Trek Switzerland’s Via Alpina

"Every day lives up to its promise. Each day begins with the prospect of wandering for hour after hour through valleys coloured by wild flowers, streams, crags and waterfalls, cowbells and birdsong, remote farms and hay barns, pasture and woodland flanked mountains whose sheer scale tends at times to catch your breath with a sense of wonder. The scenic diversity is astonishing. Some of the valleys glisten with tarns. Some are backed by glacial tongues that project from mountain recesses; others are crusted with moraine deposits left by retreating ice-sheets a thousand years and more ago. Some of the valleys are gentle, pastoral swathes - great grass-bedded hammocks slung between mountain ridges – while some have been scoured by ice into deep U-shaped trenches, like that of the Weisse Lütschine; an incredible sight that comes as a surprise no matter how often one has seen it." -- Alpine Pass Route by Kev Reynolds

The Alpine Pass Route is the classic long hike across Switzerland. This outing combines spectacular Alpine scenery, European culture, delicious food, and very strenuous hiking (340 kilometers and 18,000 meters elevation gain, similar to California’s John Muir Trail). Our traverse has glaciated 4,000-meter mountains, Grindelwald, Eiger North Face, 16 alpine passes, deep valleys, high waterfalls, edelweiss, clean charming villages, cheese, pastries, and chocolate. You carry only a daypack because the hotels, hostels, and dormitories have blankets and food.   Listen for yodeling, alpenhorns, church bells, and cow bells!   Gawk at some of the highest waterfalls and most spectacular mountains in Europe!   And relax in tidy car-free villages!

• Suitable Activities: Global Adventures
• Seasons: June, July, August, September
• Weather: View weather forecast

• Difficulty: Very Strenuous
• Length: 211.0 mi

• Land Manager: Land Manager Varies
• Parking Permit Required: see Land Manager
• Recommended Party Size: 12
• Maximum Party Size: 12
• Maximum Route/Place Capacity: 12