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Route Rating Level 1 to Level 3

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Premiere Inns
  • $4,298 pp dbl. occ.
  • (+$720 for sgl. occ.)

Reserve early for the best available price. More Info

6 DAYS, 5 NIGHTS
ROLLOVER DATES BELOW FOR SPECIFIC PRICES
2009 DATES
CLASSIC TRIPS
ROLLOVER DATES ABOVE FOR SPECIFIC PRICES
TRIP NOTES

All meals included except 2 lunches and 1 dinner.

Cancellation Policy

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Meet / Depart

Kandersteg, Switzerland/Giessbach, Switzerland

Special Interest

Culture & History, Geological Wonders, Natural Beauty &/or Wildlife, Romance &/or Honeymoon, Spa

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Contact Us

Call: 800-462-2848
or 510-527-1555
Fax: 510-527-1444
E-mail us

801 Cedar St.
Berkeley, CA 94710

Business Hours:
7 days a week
from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., Pacific Time

Or contact your travel agent

Switzerland Multisport Tour

Switzerland Multisport

Biking & Hiking in the Swiss Alps

Switzerland is the land of cheese and chocolate, perfectly timed trains, cows grazing in lush meadows and those incredibly beautiful Alps. With Backroads in the Bernese Oberland , you'll gaze at craggy peaks and turquoise glaciers, breathe crisp mountain air and savor old-world charm and hospitality. Amid this inspiring landscape, enjoy smooth pedaling and hardy hiking in view of the famed Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau Mountains. Along the way, sample Swiss cuisine, from the traditional fare of an alpine stübli to sophisticated meals served in five-star restaurants.

View the Family Premiere Inns , Family Casual Inns Itineraries.

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Day 1 Kandersteg

Meet in Kandersteg Commute the Swiss way with a chairlift ride to 5,500 feet Hike on a ridge above the waters of Lake Oeschinen, where sheer limestone cliffs are capped by snowy peaks and hanging glaciers Enjoy a snack during a well-deserved break at a traditional mountain hut.

Days 2-3 Grindelwald

Pedal down a beautiful valley and past cheerful soft-eyed milk cows and wooden chalets bedecked with geranium-filled window boxes In the lakeside town of Spiez, board a historic paddleboat and cross turquoise Lake Thun to Interlaken, named for its position between lakes Thun and Brienz Catch a cog-rail train to Grindelwald at the foot of the Eiger Enjoy a traditional alphorn concert This region offers plenty more options: ascend to a high-alpine hut, sail through the skies on a paraglider or relax at a café with views of countless peaks and glaciers.

Days 4-6 Giessbach

Witness magnificent Trummelbach Falls - located inside a cavern, these ten powerful glacier-fed waterfalls drain off the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau peaks Pedal along Lake Brienz, perhaps stopping for a dip Bask in the cool spray of cascading Giessbach Falls  Hike along the ridgeline overlooking the Gental Valley and descend by bike  Visit a traditional cheese farm.

Route Rating What's this? Every Backroads trip is designed to appeal to a wide variety of interests and fitness levels. Each offers options for more or less activity, so you can decide exactly how much you want to do day by day.

Lodging What's this? Our lodgings are divided into three different categories.

Premiere Inns:These lodgings possess both elegance and authentic regional flair.

Casual Inns:These lodgings are comfortable and appropriate to the areawith such characteristics as authenticity, scenic settings and proximity to our activities.

Deluxe Camping:We set up the tents (and take them down), handle every camp chore and perform culinary magic.

Detailed Itinerary

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Guest Trip Reviews

I have so many wonderful things to say about our Swiss Trip. It was the best trip I had ever experienced in my life. I adored our leaders and miss all my new friends in our group and wish I could go again right now. The part I enjoyed the most (outside of the perfect weather and the perfect "Heidi" scenery) was meeting couples who like to do the same things we do. My brother recommended this trip to me and he was so right- it was perfect. You do such a wonderful job with everything. I was very impressed with how well planned it was. The routes, the picnics, the knowledge of the area, you have thought of everything. Not once did I have to worry about anything. Everything went like clockwork. I laughed for 10 days straight - but cried when we had to leave everyone as we parted on our separate journeys. I will definitely want to go again - perhaps to Tuscany or Provence next year! Congrats on doing such a super job!
Julia Mitchell - Plymouth, MN

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All Raves and Reviews

For more than 29 years, Backroads has been perfecting the art of active travel. We are the Switzerland tour experts. For multisport tours in Europe At Large, trust our in-depth connections. To see all our Europe At Large multisport tours click here. For our selection of award-winning Europe At Large biking tours click here. For our selection of award-winning Europe At Large walking and hiking tours click here.

Switzerland Multisport

ALPINE AMBIENCE: Premiere Inns*

Hotel Victoria Ritter

Kandersteg (1 night): Traditional alpine charm nestled in the village with a pool, gardens and lovely terrace.

* With 1 Casual Inn night

Grand Hotel Regina

Grindelwald (2 nights): A member of Leading Hotels of the World set at the foot of the glorious Eiger and offering first-class spa facilities and indoor and outdoor swimming pools.

Grandhotel Giessbach

Giessbach (2 nights): An elegant Old-World estate with gardens, terraces, tennis courts, pool and spectacular lake and waterfall views.

Switzerland Multisport Switzerland Multisport

Grandhotel Giessbach

View the Family Premiere Inns , Family Casual Inns Itineraries.

Switzerland Multisport

Route Rating

Daily Mileage Options & Cumulative Elevation Gain

Day 1
  • Levels 1 to 2 3 Route Options Available
  • Walking 3.6, 6.1, 6.9 miles
  • 0 - 1500 feet elevation gain
Day 2
  • Levels 2 to 3 3 Route Options Available
  • Biking 21, 27, 34 miles
  • 0 - 2000 feet elevation gain
Day 3
  • Levels 2 to 3  2 Route Options Available
  • Hiking 5, 8 miles
  • 0 - 1000 feet elevation gain
Day 4
  • Levels 1 to 2 4 Route Options Available
  • Biking 22, 26, 29 miles
  • 500 - 1500 feet elevation gain
Day 5
  • Levels 1 to 2 3 Route Option Available
  • Biking 12, 24 miles
  • 500 - 1000 feet elevation gain
  • Hiking, 3.1 miles
  • 0 - 500 feet elevation gain
Day 6
  • Level 1 1 Route Option Available
  • Hiking 3.3
  • 0 - 500 feet elevation gain

The terrain on this trip varies from gently rolling to hilly, with some steeper ascents and descents. Please keep in mind that while the mileage is moderate, the altitude makes hiking and biking more difficult. We ride primarily along bike paths, though some routes are on main roads. Our hikes are along mountains paths with some uneven terrain.

Switzerland Multisport Switzerland Multisport

Trips For All Abilities

Every Backroads trip is designed to appeal to a wide variety of interests and fitness levels. We know your pace may vary from one day to the next-and your traveling companion's may differ somewhat from yours. So we present a range of mileage options, and each day you decide exactly what and how much you want to do.

Activity Level Average Time Average Distance
    Biking Walking
& Hiking
1 2-3
hours		 10-20
miles		 2-5
miles
2 2-4
hours		 21-30
miles		 5-7
miles
3 3-5
hours		 31-40
miles		 7-9
miles
4 4-6
hours		 41-55
miles		 9-11
miles
5 5-7+
hours		 56-75+
miles		 11-13+
miles