Arrive in Switzerland, and transfer by train to the Grindelwald, at the base of the famous Eiger North Face. It’s a scenic trip, passing through farms and along lakes as the mountain giants of the Bernese Oberland get closer and closer.

Although it’s the largest mountain village in the region, Grindelwald is still quite small. After checking into our deluxe 4-star hotel, you might enjoy a stroll through the village or a drink in the views from a scenic restaurant terrace. In the late afternoon, you’ll meet your guide and the rest of your group to start the Deluxe Bernese Oberland tour.

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 hrs (Zürich) or 4 hrs (Geneva)

After a hearty breakfast, we’ll take a short bus ride up to the Grosse Scheidegg pass and enjoy sweeping views of the Eiger, Wetterhorn and Schreckhorn mountains 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. Perhaps we’ll detour via the postcard-perfect Bachsee lake before winding back down to Grindelwald.

Today we’ll start with a short train ride out of Grindewald to a mellow mountain inn near the top of tree line. Our morning today is dominated by great close-up views of the Eiger North Face – perhaps the most notorious mountain wall in the Swiss Alps.

We’ll hike up to the famous Kleine Scheidegg pass under the Eiger North Face, where the Mönch and Jungfrau mountains also come into view. After a break for lunch, we’ll descend on quiet side-trails with incredible waterfall and glacier views to the car-free village of Wengen for a restful night.

Our trail from Wengen starts downhill to Lauterbrunnen and then leads past countless waterfalls along the lush Lauterbrunnen valley floor. After a break for lunch, we’ll hike up a steep trail through a quiet, wooded valley into one of the most spectacular corners of the Alps.

Our trail winds up through sleepy Gimmelwald to Mürren, a postcard-perfect car-free village perched on the edge of a cliff with unparalleled views of the surrounding mountains.  Stay in the impeccable 4-star Hotel Eiger.

There are numerous dayhike possibilities around Mürren. One beautiful trail leads up to the Lobhorn hut and nearby Sulsee mountain lake, for superb all-around views. Shorter hikes traverse the meadows above town, with numerous mountain inns along the way inviting you to stop and linger.

Or feel free to just unwind in one of the most scenic and relaxing villages in the Alps. Our hotel has a delightful pool and spa, and the Schilthorn cable car is a memorable daytrip to a scenic peak.

Our trail leads up and up into the deep recesses of the Sefinen valley before crossing the first of two major passes, Sefinenfurke, into the tiny hamlet of Griesalp.

We’ll stop at Rotstock hut to tank up before the last push to the pass, then descent a very steep trail to Griesalp, a small summer hamlet.  Our hard work is rewarded by a friendly welcome at our rustic but pretty inn. You’ll have a private room and hot showers, and our luggage will meet us at the inn.

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 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 deluxe 4-star hotel on the edge of Kandersteg.

For our grand finale, we’ll head up on a quiet path leading south to the hidden Gasterntal valley. The power of the Kander river is impressive as you climb through anarrow gorge and emerge into this picture-perfect hideaway.

The Gasterntal is a small, U-shaped valley, carpeted with wildflowers and guarded by rugged cliffs. Waterfalls bursting from the sides of the cliffs cascade down to the valley floor. We’ll stop at a mountain inn for lunch and explore the back of the valley before returning by van to Kandersteg for our final celebratory dinner.

Today we say good-bye to the Bernese Oberland and depart for our post-tour destinations.  Your 1st class pass will get you anywhere in Switzerland.

Departure: Zürich or Geneva. It is 2:30 hrs from Kandersteg to Zürich, 3:30 hrs to Geneva by train.  Trains start at 6 am if you need an early start, and leave hourly throughout the day.