Highlights of the Bernese Oberland In Style
- A short walking break in the Swiss Alps, staying in historic 4-star hotels.
- Flexible walks beneath the impressive peaks of the Eiger, Mönch & Jungfrau.
- Wandering between the traditional villages of Wengen & Grindelwald.
- Fine dining at hotel restaurants; indulging in Swiss cheese & chocolate…
- An optional Jungfraujoch visit & the thrill of riding cable cars and funiculars.
Gallery
Itinerary
Day 1 Arrive WengenArrive in the alpine village of Wengen. This car free village is quintessential Swiss with its wooden chalets, adorned with colourful flowers and alping pastures. Check into your traditional chalet-style hotel.
The best way to reach Wengen is by train to Lauterbrunnen; just 55 mins from Interlaken, 2hrs from Bern, 3hrs from Zurich or Basel, 3h45 from Geneva. From Lauterbrunnen you take the classic rack rail train up to Wengen (12mins).
The Beausite Park Hotel is located slightly elevated above the village centre of Wengen. The view of the Jungfrau and the mountains is breath-taking and you can easily reach the village centre and the cable way station on foot. They have a large swimming pool with whirlpool and a sauna area with steam bath.
Grand Hotel Belvedere is a 5-star newly-renovated resort nestled away in Wengen, set against the panoramic mountain scenery of Schilthorn, Silberhorn and Jungfrau Mountain. With 90 rooms and suites it carters to individual traveller, couples and families likewise.
Hotel Silberhorn is in the heart of the village. It has an impressive spa and two lovely restaurants.
Today you have a choice of rewarding walks from Wengen. A few of these you can take mountain (train or cable car) transport to the start/end to enhance the experience.
We recommend the Grustschalp to Mürren Mountain View Trail. From Wengen you take the mountain train down and then the cable car up to Grustschalp. From here your linear hike contours around the mountains, with splendid panoramic views across the valley to the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau. On arrival in the car free village of Mürren you can enjoy a coffee and cake or traditional lunch in one of the resturants, before taking the mountain train back to Wengen.
Grutschalp to Mürren via the Mountain View Trail: 6.5km, ascent/descent: 450m/300m
Maennlichen-Kleine Scheidegg-Wengen: 11.5km, ascent/descent: 950m/50m
Wengen - Leiterhorn Loop: 5km, ascent/descent: 285m/275m
The Beausite Park Hotel is located slightly elevated above the village centre of Wengen. The view of the Jungfrau and the mountains is breath-taking and you can easily reach the village centre and the cable way station on foot. They have a large swimming pool with whirlpool and a sauna area with steam bath.
Grand Hotel Belvedere is a 5-star newly-renovated resort nestled away in Wengen, set against the panoramic mountain scenery of Schilthorn, Silberhorn and Jungfrau Mountain. With 90 rooms and suites it carters to individual traveller, couples and families likewise.
Hotel Silberhorn is in the heart of the village. It has an impressive spa and two lovely restaurants.
One of our favourite Swiss walks is the Eiger Trail from Eigergletscher (a short train ride from Wengen) to Alpiglen. This high route brings you right in front of the famous North Face itself; look up and right to see the metal ladders and perhaps even a climber or two setting off on an adventure.
Soak up the views over the Wetterhorn and the Grosse Scheidegg before continuing on a zig zag trail down to Alpiglen. Here you can jump on board the train, or walk further via Gletscherschlucht to Grindelwald, your base for the next 2 nights.
Remember, you can also take cable cars or the train all the way from Wengen to picture-postcard Grindelwald, and there are easier/shorter walks to choose from.
Maennlichen - Kleine Scheidegg - Wengen: 12km, ascent/descent: 950m/50m
Eiger trail via the Gletscherschlucht to Grindelwald: 13.5km, ascent/descent: 250m/1500m
Belvedere Swiss Quality Hote is a 4-star superior hotel dating from 1907, with unrivalled direct views of the Eiger. Your hosts are the Hauser family, now in their third generation of running the hotel.
All rooms are equiped with free high-speed WiFi, smart TV and sound system, individual air conditioning, international, Swiss and USB sockets as well as minibar, coffee and tea. Every overnight stay in the Bergwelt Grindelwald includes a rich breakfast buffet and access to the exclusive Fire & Ice SPA. O
A must-do optional excursion during your stay in the Bernese Oberland is the ‘Top of Europe’ Jungfraujoch, easily reached by rail from either Wengen or Grindelwald. From Kleine Scheidegg, the cog-wheel railway climbs steeply up to the Jungfraujoch (3454m).
At the very top you’ll find an ice palace with ice sculptures, a viewing plateau, restaurants and panoramic “Sphinx” observation terrace with views over the Aletsch glacier, the longest alpine glacier at 23km.
From Grindelwald you’ve a choice of walks; explore the Grosse Scheidegg plateau, the sparkling Bachalpsee or First with its cable car station. Mountain cafés dotted around Grindelwald will tempt you to relax in the sunshine with a large slice of Apfelstrüdel or Mövenpick icecream sundae— you need to keep your energy levels up after all!
First - Bachalpsee - Grosse Scheidegg: 16.0km, ascent/descent: 850m/1050m
Grindelwald - Grosse Scheidegg: 8.5km, ascent/descent: 950m/80m
Belvedere Swiss Quality Hote is a 4-star superior hotel dating from 1907, with unrivalled direct views of the Eiger. Your hosts are the Hauser family, now in their third generation of running the hotel.
All rooms are equiped with free high-speed WiFi, smart TV and sound system, individual air conditioning, international, Swiss and USB sockets as well as minibar, coffee and tea. Every overnight stay in the Bergwelt Grindelwald includes a rich breakfast buffet and access to the exclusive Fire & Ice SPA. O
After breakfast check-out of your traditional chalet-style hotel and make your onward journey. If you’re planning a longer European tour then the Italian Lakes combines perfectly with the Swiss Alps.
This trip has a carbon score of 5kg per person per night, meaning it’s one of our best trips! For comparison, a carbon count of 5kg is equivalent to 1 Neapolitan margherita pizza. Here at Macs, we pride ourselves on being a responsible travel company and continue to adopt, develop and innovate ways to positively impact the environment. Find out more information on how we've carbon counted our trips.
Other Information
Is it for me?Escape to the Bernese Oberland on a 4-night break staying in 4-star historic hotels with spa facilities. You’ve a menu of walks each day to choose from, or you can opt to ride the extensive network of mountain railways; giving you huge flexibility as to where you explore, and the length of your hikes. Please note this tour itinerary changed slightly in July 2023. If you have booked prior to July 2023 you will follow your original itinerary.
In Style | After a day of exciting adventures and soaking up unbeatable scenery, retreat to stylish accommodations and unwind with fine food and wine. This trip type is for those who like sophisticated places to stay and are looking for active routes but still want the holiday to feel special.
Inn to Inn Walking | Walk from place-to-place changing accommodations each night. Generally staying in B&Bs, inns, and guesthouses.
Solo Travellers, Families with Teens
The minimum age for this tour is: 12 Years
This trip is graded ‘easy to moderate’ overall, as the walks are around 4-14km, but many you can shorten with mountain transport (payable locally or you can opt to purchase a Jungfrau Travel Pass in advance) or skip altogether.
The routes and footpaths are not technically difficult, but a good level of fitness is recommended so you can relax and enjoy the scenery. Our routes follow wide tracks, paths and sometimes narrower mountain paths occasionally with steep slopes above and below—as with most Alpine walking a good head for heights and sure-footedness is required. Cable cars and trains can be used to avoid the steepest ascents and descents, but some steep sections are unavoidable— the Eiger Trail and the First to Bachalpsee hikes are the most demanding days, with ascents and descents ranging up to 1050m of ascent/descent, in your route notes we have detailed how these days can be made easier.
Please be aware that earlier in the season there may be some residual snow lying in patches, but this will not require any special equipment or skills; walking poles are recommended.
Stay 4 nights in historic Swiss 4-star hotels. The accommodation we normally use is detailed below, however is subject to availability and therefore alternatives of an equal standard may be offered (hotel facilities may change if only alternative properties are available—should you have any specific requirements, please let us know). You can add on extra nights in any of the overnight locations on this tour.
Single Rooms & Solo Walkers
This trip is available to solo walkers and a supplement is payable as some of the costs are not shared. Single rooms are on request and a supplement is payable.
Meals
Breakfasts are included each day. Most of your accommodations will more than happy to provide a packed lunch on request and this can be booked on arrival.
All the hiking trails in Switzerland are very well marked with yellow route signs, indicating distances and directions to all destinations. The network of paths and trails in the Bernese Oberland is also comprehensively way-marked as are all the variations we suggest. We provide you with detailed route notes, maps, GPX tracks and access to the Macs Adventure smartphone navigation app, so you will have no problem finding your way.
- 4 Nights in historic 4-star family-run hotels.
- 4 Breakfasts.
- Baggage transfers between accommodations.
- Route notes, map & info pack.
- 24-7 Emergency telephone support.
- Travel to Wengen and from Grindelwald.
- Entrance fees (eg. Jungfraujoch excursion).
- Public transport (eg. railways, cable cars, chairlifts, funiculars, buses).
- Lunches, dinners, drinks and snacks.
- Personal equipment.
- Travel insurance (required).
- Additional nights before, during or after the walk.
This trip is available to start daily, from the end of June to early October. The best months for walking are in the summer months between June and mid-September when the wild flowers are in bloom and the weather is generally fair.
Grindelwald is hosting the famous Eiger Ultra Trail race (12th to 16th July). We recommend avoiding the Via Alpina at this time as the area is extremely busy, and most accommodations are full.
The best way to reach Wengen is by train to Lauterbrunnen; just 55 mins from Interlaken. You can fly into Bern (2 hrs away), Zurich or Basel (3 hrs), or Geneva (3h45). From Lauterbrunnen you take the classic rack rail train up to Wengen (12mins). Train timetables and details of public transportation in Switzerland are available via the excellent travel planner at www.sbb.ch.
From Grindelwald most train connections are via Interlaken Ost (35 mins). Travel times are as follows from Grindelwald to city train stations (Hauptbahnhof/HB): to Zurich (2h40), Basel (2h40), or Geneva (3h30); Again, please see SBB’s website for timetable planning. Further information regarding travel advice will be in your comprehensive pre-departure information pack.
Your bags will be transferred between your accommodation as per your itinerary. We ask you to limit your luggage to one bag of up to 20kg per person.
The distances and ascents/descents are approximations of the recommended routes. Please be prepared by packing all necessary items, for example, proper rain gear (jackets and trousers), sun hat and sunscreen. Your information pack has a detailed equipment list which includes standard walking gear such as good walking shoes or boots, warm and waterproof clothes for the cooler months and lightweight clothing for summer and a day pack.
We suggest you book as soon as your plans are finalised as the region is very popular, especially over the summer months. However we will always try our best to accommodate your plans.
The walking is graded easy to moderate so you will enjoy the holiday more if you already enjoy an active lifestyle. Most of the paths are easy to follow and although undulating in parts the paths are generally easy, and where they are tougher, there are alternative walks that day. Walking each day is between 4-14km. If you prefer not to walk each day, then you can take mountain railways or post buses between locations.
Your bags will be transferred between your accommodation as per your itinerary. We ask you to limit your luggage to one bag of up to 20kg per person. (Please note that luggage handlers might refuse bags that are heavier than the limit)
You can fly into Zurich, Basel, Geneva or Bern Belp airports in Switzerland, check out the travel details section for more detailed information.
You will need good walking shoes/boots, comfortable walking clothes, waterproof jacket and trousers, a day pack, warm clothing in the early/late part of the year and hats etc during the summer. We supply a detailed packing list with your information pack.
The best months for walking are in the summer months between June and early October when the wild flowers are in bloom and the weather is generally fair.
The beauty of the Jungfrau region, is that there is an excellent network of mountain railways that you can use (cable cars, train, some postbuses) to shorten or lengthen your walk, or skip it altogether. If outside the car-free villages (eg. Grindelwald) then you can make use of local taxis where possible.
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