sign in sign up
<<
Home , Jungfrau, Muottas Muragl

Swiss Walking & Rail Adventure

10 days / 9 nights

Guided Walking Tour Graubünden, & Bernese

Guided Walking Tour Graubünden, Matterhorn &

This 10 day guided tour takes us to the three mountain top spots in . Graubünden is the land of the wild mountain goat, its Heidi's home, it's the source of the Rhine, it's Switzerland's biggest holiday region. We explore this fantastic area on historic Via Valtellina. 47 four thousand metre peaks, impressive glaciers and deep gorges invite you to discover tranquil or hair-raising paths in . In-between we enjoy the famous Glacier Express before we head on to the and beauty of the Bernese Alps. 10 days, millions of highlights!

Visit Davos - the largest Alpine Resort in the

Trek on historical path "Via Valtellina"

Champagne Atmosphere in the Engadine - St. Moritz Valley

Unforgettable train ride with the famous Glacier Express

Hikes on the foot of the Matterhorn / Gornergrat

Jungfrau Region: the most beautiful Mountain scenery in the world

Dates / Rack rates 2012 Basic price in a Single room Small group double room supplement surcharge (2-5 Pax) Price per person CHF CHF CHF July 16-25 July 30 - August 8 3100 300 250 September 10-19 Guaranteed departures with minimum 2, maximum 16 participants Net rates are based upon Swiss Pass or Swiss Flexi Pass 1st class which is not included in the basic price

You have the opportunity to make your tour climate-neutral We work with the climate protection foundation «myclimate» on specially chosen projects to offset the volume of emissions during your tour. This results reduced emissions and the use of renewable energy. Voluntary contribution CHF 7.00 per person/tour

Services - operated by baumeler  accommodation 3-4* hotels incl. half board except on day 1 and 10 (meals as noted; B=Breakfast, PL=Picnics-Lunch, L=Lunch, D=Dinner)  tips to porters and drivers  all cable car rides and public transport throughout the tour starting in Davos, finishing in (on basis of a Swiss Pass train Ticket)  all entrance fees for excursions  luggage transport from Davos throughout the tour until Grindelwald  English-speaking travel guide/hiking guide  Extensive travel documentation  Company liability of CHF 20 Mio.

Not included  International airfare  transfer to Davos and from Grindelwald  meals not noted on itinerary  all drinks  travel insurance  optional tipping to tour guide

Hiking/Walking rating moderate

Duration The treks take between 3 and 6 hours each day.

Paths At the beginning we walk along country paths and forest roads. In the mountains trekking takes us along narrow paths.

Altitude differential There are some steeper climbs to manage. The ascents are usually evenly steep. The altitude differential quoted in the travel programme relates to the entire trek and is generally divided up between a number of shorter ascents and descents.

TRAVEL PROGRAMME

1st day Davos, Switzerland

Individual journey to Davos.

Davos in is a place of superlatives: this holiday destination with international ambience is the largest resort in the Alps for mountain holidays, sport and conferences, at 1560 m the highest town in the Alps and a high- altitude health resort with a long tradition.

Our Hotel for the first night is member of the Swiss Historic Hotels and nested some hundreds meter above the village of Davos, reachable with a private cable car only.

Meet your tourguide at the hotel Schatzalp. On the first day he offers you a short guided walk down to Davos and a good briefing on your upcoming hiking week

D, Hotel Schatzalp, Davos

2nd day Davos - Scaletta Pass - S-chanf Hiking time approx. 6 ½ hrs. Up 1100 m, down 750 m

We leave Davos after breakfast by postbus to Dürrboden, from where we start our hike on the historic route of Via Valtellina. Following the Landwasser valley we climb Scalettapass and can enjoy a stunning view on the Grisons Mountainworld.

The Scaletta and Flüela pass crossings were keen rivals of long standing. The main bone of contention was responsibility for maintenance and upkeep, particularly keeping the crossings open in winter. There simply weren’t enough resources to clear both routes. In 1680, Davos and Zuoz signed a contract holding Davos responsible for closing the Flüelapass in winter and providing four men well-appointed with oxen, horses and equipment to keep the Scalettapass clear up to the summit in all weathers. In 1681, the Scalettapass was eschewed in favour of the Flüelapass, and Davos signed a maintenance contract with the municipality of Süs for a period of 20 years.

After our descent to Chapella we are in the Engadine Valley already.

B, D. Sporthotel Scaletta ***, S-chanf

3rd day S-chanf - St. Moritz Hiking time approx. 5 ½ hrs. Up 350 m, down 200 m

Our trek leads through picturesque villages in the Upper . Zuoz, Madulain and are only a few on the way to St. Moritz. We do have enough time to enjoy the scenery and the local specialities in typical restaurants (individual lunch).

St. Moritz is one of the world’s most famous holiday resorts. Chic, elegant and exclusive with a cosmopolitan ambiance, it is located at 1,856 metres above sea level in the middle of the Upper Engadin lake landscape. The dry, sparkling «champagne climate» is legendary and the celebrated St. Moritz sun shines for an average of 322 days a year.

B, D, Hotel Steffani **** St. Moritz

4th day Alp Languard - Muottas Muragl Hiking time approx. 6 hrs. Up 950 m, down 100 m

We suggest a gentle walk from St. Moritz to , ideal for a warm up and get to know the area. Climb up to Alp Languard (Option: Chair-lift) the starting point for our fantastic high-altitude walk. Always following the signs for Muottas Muragl, you take a narrow path that winds along the steep slope. Shortly before the end, the path takes a detour into the rocky Val Muragl. A final gentle climb leads up to the vantage point at Muottas Muragl.

Finally, towards the end of the tour, the whole array of Upper Engadine lakes lies at your feet, a stunning sight. Walking along the slope of the mountain, you at first more or less follow the tree line, here at between 2200 and 2300 m. Treeless and bare by contrast, yet still very colourful in its way, is the Val Muragl. The crowning glory of the walk is the unique vantage point on Muottas Muragl, where the panorama extends from Piz Palü in the south-east to in the west.

B, D, Hotel Steffani **** St. Moritz

5th day St. Moritz - Zermatt by rail

Today we board the famous Glacier Express. The sheer joy of travel aboard the Glacier Express: presenting you with a cross-section of the richly varied Swiss countryside. On board the Glacier Express, meals are prepared specially for you by the chef in the dining car. Coffee, drinks and snacks are brought to your seat

by the Railbar staff. The Glacier Express: glistening mountains in Summer; a fairy-tale landscape; a magical carpet of flowers in Spring; a splendid tapestry of colour in Autumn. The Glacier Express: one of the world's most famous train journeys!

Arrival in Zermatt and Transfer to our Hotel at the foot of famous Matterhorn!

B, L, D, Hotel Hemizeus***, Zermatt

6th day Hiking on the foot of the Matterhorn Hiking time approx. 5 ½ hrs. Up 850 m, down 850 m

On the Italian border of the canton of Valais in the west of Switzerland, at the end of the 30 km-long Nikolaital, lies Zermatt, the village at the foot of the Matterhorn, the most photographed mountain in the world. Zermatt epitomises the image of Switzerland: high-alpine, awe-inspiring and original. Zermatt and the Matterhorn has been visited by mountaineers from all around the world since the first successful ascent of the Matterhorn in 1865. The air up here is clear, dry and clean, because, since 1947, only electric cars without a combustion engine are allowed to operate in the village. We still have time for a short introduction hike through the village and in the area.

The famous Edelweissweg is well known because here you have the possibility to discover the real Swiss Alpine flower, the Edelweiss. Trift is a beautiful place with a well known restaurant und Zmutt is may be the most lovely village in this area. Wooden Chalets, green fields, marmots on the way and above the mighty Matterhorn. Breathtaking!

B, D, Hotel Hemizeus***, Zermatt

7th day Zermatt Gornergrat - Mürren Hiking time approx. 2 hrs. Up 300 m, down 300 m

For more than 100 years the Gornergrat Bahn has been making the ascent to the panoramic mountain a truly unique and wonderful experience. Europe’s highest open-air cogwheel railway departs daily every 24 minutes, climbing to the Gornergrat 9.339 km away. The train crosses impressive bridges, galleries and tunnels. In the midst of idyllic forests and alpine meadows, past rocky gorges and tarns. Accompanied by the majestic mountains, first and foremost by the Matterhorn. The Gornergrat Bahn provides access to a fantastic hiking area around the Gornergrat.

We leave the Matterhorn Village in the afternoon. A scenic train ride from Zermatt to Visp and further through the Lötschberg brings us to Spiez, and Mürren.

Mürren - peace, quiet and spectacular views at this beautifully located, sunny, car free resort. The cosy, pedestrian, «Walser» village offers an impressive panorama of the , Mönch and Jungfrau. Mürren (1650 m) is the highest, permanently inhabited settlement in the canton Berne and is reached by cable- car.

B, D, Hotel Eiger****, Mürren

8th day Mürren - Stechelberg - Oberhornsee Hiking time approx. 6 hrs. Up 1146 m, down 1146 m. (Option: 4 to 5 hrs hike with 800 m altitude)

We leave Mürren by cable car and catch the post car to and Stechelberg, our next hiking starting point. From Stechelberg, an easy, slightly uphill hike through the wild, romantic valley to Trachsellauenen, with its mountain hotel and restaurant (1hr). The trail then climbs more steeply along the left side of the valley, either via Ammerten to the Hotel Tschingelhorn and on to Hotel Obersteinberg (1 hrs), or directly to Obersteinberg via Schurboden and the Tschingel Lütschine.

From Obersteinberg, a narrow footpath leads up to the Oberhornsee Lake (2065 m) in the Nature Reserve (2 hrs). Return route: via Schafläger, with a detour to Läger, directly below the Schmadribach Falls and back to Stechelberg.

In the afternoon we travel to Grindelwald. Grindelwald lies nestled in unspoilt Alpine landscape at the foot of the Eiger north face. The world-famous backdrop of the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau set the scene for Grindelwald.

B, D, Hotel Kirchbühl****, Grindelwald

9th day - Faulhorn - First Hiking time approx. 5 hrs. 40 min. Up 300 m, down 400 m.

A classical panoramic trail to Europes oldest mountain hostel. A unique panorama trail above the tree line. On the Schynige Platte one becomes aware of the wonderful contrasts in colour between the firn dazzling summits, the green valleys and the Lütschine and Aare rivers. On the trail from the Schynige Platte to First we will pass two quitely different mountain lakes, the Sägistal-

and Bachalp lakes. A visit to Europes oldest mountain hostel on the Faulhorn and the breathtaking views of the summits around Grindelwald, as you carry on to First, make this hike unique and well worth the long effort. The trail is completely natural and expectantly rough.

B, D, Hotel Kirchbühl****, Grindelwald

10th day Departure or onward programme

Your Swiss Adventure Holiday comes to an end. We are happy to organise your onward programme or your journey back to the airport.

B

SUBJECT TO PROGRAMME AND HOTEL CHANGES! Hiking times can vary depending on the weather and travel group