Is luggage transfer included on Switzerland hiking tours?

On most, yes, one bag up to 44 lb (20 kg). Exceptions: on Walker's Haute Route you carry your kit daily, a few remote hut nights on the Grindelwald Trail, High Trail to the Matterhorn, GR5 and TMB, and the Glacier Express, where your bag rides the train with you.

Can I hike in Switzerland solo?

Yes, on the Bernese Oberland, Lucerne, Glacier Express and Klosters to Tirano trips, with a solo supplement. The TMB in Comfort takes solos, and Grindelwald Trail suits experienced ones. The Via Alpina East, Walker's Haute Route, High Trail to the Matterhorn and GR5 aren't open to solo travelers.

Do you need hiking boots for Switzerland?

Yes. Sturdy, broken-in boots with good tread are best on rocky Alpine paths. Light trail shoes can work on easier lake paths. Pack layers, a waterproof, and a hat and gloves even in summer, plus hiking poles for the ascents and descents.

Can I hike in Switzerland without a guide?

Yes. Swiss trails are very well marked with yellow signs showing distances and directions. We add route notes, maps, GPX tracks and the Macs app for offline navigation, plus 24/7 emergency phone support.

Where should I fly into for hiking in Switzerland?

Zurich (ZRH) for Lucerne, the Engadin and the eastern Via Alpina, or Geneva (GVA) for Zermatt, Chamonix and western routes. From there, trains reach most trailheads, and many tours start and finish at a rail station.

How do I plan hut-to-hut hiking in Switzerland?

Book a route that does it for you. We plan stage lengths, reserve huts and inns, and move luggage where roads allow. Walker's Haute Route and High Trail to the Matterhorn include hut nights. For dorms, bring a sleeping-bag liner.

How many days do I need to hike in Switzerland?

Five days gets you a short break in the Bernese Oberland or Lucerne. Most trips are 8 days. The Via Alpina East or West takes 10, Walker's Haute Route 15 and the full Via Alpina 18 days, from Zurich to Montreux.

Switzerland Hiking Tours

Switzerland's trails are marked with yellow signposts and stitched together by trains, cable cars and funiculars. Hike below the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau from car-free Mürren, circle the lakes around Lucerne, or walk into Zermatt for the Matterhorn (14,692 ft). Many tours start and end at a rail station, so no car needed, and a lift can take the sting out of a climb.

Our specialists have walked these trails. Pick a Classic route like the Via Alpina, Grindelwald Trail or Walker's Haute Route, or a Slower Adventure in the Bernese Oberland and Lucerne. There's In Style in historic 4-star hotels, the Glacier Express Rail and Hike, and the Via Francigena from Bourg-St-Pierre toward Rome. Trips run 5 to 18 days.

Around since 2003, Macs Adventure books your hotels, moves your luggage on most routes and puts the route in the Macs app. Our US team in Denver can add rest days or extra nights.

14 routes

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Routes in Switzerland

France · Italy · Switzerland
4.8 (548)
Tour du Mont Blanc in Comfort
Walking
5–14 days
Moderate - Challenging
from$2,480CAD pp
View Route
France · Italy · Switzerland
4.8 (125)
Tour du Mont Blanc in Huts
Walking
8–14 days
Moderate - Challenging
from$3,910CAD pp
View Route
Italy · Switzerland
4.4 (96)
Via Francigena
Walking
8–50 days
Easy - Moderate to Moderate - Challenging
from$2,540CAD pp
View Route
Switzerland
4.7 (88)
Best of the Bernese Oberland
Walking
8 days
Easy - Moderate
from$4,255CAD pp
View Route
Switzerland
4.7 (75)
Highlights of the Bernese Oberland
Walking
5 days
Easy - Moderate
from$2,705CAD pp
View Route
Switzerland
4.9 (40)
Grindelwald Trail
Walking
8 days
Moderate
from$4,120CAD pp
View Route
France · Switzerland
4.8 (27)
Walker's Haute Route
Walking
8–15 days
Challenging
from$3,590CAD pp
View Route
Switzerland
4.7 (23)
Via Alpina
Walking
10–18 days
Moderate - Challenging
from$5,300CAD pp
View Route
France · Switzerland
4.8 (20)
The GR5: Lake Geneva to Chamonix
Walking
8 days
Moderate - Challenging
from$3,870CAD pp
View Route
Italy · Switzerland
4.7 (16)
Across the Swiss Alps: Klosters to Tirano
Walking
8 days
Moderate
from$3,005CAD pp
View Route
Switzerland
4.5 (16)
Lucerne Lakes and Mountains
Walking
5–8 days
Easy - Moderate
from$3,040CAD pp
View Route
Switzerland
4.4 (12)
High Trail to the Matterhorn
Walking
8 days
Challenging
from$4,235CAD pp
View Route
Switzerland
4.7 (9)
The Glacier Express Rail and Hike
Walking
8 days
Easy - Moderate
from$4,745CAD pp
View Route
Italy · Switzerland
Relaxed Trails of Lake Maggiore & Lugano
Walking
8 days
Easy - Moderate
from$2,565CAD pp
View Route

Switzerland makes big mountain days surprisingly easy to organize, and the cheese helps.

Hike below the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau on around 311 miles of waymarked trails
Shorten many days by cable car, funicular or train when your legs say enough
Walk into Zermatt and see the Matterhorn from Gornergrat
Ride the Glacier Express from St. Moritz to Zermatt between hiking days
Refuel on Älplermagronen, fondue, rösti and raclette with a glass of Fendant

Find your pace

Easy
Up to 5 miles per day
Flat, well-kept paths; ideal for beginners
Easy - Moderate
6–9 miles per day
Good paths, some gentle climbs; active beginners
Moderate
10–12 miles per day
Mixed trails, regular climbs; for regular hikers
Moderate - Challenging
15–17 miles per day
Remote mountainous terrain; experienced hikers
Challenging
17+ miles per day
Scrambles, big drop-offs; very experienced hikers
Strenuous
19+ miles per day
High passes, sustained ascents; expert, very fit hikers

Regions of Switzerland

Hiking Tours in Lucerne
View 1 route
Hiking Tours in the Bernese Oberland
View all 2 routes
Hiking Tours in Zermatt & the Matterhorn
View all 3 routes

Get to know Switzerland

Late June to September for high Alpine routes, when the passes are generally snow-free. Our Swiss tours start from late June, and Walker's Haute Route runs July to September. Lake and valley trips run longer, from May to October.

Switzerland Hiking Tours

Routes in Switzerland

Tour du Mont Blanc in Comfort

Tour du Mont Blanc in Huts

Via Francigena

Best of the Bernese Oberland

Highlights of the Bernese Oberland

Grindelwald Trail

Walker's Haute Route

Via Alpina

The GR5: Lake Geneva to Chamonix

Across the Swiss Alps: Klosters to Tirano

Lucerne Lakes and Mountains

High Trail to the Matterhorn

The Glacier Express Rail and Hike

Relaxed Trails of Lake Maggiore & Lugano

Switzerland makes big mountain days surprisingly easy to organize, and the cheese helps.

Find your pace

Easy

Easy - Moderate

Moderate

Moderate - Challenging

Challenging

Strenuous

Regions of Switzerland

Hiking Tours in Lucerne

Hiking Tours in the Bernese Oberland

Hiking Tours in Zermatt & the Matterhorn

Get to know Switzerland

When is the best time to hike in Switzerland

Where is the best hiking in Switzerland

How hard is hiking in Switzerland

Where will I stay

What should I eat in Switzerland

How do I get around in Switzerland

Know before you go