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or see our Guided Tour Schedule arranged by departure date.
France
Tour du Mont Blanc (inn-to-inn tour)
The Tour du Mont Blanc is one of the classic inn-to-inn tours in the Alps. It's truly an epic trek - a great opportunity to meet hikers from around the world and enjoy an rich variety of cultures, cuisines and views. In keeping with the adventurous nature of the tour, we've designed a fairly rustic itinerary, and five of our nights will be spent in traditional gites - simple inns with shared sleeping rooms, lively atmospheres, and a healthy sense of accomplishment. Hike through three countries and unforgettable landscapes.
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Italy
Dolomites Traverse - Gardena to Cortina (inn-to-inn combo tour)
The Val Gardena is a magical valley with a delightful mix of Tyrolean, Italian and Ladin cultures, while Cortina d'Ampezzo is the pearl of the Dolomites - a lively village surrounded by awe-inspiring peaks. Connecting the two regions leads you through pleasant villages, historic huts, and along miles of great hiking trails on this incredible Dolomites hut-to-hut adventure. We'll spend 6 nights in 3-star village hotels and 4 great nights in comfortable huts and remote inns high above the valleys on this moderate inn-to-inn hiking tour through the Italian Alps.
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Tour du Mont Blanc (inn-to-inn tour)
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The Tour du Mont Blanc is one of the classic inn-to-inn tours in the Alps. It's truly an epic trek - a great opportunity to meet hikers from around the world and enjoy an rich variety of cultures, cuisines and views. In keeping with the adventurous nature of the tour, we've designed a fairly rustic itinerary, and five of our nights will be spent in traditional gites - simple inns with shared sleeping rooms, lively atmospheres, and a healthy sense of accomplishment. Hike through three countries and unforgettable landscapes.
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Switzerland
Bernese Oberland Highlights (inn-to-inn combo tour)
Our Bernese Oberland Highlights tour combines great dayhikes from comfortable village hotels with a short and spectacular inn-to-inn hike. Enjoy outstanding stops at 3 and 4-star hotels as well as the most breathtaking and memorable inn-to-inn stretch of the Alpine Pass Route. Starting with 2 nights in Wengen, we'll hike to the far end of the Lauterbrunnen valley for 1 night at the charming mountain inn of Obersteinberg. We'll continue to Mürren for 2 nights there, followed by 2 more in quiet Kandersteg. Enjoy first-class hotels, and plenty of flexibility for longer or shorter hikes each day.
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Bernese Oberland Traverse (inn-to-inn hiking tour)
Our signature tour, on this tour we'll move often, staying in a different location most nights, as we hike this breathtaking and challenging section of the Alpine Pass Route. Spend 4 nights in charming mountain inns - remote, memorable spots, and 6 nights in comfortable 3-star village hotels. Our luggage is transported separately, so you can hike unencumbered. This is inn-to-inn hiking at it's best!
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Bernese Oberland Traverse, Parts A and B (inn-to-inn hiking tour)
You are welcome to join us for half the Bernese Oberland Traverse. Part A starts in Meiringen and crosses two moderate passes on the way to Mürren. Part B picks up in Mürren, with two strenuous passes on the way to the Gastern valley near Kandersteg. Part A is slightly easier, with more villages and more famous mountains. Part B is more challenging with quieter trails and destinations.
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Grand Tour (village-based walking/hiking tour)
Stay in luxurious inns, enjoy classic train rides, and hike three of the grandest mountain destinations in world. Tour beautiful Mürren, then stay high above Zermatt at the 5-star Riffelalp Resort, and ride the Glacier Express across the Alps to Pontresina. World-class hotels and great hikes in perfect combination.
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Hiker's Haute Route (inn-to-inn combo hiking tour)
The Hiker's Haute Route consists of a spectacular series of trails linking Chamonix to Zermatt, marked by high, steep passes, quiet trails, and stunning mountain scenery. It's one of the classic hikes across the Alps, with a wild beauty deserving of its name. It's also a very strenuous tour, with many passes to cross and great valleys to see. We'll be starting in France, in the world-famous mountain village of Chamonix, hiking the most spectacular sections of the Haute Route on our way to Zermatt.
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Hiking the Jungfrau (village-based walking/hiking tour)
The Jungfrau and Eiger mountains are the highlights of an incredible rock wall stretching across the entire region. Visit Mürren, a quiet car-free village perched at the edge of a sheer cliff, and Grindelwald, with a dramatic location at the base of the Eiger North Wall. Everybody's perfect picture of the Swiss Alps - age-old glaciers, colorful wildflowers, towering waterfalls, and peaceful villages.
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Hiking the Matterhorn (village-based walking/hiking tour)
See the storybook village of Zermatt, at the foot of the mighty Matterhorn, and quiet Kandersteg. The Matterhorn is the most captivating mountain in the Alps, dominating an area of surpising richness, while Kandersteg is another gem, with hidden valleys and a gorgeous lake. Our walks lead us to wild gorges, colorful flowers, peaceful lakes surrounded by soft larch forests, and enchanting, traditional alpine hamlets. Truly a hiker's paradise!
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Jungfrau + Matterhorn Regions (village-based walking/hiking tour)
This two-week guided tour takes us to the heart of the most breathtaking mountain scenery anywhere! Start in Mürren, for the best hiking in the Swiss Alps, at the foot of the Jungfrau. Then it's on to Grindelwald, nestled at the base of the fearsome Eiger North Face. After 2 nights in quiet Kandersteg, it's off to the world-famous hiking center Zermatt, tucked against the Alps' most striking mountain, the Matterhorn. This tour has a little of everything, and is a perfect introduction to the Swiss Alps.
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Secret Valais Valleys (village-based walking/hiking tour)
This 6 night guided tour takes us off-the-beaten-path to some of the wonderful hidden treasures of Switzerland's Valais region. Start in Riederalp, at the edge of the massive Aletsch glacier (the largest glacier in the Alps). From there, we'll head to car-free Saas Fee, a quieter alternate to Zermatt, and then on to Zinal, the atmospheric village at the end of the Val d'Anniviers and one of the highlights of the Haute Route. If you think you've seen it all in Switzerland, think again! This tour highights the surprising depth of some of the lesser-known stops in the Swiss Alps.
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Tour du Mont Blanc (inn-to-inn tour)
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The Tour du Mont Blanc is one of the classic inn-to-inn tours in the Alps. It's truly an epic trek - a great opportunity to meet hikers from around the world and enjoy an rich variety of cultures, cuisines and views. In keeping with the adventurous nature of the tour, we've designed a fairly rustic itinerary, and five of our nights will be spent in traditional gites - simple inns with shared sleeping rooms, lively atmospheres, and a healthy sense of accomplishment. Hike through three countries and unforgettable landscapes.
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Winter Ski Tours (lodge-based skiing tour)
For half the year, the Alps are a winter wonderland. Well-groomed slopes and extensive powdery backcountry beckon, and modern lifts give fast access for all levels of skiers. Ancient mountain villages and tark-timbered lodges add to the romantic atmosphere. For our escorted winter ski tours, we're focussing on three great ski regions... Mont Blanc, Zermatt and the Bernese Oberland. Come for one or come for all, and see why they call Switzerland the playground of Europe!
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Nepal
Everest View Trek (lodge-based hiking tour)
Our Everest View Trek is a spectacular option for a 2 week trek to the heart of the high Himalaya. Hiking through small Sherpa villages and staying in comfortable lodges, you'll gain fantastic views of the highest mountains in the world, and earn a world of memorable experiences.
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Everest Base Camp (lodge-based hiking tour)
Are you ready to join us on the ultimate Everest adventure? Everest Base Camp and the nearby viewpoint of Kala Pattar are a must for any lover of mountains. The highest mountain in the world does not disappoint on this classic lodge-based trek to the highest reaches of the Himalaya.
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United States
Arizona Red Rocks (lodge-based hiking tour)
When we're not in Switzerland, we enjoy the gorgeous landscapes of our home in Northern Arizona. Join us on of our favorite Arizona destinations: Prescott, the Grand Canyon, Flagstaff and Sedona. This is a great family trip, with easy hikes through Arizona's stunning red rock landscape and opportunities for biking and cultural sightseeing. Enjoy the ideal high-country climate of Northern Arizona.
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Northern Arizona Highlights (lodge-based hiking tour)
The high country of Northern Arizona is blessed with the ideal climate for spring and fall hiking. Prescott, Sedona and the South Rim of the Grand Canyon are all world-class hiking destinations, with towering granite and red sandstone cliffs, beautiful lakes, and green forests. Take the historic Grand Canyon train from Williams, stay in gorgeous hotels, and enjoy spectacular sunsets over the high Arizona desert!
| 2013 Departures: | March 9-15 |
| March 23-29 |
| April 6-12 |
| May 12-18 |
| Sept 29 - Oct 5 |
| October 19-25 |
| November 2-8 |
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| See a detailed itinerary |
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Arizona Grand Canyon Backpacking Adventure (camping)
The Grand Canyon is one of the natural wonders of the world and the jewel of the US National Park system. Experience the wonder of the Grand Canyon by hiking to the bottom and camping by the Colorado river. Start with 1 night in a comfortable lodge at the South Rim of the Canyon and spend 2 nights camping with our experienced guides as you hike the South Kaibab - Bright Angel loop. An experience for the ages!
| 2013 Departures: | custom dates available |
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| Permits for hiking the Grand Canyon are available 4 months in advance. We will not be running this tour in the summer, but will have availability in the fall, winter and spring. |
| See a detailed itinerary |
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Arizona-Utah: Grand Canyon, Bryce, Zion (lodge-based hiking tour)
The Grand Canyon, Bryce and Zion are three of the most spectacular National Parks in the US Southwest, and we've combined them here into one great trip. Spring and fall are ideal times for hiking in the Southwest, and we hope you'll join us on this classic circuit.
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Private Guided Tours (inn-to-inn, village-based, train or combo tours)
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If you would like a guide for your trip but don't want to join one of our guided group tours, contact us about a private guided tour. Choose your own dates, your own itinerary, your own travel companions! We'll take care of all the details, customized to your needs. You can choose from one of our existing itineraries, or work with us to create the itinerary of your dreams. Perfect for family get-togethers, corporate retreats or even a personal trip for 2, we'll provide extensive travel planning, great hotels and experienced guides to make your trip a memorable one.
Our private guided tours can be surprisingly affordable. Here are some of our standard tours, with pricing based on the following number of people per guide:
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2-3 |
4-5 |
6-7 |
8+ |
| Private Jungfrau tour |
6 nights |
$3650 |
$3100 |
$2800 |
$2600 |
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| Private Matterhorn tour |
6 nights |
$4150 |
$3600 |
$3300 |
$3100 |
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| Private Bernese Oberland Traverse |
5 nights |
$3650 |
$3100 |
$2800 |
$2600 |
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7 nights |
$4500 |
$3800 |
$3400 |
$3200 |
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10 nights |
$5450 |
$4550 |
$4100 |
$3850 |
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| Private Bernese Oberland Highlights |
7 nights |
$4700 |
$4000 |
$3600 |
$3400 |
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| Private Haute Route tour |
9 nights |
$5250 |
$4250 |
$3700 |
$3400 |
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11 nights |
$5950 |
$4800 |
$4250 |
$3950 |
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| Private Tour du Mont Blanc |
8 nights |
$5250 |
$4250 |
$3700 |
$3400 |
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10 nights |
$5900 |
$4750 |
$4200 |
$3900 |
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Self-guided Tours (inn-to-inn, village-based, train or combo tours)
| "We had the best time in Switzerland! It is the ultimate hiking destination. The people are great, the hotels are wonderful, the food is excellent, the country is clean (how about those public bathrooms!?), the hiking trails are well marked, and the scenery is beautiful, and your itinerary and attention to detail were PERFECT. We will be going again (maybe next summer- in August this time), and we wouldn't even consider traveling there without you setting up the trip." |
| -Blake Simpson, Self-guided Bernese Oberland, 2000 |
If you're an independent hiker and prefer to go at your own pace, or have travel dates that don't match up with our guided tours, you may prefer to do a self-guided hiking tour. Our self-guided tours include prepaid hotels with breakfast and dinner, a Swiss rail pass for travel to and from the airport or border (Switzerland tours only), hiking maps, detailed route descriptions (including longer, shorter, and rainy day options), instructions for independently sending luggage ahead, and lots of useful information that will help your trip run smoothly.
We offer self-guided versions of all of our village-based hiking tours and of many of our inn-to-inn tours. In addition, both private guided tours and independent self-guided hiking tours are available at surprisingly affordable prices. If you'd like to lengthen or shorten one of our existing tours, or create a customized tour of the Swiss Alps from scratch, let us know. We've organized hundreds of independent self-guided tours over the past 10 years, and have extensive expertise in Switzerland and the surrounding areas of France and Italy. We will be happy to work with you to build the hiking or train-based vacation that best suits your needs. We can help you choose among the mountain villages of Mürren, Wengen, Grindelwald, Kandersteg, Guarda, Pontresina, Zermatt, Riederalp, Zinal, Ortisei and Chamonix. Add city stops like Lucerne, Zurich, Basel, Lugano, Montreux, or extensions to Italy's lake Como or Cinque Terre regions.
Our Swiss Sampler tours are designed specifically with non-hikers in mind. These include scenic train rides through the Alps, more city stopovers (Lucerne, Lugano, Montreux) and easy light walks and non-hiking ideas in some of Switzerland's most spectacular mountain villages. All of your hotels, railpasses, maps and reservations are arranged so that all you need to do is enjoy your trip. Our 8-day Best of Switzerland and 13-day Swiss Sampler self-guided tours are designed for a more relaxed sightseeing tour of Switzerland.
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