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Matterhorn (Village-based hiking/walking tour)
Meet: Zermatt Visit: Zermatt, Zinal Length: 7 days, 6 nights in 3-star hotels Hike Rating: Moderate - Strenuous, 5-7 hours/day, 1000'-3500' elevation gain/loss
The Matterhorn region is the classic Swiss hiker's paradise. The village of Zermatt is historic and fun, and the Matterhorn is one of the world's defining mountains, anchoring a region filled with great hikes and jaw-dropping views. This tour is village-based - we'll spend 4 nights in Zermatt followed by 2 nights in quiet Zinal. We'll stay in comfortable and classy 3-star hotels in each village, taking 5-7 hour dayhikes each day. Zermatt is the quintessential mountain town, a hiker's paradise surrounded by dozens of Switzerland's highest peaks. Zinal is a small, quiet village in the gorgeous Anniviers valley and offers numerous wonderful hiking opportunities. In the countryside around each village, we enjoy showing off our favorite walks, from famous local attractions to secret hideaways.
Our typical day starts with a continental buffet breakfast at our hotel - delicious fresh baked bread and croissants, local meats and cheeses, cereal, fruit, coffee and juice - which gives us the energy needed for the upcoming tours. Soon we'll be out on the trail, where you'll get to choose between an easier walk 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 pm, giving you time to wash up, relax, perhaps do a bit of shopping in town or relax in our fun hotel pool and spa. After that, we'll enjoy dinner together at our hotel or another local restaurant. These are usually multi-course feasts, featuring both local and international specialties like chicken, fish, or cheese fondue. Our hotels enjoy excellent reputations for their fine cuisine. While hiking in Zermatt and Zinal, we have literally dozens of hikes to choose from each day. We've described some of our favorite hikes here, but expect your own tour to vary slightly.
Day 1 Arrive in Switzerland, and transfer by train to our meeting point in Zermatt. There is a train station in both the Zurich and Geneva airports, and transferring to Zermatt (4 hours) will be as easy as it is scenic. You'll have a chance to check out the town, take a short walk around Zermatt, or enjoy the wonderful pool and spa before settling in for our welcome dinner at the very friendly Hotel Europe. (Hotel Europe)
Matterhorn Tour Self-guided: $1490 (7 days) 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 the Matterhorn tour as a self-guided hiking tour. This is a 7-day tour at a price of $1490 per person based on two people sharing a double room. This tour can easily be lengthened or shortened to fit your schedule.
Not included are lunches, drinks with your meals, extras (such as laundry, phone calls from the room, etc), transportation not covered by your rail pass, or the cost of luggage transport. In addition, customized guided and self-guided hiking tours are available at surprisingly affordable prices. If you'd like to lengthen or shorten an existing tour, upgrade hotels (or go rustic), or create a customized tour of the Swiss Alps from scratch, let us know. We have extensive experience in many parts of the Alps, and will be happy to work with you to build the hiking vacation that best suits your needs. Learn more about custom and self-guided tours
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For info on our hiking tours of Zermatt, the Matterhorn and the rest of Switzerland, call toll free: (888) 509-7810 Or email: alpinehikers@yahoo.com 1203 Loren Dr Prescott, AZ 86305 USA |