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Route Rating Level 2 to Level 4

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Premiere Inns
  • $4,198 pp dbl. occ.
  • (+$680 for sgl. occ.)

Reserve early for the best available price. More Info

6 DAYS, 5 NIGHTS
ROLLOVER DATES BELOW FOR SPECIFIC PRICES
2008 DATES
CLASSIC TRIPS
ROLLOVER DATES ABOVE FOR SPECIFIC PRICES
TRIP NOTES

All meals included except 1 lunch and 1 dinner.

PERFECT FOR A PRIVATE TRIP
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Cancellation Policy

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Meet / Depart

Kandersteg, Switzerland/Zermatt, Switzerland

Special Interest

Fine Wine & Cuisine, 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 Walking Hiking Vacations

Switzerland Hiking

An Alpine Summer Adventure

Rich with hidden valleys, green meadows and snowy peaks, the Alps thrill travelers like no other mountains on earth. And where better to enjoy their majestic beauty than in the land where five-star service was invented? Discover this stunning landscape with the help of an inventive network of gondolas, cable cars and funiculars that bring you up close to spectacular summits, wildflower-strewn meadows and thundering waterfalls. With Backroads, you’ll experience hikes of all levels, meet our local friends who explain the difference between raclette and fondue, and indulge in luxury accommodations in the most spectacular of settings.

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Day 1 Kandersteg

Meet in Kandersteg Admire mountain meadows brimming with wildflowers and glistening glaciers as you hike along a ridge high above the turquoise waters of Lake Oeschinen Gather for a welcome drink and dinner at our traditional chalet.

Days 2-3 Leukerbad

Hike a challenging route to Leukerbad over the Gemmi Pass, used for centuries as a trade route between the Bernese Oberland and the Wallis Weather permitting, walk on the Talli Glacier with our local guide Explore Leukerbad, an alpine hamlet whose healing waters have attracted health-conscious travelers since the 19th century Stride through a stream-laced valley to a small cheese farm and sample the local fare.

Days 4-6 Zermatt

Catch the Glacier Express train to Zermatt, a picturesque village that is blissfully automobile free Walk through historic mountain hamlets in the Zmutt Valley, perhaps stopping for a beer or a slice of apple strudel Refreshing aromas fill the air at the Ricola herb garden exhibit Hike to a ridge for spectacular views of the bright blue pools and crevasses of the Gornergletscher, a glacier surrounded by the Klein Matterhorn, Monte Rosa and Breithorn peaks Listen for the groans, creaks and rumbles of the moving glacier Or ride the cog railway to the top of 10,000-foot Gornergrat Mountain Learn about the history of Zermatt on a leisurely guided tour. 

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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Trip praise

It was the trip of a lifetime for me. Every morning I arose excited for what the day held. I was never disappointed. We met terrific people, the scenery was fantastic, we learned so much about the area, and just loved our leaders.
Nancy Daugherty - Chathan, NJ

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

Switzerland Hiking

DAZZLING PEAK VIEWS : Premiere Inns

Hotel Victoria & Ritter

Kandersteg (1 night): Delight in alpine hospitality at this family-run hotel, offering a pool, sunny terrace, gardens and views of snowcapped peaks.

Les Sources des Alpes

Leukerbad (2 nights): A member of Relais & Châteaux, this elegant hotel is celebrated for its spectacular views, rejuvenating spa treatments, outdoor pool and delightful cuisine.

Riffelalp Resort

Zermatt (2 nights): The epitome of a luxurious mountain resort, this member of Leading Small Hotels of the World is graced with a view of the Matterhorn, a full-service spa and artfully prepared regional delicacies.

Switzerland Hiking Switzerland Hiking

Hotel Victoria & Ritter

Switzerland Hiking

Route Rating

Daily Mileage Options & Cumulative Elevation Gain

Day 1
  • Levels 1 to 2 3 Route Options Available
  • 3.6, 6, 6.9 miles
  • 0 - 1500 feet elevation gain
Day 2
  • Levels 1 to 4 3 Route Options Available
  • 5.3, 6.6, 9.3 miles
  • 1000 - 3000 feet elevation gain
Day 3
  • Levels 1 to 3  2 Route Options Available
  • 3.4, 8 miles
  • 500 - 2500 feet elevation gain
Day 4
  • Levels 1 to 3  3 Route Options Available
  • 2, 5, 8.5 miles
  • 1000 - 2500 feet elevation gain
Day 5
  • Level 1 3 Route Options Available
  • 2.5, 3.2, 4.4 miles
  • 2000 - 3000 feet elevation gain
Day 6
  • Guided Walking Tour of Zermatt

Please note that none of our hikes are flat. We hike on mountains paths with some uneven terrain. Although distances may appear short, hiking is made more difficult by the altitude and significant gains and losses in elevation. 

Switzerland Hiking Switzerland Hiking

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