Lace up your hiking boots and get ready for this self-guided adventure in Switzerland's Bernese Oberland and Valais, justly famous for its spectacular summits (the Eiger, Mönch, Jungfrau, and Matterhorn), crystalline lakes and glaciers, and picturesque villages of traditional charm. It's the best of Switzerland—and at your own pace! Based in the charming resorts of Kandersteg and Zermatt, you'll head out each day on well marked trails to take in the outstanding alpine scenery, breathe the pure mountain air, and enjoy some invigorating exercise. And Switzerland's efficient transportation system—cable cars, chair lifts, gondolas, and trains—helps you experience as much beauty as possible in a relatively short period of time. We'll make all the hotel arrangements and provide you with detailed trip notes for each day's hike.

TRIP HIGHLIGHTS

• Self-guided hiking in Switzerland’s Bernese Oberland and the Valais Canton
• Stay in the alpine storybook villages of Kandersteg and Zermatt (right at the foot of the Matterhorn!)
• To facilitate your hikes, take advantage of the famed (and efficient) Swiss transportation system

What is a Self-Guided Tour Like?

What is a Self-Guided Tour Like? A self-guided tour is a fully organized vacation that’s a balance between doing everything on your own and being on a fully-guided group tour. You can choose when you want to go and with whom—we do the planning and look after the logistics while you enjoy the tour. There is no guide, no support vehicle and no group to hurry you along or slow you down. You can enjoy the freedom of going at your own pace, with support behind the scenes. More than being in good shape, a spirit of open-mindedness is recommended. It helps if you can take the initiative and be comfortable with the adventure of learning and exploring.

Note—There is an option to use a GPS (Global Positioning System) en route. The cost is approximately $16-$62, depending on the number of days you wish to use one, and will be provided and “uploaded” by your in-country host upon arrival.

DAY 1 (Sunday) ~ Kandersteg, Bernese Oberland

Arrive in Kandersteg (3,858'), a resort but still also a village with many resident farmers and cattle breeders (the world-known Simmental cattle are bred here). If you are flying into Zurich, you can easily catch a train to Kandersteg (we'll send you more detailed transfer information after you sign up). Kandersteg looks like a typical Swiss village with its old farmhouses and geraniums spilling from window boxes on the balconies. It is the north portal to the Lötschberg tunnel, the international railway between Germany, Switzerland, and Italy. Upon your arrival, check into the Hotel Victoria Ritter, situated in the center of the village about an 8-minute walk from the railway station. In the afternoon you'll have plenty of time to explore the village on your own. Your in-country host will meet you at your hotel at 6:00 p.m. for a thorough briefing on the days ahead.

Hotel Victoria Ritter, Kandersteg

DAY 2 (Monday) ~ Oeschinensee Lake

Before heading out on the first hike, you can stop at a local grocery store to pick up some items for your picnic lunch; there are also restaurants along the way, so you can usually choose either option. Take a chairlift up to Oeschinen/Läger (5,719'), from where you can walk down to Oeschinensee Lake (5,177') in the heart of the Bernese Oberland. The lake is famous for its gorgeous deep blue color and fantastic views. You'll be able to see the Blümlisalp (12,008') and the Hohtürli pass (9,114'). If you like, you can rent a rowboat and take a leisurely paddle on the lake. You can have your lunch at the lake or hike about 35 minutes up to the "Bärgbeizli" (mountain restaurant) Underbärgli, where Elsi and Toni will serve you a typical Swiss meal. After lunch, you'll walk across pastures and through pine and larch forests back to the valley along the Kander River. (1,861' elevation loss, 8 miles, 4½ hours hiking.)

Breakfast...Hotel Victoria Ritter, Kandersteg

DAY 3 (Tuesday) ~ Undere Allme

Short ride on a village bus to Filfalle, from where you start hiking. Soon you leave the Kander Valley and enter the Ueschinen Valley, a cattle breeding area where you might see marmots and chamois. Crossing pastures and forests you arrive at Usser Ueschine and walk on a panoramic trail with spectacular views of the opposite high peaks and down to the valley. Arrive at Undere Allme (5,858'), a spot with a few farmhouses and a mountain restaurant where you can buy lunch (or have your picnic). By cable car back to the bottom of the valley and then a short walk to your hotel. (2,037' elevation gain, 245' loss, 3.75 miles, 3 hours hiking.)

Breakfast... Hotel Victoria Ritter, Kandersteg

DAY 4 (Wednesday) ~ Kandersteg/Sunnbüel – Zermatt/Valais

Catch a local bus and ride to the end of the Kander valley to the Kandersteg-Sunnbüel cable car station. Take the cable car up to Sunnbüel (6,352’), the beginning of the well known Gemmi-Pass, a centuries-old connection between the Bernese Oberland and the Valais. The trail leads straight up to Sunnbüel, passing the so-called “Spittelmatte,” an area known for its richness of pretty wildflowers. As you near the Schwarzbach River, you enter the Canton of Valais, with views of 13,000-foot peaks that even in summer are covered by snow and ice. Continue to Arvenseelis (6,198’), a deep blue lake fed by the melting snows and glaciers—a great place for a rest or picnic!

Continue to a signpost at 6,450’, highest point of today’s walk, and down then to the cable car station for a ride down to the Kander valley. Return by bus to Kandersteg, pick up your luggage from the hotel, then take the train through the Lötschberg tunnel to Zermatt (you will need to change trains in Brig). (Elevation gain and loss not essential, 2 hours hiking, approx. 4 miles.)

Breakfast...Butterfly Hotel, Zermatt

DAY 5 (Thursday) ~ Zermatt – Gornergrat

In the morning you can explore the village of Zermatt for about an hour before setting off on your hike. Go by train up to Rotenboden (9,571'), enjoying fantastic views of the Matterhorn (14,782'), Breithorn, Castor and Pollux, Lyskamm, and the highest peak in Switzerland, Dufourspitze (15,217'), part of the Monte Rosa massif. Get off the train at Rotenboden and hike up to Gornergrat (10,506'), from where you'll have a gorgeous 360-degree panorama of the Gorner, Theodul, and Z'Mutt glaciers. This is a good place for your lunch (picnic or dine in one of the local restaurants). Continue hiking along the Gornerglacier down to Riffelsee Lake and on to Riffelberg (8,724'), from where you can catch a train back to Zermatt. (935' elevation gain, 1,782' loss, 4½ miles, 4 hours hiking.)

Breakfast...Butterfly Hotel, Zermatt

DAY 6 (Friday) ~ Zermatt – Schwarzsee

From Zermatt, take the cable car up to Furi and on to Schwarzsee (8,782') for an interesting hike at the foot of the Matterhorn down to Staffel, very close to the Z'Muttglacier (7,477'). You'll cross high alpine pastures where you might see marmots and chamois, and pass through forests before arriving back at Furi (6,412'). Return to Zermatt by cable car. (170' elevation gain, 2,370' loss, 5½ miles, 3½ hiking hours.)

Breakfast...Butterfly Hotel, Zermatt

DAY 7 (Saturday) ~ Depart

Take the train to the Geneva airport via Visp and Lausanne (flights generally do not depart before 1:00 p.m. to allow enough time to transfer to the airport). You could also take the train to the Zurich airport via Visp, Brig, Lötschberg Tunnel, Kandersteg, and Berne (we'll send you more detailed information in your confirmation packet). Connect with homeward-bound flights or continue to other destinations in Europe.

Breakfast...

Stay a Little Longer

Prefer a Group Adventure?
Check out our new Walking the Best of the Swiss Alps group adventure. Or you may wish to combine this trip with one of our regular group departures in Europe or other independent travel on your own.

Arrival & Departure Information

You need to arrive in Kandersteg by the late afternoon of Day 1. Your in-country host will meet you at your hotel and conduct a thorough trip briefing. The trip ends on Day 7 in Zermatt and you will need to transfer to the Geneva airport (or other destination) on your own.

Air Travel

Airfare is not included in the land cost of our trips. For air reservations, we recommend you contact the airlines directly, either by phone or the Internet. In addition, many travelers elect to use their "frequent flyer" miles when traveling with us. But please check with our staff before purchasing or obtaining your tickets, so we may verify your arrival and departure schedule.

Activity Level

Mountain Travel Sobek trips are designed for flexible, energetic people who like to be active and have a spirit of adventure and a positive attitude. This trip has been specifically designed for those who want to experience the grandeur of the mountains but at a comfortable, leisurely pace. The hikes are not difficult, but you will be hiking from three to four hours on most days.

If you are not optimally conditioned, we recommend that you start a training program at least three months before departure, gradually increasing the intensity and duration. If your health is questionable or your physical stamina is limited, please discuss other trip options with us.

What's Included

• accommodations in three-star hotels in Kandersteg and Zermatt
• breakfasts from Day 2-7
• trail maps, Kandersteg and Zermatt 1: 25,000, detailed itinerary, hiking guides, and supporting documents
• basic medical and evacuation insurance

What's Not

International airfare to Switzerland and return; train transportation to Kandersteg on Day 1; other personal train, cable car, or bus transportation on subsequent days; return train to Zurich or Geneva airport on Day 7; optional tips to hotel staff; insurance other than basic medical and evacuation insurance noted above (we strongly recommend you purchase the supplementary trip insurance offered by Mountain Travel Sobek, which includes trip cancellation insurance); lunches and dinners; use of GPS* (approximately $16-$62, depending on number of days you wish to use one); excess baggage charges; airport taxes (if any); cost of medical immunizations; and items of a personal nature (sodas, alcoholic beverages, laundry, phone calls, etc.).

*For an extra fee, you have the option to use a GPS tool to help navigate. Our representative will load the GPS with the daily hikes/walks of the itinerary, so you can easily take your topo map of the trails, and navigate your position from time to time by GPS. (We use a GARMIN eTrex Vista C.) The downloaded programs are in conjunction with the new Swiss Maps 25 for Bernese Oberland and Valais produced by the Swiss Federal Office of Topography. Note—If you own a GPS that you can use outside of the U.S., you can bring it to Switzerland and we can download the information to it.

Payment & Cancellation Policy

(This differs from regular Mountain Travel Sobek trips.)

I. Payment
At time of reservation: $800 or 25% of Land Cost, whichever is greater
120 days prior to departure: 25% of Land Cost
90 days prior to departure: Balance of Land Cost

II. Cancellation
If written notice of cancellation is received, Cancellation Fee will be:
From time of reservation until
90 days prior to departure: $800 or 25% of Land Cost, whichever is greater
89 to 60 days prior to departure: 50% of Land Cost
59 days or fewer prior to departure: 100% of Land Cost

Note on Itinerary

This itinerary has been carefully designed for optimal value. You may wish to combine this tour with another or add extensions at the beginning or end of your trip. However, if you wish to customize this tour, other terms and conditions apply (ask us about information on customized adventures). Travel Agent commissions or any type of other discounts do not apply to custom tours.

Although we will do our best to adhere to the itinerary schedule as listed, it is subject to change. Please read the Limitation of Liability and Booking Conditions in the four-page Participant Information Form. You can find all this information on our website.

Limitation of Liability

“Mountain Travel Sobek” is defined to include its owners, agents, directors, officers, employees, representatives and affiliates (collectively “Mountain Travel”). Except for the Alaska Discovery Inn, some small craft and some vans in Alaska, Mountain Travel does not own or operate any entity that provides goods or services for your trip including, for example, ownership or control over hotels or other lodging facilities, airline, vessel, bus, van or other transportation companies, local ground operators, providers or organizers of optional excursions, food service or entertainment providers, etc. All such persons and entities are independent contractors. As a result, Mountain Travel is not liable for any negligent or willful act or failure to act of any such person or entity, or of any other third party. Without limitation, Mountain Travel Sobek is not responsible for any injury, loss, or damage to person or property, death, delay or inconvenience in connection with the provision of any goods or services occasioned by or resulting from, but not limited to, acts of God, force majeure, acts of war or civil unrest, insurrection or revolt, strikes or other labor activities, criminal or terrorist activities of any kind, overbooking or downgrading of accommodations, structural or other defective conditions in hotels or other lodging facilities, mechanical or other failure of airplanes or other means of transportation or for any failure of any transportation mechanism to arrive or depart timely, dangers associated with animals, marine life or vegetation of any sort, dangers incident to recreational activities such as scuba diving, snorkeling, swimming, kayaking, sailing, canoeing, rafting, hiking, bicycling, rock climbing, etc., sanitation problems, food poisoning, lack of, access to or quality of medical care, difficulty in evacuation in case of a medical or other emergency, or for any other cause beyond the direct control of Mountain Travel. In addition, participants release Mountain Travel from its own negligence and assume all risk thereof. On advancement of deposit to Mountain Travel, the depositor therefore agrees to be bound by the above recited terms and conditions. These are partial conditions. Your participation is contingent on your signature on the full list of terms specified in the four-page Participant Information Form, which you can find on our website (or call us at 1-888-687-6235 and request a copy).

Arbitration

Any dispute concerning, relating or referring to these Terms and Conditions, to any literature concerning this trip, or the trip itself, shall be resolved exclusively by binding arbitration in San Francisco, California, according to the then existing rules of the American Arbitration Association. Such proceedings will be governed by substantive California law without regard to the California Arbitration Act.

Conditions of Participation

Your participation on a Mountain Travel Sobek trip is subject to the conditions stated in the four-page Participant Information Form, which includes the Agreement and Release from Liability and the Booking Conditions. Specific information on payment and cancellation policies is also contained within this document, as well as in our current catalog and on our website. We urge you to read this information carefully, and to call us at 1-888-MTSOBEK (687-6235) if you have any questions.

Why Mountain Travel Sobek is Your First Choice for Adventure

Mountain Travel Sobek is the pioneer in active adventure travel. No other adventure travel company can lay claim to that title. We were the first to take Americans trekking in Nepal, raft the wild rivers of Africa, and open up many previously inaccessible corners of the world to curious travelers. We set the standard for adventure travel and have a strong reputation for excellence that we do everything we can to maintain. Since we are the leading adventure company, we have a lot to live up to, so we make sure we provide safe, quality trips and the best customer service to our passengers.

References

Don't take our word for how great our trips are. We'll be happy to provide you with references of satisfied past travelers. Just give us a call at 1-888-MTSOBEK (687-6235).

Questions?

Feel free to call us at 1-888-MTSOBEK (687-6235) if you still have any questions or concerns. We're here to help you.

Note on Itinerary

Although we will do our very best to adhere to the itinerary schedule as listed, it is subject to change for numerous reasons beyond our control. Please read the Limitations of Liability and Booking Conditions in the four-page Participant Information Form.

This itinerary has been carefully designed for optimal value. You may wish to combine this tour with another or add extensions at the beginning or end of your trip. However, if you wish to customize this tour, other terms and conditions apply (ask us about information on customized adventures). Travel Agent commissions or any type of other discounts do not apply to this tour.

Conditions of Participation

Your participation on a Mountain Travel Sobek trip is subject to the conditions stated in the four-page Participant Information Form, which includes the Agreement and Release from Liability and the Booking Conditions. We urge you to read this information carefully, and to call us if you have any questions.

Note on Services

We often use local suppliers who provide services that may include transportation, equipment, logistic support, and other services (hotels, restaurants, etc.). We do not own or operate these independent suppliers. We work with service providers who share our commitment to safety and quality, and work closely with them to develop itineraries unique to Mountain Travel Sobek.

Ready to go? Signing up is easy!

Just call us at 1-888-MTSOBEK (687-6235) or make a reservation request online. Immediately after we receive your deposit, we will request your preferred dates. Upon confirmation (usually within four business days), we will send you a packet with all the information you need to get ready for your trip, including clothing recommendations, suggested reading lists, and other details.

Approximately 30 days before your departure, we'll send you detailed, step-by-step instructions, with emergency contact numbers, a detailed map, and other important information. Upon arrival at your destination, you will be met by your in-country host who will help orient you and describe what to expect in the week to come.