Day 1 – Arrival into Grindelwald

Arrive at the hotel in Grindelwald in good time to join your guide at 6pm for a trip briefing. There are good train links from Zurich. If you arrive early there are plenty of outdoor shops in Grindelwald (or Interlaken) to browse or you could visit some local sites - Trummelbach Falls is a favourite of ours. As this is a hotel-based trekking week, every night's accommodation will be the same high quality Grindelwald hotel with dinner included and full access to your luggage. 

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Accommodation: hotel, dinner included

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Day 2 – Trek to Stieregg and the Unterer Grindelwaldgletscher

Today we'll hop on the bus from Grindelwald to Hotel Wetterhorn. From here we pick up the undulating contour path along the side of the valley to Chalet Milbach. This high-level balcony path has superb views onto the icefall of the Oberer Grindelwaldgletscher (Upper Grindelwald Glacier). The path then leads up to Pfingstegg (1391 m / 4564 ft) and offers a refreshment stop. From here we follow the path through the meadow and along a path which rises steadily through the valley. Continuing on, we can look down into the gorge carved out by the glacier. Towering above the valley is the east ridge of the Eiger. We head to the end of the valley with the Unterer Grindelwaldgletscher stretching out before us as we reach Stieregg (1702 m / 5584 ft) and our lunch stop at Bäregg. After lunch we return along the same path to Pfingstegg to catch the cable car back down to Grindelwald. Alternatively we can return to Grindelwald through the forest. Though rather steep in places it is on good footpaths throughout. Optional: The day can be extended by missing out the bus to the Hotel Wetterhorn and hiking up to it from Grindelwald instead. This is 3.5 km (2.2 miles) and takes approximately 1.5 hours.

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Ascent: 558 m / 1831 ft

Descent: 397 m / 1302 ft

Distance: 8.5 km / 5.3 miles

Approximate walking time: 4-5 hrs

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Day 3 – Trek the Eiger Trail

Our walk today takes us beneath the mighty North Face of the Eiger. We begin with a short hike up to Gletscherschlucht (Glacier Gorge). Next we'll head through the forest and out onto the rocky paths with good views over to Grindelwald. We then make our way up some smooth slabs which climb a series of terraces with the help of an easy angled ladder. The path continues winding through the forest up to Schüssellauenen and out into the open with the Eiger's Mittelleig Ridge rising high above us. We then make the steady descent to Alpiglen and our lunch stop. For those who'd like to make the day shorter it's possible to take the train from Grindelwald to Alpiglen to join the group. After lunch we pick up the Eiger Trail and follow this up to Eigergletscher (Eiger Glacier). We'll pass waterfalls cascading down the mountain's north face, and will pass close to the wall where we might see climbers embarking on the famous ascent. From our vantage point on high, we'll be rewarded with views of the Eigergletscher cascading down the mountain side. From Eigergletcher we descend to Kleine Scheidegg to take the train back to Grindelwald. For those with weary legs you can take the train from Eigergletscher to meet the group at Kleine Scheidegg.

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Ascent: 1510 m / 4954 ft

Descent: 500 m / 1640 ft

Distance: 15 km / 9.3 miles

Approximate walking time: 7.5 hrs

 

Day 4 – Trek the Schynige Platte

Today's walk is one of the most impressive in the region and is a real favourite of ours. After an early train ride to Wilderswil we take the historic funicular railway to the Schynige Platte. Next to the station is an incredible alpine garden boasting over 500 plant species and outstanding panoramas over the Lütschental and Lauterbrunnental valleys. We take the panoramaweg past the station and up onto a grassy ridge with fantastic views down to Lake Brienz (Brienzersee in German). Continuing, we traverse a steep slope to the pass below the peak of the Laucherhorn (2020 m / 6627 ft) and then follow a path which rises over rocks and scree to the remote Weber hut, passing a small tarn en route. From the hut we take a steep path to a wide ridge with wonderful views across to the snowcapped peaks of Mönch, Jungfrau and the Eiger. We then follow the ridge and take an easy, zig-zagging path to the summit of the Faulhorn (2681 m / 8796 ft) for a well-deserved refreshment stop. We come down from the summit via a broad, winding path to Gassenboden and continue our descent to Lake Bachalpsee. We then head for the 'First' cable car to take us back to Grindelwald or there's the option to hire Trotti Bikes (supplement payable) to make the speedy return back down instead. Note: This is one of the week's longer and more challenging walks. It is possible to reduce the length and difficulty by omitting the Faulhorn summit, or by descending to Bussalp Oberlap.

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Ascent: 614 m / 2014 ft

Descent: 513 m / 1683 ft

Distance: 15 km / 9.3 miles

Approximate walking time: 6-7 hrs

 

Day 5 – Rest Day 

This is such a treat-packed region that we've built a rest day into your week so you can take a day visiting the sights that most appeal to you. Here are some top recommendations (or just relax with a book in the hotel).  Journey on the famous Jungfraujoch Railway to the highest railway station in Europe (at 3454 m / 11332 ft). Hike along the marked footpath over the ice field for a coffee at the highest occupied hut in Europe: Mönchsjochhütte (3650 m / 11975 ft). Explore Interlaken and stroll around the town, relax by the lake or take a cruise on Lake Thunsee to the beautiful, medieval town of Thun with its castle. Visit the Trümmelbach Falls - hidden inside a mountain - which carry the Jungfrau region's glacial meltwaters down to the valley at a rate of 20,000 litres per second. Travel to Mürren and hike from the car-free village to the summit of the Schilthorn (2970 m), famous for its starring role in the James Bond film 'On her Majesty's Secret Service'. You might need to add more days to the end of your trip to fit all the sights in!

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Day 6 – Trek from Männlichen to Wengen

Today's walk takes us to the car-free village of Wengen. After taking the Holstein cable car from Grindelwald up to Männlichen (2227m / 7306 ft) we'll trek the short ascent to the summit of Männlichen Gipfl (2342m / 7684 ft) to admire the vistas of the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau before descending to Männlichen for the return cable car descent to Wengen. This next section follows the final part of the Eiger Ultra Trail. Don't worry, we take it at a much more relaxed pace! Farm trails lead us out of Wengen towards Mettlenalp, from where a panorama of the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau opens out in front of us, with the Lauterbrunnen valley off to the left. The route then takes us steadily up to Wengernalp through open farmland and alpine flower-filled meadows. At Wengernalp we follow the railway line up to Kleine Scheidegg for a well-earned refreshment stop. Options at this point are either to take the path over to Männlichen and return to Grindelwald via the Holstein cable car, or to take the gentle path from Kleine Scheidegg to Alpiglen station for the train back to Grindelwald.

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Ascent: 1070 m / 3510 ft (902 m / 2959 ft route to Alpiglen)

Descent: 115 m / 377 ft (560 m / 1837 ft route to Alpiglen)

Distance: 12 km / 7.4 miles

Approximate walking time: 5-6 hrs

 

Day 7 – Trek the Upper Sefinentail valley from Mürren  

We have an early start today with a journey on the train from Grindelwald to Lauterbrunnen. At Lauterbrunnen we take the cable car to Grütschalp from where we catch the train to Mürren. We'll take the steep path to the upper station of the Allmendhubel funicular railway. From the station we head out and up to Sonnenberg through grassy meadows. We then pick up the path which contours along the mountainside beneath the Schilthorn cable car and to the farmland pasture at Schiltalp. We then make our way out to the isolated Rotstockhütte following the steadily rising Wasenegg ridge with wonderful views all along the way. Our lunch stop is the Rotstockütte (2039 m / 6690 ft) where we can enjoy the superb panorama of the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau. For the return we follow the trail to Brig and descend via the Wasenegg ridge, a fantastic view of the Jungfrau straight ahead. At the end of the ridge the path descends to the river, which we follow down to Spielbodenalp and back into Mürren.

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Ascent: 610 m / 2001 ft

Descent: 825 m / 2707 ft

Distance: 13 km / 8 miles

Approximate walking time: 5 hrs

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Day 8 – Departure day

Our fantastic, week-long trekking exploration of Switzerland's Bernese Oberland finishes after breakfast today.

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