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Walking & Hiking
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Swiss Alps Walking & Hiking Tour
Peaks & Glaciers from Davos to St. Moritz
Couples, Friends & Solos
6 days 5 nights
Activity Level: 2-5
Premiere Hotels
From: $6,399 - $6,599 pp dbl occ
($2,000 for sgl occ)
The Alps. The storied heart of Europe. Allow us to prove that they’re still able to surprise you. Like in Switzerland’s wild and wonderful canton of Graubünden. Bears and wolves, colorful cottages and an ancient native language all flourish far from the beaten (train) track. In one of the most beautiful countries on Earth, this is where the locals go to play. Say hello to the Switzerland you’ve been waiting to meet.
Switzerland Alps Walking and Hiking Tour
Switzerland
Start Zurich / End St. Moritz
Start/End locations may vary. Do not book flights until your trip details are confirmed.
Highlights
- Ascend far beyond the crowds as you hike the Diavolezza Glacier and ride the historic Bernina Railway
- Behold the crystalline light of the Engadine Valley, which inspired Herman Hesse, Marc Chagall and Nietzsche
- Join the glitterati on the promenade of glimmering Lake St. Moritz
- Immerse yourself in Graubünden’s unique Latin culture with cooking classes, cultural village visits and more
Itinerary
Accommodations may vary based on departure date.
6 Days Premiere Hotels
Accommodations may vary based on departure.
Day 1
Description
Welcome to Switzerland’s canton of Graubünden, where vineyards, glaciers and three languages coexist within forty square miles | A high-altitude chairlift takes you to the start of your first hike | A cozy ski hut serves up Northern Italian specialties with panoramic Davos views | Hike to a peaceful village of traditional chalets on stilts, then zoom down the mountain on Trotti bikes (Swiss downhill scooters) | Settle into our gleaming Davos retreat, whose rounded contours were inspired by the shape of a pine cone.
Accommodations
AlpenGold Hotel
Davos
| Premiere Hotel Dominating the Davos skyline with its sinuous golden façade and offering a wealth of luxe amenities, this retro-futuristic resort is a feast for the senses. (pool, spa)
Days 2-3
Description
Marmots and mountain breezes are your only company as you climb across the breathtaking Strela Pass into the Val Arosa | Stop in for some woodland hospitality at a high-mountain hamlet along the trail | Locals greet you with Allegra! as we enter the isolated realm of Romansh, the endangered Swiss tongue and closest living language to Latin | Hike up the grand shoulders of Piz Scalottas (Scalottas Peak), with the option to take a panoramic ridge trail along neighboring Piz Danis | Learn to make the local specialty, barley stew, in an interactive cooking class before you dip into warming raclette and fondue.
Accommodations
Maiensäss-Hotel Guarda Val
Guarda Val
| Premiere Hotel A cozy but elegant hotel in the center of isolated Guarda Val—its warm hospitality tucks you right into the fabric of the village. (spa)
Days 4-6
Description
Make for the Engadine region via the World Heritage route of the historic Bernina Express, which weaves through tunnels and across soaring viaducts | As you travel, take in the land that inspired painters such as Segantini and Marc Chagall | From the heath-strewn mountaintop of Muottas Muragl, catch your first glimpse of the twin jewels of Lake St. Moritz and Lake Silvaplana | Stroll the lanes of elegant St. Moritz | Don crampons for a trek across the surface of the Diavolezza glacier | Admire the pastel-colored sgraffito houses in the village where Nietzsche returned every summer | Take a farewell stroll around mirror-smooth Lake Alv and say a revair to gorgeous Graubünden.
Accommodations
Kulm Hotel St. Moritz
St. Moritz
| Premiere Hotel Settle into this sprawling estate overlooking Lake St. Moritz and you enter a history stretching back to 1879, when the Kulm was the first building in Switzerland to be lit with electric lights. (pool, spa)
Dates & Prices
The earlier you book, the more choice you'll have and the lower your price. And you can always change your mind — you won't be charged to transfer to a different trip before your final payment is due. View cancellation policy.
Click on dates for pricing, itinerary variations and to book your trip. Price is per person, double occupancy in USD.
July 2024
August 2024
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Our Private Trips are best for groups of 6 or more. We suggest joining a scheduled trip.
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Activity Level:
2-5
Every Backroads trip is designed to appeal to a wide variety of interests and fitness levels. Several routes and a range of levels are offered each day so you can choose how much or how little activity you want to do. Learn more about how we determine activity levels.
Route notes
The terrain on this trip includes well-maintained paths and rugged mountain trails, with some steps, rocky sections and steep descents. Most activities on this trip take place at elevations of 4,000–7,000 feet (and up to 10,000 feet), which can make the routes feel more challenging than the mileage may suggest. Thanks to the marvels of Swiss transportation, no support van is needed on this trip; we often use cable cars to access the best high-altitude hikes.
Daily Route Options
Every Backroads trip is designed to appeal to a wide variety of interests and fitness levels. Several routes and a range of levels are offered each day so you can choose how much or how little activity you want to do. Learn more about how we determine activity levels.
Route notes
The terrain on this trip includes well-maintained paths and rugged mountain trails, with some steps, rocky sections and steep descents. Most activities on this trip take place at elevations of 4,000–7,000 feet (and up to 10,000 feet), which can make the routes feel more challenging than the mileage may suggest. Thanks to the marvels of Swiss transportation, no support van is needed on this trip; we often use cable cars to access the best high-altitude hikes.
What's Included
- All breakfasts, 5 lunches, 4 dinners
- Expertise and services of our experienced Trip Leaders
- Snacks and beverages between meals
- Additional guides and experts from the region on many trips
- Van shuttles to support a variety of route options
- Comprehensive Travel Planner with detailed pre-trip information
- Private guided tours at museums, historic sites, wineries and other select attractions as noted in the Travel Planner
- All gratuities at hotels and restaurants
- Special events, including wine tastings and other select attractions as mentioned in the Travel Planner
- On biking and multi-adventure trips, use of fully equipped Backroads titanium bike plus helmet and accessories
- Trailercycles, carriers, and kid-sized helmets for Family Trips
- Equipment and experienced guides for kayaking, rafting, snorkeling, sailing and canoeing as described
- Park and other entry fees
- Fares for trains, ferries and other modes of travel as listed in the Travel Planner
- Select coach transfers
- Baggage transfers and porterage
- All breakfasts, 5 lunches, 4 dinners
- Expertise and services of our experienced Trip Leaders
- Snacks and beverages between meals
- Additional guides and experts from the region on many trips
- Van shuttles to support a variety of route options
- Comprehensive Travel Planner with detailed pre-trip information
- Private guided tours at museums, historic sites, wineries and other select attractions as noted in the Travel Planner
- All gratuities at hotels and restaurants
- Special events, including wine tastings and other select attractions as mentioned in the Travel Planner
- On biking and multi-adventure trips, use of fully equipped Backroads titanium bike plus helmet and accessories
- Trailercycles, carriers, and kid-sized helmets for Family Trips
- Equipment and experienced guides for kayaking, rafting, snorkeling, sailing and canoeing as described
- Park and other entry fees
- Fares for trains, ferries and other modes of travel as listed in the Travel Planner
- Select coach transfers
- Baggage transfers and porterage
Straight talk
We want to make sure you're on the right trip and that you have the best experience possible. Every Backroads trip is unique and this one is no exception.
Terrain & Shuttles
Due to Switzerland's rugged terrain, you can look forward to some exhilarating—but steep!—climbs along rocky and sometimes uneven paths. Please note that there's no van support on this trip (you can imagine why!), so you should be comfortable with the alpine elevation and remote routes.
Two Leaders
We ordinarily staff our trips with three leaders: two leaders out on the trail offering support—allowing everyone to have the experience they want, whether it's an easygoing interpretative walk or a rigorous hike—while the third leader moves the van from trailhead to trail end. This trip is a little different in that we use a variety of local transportation, including gondolas, trains and local drivers, instead of Backroads vans. This means that you'll still have the same two leaders providing excellent trail support without the need for a third leader to move the van.
We want to make sure you're on the right trip and that you have the best experience possible. Every Backroads trip is unique and this one is no exception.
Terrain & Shuttles
Due to Switzerland's rugged terrain, you can look forward to some exhilarating—but steep!—climbs along rocky and sometimes uneven paths. Please note that there's no van support on this trip (you can imagine why!), so you should be comfortable with the alpine elevation and remote routes.
Two Leaders
We ordinarily staff our trips with three leaders: two leaders out on the trail offering support—allowing everyone to have the experience they want, whether it's an easygoing interpretative walk or a rigorous hike—while the third leader moves the van from trailhead to trail end. This trip is a little different in that we use a variety of local transportation, including gondolas, trains and local drivers, instead of Backroads vans. This means that you'll still have the same two leaders providing excellent trail support without the need for a third leader to move the van.
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