The Switzerland of fairy tales resides in heart of the Bernese Oberland. If you're interested in hiking inn-to-inn, but would like just a couple of remote nights to go with the comforts of distinctive village hotels, the Bernese Oberland Highlights tour is for you. On this tour, we've combined stops at outstanding 3 and 4-star hotels with our favorite inn-to-inn stretch of the Alpine Pass Route. We'll hike each day, but have upgraded our hotels from our longer Bernese Oberland Tour, and have included only one night in a memorable inn. Starting with 2 nights in Wengen, we'll see the Eiger and Jungfrau mountains before hiking to the far end of the Lauterbrunnen valley for 1 night at the charming Tschingelhorn mountain inn at Obersteinberg (no luggage for this night, shower down the hall ). We'll continue the next day to Mürren for 2 nights there, followed by 2 more in quiet Kandersteg. With 4 stops in 7 nights, this tour strikes a perfect balance of comfort and adventure in perhaps the most breathtaking region of the Alps.

Our typical day starts with a continental buffet breakfast at our inn - delicious fresh baked bread, local cheeses, cereal, fruit, coffee and juice - which gives us the energy needed for a full day of inn-to-inn hiking. Soon we'll be out on the trail for 6-8 hours, where often you'll get to choose between an easier or more strenuous hike for the day. Each morning, you'll be handed a lunch to carry, and at a mid-point along the way we'll choose a beautiful spot to stop and enjoy our picnic. We get a lot of compliments on our imaginative lunches - making them something to look forward to as well!

We should finish our hike around 4-5 pm, giving you time to wash up and relax. You'll have your own room every night, with private bathroom for all nights except at Obersteinberg. Each evening we'll enjoy dinner together at our inn. These are multi-course feasts, featuring local specialties like bratwurst, rösti, or cheese fondue, and will definitely be hearty, filling, well-earned and very delicious. We will leave one dinner in Mürren free, so you will have a chance to explore on your own.

Day 1 Arrive in Switzerland, and transfer by train to Wengen in the Bernese Oberland. We'll meet and talk about our tour before a welcome dinner at our hotel. (Hotel Schönegg)
Day 2 We'll enjoy spectacular views of the Eiger, Jungfrau and surrounding mountains as we hike from Wengen to Kleine Scheidegg and back on alternate trails. Huge glaciers and waterfalls tumble to our feet at Biglenalp as we explore quiet side-trails in this classic mountain region.(Hotel Schönegg)
Day 3 Our trail winds through flowery meadows and dense woods to the lush Lauterbrunnen valley floor. After a break for lunch, we'll hike to a wild and isolated corner of the Lauterbrunnen valley for a memorable night in a remote mountain inn. Tschingelhorn is a simple mountain inn set in a stunning location, looking across the valley at the Jungfrau mountain, Rottal glacier, and numerous impressive waterfalls. There is no luggage transport, but we'll enjoy charming private rooms (bathroom and shower down the hall) and a filling and delicious meal... this is always a favorite stop! (Tschingelhorn Inn)
Day 4 We can take an optional morning hike to small glacial lake in the back of the valley. Afterwards, a beautiful wooded hike brings us through sleepy Gimmelwald to the car-free village of Mürren, with its unparalleled cliffside views of the surrounding mountains. Dinner will be on your own tonight in Mürren. (Hotel Edelweiss or Jungfrau)
Day 5 There are numerous dayhike possibilities around Mürren. One beautiful trail leads up to the local peak, Birg, for superb all-around views, and past a small glacial tarn. Or feel free to just unwind in one of the most scenic and relaxing villages in the Alps. (Hotel Edelweiss or Jungfrau)
Day 6 A morning transfer by train brings us to the quiet village of Kandersteg, with time for a dayhike up to a spectacular emerald-green lake surrounded by cliffs, waterfalls, and glacier-clad peaks. We stay just outside town in a fantastic 4-star hotel. (Hotel Victoria-Ritter or Doldenhorn)
Day 7 Among the great dayhikes from Kandersteg is a quiet path leading south towards the Klus gorge. The power of the Kander river is impressive, as we climb through this narrow gorge into the hidden Gasterntal valley. This is a picture-perfect hideaway - a small, U-shaped valley, carpeted with wildflowers and guarded by savage cliffs. Waterfalls bursting from the sides of cliffs add to the scenery. (Hotel Victoria-Ritter or Doldenhorn)
Day 8 Today we say good-bye to the Bernese Oberland and depart for our post-tour destinations.

sign up now

Read Herb Terns' account of his Obersteinberg hike on an Alpinehikers self-guided tour in 2011.

This self-guided tour includes prepaid hotels with breakfast each morning and dinners listed above, a Swiss Card railpass good for 2 days of free travel plus 50% discounts on most other trains and cablecars, rail schedules, hiking maps, detailed route descriptions, and lots of useful information that will help your trip run smoothly.

This tour can be customized to fit your needs. If you'd like to lengthen or shorten the tour, upgrade hotels (or go rustic), or create a customized tour of Switzerland from scratch, let us know. We have extensive experience across the Alps, and will be happy to work with you to build the hiking vacation that best suits your needs.

See our self-guided Bernese Oberland Highlights tour page