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.

Enjoy your first evening in Switzerland as you settle in at your hotel. Enjoy a welcome dinner at a favorite restaurant in town.

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, 4 hrs (Zürich) or 4:40 (Geneva)

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.

Head across the valley to Wengen and hike to the famous Kleine Scheidegg Pass.  Walk through one of our favorite alps, a quiet little-known trail with the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau mountains towering above.  Kleine Scheidegg is renowned for great close-up views of the Eiger North Face – perhaps the most notorious climb in the Swiss Alps.

If you have time and interest, hop on the Jungfraujoch train in Kleine Scheidegg for a fantastic journey to the glacier world high above. Return to Mürren for another night of Bernese Oberland bliss.

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 with the Matterhorn.  We love the luxurious elegance of the 5-star Riffelalp Resort, perched on a clearing high above town.

If you’d prefer to hit the trails, we have you covered with a great half-day hike. Take the funicular up to Sunnegga and enjoy a beautiful walk past 5 small mountain lakes, Matterhorn reflected on their surface.  Go for a swim or take a nap on a sunny flat rock surrounded by mountains.  Just make sure to leave time to enjoy the comforts of your 5-star hotel!  Dinner is not included at Riffelalp, but they have a couple great restaurants on site.

If you’d prefer to stay in the village of Zermatt itself, let us know.  There are many great options.

After a superb breakfast, you’ll start right from your hotel and take quiet trails through scenic meadows up the Gornergrat ridge. We’ll steer you away from the crowds on a favorite route to Gornergrat, past marmots and small glacial lakes, to what has to be one of the finest viewpoints in Europe.

From the top, the jumbled mass of the Gorner Glacier stretches out below you, and behind that, Dom, Monte Rosa, the Breithorn and the Matterhorn form a glacier-clad wall separating Switzerland and Italy. It’s stunning. There are lots of options for longer or shorter hikes today. Return to Riffelalp for a final night above Zermatt.

You get to relax today, with a 1st class ride on the Glacier Express, the “slowest express train in the World”.  Switzerland’s premier scenic train ride covers almost 300 km of mountain goodness, with 291 bridges and 91 tunnels from Zermatt to the traditional Engadine region.

We’ll set you up with 1st class seat reservation and a full hot lunch served at your seat.  The Glacier Express has air-conditioned wagons and huge picture windows.  But it’s an 8 hr trip, so bring a book and prepare to relax!   Your Pontresina hotel will pick you up at the station.

The mighty Morteratsch glacier is an impressive destination, and an interesting one too. Signs along the path take note of where the glacier reached in years past, so you can trace its disappearance. It’s still big though, and this is a great place to walk right up to a glacier and touch it.

From the valley, a moderate climb to the Boval hut rewards you with panoramic views of white-capped giants in every direction. On a rainy day, a mellow walk through the woods and along the lake of St. Moritz is another option.  Be sure to leave time for the Hotel Kronenhof’s famous spa.

Today we say a revair (“goodbye” in Romansch), and depart for our post-Pontresina destinations.

Departure: Zürich.  It is 3:40 hrs from Pontresina to Zürich by train.  Let us know if you need help with a final night in Zürich.  Geneva is 7 hrs from Pontresina and much less convenient for departure.