Date(s) June 22nd, 2024 - Jun 29th, 2024 July 13th, 2024 - Jul 20th, 2024 August 31st, 2024 - Sep 7th, 2024
Number of people
A hiking trip to Bernese Oberland is the epitome of an Alpine paradise. The views you’ll be witnessing over the course of 8-days are nothing short of spectacular, with snow-capped peaks, cow-grazed meadows, and crystalline lakes providing an unforgettable experience in the Swiss Alps. The charming Grindelwald and a high-quality hotel will be your base, breakfasts and dinners are taken care of, and every day you’ll use the fantastic transportation to maximize your explorations. Feel the Swiss hospitality, and taste their mouth-drooling cuisine, marvel at unique natural gems.
Settle into your hotel in Grindelwald and join your guide at 6pm for a briefing. If you arrive early, there are plenty of shops and local sites—such as Trümmelbach Falls—to explore in Grindelwald. As this is a hotel-based trekking trip, your base for the week is the same, high-quality Grindelwald with breakfast and dinner included. Meals: Dinner Accommodation: Hotel in Grindelwald
Hop on a bus to Hotel Wetterhorn (or you can hike up, extra 3.5 km / 2.2. miles), from where you’ll get on the undulating trail along the side of the valley to Chalet Milbach. This balcony path has superb views of the icefall of the Oberer Grindelwaldgletscher. Continue onto Pfingstegg (1,391 m / 4,564 ft) for a refreshment stop. From here, follow the path through the meadow and along a path which rises steadily—enjoy views of the gorge and the east ridge of Eiger. As you reach Stieregg, have lunch at Bäregg. Return along the same path to Pfingstegg and catch the cable car back to Grindelwald. Another option is reaching Grindelwald through the forest: although rather steep, the footpaths are good throughout. Meals: Breakfast and dinner Accommodation: Hotel in Grindelwald Distance: 4-5 hours Hiking: 8.5 km / 5.3 miles Elevation: +558 m / +1,831 ft | -397 m / -1,302 ft
Start the day with a short hike up to Gletscherschlucht. Next you’ll head through the forest and out onto the rocky paths with great views of Grindelwald. Make your way up some smooth slabs, which are easily climbed with the help of a ladder. The trail continues winding through the forest up to Schüssellauenen and out into the open with views of Eiger Mittellegi Ridge. Descend to Alpiglen for your lunch stop (or take the train from Grindelwald to Alpiglen if you want to make the day shorter), and after it, pick up the Eiger Trail until you reach Eigergletscher. You might even see climbers embarking on the famous ascent. Once you’ve taken in views of the Eigergletscher cascading down the mountain, descend to Kleine Scheidegg and go back to Grindelwald (or take the train from Eigergletscher). Meals: Breakfast and dinner Accommodation: Hotel in Grindelwald Distance: 7.5 hours Hiking: 15 km / 9.3 miles Elevation: +1,510 m / +4,954 ft | -500 m / -1,640 ft
After a train ride to Wilderswil, take the historic funicular to Schynige Platte. Next to the station is an incredible alpine garden and great panoramas over the Lütschental and Lauterbrunnental valleys. Take the Panoramaweg past the station and enjoy fantastic views down to Lake Brienz. Traverse a steep slope to the pass below the peak of Loucherhorn (2,230 m / 6,627) and reach the remote Weber hut. From there, follow the trail boasting views of snow-capped peaks of Mönch, Jungfrau, and Eiger. Once you reach the summit of Faulhorn, have a well-deserved refreshment stop. Descend down to Gassenboden and Lake Bachalpsee. Take the “first” cable car to go back to Grindelwald or hike Trotti Bikes (additional fee) to make the speedy return. Note: It’s possible to reduce the length of today’s walk. Talk with your guides. Meals: Breakfast and dinner Accommodation: Hotel in Grindelwald Distance: 6-7 hours Hiking: 15 km / 9.3 miles Elevation: +614 m / +2,014 ft | -513 m / -1,683 ft
Such a unique area deserves a rest day so you can explore the surroundings (or just relax at the hotel). Here are some top recommendations:
Meals: Breakfast and dinner Accommodation: Hotel in Grindelwald
Take the Holstein cable car from Grindelwald up to Männlichen and reach the summit of Männlichen Gipfl (2,342 / 7,306 ft). From there, admire views of Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau before taking the cable car down to the car-free village of Wengen. Next section follows the final part of the Eiger Ultra Trail, after which you continue towards Mettlenalp via farm trails—once again, expect terrific views of those peaks. Go steadily up to Wengernalp through the open farmlands and meadows. Follow the railway line up to Kleine Scheidegg for a refreshment stop. You can either take the path over to Männlichen and return to Grindelwald via the Holstein cable car, or take the gentle path from Kleine Scheidegg to Alpiglen station to board a train back to Grindelwald. Meals: Breakfast and dinner Accommodation: Hotel in Grindelwald Distance: 5-6 hours Hiking: 12 km / 7.4 miles Elevation: +1,070 m / +3,510 ft | -115 m / -377 ft OR to Alpiglen +902 m / 2,959 ft | -560 m / 1,837 ft
Wake up early and take a train ride to Lauterbrunnen. From there, take the cable car to Grütschalp, where you’ll catch the train to Mürren. Follow a steep path to the upper station of the Allmendhubel funicular railway, and continue walking up to Sonnenberg through the meadows. Pick up the path that contours along the mountainside beneath the Schilthorn cable car and to Schiltalp. Then you’ll make your way out to the isolated Rotstockhütte at 2,039 m / 6,690 ft—where you’ll stop for lunch—following the Wassenegg ridge with wonderful views along the way. Once you’ve soaked in the views, follow the trail to Brig, descend via the Wassenegg ridge, and follow the river down to Spielbodenalp, and back into Mürren. Meals: Breakfast and dinner Accommodation: Hotel in Grindelwald Distance: 5 hours Hiking: 13 km / 8 miles Elevation: +610 m / +2,001 ft | -825 m / -2,707 ft
Your hiking adventure in the Bernese Oberland has come to an end. Return to the airport or keep on exploring—just ask your guides for some recommendations! Meals: Breakfast
What you get on this adventure:
What’s not included:
To fully enjoy the 8-day tour with 5 days of trekking and one rest day in the Bernese Oberland, a moderate to high level of fitness is recommended. You should be comfortable with hiking between 5.3 and 9.3 miles (8.5 and 15 km) per day with up to 5,000 feet (1,520 m) of elevation gain. Keep in mind that you’ll also be carrying a daypack filled with things you might need throughout the day.
Some walks are more challenging than the others, but you can always walk at a steady pace. As you’ll be based in Grindelwald for the duration of this tour, there is an option to skip a day if you’d like. The excellent transport network allows for walks to be shortened and this is something you can discuss with your guide once you’re there.
Here’s a list of the equipment you need to bring:
Dress comfortably and for the weather in clothes you can move in. We suggest bringing clothing appropriate for the season. Layers are best and don’t wear jeans.
Group sizes and prices:
Hiking in the Bernese Oberland can be arranged for larger groups. Contact us to make arrangements.
Min. age requirements:
A 20% non-refundable deposit to secure your place is due upon booking. The remaining amount is paid 10 weeks (70 days) prior to departure. Once the trip is confirmed by the guide, the cancellation policy stated below applies.
To get to Grindelwald, the starting point of your hiking adventure in Bernese Oberland, most people fly into Zurich Airport (ZRH). It takes around 2.5 hours to reach Grindelwald by car and around 3 hours by train. You can also fly into Geneva Airport (GVA), but add an hour to your journey.
Once you and your guide agree on the details of your itinerary, your guide will suggest the best place to meet in Grindelwald.
57hours is committed to providing safe outdoor adventure experiences. We require all guides using our platform to have a COVID-19 safety plan and to make the details of that plan accessible to travelers. In most cases, group sizes will be reduced, guides will avoid overcrowded locations, and other safety measures will be met depending on the location and activity.
We also expect clients to respect local regulations and take measures to protect themselves, their guides, and the communities they’re traveling to. For more information on COVID-19 measures in Switzerland, please refer to COVID-19 information by Switzerland’s Federal Office of Public Health.
Please contact us if you have any questions or require further information. We are happy to provide you with the most up-to-date information!