Swiss Alps Splendor
$4390 | Sept 2026 | 12 days | 8 spots
Feb 1st Sign up deadline
“Climb every mountain. Forge every stream. Follow every rainbow, till you find your dream. ”
Schedule
Beginning to mid-September
Having just spent two weeks in this region, I realized that one can see and experience so much more Switzerland & France have to offer in this itinerary than spending 10 days circumnavigating a vastly popular & crowded, albeit beautiful mountain range, as the Tour Mont Blanc.
The lakes and snowcapped peaks you will behold over the next 12 days will have you feeling like you’ve entered a fairy-tale like world. Switzerland is one of THE most expensive countries to travel, and for good reason. Their transportation runs like a SWISS WATCH. Seamless. Villages are magical. Trails are pristine. Food is divine.
The itinerary would be as follows:
Fly into Zurich and take a one-hour train into Lucerne. This is where our Alpine Adventure begins!
We will spend one night in Lucerne before ferrying across Lake Lucerne to Brennan where we will take a bus and then a series of chairlifts and gondolas to reach Fronalpstock, our lodging while hiking the beautiful Stoos Ridge. We will have the mountain all to ourselves after the last chairlift has descended for the evening.
The following day we reverse our direction, by way of the charming ferry ride across Lake Lucerne, departing for the famed Jungfrau Region in the Bernese Oberland. This will be a travel day, but the scenery and modes of transportation will keep you staring out the window as we roll past villages with chalets set on hillsides above turquoise lakes. At Lake Brienz will embark upon one final ferry to Interlocken where we will board a train to Lauterbrunnen.
A few days will be spent in the quaint Jungfrau Region, hiking, biking, shopping and exploring these idyllic villages.
Another seamless train-ride will then take us to the car free hamlet of Zermatt, home to the Matterhorn. Hiking abounds in this region, and we shall embark on several!
Next, it’s a train to the quaint French town of Chamonix, at the base of the towering Mont Blanc. Depending on how we feel, we’ll have the option to do Leg #1 of the TMB or rent bikes and ride to Les Houches for lunch. We will complete the iconic Leg 11 Segment of the Tour Mont Blanc. Chairlifts should still be running to save our knees from the relentless downhill!
Annecy France will be our final destination, set on one of the cleanest lakes in Europe. We will meander around cobblestone streets, peek into Cathedrals, tour a former prison, walk the Venice-like canals and bike along lake-side trails.
A one-hour bus transfer will take us from Annecy to Geneva Switzerland Airport for our flight home.
Route
(See Hike Details Below)
This itinerary has us hiking, biking, boating and walking the same distance we would be experiencing if doing the Tour Mont Blanc.
We will hit 100+ miles over our 12 days. Only with a few differences…..
The elevation gain just won’t be as high.
More immersed in the culture and vibe of various towns, hamlets & villages.
Sleeping in softer beds with down comforters.
Not bunking w strangers.
Dining on food of your choice.
Last but not least, the ability to easily “opt out” of a day’s hike/activity if you aren’t feeling up to it!
Hike Details/Moderate to Challenging
Stoos Ridge —-8 miles RT /3,000 gain (Moderate to Challenging Alpine walk along a narrow grassy ridge with sweeping 360 degree views of lakes and snowcapped peaks).
Schynige Platte/Faulhorn/First —-11 miles/3,000 gain (Moderate to Challenging, long distance, exposed ridge. Jaw dropping panoramic views of the Eiger, Monch, Jungfrau and Lake Brienz).
Murren Via Ferrata—1.5 miles/1000 loss (An adrenaline-filled cliffside route descending from Murren to Grimmelwald, secured by steel cables and ladders with epic views over the Lauterbrunnen Valley, all while safely harnessed in).
Lauterbrunnen Valley Bike 8-10 miles/minimal elevation
Zermatt—Gorner Gorge to Furi Suspension Bridge 6 miles/1,200 gain (Moderate)
Zermatt—Sunnegga-Stellisee-Grindjisee/5-Seenweg 6-8 miles depending on route/1,500 (Moderate) Alpine lake with Matterhorn Reflection
Zermatt—Gornergrat to Riffealp to Zermatt—7 miles/3,000 loss (Moderate) Alpine views
Zermatt—Matterhorn Glacier Trail 8.5 RT/750 feet gain (EASY, stunning views of Matterhorn)
Chamonix—TMB Leg #1—9 miles/2,200 gain, 2,200 loss (Moderate to Challenging, Alpine trails, breathtaking peaks, rugged trails). Chairlift Ascent.
Chamonix—TMB Leg #11—8 miles/3,100 gain, 1650 loss (Challenging. Views of the Mont Blanc massif & Lac Blanc Rocky. Exposed. Ladders). Chairlift Descent.
Annecy—Bike along lake Annecy 10 miles/flat
Criteria & Pricing
A good cardiovascular base and endurance hiking experience.
A minimum of 5 spots must be filled by Feb 1st 2026 for this Adventure to take place.
Once the initial deposit had been made, I will start to secure bookings. Each deposit will be non-refundable but can be transferrable.
At Registration-$1390
April 1st-$1000
May 1st-$1000
June 1st-$1000
Included
Training plan and local training hikes
Packing checklist
Coordinating & booking /hotels/ferries/gondolas/trams/trains/cable cars
8 Day Swiss Pass ($550+)
All remaining modes of transport not covered or only 50% covered by the Swiss Pass
Hotel in Lucerne-one night
Hotel at Stoos Ridge-one night
Hotel in Jungfrau Region-two nights
Hotel in Zermatt- three nights
Hotel in Chamonix France-three nights
Hotel in Annecy France-one night
Breakfasts, typically included at all lodgings
Via Ferrata in Murren
Bike rental in Lauterbrunnen Valley
Trummelbach Falls entrance fee
Mountain Carts in Grindelwald
Bike rental in Annecy France
Guided hikes/bike rides/city center navigation
Not Included
Flight into Zurich Switzerland
Flight out of Geneva Switzerland
Optional Mt Biking in Zermatt (ONLY FOR THOSE WITH MTB EXPERIENCE)
All meals, other than what is typically served at hotel (breakfast)
Any mode of transport/hotels/medical assistance deemed necessary to exit the trip prematurely
*Travel Insurance is recommended