Arrive in Switzerland. There is a train station at the Zurich airport that allows a quick and scenic transfer by train to the quiet town of Meiringen to start the Bernese Oberland tour. After a short stop to pick up any last-minute supplies in town, you’ll take a bus even further into the mountains, to a mountain inn high above town.

Waterfalls and imposing mountains rise dramatically over you in this relaxing corner of the Alps. Schwarzwaldalp is a small, traditional inn surrounded by flower-filled meadows and contented cows, and makes a great introduction to inn-to-inn hiking in the Alps. You’ll have a private room and a warm welcome for your first night in the Swiss 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.

After a hearty farm breakfast, start hiking right from your inn, under the impressive Wetterhorn mountain and over the Grosse Scheidegg pass, where you enjoy your 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. Perhaps you’ll detour via the postcard-perfect Bachsee lake before winding down to the glacier village of Grindelwald.

Today you’ll explore the Grindelwald valley and hike to the famous Kleine Scheidegg pass under the shadow of the dramatic Eiger North Face.

The entire day is dominated by great close-up views of the Eiger’s North Face – perhaps the most notorious mountain wall in the Swiss Alps. You might take the higher Eiger trail directly below the Eiger’s main wall, or opt for off-the-beaten-path trails through dramatic meadows. We have you covered! Descend to the quiet village Wengen for a restful night.

Enjoy spectacular views of the Jungfrau and surrounding mountains on the way down from Wengen, or take a train to ease your morning. Your trail then winds through flowery meadows and past countless waterfalls along the lush Lauterbrunnen valley floor.

After a break for lunch, hike to a wild and isolated corner of the Lauterbrunnen valley for a memorable night in a remote mountain inn and working farm in one of the most spectacular corners of the Bernese Oberland. Obersteinberg is perhaps our favorite inn to send people to, and an authentic Swiss hiking experience that shouldn’t be missed.

You have a couple of trail options today – the first, a panoramic climb over a high ridge with breathtaking views in every direction, the second, a beautiful wooded hike filled with waterfalls.

Both lead through the little-known Sefinental valley, a quiet hanging valley steep peaks and dramatic waterfalls. Then you hike through the sleepy farming community of Gimmelwald to the car-free village of Mürren, with its unparalleled clifftop views of the surrounding mountains. Our home base in the Switzerland and one of the best hiking bases in the Alps. Dinner will be on your own in Mürren.

There are numerous dayhike possibilities around Mürren. The Lobhorn hut is a favorite dayhike, with beautiful views of the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau mountains across the valley.

Some people use this day to take the cable car above Mürren to the Schilthorn, with it’s James Bond-themed revolving restaurant and 360 degree views. Or you can take the train across the valley to Jungfraujoch, an amazing trip that tunnels through the Eiger, and brings you to a massive glacier viewpoint at 11,388 ft. Feel free also to just unwind in one of the most scenic and relaxing villages in the Alps. Dinner is on your own in Mürren tonight.

Today you say good-bye to the Bernese Oberland and depart for your post-tour destinations.

Departure: Zürich or Geneva. It is 3 hrs from Mürren to Zürich airport, or 4 hrs Geneva.  Trains start at 6 am if you need an early start, and leave frequently throughout the day.