Arrive in Switzerland, and transfer by train to our meeting point in 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, and you’re pretty close!

We’ll meet and talk about our tour before settling in for our welcome dinner at our wonderful 4-star home here in Murren.

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)

One of our favorite hikes starts in town, and gently meanders up the hills to the pastoral setting at Spielboden. Here we cross the Schiltbach stream, and start a steep and invigorating ascent to the local peak of Bryndli.

We’ll take our 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 scenic stroll through flowery meadows to a quiet alpine Rotstock hut. The return trail back leads over a small ridge for more show-stopping views before dropping back down to Mürren.

The Upper Lauterbrunnen valley curls back beneath the white-capped Breithorn – considered by many to be the most perfect mountain in the region. This is also a nature preserve, and contains many of our favorite hiking trails.

We love to hike to the small farm at Obersteinberg, where the proprietors keep cows and make cheese by the same simple methods that haven’t changed for centuries.  Step back in time, pick some wild blueberries along the way, and enjoy some of the area’s prettiest waterfalls on this incredible hike.  Dinner will be on your own to explore tonight in Mürren.

After breakfast, we’ll take a morning transfer by train to Zermatt, the lively village at the base of the Matterhorn.  Wow, it’s pretty here.  The village itself is dense and atmospheric, and it’s nice to start with a walking tour of the village that takes you past 400 year-old houses and into the history of this fascinating town.

The Hotel Europe is one of our favorite hotels in the Alps, with friendly owners, great food and world-class views. Always memorable. You’ll have a chance to check out the town, take a short walk around Zermatt, or enjoy the some time at the hotel spa before settling in for our first dinner in Zermatt.

We like to get off the beaten path in Zermatt, and the Trift valley is ideal for quiet trails and sweeping views. If you’d like a big hike today, the views from the Hohbalmen ridge are truly unbeatable, your own private Matterhorn soaring above it all.  Unbelievable!

Or for a more moderate day, we can take a secret trail to a favorite viewpoint above town (not quite so high as Hohbalmen), then enjoy a refreshing stop at the Trift inn, known for their fruit tortes and homemade ice tea made from local alpine herbs.  Why not? Afterwards, we’ll enjoy exquisite food and great Matterhorn views from our hotel on the outskirts of town.

Taking quiet trails through fields and light larch forest, we have a range of choices up to the wide ridge of Gornergrat.  Usually we start with the historic cogwheel train to the half-way point at Riffelberg.  From here, we’ll hike past marmots and small glacial lakes to what has to be one of the finest viewpoints in Europe.

The jumbled mass of the ginormous Gorner glacier stretches out before us, and behind that, Dom, Monte Rosa, the Breithorn, and the Matterhorn form a spectacular white-clad backdrop of mountains. After a visit to Gornergrat, return to town by cogwheel train for a final night and celebratory dinner.

After our final hearty Hotel Europe breakfast, we’ll find room for one last croissant, then say our good-byes and hop on a train for our post-trip destinations.

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.