Grindelwald Trail
- The mighty trio of mountains - the Eiger, Monch and Jungfrau
- Wild, colourful alpine flowers and lush forest walking
- Exhilarating walking along mountain paths
- Traditional, local Swiss cuisine at your overnight accommodation
- Experience the vibrant town of Grindelwald
Gallery
Itinerary
Day 1 Arrive InterlakenInterlaken is a well-known tourist destination located in the Bernese Oberland, Switzerland. It is easily accessible by train from both Zurich (2hrs 15mins) and Geneva (3hrs) - both involve one change of train usually in Bern. There are low cost flights from the UK/Europe to both Zurich and Geneva. Interlaken is located between Lake Brienz and Lake Thun. It is surrounded by the three mountain peaks of the Eiger, Monch and Jungfrau.
Known as the little oasis in the heart of Interlaken welcomes you. Guests from all around the world enjoy the family like atmosphere of the hotel and the individual and caring service they deliver.
Today starts with a spectacular train ride via Wilderswil to the top of the Schynige Platte. Dramatic views all around to the trio of mountains - the Eiger, Monch and Jungfrau. The walking is spectacular along the high route to the mountain guesthouse on the peak of Faulhorn.
Ascent/Descent: 800m/100 m
The famous mountain Hotel on the Faulhorn has survived almost unchanged since it was built in the year 1830. It was in those days an admirable achievement, which commands our respect even today. The rooms have been lovingly restored and left in their original state and outside the window, the Eiger, Mönsch and Jungfrau make a magnificent sight. Facilities are shared and there are no showers due to the limited water supply. Jugs of water are provided for washing.
Today's walk heads down from the mountain to your destination of Grindelwald. The first stretch of today’s walk heads down to Lake Bachsee - a famous sight with a backdrop of the Wetterhorn peak. From here there are a couple of walking options down to Grindelwald both with fabulous views over to the north face of the Wetterhorn - one of most difficult walls to climb in the Alps.
Ascent/Descent: 100m/1750m
The Schild and Nakajima families welcome you to the Hotel Bellary. This pleasant, homey hotel offers the perfect location for a relaxing overnight stay. Have a cup of coffee or tea on the sunny terrace and enjoy the breath-taking view of the surrounding mountains and glaciers.
Today you climb quite a steep ascent with striking views across to the Eiger which towers above your head. Its worthwhile taking the short detour to visit the impressive gorge called Gletscherschlucht. You can take the train up to Kleine Scheidegg if you are disinclined to walk a section.
From Kleine Scheidegg you can walk or take the train to Wengen (30min)
Ascent/Descent: 1140m/100m
A family-run 3-star hotel situated in the beautiful Bernese Oberland. Located in the peaceful and charming village of Wengen. The hotel Bellevue was built in 1890. It is situated at the edge of the village in quiet surroundings and with a view of the Jungfrau and Lauterbrunnen valley.
From the centre of the village, you will reach the hotel in a few minutes. Chalet style accommodation is combined with modern comfort to create a cosy atmosphere. Various lounges and a marvellous sun terrace invite you to stay and relax. Enjoy the Jacuzzi on the sun terrace after a long walk.
The Hotel Restaurant Bahnhof comprises of a restaurant with a large outdoor terrace, external food station and bars. They offer an authentic mountain ambience in simple and rustic surroundings. Rooms are with shared facilities.
Upgrade Option: The Hotel Bellevue des Alpes ranks among the few remaining grand hotels of the nineteenth century. The Kleine Scheidegg lies amid alpine splendour at the foot of the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau at 2070m above Grindelwald and Wengen.
Take a rest day in Wengen or make use of one of many possibilities for walks available in the area. If you have not already done so the day before, you may walk from Kleine Scheidegg down to a place called Alpiglen from where you return to Kleine Scheidegg on the very rewarding “Eiger Trail”. Another possibility is to visit the summit of the Männlichen mountain, a particularly good viewpoint offering a marvellous panorama. From Wengen, you can walk up a good but very steep trail directly to the top of the mountain or you take it easy and take the cable car. From the summit of the Männlichen, you continue your walk back to Kleine Scheidegg and onwards to Wengen if you stay there. Another choice, of course, would be to take the train up to famous Jungfraujoch, offering you stunning views over the icy world of the Aletschglacier, one of the longest glaciers in Europe.
Walk: Ranging from 5 - 10km, 2 - 4.5hrs, 100-750m ascent / 170 - 850m descent depending on walk.
A family-run 3-star hotel situated in the beautiful Bernese Oberland. Located in the peaceful and charming village of Wengen. The hotel Bellevue was built in 1890. It is situated at the edge of the village in quiet surroundings and with a view of the Jungfrau and Lauterbrunnen valley.
From the centre of the village, you will reach the hotel in a few minutes. Chalet style accommodation is combined with modern comfort to create a cosy atmosphere. Various lounges and a marvellous sun terrace invite you to stay and relax. Enjoy the Jacuzzi on the sun terrace after a long walk.
The Hotel Restaurant Bahnhof comprises of a restaurant with a large outdoor terrace, external food station and bars. They offer an authentic mountain ambience in simple and rustic surroundings. Rooms are with shared facilities.
Upgrade Option: The Hotel Bellevue des Alpes ranks among the few remaining grand hotels of the nineteenth century. The Kleine Scheidegg lies amid alpine splendour at the foot of the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau at 2070m above Grindelwald and Wengen.
Today you head down following the railway line to the village of Wengen and further on to Lauterbrunnen at the bottom of the valley. Its worth taking a short detour to visit the highest waterfall of the region before you start the short ascent to Murren. The village of Murren will be your base for the next 2 nights and offers a lot of entertainment but is still traditional and is completely free of cars.
Ascent/Descent: 840m/1250m
Ski slopes and hiking trails are directly in front of the door of this sunny and quiet place. The view from the large sun terrace is breath taking: Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau with the entire snow-white mountain range are rising up into the sky; you are surrounded by the spectacular peaks of the Bernese Oberland.
Hotel Alpenblick is a simple but friendly property, located in the very heart of Mürren. There are 14 rooms and an apartment. The hotel has a restaurant and has wonderful views over the Lauterbrunnen Valley and the Jungfrau. Located beside the (quiet) railway line from Grutschalp to Muerren, it is popular with rail enthusiasts!
Today can be a rest day or we suggest climbing up to the Schilthorn a mountain which has become famous all over the world as its where the James Bond Film ‘On her majesty’s secret service’ was filmed. There is a revolving restaurant and spectacular views of the surrounding mountains. You can then take a cable car back down to your Hotel in Murren.
Walk: 7 - 10km, 4.5 - 6.5hrs, 960m ascent / 1340m descent
Ski slopes and hiking trails are directly in front of the door of this sunny and quiet place. The view from the large sun terrace is breath taking: Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau with the entire snow-white mountain range are rising up into the sky; you are surrounded by the spectacular peaks of the Bernese Oberland.
Hotel Alpenblick is a simple but friendly property, located in the very heart of Mürren. There are 14 rooms and an apartment. The hotel has a restaurant and has wonderful views over the Lauterbrunnen Valley and the Jungfrau. Located beside the (quiet) railway line from Grutschalp to Muerren, it is popular with rail enthusiasts!
You can take the train from Murren to Grutschalp where a cable car runs down to Lauterbrunnen. Continue on the train to Berner Oberland Bahn to Interlaken Ost where the trains now connect to Bern and onwards to Basel of Zurich/Geneva.
This trip has a carbon score of 5kg per person per night, meaning it’s one of our best trips! For comparison, a carbon count of 5kg is equivalent to 1 Neapolitan margherita pizza. Here at Macs, we pride ourselves on being a responsible travel company and continue to adopt, develop and innovate ways to positively impact the environment. Find out more information about how we've carbon counted our trips.
Other Information
Is it for me?What more could you ask for than wonderful and scenic alpine walking, combined with tasty local Swiss cuisine. This walking holiday will appeal to those who are looking to escape to the mountains. Refresh your mind and discover the Bernese Oberland region of the Swiss Alps.
Classic Routes | If you’re the active, outdoorsy type, who’s interested in taking on the great routes of the world or looking for a challenge, then our Classic Routes are for you. We’re talking the West Highland Way in Scotland, the world renown Tour Du Mont Blanc and Germany's Moselle Cycle Path, to name but a few!
Inn to Inn Walking | Walk from place-to-place changing accommodations each night. Generally staying in B&Bs, inns, and guesthouses.
Solo Travellers, Families with Teens
The minimum age for this tour is: 12 Years
The walking is graded moderate so you will enjoy the holiday more if you already enjoy an active lifestyle. Some days are long, the paths are undulating in parts and you may need a head for heights!
We specifically select your accommodation to ensure that you enjoy every minute of your stay. They all offer a warm welcome to walkers, traditional hospitality and delicious local food. We aim to give you an authentic experience and use local family run accommodations in a mixture of hotels, guest houses and one mountain hotel (it is possible to upgrade to a first-class hotel at Kleine Scheidegg). The hotels are generally chalet types with wooden interior which are typical of the region. The guest houses and mountain hotels will have shared facilities. Please be aware that twin & double rooms in Switzerland are typically 2 single mattresses side by side in one double bed frame with two separate duvet covers and pillows.
Alternate accommodation
During high season, you might be booked into a different accommodation which is not listed in the description, and the start or end of some of your walking routes may be slightly altered. Any alternative accommodation will be of the same standard as those described.
Single Rooms and Solo Walkers
If you require single rooms within your party we would be happy to accommodate you although there is a single room supplement payable. This holiday is available for solo walkers but we would recommend that you are experienced in walking and navigating alone. If you are travelling solo the holiday is slightly more expensive as some costs are not shared.
Meals
A delicious breakfast is included each morning, as is an evening meal in Faulhorn. Most accommodations are happy to provide a packed lunch - this should be requested on arrival. You can also pick up lunch in the village or stop along the trail.
The network of paths and trails in the Grindelwald area is comprehensively way-marked, as are all the variations we suggest. We provide you with detailed route notes and maps on arrival, so you will have no problem following the suggested route.
- Accommodation for 7 Nights in a mix of Hotels, Guest Houses and one Mountain Hotel
- 7 Breakfasts
- 1 Dinner
- Luggage transfers (apart from Day 2)
- Detailed route notes and maps on arrival
- 24-hour assistance by phone
- Train transfer from Interlaken to Schynige Platte on Day 2
- Flights and transfers to first / from last accommodation
- Travel to and from Switzerland
- Any train/bus travel in case of bad weather or for shortcuts
- Travel Insurance
- Personal expenses such as drinks, phone calls, extra transfers, tips, etc.
- Any items not specifically mentioned in the program
- Upgrade to a first-class hotel on Kleine Scheidegg for 2 nts (double room, half board)
- Airport transfers
- Additional nights during the walk
The best months for walking are in the summer months between June and mid-September when the wild flowers are in bloom and the weather is generally fair.
Interlaken is located in the Bernese Oberland between Lake Brienz and Lake Thun and can be accessed by the following transport: By Air - You can either fly into Zurich Airport or Geneva Airport (both in Switzerland). Many low cost and charter airlines fly from both the UK and Europe. From Zurich - You can take a train from Zurich to Interlaken - (approx. 2hr 15mins, usually involving a change in Bern) Train schedules can be found on the Swiss Rail Network. From Geneva - You can catch a train from Geneva to Interlaken - (approx. 3hrs usually, involving a change in Bern) Train schedules can be found on the Swiss Rail Network.
From Murren you can take the train to Grutschalp (15mins) and then take the cable car to Lauterbrunnen. From here you can catch the train back to Interlaken where you can connect to Zurich (2hrs 15 mins) or Geneva (3hrs). Please check the Swiss Rail network for up to date timetables.
Your bags will be transferred between your accommodation as per your itinerary (except for on Day 2 when you need to carry an overnight pack due to the remote location). We ask you to limit your luggage to one bag of up to 20kg per person.
It is a requirement of booking this tour with Macs Adventure that you have suitable travel insurance which covers you for the activity, emergency evacuation and hospital care.
The walking is graded moderate, so you should have a good level of fitness and will enjoy the holiday even more if you already enjoy an active lifestyle. Most of the paths are easy to follow and although undulating in parts the tracks are generally good. Walking each day is between 2 - 6 hrs.
You can fly into either Zurich Airport or Geneva Airport in Switzerland, check out the travel details section for more detailed information.
We suggest you book as soon as your plans are finalised as this holiday is extremely popular especially as the season is short (June - Sep). You will find up to date availability on our website and we will always try and accommodate your plans.
You will need good walking shoes/boots, comfortable walking clothes, waterproof jacket and trousers, a day pack, warm clothing in the early/late part of the year and hats etc during the summer. We supply a detailed packing list with your information pack.
The best months for walking are in the summer months between June and September when the wild flowers are in bloom and the weather is generally fair.
Your bags will be transferred between your accommodation as per your itinerary (except for on Day 2 when you need to carry an overnight pack due to the remote location). We ask you to limit your luggage to one bag of up to 20kg per person.
You can use public transport or local taxis to continue to your next overnight stop.
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