The Via Alpina
18 Days & 17 Nights 5 Read 1 reviews- Complete the classic Alpine hike from east to west Switzerland
- Walk in the shadow of the mighty Jungfrau, Mönch and Eiger peaks
- Conquer 14 alpine passes and enjoy spectacular mountain views
- Wander through meadows alive with the sound of cow bells and marmots
- Stay in comfortable hotels and enjoy Swiss specialties like Potato Rösti
What To Expect
Tour Style:
Self Guided | Go at your own pace on an independent active trip.
Activity:
Inn to Inn Walking | A classic point to point walking trip, staying in a different location each night
Ideal if you have an interest in:
Personal Growth, Mountains
Activity Level & Terrain
This trip is graded moderate to strenuous with the average daily distance being 18km. Although almost every day there is the option to shorten it by using some form of public transport. Each day has significant ascent and descent and the paths are a mixture of woodland trails, rocky mountain paths, grassy paths, moraine, scree, and paved country roads. There is some light scrambling involved in places and there are cables, ropes, and chains to aid ascent/descent in some places. Please be aware that on the highest passes, there may be some residual snow lying in patches, but this will not require any special equipment or skills; just a steady foot, walking experience and a head for heights. Walking poles are essential. To get the most of this trip, you should be in good physical shape.
Navigation
All trails are very well way-marked, and together with access to our GPS-following app, route notes and maps, you will have no problem finding your way on our suggested walks.
Accommodations
Stay 14 nights comfortable 3* hotels in private en-suite rooms and 3 nights in mountain hotels in private rooms with shared bathroom facilities. An example of the accommodation we use in some of the towns along the way can be found below. If these accommodations are not available, a hotel of the same or better standard will be used. Please be aware that twin & double rooms in Switzerland are typically 2 single mattresses side by side in one double bed frame with two separate duvet covers and pillows.
Single Rooms
This trip is not available to solo walkers due to the difficulty of the terrain. Single rooms are on request and a supplement is payable for this.
Hotel Upgrades
Why not upgrade your hotel in Grindelwald in Montreux at the end of the trail? Contact us for more information.
Meals
Breakfasts are included each day and tends to be a buffet selection with lots of sweet treats like pastries, home made jams, fruit and cereals. Savoury tastes are also catered for with bread, cheese, ham and eggs usually available. Packed lunch items can be bought locally from supermarkets or the local bakery. If you are staying in a small town without these facilities, order a packed lunch with your accommodation upon arrival. Dinner is included at each overnight location with the exception of Grindelwald, Gstaad and Montreux, where there are plenty of dining options to choose from. Meal times are a real highlight, and you can enjoy homemade Swiss specialties. If you have any dietary requirements, please tell us upon booking and we can arrange this with the accommodations.Swiss specialities are mostly based on cheese and potatoes, such as raclette and potato roesti. Once you are in French speaking Switzerland and over the so-called ‘Roesti-graben’ (Roesti ditch) which refers to the cultural, linguistic and gastronomic divide between French and German speaking Switzerland, you will notice the food becomes much more ‘French’. One popular Vaudois speciality is Papet Vaudois, a dish made from slow cooked potato, leek and succulent local sausage.
- 14 Nights in 3* hotels, 3 nights in mountain hotels and guesthouses
- 17 Breakfasts
- 13 Dinners
- Daily bag transfer
- Detailed pre-departure information pack
- Route notes, maps, GPX tracks and access to our Macs Adventure Navigation App
- 24-hour emergency telephone assistance
- Flights to and from Switzerland
- Travel to starting point/from finish point
- Public transport such as cable cars
- Travel Insurance
- Personal expenses such as drinks, phone calls, extra transfers, tips, etc.
- Any items not specifically mentioned in the program
- Additional nights
When To Go
This trip is available to start any day of the week, from the start of July to early September.
Getting to the Start
Fly into Zurich, Geneva or Bern then continue by train to Zurich (10 mins, 3 or 1 hours). For general travel planning and information in Switzerland, please go to: www.myswitzerland.com/en-gb/transport-travel/getting-around
Getting from the End
Take a train from Montreux to Geneva (1.5 hours) , Zurich (3hours) or Bern (2 hours) airports. Train timetables and details of public transportation in Switzerland are available via the excellent travel planner at www.sbb.ch.
Luggage Transfer
Baggage transfers are included in the price of your trip. We ask you to keep your baggage to a maximum of 1 bag per person with a maximum weight of 20 kg.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.
Itinerary
Day 1 Arrive Zurich Day 2 Train to Sargans and walk to Weisstannen 8 miles / 12.5 km Day 3 Walk to Elm 15 miles / 24 km Day 4 Walk to Linthal 12.5 miles / 20 km Day 5 Funicular to Braunwald, walk to Urnerboden 8 miles / 13 km Day 6 Walk to Unterschachen and bus to Altdorf 9.5 miles / 15 km Day 7 Bus/cable car to Bruesti and walk to Engelberg 13 miles / 21 km Day 8 Cable car to Jochpass and walk to Meiringen 13.5 miles / 21.5 km Day 9 Walk to Grindelwald 15.5 miles / 24.7 km Day 10 Walk to Wengen 10 miles / 16.5 km Day 11 Train to Muerren and walk to Griesalp 11 miles / 17 km Day 12 Walk to Kandersteg 10.5 miles / 17 km Day 13 Walk to Adelboden 10 miles / 16 km Day 14 Walk to Lenk 9 miles / 14.5 km Day 15 Walk to Lauenen and bus to Gstaad 9 miles / 14.5 km Day 16 Walk to L’Etivaz 12.5 miles / 20 km Day 17 Walk to Montreux 14 miles / 22 km Day 18 Onward TravelBlog Articles
The Macs Way
-
Custom-made Adventures
-
Freedom
-
Book with Confidence
-
Expertise
-
Positive Impact
- Flexible itineraries built around you
- Knowledgeable and helpful specialist trip planners
- Customize your trip to suit your interests
- Start on any date that suits you
- Choose your ideal trip length and difficulty
- Range of accommodation comfort levels
- Choice of trip styles
- Choose your own travel companions
- Walk, cycle and explore at your own pace
- Make your own decisions
- Choose your own path
- Indulge your passions
- 14,000+ unbiased trip & service reviews
- Feefo Gold Award 2019
- 25,000+ travelers trust us each year
- As featured in the Guardian, Times, Nat Geo Traveler
- Founder owned & operated since 2003
- 100+ passionate team members across the US, UK & Europe
- Carefully planned adventures
- Quality, hand-picked accommodations
- Seamless and reliable arrangements
- Comprehensive trip information & insider tips
- Detailed maps, route notes and mobile GPS app
- Helpful 24/7 support should you need it
- Travel responsibly
- Explore off the beaten track
- Support locally owned businesses
- Engage with local communities
- Minimize your impact
- Maximize the benefit of your travel
- Challenge yourself & grow