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Walking Holidays: Long Distance Trail
The Bernese Oberland is well known for its excellent hiking trails and this exciting 8 day tour offers you a great insight into the diversity the region has to offer. From alpine villages, over wide plains, beautiful blue lakes to snow-capped mountain peaks – the scenery is ever changing. This walking trail takes you from Meiringen in the Hasli valley, over Interlaken , to the famous Jungfrau Region and back. On the way you will encounter flower strewn alpine meadows, dark forests, wild waterfalls, glaciers and typical Swiss villages and scenery. Some days are at your leisure or with short hikes allowing you to explore the surrounds at your own leisure.
Programme
| Day 1: | Arrival Flight or rail from the UK to Switzerland . Train transfer to Meiringen. Depending on your flight times there is the possibility of visiting the Reichbach falls or the Sherlock Holmes museum in the afternoon. Overnight in Meiringen. |
| Day 2: | Aare Gorge A comfortable walk to one of the most visited sites in the Bernese Oberland – the gorge of the river Aare . The gorge is an impressive witness to the last ice age. In the time when the glacier reached far into the valley, the melt water formed deep valleys in the lime stone. Take the bus back to Meiringen. Hiking time: 1 – 2 hours. Overnight in Meiringen. |
| Day 3: | Meiringen-Brienz Enjoy the beautiful hill and valley hiking offered between Meiringen to Brienz. On the way you pass by the unique open-air museum Ballenberg, displaying over 100 original, centuries-old buildings from all corners of Switzerland , 250 local farm animals, authentic gardens and fields as well as presentations of traditional crafts. Continue to the village of Brienzwiler , through lush shady forests and onto the lakeside wood carving village of Brienz . Hiking time: 4 hours . Overnight in Brienz. |
| Day 4: | Brienz-Interlaken Today you will reach the well known resort of Interlaken – situated between the lakes of Thun and Brienz with the famous mountains Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau as a backdrop. Hiking along the shore of Lake Brienz you have delightful views of the lake, and from Brienzergrat to Iseltwald. It is an enjoyable hike through the forest on the lakeshore path to the Giessbach Falls which are among Switzerland ’s loveliest waterfalls. Continuing along the lakeshore you will pass the pretty villages of Iseltwald and Bönigen before reaching your destination. Hiking time: 5 hours. Overnight in Interlaken . |
| Day 5: | Interlaken-Grindelwald The included Jungfrau Railway Pass will cover the journeys you will have to make today. First take the train from Interlaken Ost to Wilderswil and change here to the cog railway taking you up to the Schynige Platte with its unique alpine garden. The garden displays some 500 different flowering plants and ferns with the main flower time being mid-June until late September. Enjoy the incomparable high-altitude walk from Schynige Platte to The First, all above tree line and with great views. From the top of The First take the chair lift down to the resort of Grindelwald. Hiking time: 6 hours. Overnight in Grindelwald. |
| Day 6: | Hike as you please Take advantage of your Jungfrau Railway Pass which gives you access to the whole of the Jungfrau Region network of mountain railway |
| Day 7: | Grindelwald-Meiringen Take the chair lift to the top of The First and enjoy the entire mountain panorama on the high altitude path from First to the Grosse Scheidegg. The view of the mighty Wetterhorn face, which towers nearly vertically above the Grosse Scheidegg is impressive. The close mountains, glacier, the many torrents and the fine vegetation make this section an extraordinary experience. From the Grosse Scheidegg continue down through lush forests towards Rosenlaui and further down to Meiringen. Hiking time: 5 hours. Overnight in Meiringen. |
| Day 8: | Departure Transfer to Zürich for your return flight or rail to the UK . |
Accommodation
All hotels are small family-run, typically Swiss hotels with a warm welcome. All hotels used are of a 3 star standard and have private facilities. The last nights accommodation on Engstligenalp is in a mountain hotel.
Departures: Sundays from 01 June to 15 October 2008
Price: From £ 813 per person sharing standard twin/double room
(subject to availability at time of booking)
Price includes: Flights, airport taxes, carbon offset contribution (see climate care), 7 nights accommodation with breakfast and dinner, 2nd class rail transfer from and to airport, 3-day Jungfrau Railway Pass, luggage transfers on 4 days, detailed hiking itinerary, maps and suggestions at your first hotel.
Payment by credit card:
A charge of 1% up to a maximum of £ 15 will apply when paying by credit card (Diners Card cannot be accepted). No charge will be made for debit cards.
