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Switzerland: Hiking on the Via Alpina
Switzerland
9 Days
From $7995
Hiking and Culture
Switzerland: Hiking on the Via Alpina
Switzerland
9 Days
From $7995
Hiking and Culture
Trip Overview
Hiking the Via Alpina — Swiss Trails, Alpine Vistas, and Cultural Charm
The Via Alpina is a legendary long-distance trail crossing eight Alpine countries—and on this adventure, we’ll explore the stunning Swiss portion. From wildflower-strewn meadows to high mountain passes and cascading waterfalls, each day offers breathtaking scenery and rewarding hikes through the heart of the Alps.
We’ll take advantage of Switzerland’s world-class transportation system to access different sections of the trail, allowing us to experience a variety of landscapes while keeping our footprint light. Along the way, we’ll immerse ourselves in Swiss culture—visiting charming mountain villages, indulging in traditional cuisine like fondue and raclette, and, of course, sampling world-famous Swiss chocolate.
This journey is perfect for those seeking an alpine adventure that balances moderate hiking with authentic cultural experiences in one of the most scenic regions of Europe.
Maximum group size: 12
Highlights
- Hiking on the famous Swiss Via Alpina, along wildflower-filled trails to a variety of classic Swiss villages
- Viewing spectacular waterfalls from near and afar
- Kayaking on stunning Lake Brienz
- Sampling local specialties, including Alpkase (mountain cheese) and chocolate
- Feeling the majesty of legendary Swiss Mountains: the Eiger and the Wetterhorn
- Learning about how Alphorns, a Swiss national symbol, are made and trying to play one yourself
Inclusions
- 1 - 2 local guides plus an AGC guide depending upon group size
- All activities noted on the itinerary
- 8 breakfasts and 6 dinners
- 8 nights lodging in comfortable Swiss hotels and inns
- Transportation from Day 2 through Day 8
- Luggage transfers
Not Included: Airfare to and from Zurich, airport transfers on Day 1 and Day 9, all lunches, 2 dinners, beverages (other than water), guide gratuities, optional activities, and Travel Insurance.
NOTE: For this trip, emergency/evacuation/medical insurance is required. This insurance can be added as an option after you have chosen your base insurance, and before the final payment section. This insurance should cover medical and helicopter evacuations.
Trip Info
This trip is designed for women who enjoy hiking in the mountains and being surrounded by breathtaking scenery. We will be hiking 2.5-5 miles a day in hilly terrain with steep ascents and descents, along rocky and uneven terrain. Previous hiking experience is extremely useful, as is having a sense of adventure and a good level of physical fitness. There are no shorter options for any of the days (other than skipping the entire hiking day and arranging transportation to the next lodging when possible) and you must be able to complete the hiking days in recommended times. We will be in a high-altitude environment, ranging from 5,000 - 7,000 ft above sea level. We have rated this trip a level 2 due to mileage and hiking times, but please note that the daily elevation change is significant and is closer to the elevation change you might expect on a level 3 trip. A rating of 2 requires aerobic conditioning for at least 20-40 minutes 3-4 times a week, but you'll want to keep the elevation change in mind as you train. Additional endurance exercise (e.g. going for a 2-hour hike once a week) and/or strength training is appropriate.
Rating: 1 [2] [3] 4 5.
Curious about how we rate our trips and how to prepare for yours? Explore our AGC Fitness Guide for more details.
The primary activity on this trip is hiking, which we will do between 2 and 5 hours on most days. On our full day in Interlaken, we'll kayak in the afternoon, or you can choose to bike, walk around town, or enjoy another hike. If time allows, after we are finished hiking each day, you can rest, explore the town, and enjoy a local glass of Swiss wine at a café.
Wondering what kind of gear works well for our trips? Our AGC Gear Guide highlights some of our go-to favorites.
We'll be hiking a point-to-point trail, where we hike from one hotel to the next. We will be staying a variety of hotels, from larger hotels in Zurich to small, locally run inns in Swiss villages. Each night, we will be in a different hotel; the only exception is when we stay two nights in Interlaken, and two nights in Montreux at the end of the trip. We will have luggage transfer in between hotel stays, so you can be light and free during the day!
All participants are guaranteed their own bed. A limited number of single supplement rooms may be available for an additional cost and can be selected during booking if available.
See the FAQs below for more details about accommodation options.
Ready to picture yourself on this adventure?
Download the detailed trip summary for a closer look — daily highlights, travel notes, and everything you need to know before you go. It’s the perfect way to dream, plan, and share with a friend!
Itinerary
Below is the proposed itinerary for the trip. As is true on any adventure travel trip, plans for any specific day may be modified due to weather considerations, unforeseen circumstances, new opportunities, and group interests.
DAY 1
Welcome to Switzerland! Arrive in Zurich by early afternoon and make your way to our first hotel, the Alma Hotel. Check in to your room and relax a little before we meet at as a group. Meet your guides and fellow participants in the lobby at 6PM for the welcome orientation and introductions. Afterwards, we will head to our first dinner together. We will use this time to get to know one another, try some local Swiss delicacies, and get excited for the wonderful week ahead of us.
Included Meals: Dinner
Accommodations: Alma Hotel (or similar), Zurich
Daily Activities: Welcome Dinner
Included Meals: Dinner
Accommodations: Alma Hotel (or similar), Zurich
Daily Activities: Welcome Dinner
DAY 2
Today, we will wake up early to make the most of our first day. After a hearty breakfast at our hotel, we will hop on a train and enjoy a scenic ride from Meiringin to Engelberg. A gondola takes us to the top of Jochpass, and to the beginning of our adventure! Once at Jochpass, we start to hike towards Engstlenalp, an idyllic area with a lake, a nostalgic hotel, and thousands of alpine roses. Here we will meet a local dairy farmer and learn about producing the local cheeses (and even sample a few—what better hiking fuel is there than Swiss cheese?). The trail continues through cow pastures in the beautiful Gental Valley. In the distance, we begin to see what is known as "The Trio" of the Bernese Alps—the Eiger, the Mönch, and the Jungfrau mountains—in all their glory. After reaching the end of our hike, we'll travel by bus to Meiringen, where you are free to enjoy a delicious dinner on your own in town.
Included Meals: Breakfast
Accommodations: Hotel Dakota (or similar), Meiringen
Daily Activities: Hiking (1.5-2.5 hours, 2-3 miles, approximately +60/-1,272 feet elevation gain/loss)
Travel Time: Train (~2 hours), Cable Car (~45 minutes), Bus (~1 hour)
Included Meals: Breakfast
Accommodations: Hotel Dakota (or similar), Meiringen
Daily Activities: Hiking (1.5-2.5 hours, 2-3 miles, approximately +60/-1,272 feet elevation gain/loss)
Travel Time: Train (~2 hours), Cable Car (~45 minutes), Bus (~1 hour)
DAY 3
Our first morning in the heart of the Alps is a beautiful one! We start our day with a short ride on a historic, 120-year-old cog train to the thundering Reichenbach Falls. For those Sherlock Holmes fans, this is the waterfall where Holmes and Moriarty fought and soon vanished. Passing the enchanting falls, we soon fall under the spell of the mighty Wetterhorn mountain. Crossing underneath, we continue to trek up to Grosse Scheidegg on a panoramic trail, eventually encountering the perfect view of the north face of the Eiger. After soaking in the jaw-dropping presence of this majestic mountain, kick up your feet and relax as we take the bus down into Grindelwald to our hotel. Tonight, we'll indulge in a scrumptious Swiss meal together and reflect on the day's adventures.
Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Accommodations: Hotel Hirschen (or similar), Grindelwald
Daily Activities: Hiking (2.5-3.5 hours, ~3.5 miles, approximately +1,769/-100 feet elevation gain/loss)
Travel Time: Train (~20 minutes), Bus (~1.5 hours)
Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Accommodations: Hotel Hirschen (or similar), Grindelwald
Daily Activities: Hiking (2.5-3.5 hours, ~3.5 miles, approximately +1,769/-100 feet elevation gain/loss)
Travel Time: Train (~20 minutes), Bus (~1.5 hours)
DAY 4
After fueling up with a satisfying breakfast, we begin our day on another cog train—this time up to Alpiglen. In front of us is the mighty Eiger, but don't forget to look behind us as we climb out of the beautiful Grindelwald Valley. Climbing from Alpiglen under the north face of the Eiger is awe-inspiring. We will take a short detour to Lauberhorn, which is the starting point of one of the most impressive downhill skiing races. Athletes can reach the town of Wengen in only 2.5 minutes from this location! We will take a little longer to hike downhill to Wengen, but with good reason—our descent will treat us to views of the stunning Jungfrau mountain before we hop aboard the Jungfrau Railway to make our way to Interlaken. Our journey through the Lauterbrunnen Valley is impressive, with vertical walls and spectacular waterfalls in every direction. We'll delight in another fantastic Swiss dinner tonight and enjoy exploring this picturesque town.
Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Accommodations: Hotel Carlton Europe (or similar), Interlaken
Daily Activities: Hiking (3-4 hours, 4-5 miles, approximately +1,530/-682 feet elevation gain/loss)
Travel Time: Train (~1 hour)
Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Accommodations: Hotel Carlton Europe (or similar), Interlaken
Daily Activities: Hiking (3-4 hours, 4-5 miles, approximately +1,530/-682 feet elevation gain/loss)
Travel Time: Train (~1 hour)
DAY 5
After a fantastic first few days on the trail, we'll give our legs a well-deserved rest today. This morning, we'll make a short trip to a small village above Interlaken, where we'll visit an alphorn manufacturer and learn how these traditional instruments are made. A tool originally used by shepherds to communicate with the herdsmen on the neighboring Alps and people down in the valleys, as well as to call the cows from the pastures and into the barn at milking time, the alphorn has become a symbol of Switzerland. Try your hand at playing it and hear its lovely sound!
In the afternoon, we will paddle on the turquoise blue waters of Lake Brienz. The name Interlaken means "between two lakes"; and these two stunning lakes are sure to take your breath away. This beginner-friendly kayak tour will allow us to get a closer look at the cliffs along the shore and the Ringenberg castle and enjoy a new perspective looking up at the mountains from the lake. Tonight, we'll dine together in Interlaken and fuel up for another exciting day on the trail tomorrow.
Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Accommodations: Hotel Carlton Europe (or similar), Interlaken
Daily Activities: Kayaking (~2 hours)
In the afternoon, we will paddle on the turquoise blue waters of Lake Brienz. The name Interlaken means "between two lakes"; and these two stunning lakes are sure to take your breath away. This beginner-friendly kayak tour will allow us to get a closer look at the cliffs along the shore and the Ringenberg castle and enjoy a new perspective looking up at the mountains from the lake. Tonight, we'll dine together in Interlaken and fuel up for another exciting day on the trail tomorrow.
Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Accommodations: Hotel Carlton Europe (or similar), Interlaken
Daily Activities: Kayaking (~2 hours)
DAY 6
We bid adieu to Interlaken this morning and begin our journey to Adelboden by train and bus. With our legs ready to go after a day of rest, we start our hike from Adelboden, ascending along the Gilsbach river and continuing through the enchanting forests and vast alpine meadows that lead us up to Hahnenmoospass. We will enjoy our trail lunch with picturesque views of Lenk, a mountain village in the Hinteren Simmental area with a perfect backdrop of the Wildstrubel massif and more spectacular waterfalls. At the end of our hike in Bühlberg, we'll take a short and scenic bus ride to our hotel, which is well-situated to explore Lenk before enjoying dinner as a group.
Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Accommodations: Sporthotel Wildstrubel (or similar), Lenk
Daily Activities: Hiking (2-3 hours, 3-4 miles, approximately +370/-1,450 feet elevation gain/loss)
Travel Time: Train (~1.5 hours), Bus (~30 minutes)
Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Accommodations: Sporthotel Wildstrubel (or similar), Lenk
Daily Activities: Hiking (2-3 hours, 3-4 miles, approximately +370/-1,450 feet elevation gain/loss)
Travel Time: Train (~1.5 hours), Bus (~30 minutes)
DAY 7
After a traditional Swiss breakfast, we will slowly glide from Lenk up to Betelberg on a gondola ride. The panoramic hike to the cratered landscape of the Gryden area is something to behold. The rain gradually dissolves the almost white, relatively soft gypsum rock, creating a karst landscape and underground cavities, which then collapse. This collapse is visible in the form of a sinkhole on the surface—the craters, called Stübleni ("small rooms"), that the Gryden area is known for! After taking in this fascinating landscape, we continue on our hike, eventually reaching the beautiful Trütlisberg pass. We will descend through wildflowers and fields of free-roaming cows to reach the breathtaking town of Gstaad. We will enjoy one of the most beautiful train rides in all of Switzerland, as we hop on board the Montreux-Oberland Bahn. We will spend the next two nights in our hotel in Montreux. Upon arrival, you are free to dine at a restaurant of your choosing.
Included Meals: Breakfast
Accommodations: Hotel Eden Palace au Lac (or similar), Montreux
Daily Activities: Hiking (3-4 hours, 4.5-5 miles, approximately +500/-1,975 feet elevation gain/loss)
Travel Time: Train (~1.5 hours), Cable Car (~30 minutes), Bus (~30 minutes)
Included Meals: Breakfast
Accommodations: Hotel Eden Palace au Lac (or similar), Montreux
Daily Activities: Hiking (3-4 hours, 4.5-5 miles, approximately +500/-1,975 feet elevation gain/loss)
Travel Time: Train (~1.5 hours), Cable Car (~30 minutes), Bus (~30 minutes)
DAY 8
On the morning of our final day on the trail, we'll catch one last train up to Rochers de Naye. The view is impressive as Lake Geneva slowly makes its way into sight. On a clear day, we can see all the way to Mont Blanc, the highest mountain in Western Europe, and the 13,000-foot peaks of the Valais region of Switzerland. At the start of today's hike, we will have the chance to enjoy La Rambertia, a high-altitude botanical garden and a little paradise of alpine flora where—with a bit of luck—we might be able to find some edelweiss. Edelweiss is the rare alpine flower that is the national symbol of Switzerland. The last mile of the Via Alpina leads you on a spectacular path back to Lake Geneva, where we will cross the finish line of our route. We will head back to our hotel to get ready for our final dinner, where we will share memories and laughs from the past week and toast to finishing the Via Alpina.
Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Accommodations: Hotel Eden Palace au Lac (or similar), Montreux
Daily Activities: Hiking (2.5-3.5 hours, 4-5 miles, approximately +45/-2,680 feet elevation gain/loss)
Travel Time: Train (~1.5 hours)
Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Accommodations: Hotel Eden Palace au Lac (or similar), Montreux
Daily Activities: Hiking (2.5-3.5 hours, 4-5 miles, approximately +45/-2,680 feet elevation gain/loss)
Travel Time: Train (~1.5 hours)
DAY 9
Sadly, we must say goodbye to Switzerland today. After breakfast, you are free to depart anytime. The journey back to Zurich via train takes about 3 hours, so please plan your flight home for after 3:00 PM.
Included Meals: Breakfast
Included Meals: Breakfast
Reviews
This trip is brand new — be among the very first to experience it with AGC!
Dates & Prices
| Year | Departure Date | Availability | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
2026 |
August 22 to August 30 |
Available |
$7995.00 |
|
|
2027 |
August 21 to August 29 |
Available |
$8495.00 |
Year
2026
Departure Date
August 22 to August 30, 2026
Availability
Available
Price
$7995.00
Year
2027
Departure Date
August 21 to August 29, 2027
Availability
Available
Price
$8495.00
Make It Your Adventure
Turn any trip into a private experience for your group, or let us design a custom itinerary just for you! Whether it’s friends, family, or colleagues, we’ll make your journey unforgettable.
Common Questions
All participants are guaranteed their own bed on our trips.
A Single Supplement (SS) means you will have your own room with your own bed, and no other participants will share that room with you. Single supplements are limited, offered at an additional cost, and will appear as a booking option at the time of registration if still available.
A Double Accommodation means you will share a room with another participant. You will still have your own bed. Shared beds can be requested but cannot always be accommodated depending upon the property.
Bathrooms: Bathroom arrangements vary depending on the trip and lodging. A single supplement guarantees your own sleeping space but may still include a shared bathroom. Double accommodations typically share a bathroom with a roommate and sometimes additional participants, depending on the property. Private or ensuite bathrooms will be noted in the trip details when available.
Most breakfasts and dinners will be at your hotels or in restaurants where you can order off the menu or are buffet style. Lunches can be bought individually in food markets or restaurants, depending on the day.
If we know well in advance, we can accommodate vegetarian, lactose-free, and gluten-sensitive diets. We cannot guarantee a completely gluten-free diet and we cannot provide a kitchen guaranteed to be free of cross-contamination. If you are vegan, we ask that you bring some additional protein bars; and if you are gluten-sensitive, please bring some gluten-free snacks. If you have severe allergies, Celiac disease and/or other significant dietary restrictions, please call the office before you register.
Your luggage will be transported from hotel to hotel for you. You will only hike with what you need during the day (water, layers, snacks, etc) and then you will be reunited with your bag once we arrive at the hotel in the afternoon.
You only need to pay a single supplement if you want to guarantee you have your own room. Otherwise we’ll pair you up with someone and then switch roommates every time we switch lodging.
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