Casis - Provence, France
Casis - Provence, France
The Louvre - Paris
The Louvre - Paris
Eilean Donan Castle - Scotland
Eilean Donan Castle - Scotland
Mont Saint Michel - France
Mont Saint Michel - France
Pembrokeshire Coast - Wales
Pembrokeshire Coast - Wales
Stonehenge - England
Stonehenge - England

Swiss Walking and Rail Adventure SWRA

Glacier Express: Photo copyright by Switzerland Tourism swiss-image.ch/Robert Boesch

This 10 day guided tour will take you to the three mountain tops in Switzerland. Graubünden (also called Grisons) is the land of Heidi's home, of the wild mountain goat, the source of the Rhine, and Switzerland's biggest holiday region. Please note that we will have our 2013 tour dates shortly.

You will explore this fantastic area on historic Via Valtellina. High mountain peaks, impressive glaciers, and deep gorges will either be tranquil trails or hair-raising paths for you in Valais. In-between you will enjoy the famous Glacier Express before reaching the Jungfrau Region and the beauty of the Bernese Alps. There will be ten days and a million highlights!

  • Visit Davos - the largest Alpine Resort in the Swiss Alps
  • Trek on historical path "Via Valtellina"
  • Champagne Atmosphere in the Engadine - St. Moritz Valley
  • Unforgettable train ride with the famous Glacier Express
  • Hikes on the foot of the Matterhorn / Gornergrat
  • Jungfrau Region: the most beautiful Mountain scenery in the world
  • 10 days and 9 nights

General Hiking Information

  • Hiking/walking level of difficulty: moderate
  • Hikes will be three to six hours daily.
  • Hikes early in the tour will be on country paths and forest roads; mountain hikes will be on narrow paths
  • There are some steeper climbs to manage. The ascents are usually evenly steep. The altitude differential is quoted in the travel itinerary for each day, relates to the entire trek, and is generally divided among a number of shorter ascents and descents.

Tour performed by Baumeler Travel Ltd.{slide=Day 1: Davos, Switzerland|red|active}

DavosYou will arrive in Davos on your own.

Davos is situated in Grisons, the largest and easternmost canton of Switzerland. It is the largest resort in the Alps for mountain holidays and sports and situated at 1560 is a place of superlatives. Davos is a holiday destination with an international flavor and is the largest resort in the Alps for mountain holidays, sports and conferences, and at 1560 m (5118 feet), it is the highest town in the Alps.

Your hotel for the first night is a member of the Swiss Historic Hotels and nested some hundreds meters above the village of Davos. It is reached only with a private cable car.

You will meet your tour guide at the Hotel Schatzalp and he will do a short guided walk down to Davos and a briefing about your upcoming hiking week.

Dinner in Davos

Overnight at Hotel Schatzalp, Davos

{slide=Day 2: Davos - Scaletta Pass - S-chanf|red}

LandwasserHiking time approx. 6 1/2 hrs. Up 1100 m, down 750 m

You will leave Davos after a hotel breakfast. The postbus will take you to Dürrboden where you will start your hike on the historic route of Via Valtellina. Following the Landwasser valley you will climb Scalettapass and enjoy a stunning view on the Grisons Mountains.

After hiking down to Chapella you will be in the Engadine Valley.

Dinner in S-chanf

Overnight at Sporthotel Scaletta ***, S-chanf

{slide=Day 3: S-chanf - St. Moritz|red}

St. MoritzHiking time approx. 5 1/2 hrs. Up 350 m, down 200 m

Breakfast at the hotel.

Your hike will take you through picturesque villages in the Upper Engadin. Zuoz, Madulain and Samedan are only a few of the villages on the way to St. Moritz. You will be able to soak in the scenery and have some free time in St. Moritz.

St. Moritz is one of the world’s most famous holiday resorts. Chic, elegant ,and exclusive, with a cosmopolitan ambiance, it is located at 1,856 meters above sea level in the middle of the Upper Engadin lake landscape. The dry, sparkling "champagne climate" is legendary and the celebrated St. Moritz sun shines for an average of 322 days a year.

Dinner in St. Moritz

Overnight at Hotel Steffani **** St. Moritz

{slide=Day 4: Alp Languard - Muottas Muragl|red}

PontresinaHiking time approx. 6 hrs. Up 950 m, down 100 m

Breakfast at the hotel

You will enjoy a gentle walk from St. Moritz to Pontresina. This is ideal for a warm up and to familiarize yourselves with the area. You will then cllimb up to Alp Languard (Option: Chair-lift) that is the starting point for our fantastic high-altitude walk. We will be heading towardsr Muottas Muragl and will take a narrow path that winds along the steep slope. Just before the end, the path will take a detour into the rocky Val Muragl. Towards the end of the tour, the Upper Engadine lakes will be a stunning sight. Treeless and bare by comparison, the Val Muraji is very colorful and a final gentle climb will take you to the lookout point at Muottas Muragl, where the panorama extends from Piz Palü in the southeast to Piz Ot in the west.

Dinner in St. Moritz

Overnight at Hotel Steffani **** St. Moritz

{slide=Day 5: St. Moritz - Zermatt by rail|red}

Glacier ExpressBreakfast at the hotel

Today you will board the famous Glacier Express. The sheer joy of travel aboard the Glacier Express will provide a rich cross-section of Swiss countryside. While on the Glacier Express, your meal will be prepared specially for you in the dining car. Coffee, drinks and snacks will be brought to your seat by the Railbar staff. The Glacier Express will present glistening mountains and a fairytale landscape in Summer while Spring will display a magical carpet of flowers and fall will offer a splendid tapestry of color.

You will arrive in Zermatt and transfer to your Hotel at the foot of famous Matterhorn!

Dinner in Zermatt

Overnight at Hotel Hemizeus***, Zermatt

{slide=Day 6: Hiking on the foot of the Matterhorn|red}

Edelweiss FlowerHiking time approx. 5 1/2 hours Up 850 m, down 850 m

Breakfast at the hotel

Zermatt is located on the Italian border of the canton of Valais in western Switzerland and Zermatt is at the foot of the Matterhorn, the most photographed mountain in the world. Zermatt and the Matterhorn have been visited by mountaineers from all over the world since the first successful ascent of the Matterhorn in 1865. The air is clear, dry and clean. This is due to the fact that since 1947, only electric cars without a combustion engine have been allowed to operate in the village. You will have time for a short hike through the village.

The famous Edelweissweg is well known because here you will have the possibility to discover the real Swiss Alpine flower, the Edelweiss. Trift is a beautiful place with a well known restaurant and Zmutt is the most lovely village in this area. On the trail, you will see wooden chalets, green fields, marmots and always the mighty Matterhorn. Breathtaking!

Dinner in Zermatt

Overnight at Hotel Hemizeus***, Zermatt

{slide=Day 7: Zermatt Gornergrat - Mürren|red}

Gornergrat cog-wheel railway ascends from ZermattHiking time approx. 2 hrs. Up 300 m, down 300 m

Breakfast at the hotel

For more than 100 years the Gornergrat Bahn has been making the ascent up the Matterhorn a truly unique and wonderful experience. It is Europe’s highest open-air cogwheel railway and departs daily every 24 minutes, climbing to the Gornergrat at an altitude of 3089 m. The train will cross impressive bridges and tunnels and go through idyllic forests and alpine meadows, past rocky gorges and tarns. The majestic mountains will be the focus of the scenery with the Matterhorn playing the lead role. The Gornergrat Bahn will provide access to a fantastic hiking area around the Gornergrat.

You will leave the Matterhorn village in the afternoon and a scenic train ride from Zermatt to Visp and further through the Lötschberg will bring us to Spiez, Interlaken and Mürren. Mürren will be sunny, peaceful, quiet, and provide spectacular views while being a car free resort. The cozy, pedestrian, village will reveal an impressive panorama of the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau. Mürren (1650 m) is the highest, permanently inhabited settlement in the canton Berne and will be reached by cable-car.

Dinner in Mürren
Overnight at Hotel Eiger****, Mürren

{slide=Day 8: Mürren - Stechelberg - Oberhornsee|red}

BreithornHiking time approx. 6 hrs. Up 1146 m, down 1146 m. (Option: 4 to 5 hrs hike with 800 m altitude)

Breakfast at the hotel

You will leave Mürren by cable car and catch the post car to Lauterbrunnen and Stechelberg, your next hiking starting point. From Stechelberg, you will do an easy, slightly uphill hike through the wild, romantic valley to Trachsellauenen, with its mountain hotel and restaurant (1hr). The trail then will climb more steeply along the left side of the valley, either via Ammerten to the Hotel Tschingelhorn and on to Hotel Obersteinberg (1 hr), or directly to Obersteinberg via Schurboden and the Tschingel Lütschine.

From Obersteinberg, a narrow footpath leads up to the Oberhornsee Lake (2065 m) in the Breithorn Nature Reserve (2 hrs). Return route: via Schafläger, with a detour to Läger, directly below the Schmadribach Falls and back to Stechelberg.

In the afternoon you will travel to Grindelwald. Grindelwald is nestled in pristine Alpine landscape at the foot of the Eiger north face. The world-famous backdrop of the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau sets the scene for Grindelwald.

Dinner in Grindelwald

Overnight at Hotel Kirchbühl****, Grindelwald

{slide=Day 9: Schynige Platte - Faulhorn - First|red}

Hiking to Lake BachalpHiking time approx. 5 hrs. 40 min. Up 300 m, down 400 m.

Breakfast at the hotel

You will take a classical panoramic trail to Europe’s oldest mountain hostel. This is a unique trail above the tree line. On the Schynige Platte, you will see the wonderful contrasts in the color of the fern dazzling summits, the green valleys, and the Lütschine and Aare rivers. On the trail from the Schynige Platte to First you will pass two different mountain lakes, the Sägistal and Bachalp lakes. You will have a visit to Europe’s oldest mountain hostel on the Faulhorn with breathtaking views of the summits around Grindelwald as you hike to First.

Dinner in Grindewald

Overnight at Hotel Kirchbühl****, Grindelwald

{slide=Day 10: Departure or onward itinerary|red}

Breakfast at the hotel

Your Swiss Adventure Holiday will come to an end. We will be happy to organize your post tour or your journey back to the airport.

SUBJECT TO ITINERARY AND HOTEL CHANGES!

Hiking times can vary depending on the weather and travel group

{/slides}

 

{tab=Tour Dates and Prices|red|active}

2012 Tour Dates and Rates

2012 Dates /
Price per Person

Basic Price in a
Double Room (CHF)

Single Room
Supplement (CHF)

Small Group
(2-5 Pax) Surcharge CHF)

July 16 - 25
July 30 - Aug. 8
Sept. 10 -19


3100

300

250

Guaranteed departures with minimum 2, maximum 16 participants

Rates are based upon Swiss Pass or Swiss Flexi Pass 1st class which is not included in the basic price.

==> Buy your rail ticket and/or your pre-/post accommodation directly with us at a special rate (see optional services)

Note: CHF = Swiss Francs

Tours Include

  • Accommodation 3-4* hotels and meals as noted in the itinerary
  • Tips to porters and drivers
  • All cable car rides and public transport throughout the tour starting in Davos, finishing in Grindelwald (on basis of a Swiss Pass train Ticket)
  • All entrance fees for excursions
  • Luggage transport from Davos throughout the tour until Grindelwald
  • English-speaking travel guide/hiking guide
  • Extensive travel documentation
  • Company liability of CHF 20 Mio.

Not Included

  • International airfare
  • Transfer to Davos and from Grindelwald
  • Meals not noted on itinerary
  • All drinks
  • Travel insurance
  • Optional tipping to tour guide

{tab=Optional Services|red}You can purchase your rail ticket with us at a special rate (prices are per person):


Rail Ticket

Days

Price First Class in CHF

Price Saver in CHF
for two and more pax)

Swiss Pass 15 days 707 600
22 days 815 693
1 month 897 763
Swiss Flexi Pass 5 days in 1 month 541 460
6 days in 1 month 616 523

Swiss Pass

Free travel for 4, 8, 15 or 22 days or an entire month. it entitles you to free travel throughout the entire Swiss Travel System. The choice of 12,000 miles of train, bus and boat routes is entirely yours. On top of this, you will receive a 50% discount on the majority of mountain and rail- & cableways and enjoy free admission to more than 400 museums within Switzerland.

Swiss Flexi Pass

Free travel on 3, 4, 5 or 6 selected days and half-price travel in between.

Note: CHF = Swiss Francs

Blog Posts

British WII Veteran in British Cemetery in Bayeux, France
Victory in Europe Day Celebration
Normandy
May 8th is not a holiday in the US, but it is in France and elsewhere in Europe. Rightfully so! It's called V-E Day or Victory in Europe Day, for on this day in 1945, the United States and Great Brita...
Continue Reading...
0
Sue Lillie in Colmar
France Christmas Market Magic 2013
France Christmas Markets
While I’m busily planting gardens and prepping the flowerbeds for summer, I’m also looking forward to the France Christmas Markets Tour in December. Beginning with an arrival on December 7th in Paris...
Continue Reading...
0
Sue on the roof of Galeries Lafayette
Paris in April
Paris
I love Paris in the Springtime! So goes Cole Porter’s song first published in 1953. As HIGH season gets into full swing in Paris, I thought I’d add my thoughts about best HAUTE PARIS/UP HIGH VIEW...
Continue Reading...
0
arromanches sue
Normandy in My Heart
Normandy
Just back from France and the highlight was my four days in Normandy. Yes, I’ve been to Normandy many times before, but this time it was with fellow travelers who hadn’t been there before. To see site...
Continue Reading...
0
Vaux le Vicomte
Vaux le Vicomte
Vaux le Vicomte
Be Careful if the King Comes to Dinner… That got your attention, right? We’ve all planned and given dinner parties, but how many of us have built a castle and then invited the king for dinner to show...
Continue Reading...
0
Rouen
Rouen and Joan of Arc
Normandy
The trial of Joan of Arc began in the city of Rouen on this day in 1431. Rouen is located in Northern France and is in the region of Normandy though some 90 miles from the English Channel. This folk ...
Continue Reading...
0
Paris street scene, Montmartre
Essence of Paris
Paris
The essence of Paris. Qu'est-ce que c'est? What is it? It's a mystery and every traveler to Paris tries to figure it out, to discover it, to emulate it, to savor it, and to take some home. Youíve got...
Continue Reading...
0