Walking holidays in Switzerland

Bernese Oberland - The Berner Oberland is a stone through from the capital, Bern, an easy train ride takes you into the mountains which are dominated by the spectacular mountain trio, the Eiger, Monch and the Jungfrau. This region is filled with walks for all abilities if this is your first walking holiday or you are a veteran. There are multiple trips which will take you through this region, such as our Best of the Bernese Oberland or the Via Alpina. Each takes you through breath-taking scenery and wanders through lush meadows sprinkled with wildflowers. Along the way, hikers are treated to a diversity of Swiss villages from small hamlets, such as of Lauterbrunnen, the car-free Murren or to the popular ski resort of Grindelwald.

Valais – Deep in the alps you find Valais, in the south-west corner of Switzerland. The region is split between German and French-speaking villages. Walk amongst some of the most dramatic alpine scenery Switzerland has to offer, with fifty peaks, including the Matterhorn, Monte Rosa and the Dom, soaring over 4,000-meter, more than any other region in the Alps. It is filled with an intricate network of hiking trails, the most famous being the Walkers Haute Route, creating endless opportunities for hikers to explore the high peaks, cross panoramic passes and travel through scenic alpine valleys. With a little luck, hikers may encounter marmots, chamois or mountain goats.

Graubünden – Explore the German-speaking Alps, including the Engadine, Davos and St Moritz. This region offers a multitude of great hiking trails from easy walks along beautiful lakes to moderate jaunts between the rustic villages. Strenuous hikes climb over scenic passes with stunning views of glacier-clad peaks and travel up tranquil valleys amid rugged peaks. Discover the local beauty on our St. Moritz & The Engadine Valley tour.

Älplermagronen

A traditional all-in-one pasta, potato and cheese dish that originates from the German part of Switzerland. The classic version is made by layering cooked potatoes and macaroni with cream and cheese, before baking it in the oven. People usually serve it with fried onion rings and a stewed apple sauce on top. The dish sometimes comes with bacon, too. Whatever ingredients you include, though, Älplermakkaronen is a seriously hearty meal that warms you up a treat.

Fondue

Fondue in Switzerland may seem clichéd, but it is indelibly woven into the country’s fabric. It is a must-have for any local or visitor to the country from autumn to spring. Dunk rustic country bread into melted cheeses, infused with lashings of wine and garlic, bubbling over an open flame. Pair yours with white wine and chase it with schnapps or tea for an epic meal.

Rosti

Thinly grated potatoes, pan-fried until crisp and golden, rosti is one of Switzerland’s iconic national dishes. Served steaming in a ceramic dish, Rosti Valaisanne is a delightfully addictive mash-up of rosti topped with salty bacon, fried egg, and melted raclette cheese, served alongside tangy gherkins and pickled pearl onions.

Raclette

Raclette is a local cheese customarily grilled slowly over a fire, with layer-by-melted-layer sliced off to blanket boiled potatoes, pickles and onions. Contemporary raclette machines make grilling commonplace in Swiss homes, where friends gather for hours, waiting for slices of raclette to melt, while drinking copious glasses of local Fendant wine.

Zurcher Geschnetzeltes

Zurich-style diced veal is an iconic national dish that makes a hearty lunch. Made of sliced veal, calves’ kidneys and sweetbreads sautéed in a gravy of onions, butter, white wine, cream, and mushrooms. The mixture of cream laced with wine over veal, Zurcher geschnetzeltes as it’s known in Swiss-German dialect, is a delight.

Macs Adventure has been running self-guided walking holidays in Switzerland since 2008.  Whether you like mountains and hills, lakes, rivers and glaciers, dreamy villages and well preserved medieval cities, Switzerland has something to offer for everyone. This abundance of wonderful places to explore lead us to seek out more and more areas where we could help people to discover Switzerland on foot. 

From humble beginnings, we now send over 2000 walkers to Switzerland every year, each walking the route that excites them the most. We provide the freedom to choose your route, itinerary and travel companions and discover Switzerland at your own pace. 

We know how daunting it can be, setting off on an adventure of this scale and we quickly realized how important it was to have amazing partners on the ground in Switzerland to deal with any issues that you might come across.  We are proud to say that we work incredibly closely with all our accommodation suppliers and luggage transfer teams and should you have the slightest issue, they will fall over themselves to help you out. 

We offer a flexible hiking experience that gets you in comfortable, friendly overnight accommodation in local B&Bs and guesthouses. We carry your bags to lighten your load so you can concentrate on simply putting one foot in front of the other and enjoying the unique culture, food and scenery of Switzerland. No hostels, no leaky tents, no heavy bags on your back just a straightforward active holiday that you can book with confidence that we have it all covered for you. 

We want to showcase our expertise, by giving you all the resources you will ever need.  In the planning stage, we have free guides, comprehensive videos and a host of staff with their own Swiss experiences, waiting to answer your questions. On the route, we use high-quality digital mapping as well as the best maps and guidebooks to make sure you find your way.  

We love the diversity of walking in Switzerland and our main aim is to make sure that you do too.