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Lucerne's Lakes and Mountains Short Break

5 Days & 4 Nights
  • Explore the lakes and mountains of Lucerne in a long weekend
  • Enjoy easy going walks with cable cars taking care of the ascents
  • Summit Mount Rigi and Mount Pilatus for panoramic views of central Switzerland
  • Spend a magical night in the 3* superior Pilatus hotel at a lofty 2132m
  • Relax in comfortable hand-picked hotels with fabulous lake side locations
Experience the best of central Switzerland in a long weekend on this inn to inn walking holiday around the picturesque Lake Lucerne Riviera staying in comfortable lake side hotels and a spectacular mountain hotel. Use cable cars and cog railways to reach dizzying heights allowing you to enjoy sweeping views of cobalt blue lakes and snow capped peaks with minimal effort. Get away from the tourist hotspots and on to the trails where your only company will be a few locals and some Swiss Alpine cows. Explore Mount Rigi and Mount Pilatus, even spending an evening on the summit of Pilatus at 2,132m in a 3* superior hotel. Once the day trippers have left you have a real sense of having the mountain all to yourself. Your adventure finishes in Lucerne, giving you time to discover this pretty town and its famous monuments and bridges.
Looking for an easy-going walking holiday which offers fantastic mountain and lake views and comfortable accommodations? Then this is the trip for you. Public transport is used to keep the ascents to a minimum and you should be comfortable travelling in cable cars and cog railways with a steep incline. Stay in Lucerne, Weggis and Beckenried in hotels with lake views and spend one night in the Pilatus-Kulm hotel, a truly unforgettable experience.

Tour Type:

Slower Adventures | Where walking and cycling meet easy-going exploring, our Slower Adventures are the perfect combination. Most days are filled with picturesque journeys with some free time to dive into the destination and experience the people, local food and culture as you go.

Activity:

Inn to Inn Walking | Walk from place-to-place changing accommodations each night. Generally staying in B&B’s, inns, and guesthouses.

This trip is suitable for:

Solo Travellers

Ideal if you have an interest in:

  • Alpine Walking

Activity Level & Terrain

This trip is graded ‘easy—moderate’ overall, as the walks are around 5-11km, and quite straight forward as cable cars and cog railways are used to take care of the tough ascents and descents. You should be comfortable using cable cars and steep cog railways to get the most of this trip.

Please be aware that earlier/later in the season there may be some residual snow lying in patches on some of the trails, but this will not require any special equipment or skills.

Navigation

Walking trails are generally very well signposted in Switzerland and together with access to our GPS-following app and maps, you will have no problem finding your way on our suggested walks.

Accommodations

Your accommodation will be a mix of a 4* spa hotel, 3* superior hotels and 3* hotels. In Lucerne, Weggis and Beckenried we book lake view rooms where possible. If these are not available, a small reduction will be taken off the cost of your trip

Single Rooms & Solo Walkers

This trip is available to solo walkers and a supplement is payable. Single rooms are on request and again a supplement is payable.

Meals

Continental breakfasts are included. One 4 course dinner is included at the Pilatus Kulm Hotel. Other dinners and lunches are not included so you are free to choose where you eat each day. Lucerne has numerous restaurant options, and in the smaller towns of Weggis and Beckenried you can eat at a local restaurant or at your hotel.  Lunch can be bought at restaurants along the way or you can pick up a packed lunch from the bakery or supermarket. Food in Switzerland is hearty and traditional, with cheese being one of the dominant ingredients! Fondue and raclette are popular and a must try. Roesti is another classic which is a bed of grated then fried potato, with various toppings like cheese, bacon or fried eggs

Included
  • 1 night in 4* spa hotel, 2 nights in 3* superior hotels and 1 night in a 3* hotel
  • 4 Breakfasts
  • 1 Dinner
  • Bag Transfers
  • Detailed information pack, route notes and maps
  • GPX tracks and access to our GPS Macs Adventure smartphone app
  • 24/7 telephone support from our UK office
Excluded
  • Travel insurance (required)
  • Travel to Weggis and from Lucerne
  • Lunches & 3 Dinners
  • Public transport to, from and during the walks
  • Drinks and snacks
  • Personal equipment
Extras
  • Additional nights before, during or after the walk

When To Go

This trip is available to start any day of the week, from the end of June til the end of September, subject to availability. Any time during this period is ideal for hiking, in late June/early July you can experience Alpine flowers at their finest while in bloom. August can be busy as this is the main holiday making month for many Europeans.  

Getting to the Start

Fly into Zurich , Bern or Geneva then continue by train to Lucerne (1, 2 or 3.5 hours). From Lucerne, take a boat or train/bus to Weggis. Train timetables and details of public transportation in Switzerland are available via the excellent travel planner at www.sbb.ch.

Getting from the End

From Lucerne train station you can get to any major European destination easily. Trains to Zurich airport take 1 hour and are direct.

Luggage Transfer

Bag transfer is included in this trip. You will leave your bag at the hotel reception by 9am in the morning and it will be delivered to your next hotel by 6pm that day. We ask that you limit your baggage to one bag per person with a maximum weight of 20kg per person. 

General Information

The distances and ascents/descents are approximations of the recommended routes. Please be prepared by packing all necessary items, for example, proper rain gear (jacket and trousers), sun hat and sunscreen. Your information pack has a detailed equipment list which includes standard walking gear such as good walking boots or shoes, warm and waterproof clothes for the cooler months and lightweight clothing for summer, and a day pack.

Travel Insurance

It is a requirement of booking this tour with Macs Adventure that you have suitable travel insurance which covers you for the activity, emergency evacuation and hospital care.

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Itinerary

Day 1 Arrive Weggis Day 2 Cable car to Rigi Kaltbad, walk the Panorama Trail, boat to Beckenried 7.5 miles / 12 km Day 3 Walk to Stans, train and cog railway to Pilatus 8 miles / 13 km Day 4 Cable car to Frakmuntegg and walk to Lucerne 6.5 miles / 10 km Day 5 Onward Travel

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