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Switzerland Family Multisport

Switzerland Family Multisport

Switzerland - the land of cheese and chocolate, perfectly timed trains, dairy cows grazing in lush meadows and those incredibly beautiful Alps. On this Backroads trip in the Bernese Oberland, you and your family will gaze at craggy peaks and turquoise glaciers, drink in crisp mountain air and savor Old-World charm and hospitality. 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 world-class restaurants.

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 limestone cliffs are capped by snowy peaks and hanging glaciers Take time for a snack and cup of cocoa on a well-deserved break at a traditional mountain hut.

Days 2-3 Grindelwald

Easy pedaling leads to the lakeside town of Spiez Board a historic paddleboat and cross Lake Thun to Interlaken Consider sailing through the sky on a paraglider  From the glacier-carved Lauterbrunnen Valley, hitch a ride on a cog train to Grindelwald at the foot of the Eiger  Enjoy a traditionl alphorn concert Hike to a high alpine hut for majestic vistas Kids delight in an alpine toboggan ride Relax at a café with a spectacular view of peaks and glaciers.

Days 4-6 Giessbach

Witness magnificent Trummelbach Falls - located inside a cavern, these ten powerful glacier-fed cascades drain off the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau peaks  Pedal through the countryside to Lake Brienz Boat across turquoise waters to Giessbach Hike across the ridgeline overlooking the Gental Valley and descend by bike  Visit a traditional cheese farm  Bask in the cool spray of Giessbach Falls.

big map Switzerland Family Multisport

ALPINE ELEGANCE : Premiere Inns

Hotel Victoria Ritter (1 night): Traditional alpine charm and plenty of family hospitality nestled in the village, with a pool, gardens and lovely terrace.

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

Daily Mileage Options & Cumulative Elevation Gain

Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Day 5
Day 6

The terrain on this trip varies from gently rolling to hilly, with some steeper ascents and descents; only one route option each day has no significant gain or loss in elevation. Please keep in mind that while the mileage is moderate, the altitude makes hiking and biking more difficult. We bike primarily along biking paths, though some routes are on main roads. Our hikes are along mountains paths with some uneven terrain. However, liberal van shuttling is incorporated into the itinerary to facilitate our activities and enable you to spend more time exploring on your own.

Switzerland Family 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
Level 1 2-3 hours 10-20 mile 2-5 miles
Level 2 2-4 hours 21-30 miles 5-7 miles
Level 3 3-5 hours 31-40 miles 7-9 miles
Level 4 4-6 hours 41-55 miles 9-11 miles
Level 5 5-7+ hours 56-75+ miles 11-13+ miles
2008 DATES
FAMILY TRIPS
2009 DATES
FAMILY TRIPS

Reserve early for the best available price. Prices may change during the course of the year--if they do change, the best prices are available earlier. Once you book your trip, your price is guaranteed.

Recommended Kids Ages

Minimum Ages:

Recommended minimum age for the trip: 6 years

General Info on Minimum Ages:

We strongly encourage families to join our Family Trips, designed with kid- and adult-friendly features. Please note that we have a minimum age requirement of 1 year for all Inn trips and 2 years for all Camping trips. Other than that, we do not restrict trips to a minimum age except in the rare case of a hotel age restriction. We do, however, recommend minimum ages based on the following criteria:

Please note that a trip may feature an activity with an older age requirement than the minimum age recommendation for the trip. Younger kids are still welcome on the trip and while they will not be able to participate in the activity, the leaders will suggest an alternate activity. For safety reasons, children under 7 may not ride their own bikes and are required to ride on a Piccolo or in a Burley. For certain destinations, children must be 9 or older to ride their own bikes.

Trip praise

I cannot say enough about what a great job the leaders did on this trip. They were great with the children and a pleasure to be around. If they weren't playing capture the flag with the kids they were helping the adults. You are fortunate to have such personable, knowledgeable, fun, and dedicated people in your organization.
Mark Mead - Chagrin Falls, OH
The memories of this trip for me and my son will last forever. Backroads took great care of all the details and everything ran very smoothly. Backroads even supplied gorgeous weather for the entire trip. Way to go! We will be back!
Darren C deBaca - Millbrae, CA