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Guided Classic Bernese Oberland Traverse

Explore the most scenic and challenging trails of the Bernese Oberland on our top choice for an inn-to-inn tour

Guided Classic Bernese Oberland Traverse

Explore the most scenic and challenging trails of the Bernese Oberland on our top choice for an inn-to-inn tour

    Support
  • Guided Group,
    Style
  • Inn-To-Inn,
    Activity Level
  • Moderate to Challenging,

Welcome to the land of fairytales. Of waterfalls. Soaring mountain peaks and green meadows carpeted with wildflowers.

The land of car-free villages clinging to the clifftops. Of midday hot chocolate at a high mountain hut and a cozy alpine chalet welcoming you in the evening. Clean air. Pure mountain streams. Turquoise lakes. Trails forever.

You’ve dreamt of hiking in the Swiss Alps. You didn’t know it, but you’ve dreamt of this tour. Welcome to the Bernese Oberland. This was our first tour – our home tour – and is still our best. Come explore our favorite region in the Alps with us, see all the classic views plus hidden gems like Obersteinberg and Gasterntal. This tour has it all… jaw-dropping alpine scenery, remote inns, quaint villages, and quiet trails.

Our guided tours are all guaranteed… if you sign up, the trip is going. Our guides will help choose the right trails and the right pace and are happy to talk about the culture, the flowers, the history. Plus they make great lunches! If you want to truly relax and not worry about a thing, a guided group Bernese Oberland tour is the best way to explore this region.

 

See our Self-guided version

    Length
  • 11 days, 10 nights
    Departures
  • Jun 25 – Jul 5, 2024
  • Jul 8 – Jul 18, 2024Sold Out!
  • Aug 13 – Aug 23, 2024
  • Aug 27 – Sep 6, 2024Sold Out!
    Cost
  • $5195 Per Person
  • $850 Single Room

Itinerary At a Glance

Days 1-3

Schwarzwaldalp to Wengen

Wake to the sound of cowbells. You are in the heart of the Alps. We’ll hike from a remote hiker’s inn to the Eiger-dominated views of Grindelwald, then under the Eiger North Face to car-free Wengen. Stunning.

Days 4-6

Obersteinberg to Murren

Our favorite stop takes a bit of getting to. Obersteinberg is a hidden gem at the far end of the Lauterbrunnen valley. Hiking back in this valley is like hiking back in time. Peaceful, car-free Murren awaits, a paradise for hikers. It’s hard to beat.

Days 7-8

Murren to Kandersteg

Now the trip gets strenuous, crossing two high passes through the traditional valley of Kiental. One night in a cozy inn, waterfalls galore and one stunning blue lake later, we arrive in sleepy Kandersteg.

Days 9-11

Gasterntal

Now we take a special detour into a little known valley, the Gasterntal. The Yosemite-like walls with bold waterfalls tower over small alpine farms. We’ll end our tour here with two nights in a friendly family-run inn. The perfect finish.

Included

Your tour will be led by an experienced Alpinehikers guide, with guided hikes daily. All transfers to and from trailheads are included. You’ll stay 5 nights in 3-star village hotels and 5 nights in cozy mountain inns. All breakfasts, picnic lunches, and dinners are included. Luggage transfers to all village hotels are also part of your tour, 8 of 10 nights.

Train travel to and from the region is not included. You can buy tickets when you arrive, or ask about adding a rail pass to your tour.

Full Itinerary

Day 1

Schwarzwaldalp

Arrive in Switzerland, and transfer by train to the quiet town of Meiringen. From here it is just a short bus ride up to your first inn, Schwarzwaldalp where you will meet your guide and the rest of your group to start the Bernese Oberland tour.

We’ll talk about the tour and enjoy a welcome dinner at this wonderfully remote and authentic mountain inn. Waterfalls and imposing mountains watch over us in this relaxing corner of the Alps.

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, 3:45 hrs (Zürich) or 4:30 hrs (Geneva).

The last bus to the inn departs Meiringen for Schwarzwaldalp at 16:20. Your flight should arrive by 12:00 (Zürich) or 10:30 (Geneva) to expect to make it on time.  Otherwise, plan to come a day early.

Schwarzwaldalp Inn
  • Dinner

Day 2

Grindelwald

After a hearty breakfast, we’ll hike over the Grosse Scheidegg Pass and enjoy our first views of the Eiger and of the Grindelwald Valley.

With 10,000 vertical feet separating valley from peak, Grindelwald sits at the base of one of the most impressive vertical mountain walls in the world.  We’ll have options.  Perhaps we’ll detour via the postcard-perfect Bachsee Lake before winding down to the glacier village of Grindelwald and our lovely 3-star hotel.

HIKE: 6-8 hours, 10.5 miles; Elevation: 3400 ft. up, 3030 ft. down.

Hotel Gletschergarten or Derby
  • Breakfast
  • Lunch
  • Dinner

Day 3

Wengen

Today we’ll explore the Grindelwald Valley and hike to the famous Kleine Scheidegg Pass under the Eiger North Face.  Mountains just don’t get more impressive than this.

The entire day is dominated by great close-up views of the Eiger North Face – perhaps the most notorious mountain wall in the Swiss Alps.  We’ll descend on favorite lesser-known trails to the quiet village of Wengen for a restful night.

HIKE: 6-8 hours, 11.5 miles; Elevation: 3380 ft. up, 4490 ft. down

Hotel Schönegg or Alpine
  • Breakfast
  • Lunch
  • Dinner

Day 4

Obersteinberg

One of our favorite days!  Enjoy spectacular views of the Jungfrau and surrounding mountains on the way to Obersteinberg, a remote mountain inn and working farm.

Our trail winds through flowery meadows and past countless waterfalls along the lush Lauterbrunnen Valley floor. After a break for lunch, we’ll hike to a wild and isolated corner of the Lauterbrunnen Valley for a memorable night in one of the most spectacular corners of the Bernese Oberland.

HIKE: 6-8 hours, 10 miles; Elevation: 3440 ft. up, 1800 ft. down

Obersteinberg Inn
  • Breakfast
  • Lunch
  • Dinner

Day 5

Mürren

We have a couple of trail options today – the first is a panoramic climb over a high ridge with breathtaking views in every direction.  If the weather does not cooperate, a beautiful wooded hike filled with waterfalls is our second option.

Both lead through sleepy Gimmelwald to the car-free village of Mürren, with its unparalleled cliffside views of the surrounding mountains. Stay in a comfortable 3-star hotel.

HIKE: 4-6 hours, 6 miles; Elevation: 2120 ft. up, 2590 ft. down

Hotel Edelweiss or Bellevue
  • Breakfast
  • Lunch
  • Dinner

Day 6

Mürren

There are numerous dayhike possibilities around Mürren, our home base in Switzerland. One beautiful trail leads up to the scenic Lobhorn hut, for postcard-perfect views of the entire region, and maybe a quick dip in a cold alpine lake!

Or feel free to just unwind in one of the most scenic and relaxing villages in the Alps.  The Schilthorn cable car is a big draw, with a revolving restaurant on top of Mürren’s local mountain.  Or the Winteregg restaurant is perfect for an easy walk to a relaxing restaurant terrace.

HIKE: 7-9 hours, 8-12.5 miles; Elevation: 4420 ft. up, 4420 ft. down

Hotel Edelweiss or Bellevue
  • Breakfast
  • Lunch
  • Dinner

Day 7

Griesalp

This is the first of our two big passes.  Our trail meanders on a long uphill climb into the deep recesses of the Sefinen Valley, past the Rotstock hut, through many fields of cows, and over the rocky Sefinenfurke pass.

Keep an eye out for Steinbock up here, at home in the rocky heights.  A very steep descent into the Kiental valley eventually mellows as we get lower.  This valley is filled with pretty waterfalls and rugged landscapes.   Our hard work is rewarded by a friendly welcome in Griesalp at our rustic and pretty inn.

HIKE: 7-9 hours, 10.5 miles; Elevation: 3640 ft. up, 4560 ft. down

Waldrand Inn
  • Breakfast
  • Lunch
  • Dinner

Day 8

Kandersteg

We’ll need an early start for our most challenging day of the tour. Crossing the second major pass, Hohtürli, you’ll hike past glaciers and high mountain peaks to the Blumlisalp hut perched at the pass.  Our descent brings us past the jewel-like Oeschinen Lake – an emerald-green lake surrounded by cliffs which has to be seen to be believed.

For bad weather, or if you simply don’t feel like tackling the pass, you can take a bus around to Kandersteg and enjoy a mellow dayhike up to the lake instead. We stay in a 3-star hotel in the quiet village of Kandersteg for the night.

HIKE: 7-9 hours, 10 miles; Elevation: 4890 ft. up, 5650 ft. down

Hotel Bernerhof
  • Breakfast
  • Lunch
  • Dinner

Day 9

Gasterntal

We’ll quickly escape town on a quiet path leading south on a special detour into a lesser known valley. The power of the Kander River is impressive as you climb through a narrow gorge into the hidden and surprising Gasterntal.

This is a picture-perfect hideaway – a small, U-shaped valley, carpeted with wildflowers and guarded by savage cliffs. Waterfalls bursting from the sides of cliffs add to the scenery. We’ll hike to the back of the valley and stay in a pleasant inn with great mountain and waterfall views.

HIKE: 5-7 hours, 10 miles; Elevation: 2250 ft. up, 1030 ft. down

Steinbock Inn
  • Breakfast
  • Lunch
  • Dinner

Day 10

Gasterntal

For our grand finale we’ll choose from a couple great hikes. One of our favorites is a strenuous climb to the nearby Lötschen Pass.  Old Roman trails lead us through meadows and woods, with a short stretch across a glacier, to the small hut at the pass where the views to the south are superb!

If you’re feeling frisky, an even higher viewpoint sits just above the hut, a great capstone to a wonderful tour.  We’ll return to the same inn at the bottom of the valley that night and enjoy a final dinner and a restful night.

HIKE: 7-9 hours, 8 miles; Elevation: 4130 ft. up, 4130 ft. down

Steinbock Inn
  • Breakfast
  • Lunch
  • Dinner

Day 11

depart

Today we say good-bye to the Bernese Oberland.  A small local bus service can take you to Kandersteg and your post-tour destination.

Departure: Zürich or Geneva. You will take a small local bus to the train station in Kandersteg.  It is a 4 hr journey to either Zürich or Geneva airports, and it is not possible to arrive before 12:00 at either. Plan for an afternoon flight, or to spend a night closer to the airport before departing the next day.

  • Breakfast

Tour Options

Guided Classic Bernese Oberland Traverse

Inn-To-Inn

  • Great options for both harder and easier days
  • A moderate inn-to-inn with 8 stops in 10 nights
  • Private rooms every night, and luggage 8 of the 10 nights
  • Enchanting remote finds like Obersteinberg and Gasterntal
  • Wildflowers, mountains, waterfalls, cows, cheese, chocolate!
  • All departures guaranteed. No minimum group size.
  • Our top choice for a first trip to the Alps
  • $5195Per Person
  • $850Single Room

Guided Best of the Bernese Oberland

Inn-To-Inn

  • All departures guaranteed. No minimum group size.
  • Great options for easier days – our most flexible tour
  • A moderate inn-to-inn with 5 stops in 6 nights
  • Private rooms all nights and luggage 5 of the 6 nights
  • Enchanting stops like Obersteinberg and epic mountains daily
  • Everything… this is fairytale Alps
  • $3995Per Person
  • $650Single Room

Guided Deluxe Bernese Oberland Traverse

Inn-To-Inn

  • All departures guaranteed. No minimum group size.
  • Great options for both harder and easier days
  • A moderate inn-to-inn with 5 stops in 8 nights
  • Luxurious hotels (and 1 mountain inn), luggage every night
  • Eiger and Jungfrau mountains, plus hidden surprises
  • This is our favorite region in the Alps, in style!
  • $6695Per Person
  • $1350Single Room

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