Departures
  • Jun 1 – Sep 30, 2024
    Cost
  • $3390 Per Person
  • $850 Single Room

Itinerary At a Glance

Days 1-3

Murren

Murren is an absolute paradise for hikers. Stunning views of the Eiger and Jungfrau are a little hard to believe, but they’re real. Start in this car-free village on top of a cliff, surrounded by hiking trails. We’ll give you plenty of options to explore, both classic trails and lesser-known adventures.

Days 4-7

Zermatt

Now hop a scenic Swiss train to Zermatt. It is not often that a place can be so famous yet still so surprising. Zermatt is audacious. Amazing hotels and some of the most powerful mountains on Earth. Enjoy a luxurious stay in our favorite 4-star hotel and explore the myriad trails of the Matterhorn region by day.

Included

Your tour includes 6 nights in luxurious 4 star hotels, with all breakfasts and 5 dinners. You’ll get a 3-day 2nd class Swiss rail pass for arrival, travel to Zermatt, and departure. You will also receive topo maps, detailed route descriptions, gps routes and sightseeing suggestions. We are always available by phone if you have questions during your tour.

Full Itinerary

Day 1

Arrive in Mürren

Arrive in Switzerland, and transfer by train to Mürren. The trip itself is incredibly scenic, and takes about 4 hours. Mürren is an idyllic, car-free village, perched atop a sheer 3000 ft. cliff above the waterfall-filled Lauterbrunnen valley. Picture Yosemite with a Swiss village on top… that’s Mürren.

There is a train station in both the Zürich and Geneva airports, and transferring to Mürren will be an easy introduction to Swiss precision and friendliness. Enjoy your first evening in Switzerland as you settle in at your hotel. Enjoy a welcome dinner at your hotel.

Arrival: Zürich or Geneva. Plan to arrive by the day your tour starts. There is a train station in both the Zürich and Geneva airports, with hourly departures for this region. Travel time, 3:30 hrs (Zürich) or 4:30 hrs (Geneva)

4-star Hotel Eiger
  • Dinner

Day 2

Hike to Rotstock hut below the Schilthorn

One of our favorite hikes starts in town and gently meanders up the hills to the pastoral setting at Spielboden. Here you cross the Schiltbach Stream, and start a steep and invigorating ascent to the local peak of Bryndli. The Jungfrau, Mönch and Eiger form a dramatic backdrop, but it is the massive Gspaltenhorn at the head of the Sefinen valley that spurs you onward.

Take your lunch enjoying birds-eye views of Mürren and the Lauterbrunnen Valley, perhaps with a soaring golden eagle for company. From here the trail levels off, and becomes a relaxing stroll through flowery meadows to a quiet alpine Rotstock hut. Stop for a drink and the views before heading back. The trail back leads over a small ridge – more great views! – before dropping back down to Mürren. You’ll be on your own for dinner tonight, and we will give suggestions for some of our favorite restaurants.

HIKE: 4-6 hrs, 8 miles; Elevation: 2100 ft up, 2100 ft down

4-star Hotel Eiger
  • Breakfast
  • Dinner

Day 3

Hike to remote Obersteinberg farm

The Upper Lauterbrunnen Valley curls back beneath the white-capped Breithorn – considered by many to be the most perfect mountain in the region. It’s also a nature preserve, and contains many wonderful hiking trails. You won’t want to miss this, as the Upper Lauterbrunnental has some of the most idyllic hiking around.

One of our favorite hikes leads through forest and meadow to the small farm at Obersteinberg, where the proprietors keep cows and make cheese by the same simple methods that have been used for centuries. This part of the valley also contains some of the area’s prettiest waterfalls, as you will see gazing across the valley at the thundering Schmadri falls.

Alternately, an easier day traverses the meadows above Murren, passing through rustic dairy farms and stopping at small mountain inns, looping around to Winteregg.  Enjoy gorgeous panoramic views, and return to Mürren for one final night. Dinner on your own.

HIKE: 5-7 hrs, 9 miles; Elevation: 2180 ft up, 4710 ft down (Obersteinberg), or 4-6 hrs, 9 miles; 1970 ft up and down (Winteregg)

4-star Hotel Eiger
  • Breakfast

Day 4

Travel to Zermatt, hike to Zmutt at the Matterhorn base

After breakfast, take a morning train to Zermatt, the lively village at the base of the Matterhorn, a towering pyramid that dominates the landscape. You’ll have a chance to check out the town, take a short walk around Zermatt, or enjoy some time at the pool or spa before settling in for your first evening in Zermatt. Perhaps you’ll start with a walking tour of the village that takes you past 400 year-old houses and into the history of this fascinating town.

If you’d prefer to hit the trails, we have you covered with a great half-day hike. Head to the meadows above Zermatt to the centuries-old hamlet of Zmutt. Stop at a mountain restaurant at the base of the Matterhorn, or take a nap on a sunny flat rock surrounded by mountains. Head back to Zermatt where you’ll enjoy a gourmet feast at your hotel.

HIKE: 4-5 hrs, 5 miles; Elevation: 1680 ft up, 1680 ft down

4-star Hotel Europe or similar
  • Breakfast
  • Dinner

Day 5

Hike the quiet, hanging Trift valley

We like to get off the beaten path in Zermatt, and the Trift Valley is ideal for quiet trails and sweeping views. There are no cable cars on this side of the valley, but plenty of great trails to choose from.

Take an airy trail to a favorite viewpoint high above town, where you’ll find quiet mountain view with only the marmots and mountain goats for company. On the way, enjoy a refreshing stop at the Trift inn, known for their homemade ice tea made from local alpine herbs and their fresh apple torte.

For a shorter day, turn around at Trift.  But if you’re up for an adventure, the trail continues on an epic traverse of the Hohbalmen ridge, with very few people and Matterhorn views that are simply unfair.  Don’t forget time for a massage or a soak in the hot tub back in Zermatt. Dinner will be at your hotel again tonight.

HIKE: 4-6 hrs, 5 miles; Elevation: 2330 ft up, 2330 ft down (Trift) or 6-8 hrs, 12 miles; 3800 ft up and down (Hohbalmen)

4-star Hotel Europe or similar
  • Breakfast
  • Dinner

Day 6

Hike to Tasch hut and Sunnegga

Experience the quiet side of Zermatt.  Start with a short train and taxi shuttle to the Täschalp. Taking a quiet route through scenic meadows, we’ll steer you away from the crowds on a favorite trail to Täsch hut for views of the surrounding mountains.

From here, return to Täschalp and take an absolutely stunning balcony trail to Sunnegga.  Constant views of the Matterhorn accompany this quiet walk. Return to Zermatt by funicular train for a final night.

HIKE: 5-7 hrs, 9 miles; Elevation: 2710 ft up, 2330 ft down

4-star Hotel Europe or similar
  • Breakfast
  • Dinner

Day 7

depart

After breakfast at your hotel, head to the train station to depart for your post-trip destination.

Departure: Zürich or Geneva. It is 4 hrs from Zermatt to Zürich or Geneva by train.  Trains start at 6 am if you need an early start, and leave frequently throughout the day.

  • Breakfast

What's great about this tour

  • Perfect flexibility for easy, moderate or epic hiking days
  • A flexible base camp adventure with 2 stops in 6 nights
  • Comfortable and welcoming 4-star hotels in both villages
  • Want to splurge? Upgrade options available in Zermatt.
  • Epic mountain scenery… Eiger, Jungfrau, Matterhorn
  • Our two favorite villages in the Alps.

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