Switzerland Walking & Hiking

Day 1

Meet your Backroads Trip Leaders (the folks wearing Backroads T-shirts) at 10:30 a.m. in front of the Interlaken Ost (East) train station. Please arrive dressed in your hiking clothes, and don’t forget your daypack*.

*Van support: During this trip we hike on spectacular remote trails inaccessible to our vans. Each day you’ll want to carry a daypack containing extra layers, rain gear and anything else you’ll need on the route. Of course, your Backroads leaders are never far away and can step in where the vans cannot with snacks and other items.

Shuttle to Adelboden 1 Hour
Adelboden Route 6.5 Miles (620-foot elevation gain, 2,460-foot elevation loss)
Shorter Option: Nassberg 4.4 Miles (620-foot elevation gain)
Longer Option: No Gondola 8.9 Miles (720-foot elevation gain; 2,910-foot elevation loss)

Welcome to Switzerland! We shuttle to Adelboden, a charming Swiss alpine village in the Bernese Oberland (Highlands) to enjoy a lunch of regional delights. Then your leaders give a brief trip orientation and you set out on a hike through the Adelboden Valley, a region with stunning scenery and crisp alpine air—the perfect introduction to walking in Switzerland. A gondola ride up to Sillerenbuhl station (6,476 feet) takes us to the Wildflower Trail, which you follow to Hahnenmoos Pass. Here, breathtaking views of the Adelboden and Lenk Valleys will stop you in your tracks. And there are more to come! Continue hiking along a high ridge to the Nassberg lookout point for more great vistas. Then descend through small hamlets and past the pretty Butschifall (a waterfall) to reach Berglager, a ski resort whose gondola returns you to Adelboden. If you want to log more miles, make the descent by foot, following a gentle riverside path.

This evening we celebrate our arrival in the stunning Bernese Oberland with a wine reception and the first of many tasty traditional Swiss meals.

Lodging: The Cambrian

Day 2

Shuttle to Kandersteg 45 Minutes
Gemmi Pass Route 5.3 Miles (1,300-foot elevation gain)
Longer Options: Gemmi Pass Traverse 6.6 Miles (1,500-foot elevation gain)

Our hike today takes us across historic Gemmi Pass, an ancient trade route used since Roman times. (If you’d prefer not to hike today, hop in the van with the luggage for the three-hour transfer to our next hotel in Leukerbad.) To reach our trail, we shuttle to gorgeous Kandersteg, a town nestled in the broad Kander Valley beneath the Blümlisalp (12,020 feet) and Doldenhorn (11,952 feet) peaks. It’s long been an important mountaineering center and a favored destination of European travelers, becoming far more accessible in 1913 when a nine-mile railroad tunnel created a direct link between Bern and the Rhône Valley. Kandersteg is also known for abundant wildflowers and Simmental cattle, which can be seen munching on the lush grass of mountain pastures.

Just past the center of Kandersteg we arrive at the Sunnbuel cable car, which whisks us to 6,325 feet. Then head out on a gradual uphill along a wide path through the Spittel Valley, passing the shimmering glacier-fed Daubensee (see means ―lake‖ in German). Dwarfed by the surrounding Bernese Alps, make your way up to Gemmi Pass, where on a clear day you’re treated to views of the Matterhorn and Monte Rosa, Switzerland’s highest peak at 15,203 feet.

After we enjoy our packed lunches at the pass (7,600 feet), the Gemmibahn cable car transports us down a steep rock face—a vertical drop that was once a formidable obstacle to anyone wishing to cross the pass. At the bottom is Leukerbad, the largest thermal center in Switzerland, where picturesque narrow streets are lined with old chalets, shops and cafés. You can experience Leukerbad’s healing powers at Les Sources des Alpes, our luxurious home for the next two nights set atop the waters’ wellspring. (Spa services are not included in the trip price. If you’re interested in taking advantage of the spa facilities, including hydrotherapy sessions and rejuvenating mud treatments, we recommend that you book far in advance by calling the hotel directly.

Tonight you’re invited to an alphorn concert performed by three local musicians in traditional costume. The alphorn was traditionally used by alpine herdsmen and villagers to announce daily activities and can reach 12 to 13 feet in length. (Think of the Ricola commercials—the star of those ads is an alphorn.) After the concert we enjoy an elegant meal in the hotel’s dining room.

Lodging: Les Sources des Alpes

Day 3

Fluealp Cheese Farm Loop 8 Miles (2,200-foot elevation gain)
Shorter Option: Majinsee Loop 3.4 Miles (700-foot elevation gain)

Be prepared to cross patches of snow and ice during today’s challenging hike—breathtaking views are ample reward for your efforts. Start your journey in the Dala Valley with a walk along a trail built into the side of a thermal gorge. As you cross the canyon on a high suspension bridge, admire a thundering waterfall. At this point you have the option of exploring Leukerbad or returning to the hotel on foot to relax. If you choose to continue hiking, proceed on a steep and steady climb flanked by majestic mountains. Enjoy a quintessential Swiss scene of flower-filled alpine meadows and herds of soft-eyed milk cows adorned with leather collars and brass bells. A local cheese maker meets us in Fluealp and demonstrates the intricate age-old process by which this classic Swiss delicacy is made.

After a picnic lunch, which of course will include a taste or two of deliciously fresh cheeses, continue up the valley to a hidden chapel built into the mountain. The return route takes you down the other side of the valley and back to Leukerbad.

This evening you’re on your own to sample the fare at a local restaurant.

Lodging: Les Sources des Alpes

Day 4

Bus & Trains to Zermatt 3 Hours
Zmutt Valley Loop via Gorner Gorge 5.3 Miles (1,300-foot elevation gain)
Shorter Option: 3.5 Miles with Return by Cable Car (1,280-foot elevation gain)
Longer Option: Riffelalp 6.1 Miles (2,600-foot elevation gain)

Leaving Leukerbad we bus down to Leuk to catch the Glacier Express train to the picturesque car-free village of Zermatt. Through the train window, you’ll see the higher and drier mountain scenery that differentiates the southern and northern sides of the Rhône Valley. We’re joined in Zermatt by a local guide who leads us through the town’s historic sites, including the church where Matterhorn-bound mountaineers stop to pray, the climbers’ cemetery and well-preserved 15th-century homes.
Then have lunch on your own and decide how to indulge your senses this afternoon: a breathtaking hike, a shopping outing or a relaxing massage (not included in the trip price) at our hotel.

If you simply can’t pass up the chance to hike, head into the Zmutt Valley along a mountainside footpath, past traditional huts and hamlets. In the quaint village of Zmutt, check out the many interesting old homes and savor a slice of strudel or a cold beer. Continue to the villages of Zum See and Blatten, where you’ll find one of Ricola’s herb gardens displaying signs describing the 13 fresh herbs used to make the world-renowned candy and teas. From here you can return to Zermatt by crossing the Gorner Gorge—its powerful waterfall is definitely worthy of a few moments of admiration. If you skip the gorge, take the cable car back to town and spend time exploring before catching the Gornergrat railway up to Riffelalp Resort, a Leading Small Hotels of the World member where we stay for the next two nights. (Both options return to town and catch the train up to the hotel). The third option is to keep hiking up to the Gletschergarten (glacier garden) and then on to the hotel.

Tonight we sample regional wines before sitting down to a traditional dinner, including raclette and fondue, in the hotel’s cozy Walliser Keller restaurant.

Lodging: Riffelalp Resort

Day 5

Gornergletscher Lookout 2.5 Miles (2,000-foot elevation gain)
Longer Options: Gornergrat Summit 3.5 Miles (2,900-foot elevation gain) or Via Monte Rosa 4.8 Miles (3,000-foot elevation gain)

This morning we hike directly from our hotel to Gornergrat Mountain along a well-manicured trail overlooking Zermatt. After passing the glacial Riffelsee, the trail ascends to the top of a spectacular ridge. Gaze down upon the bright blue pools and seemingly bottomless crevasses of the Gornergletscher, a glacier surrounded by the stunning peaks of Klein Matterhorn, Monte Rosa and Breithorn. Break out your packed lunch and enjoy an alpine meal—listen carefully and you may even hear the sounds of glaciers groaning and grumbling with movement.

After lunch, continue hiking to Gornergrat (up another 1,000 feet) or head to the Rotenboden station and take a cog train to the summit. Then return to the hotel to kick back or spend time exploring town. If you’re up for a bigger afternoon hike, follow the Via Monte Rosa route, which descends toward the Gorner Glacier and then climbs the backside of Gornergrat Mountain to reach the peak.

Later this afternoon you have time to enjoy the comforts of the Riffelalp Resort. We dine in elegance tonight in the hotel’s formal dining room, which offers amazing views of the Matterhorn.

Lodging: Riffelalp Resort

Day 6

Grunsee Hike 3.4 Miles (260-foot elevation gain)
Train to Zermatt 30 Minutes

You can relish a leisurely morning at the Riffelalp Resort, soaking up its magnificent views, or get your blood moving on a final hike. The route leads to Grunsee, a beautiful lake offering great vistas of Zermatt. There’s time after the walk to freshen up at the hotel before we take the Gornergratbahn down to Zermatt, where the trip ends.