The walks will take you into well-known villages such as Gstaad. In winter, Gstaad is a ski resort for the rich and famous. In the summer, it is a lovely Swiss village surrounded by meadows of wildflowers and crystal-clear lakes. It is a paradise for walkers. You will have plenty of time to explore the streets and shops of this world famous village in the evenings, as your hotel is located right in the village.
On a clear day, you will have the opportunity to see the famous Eiger mountain. Eiger, along with Monch and Jungfrau is one of the most famous mountains in the area.
You will also visit the village of Chateau d'Oex. Here you will have the opportunity to visit the castle of Chateau d'Oex, sitting on top of a hill with lovely views of the surrounding countryside. This area is known in the ballooning circles and a hot air balloon festival is held there during the summer. This village represents the perfect image of Switzerland with the sound of cow bells in the distance, chalets whose images could have come off a box of Swiss chocolates, multitudes of flowers, green meadows, mighty mountains in the distance and cobblestone streets.
You will travel through a nature reserve, which is the home to many botanical species and much wildlife including wild goats, marmots and royal eagles. The eagles can sometimes be seen soaring over the valleys looking for prey.
Walks are between two and a half hours and five to six hours each day with stops for lunch and refreshment and to just take in the beautiful countryside.
Your Itinerary:
Day 1: Geneva-Lenk ( 2,5 hours). You will be met at Geneva airport upon arrival at the arrivals hall. You will then be transferred by mini bus from Geneva airport to Lenk. The small village of Lenk is situated at the foot of the Wildstrubel mountain range in an ideal location. You will arrive in time for a small evening stroll (30 minutes); welcome drinks at the hotel bar followed by dinner, your guide will outline the week’s itinerary in more detail. You may even have the chance to relax at the hotel’s indoor swimming pool and sauna.
Day 2: Lenk-Siebenbrunnen-Rezliberg (5 hours). After breakfast, you walk along the valley floor past Lenker Lake to the end of the valley floor at Sieben Brunnen. Famous for its mighty waterfalls, Siebenbrunnen also has a charming restaurant. You then climb through the forest to the hut of Rezliberg and see more waterfalls! There is a nice cheese farm here where you can stop for lunch. Either continue to Langermatte and Iffigenfall (an even bigger waterfall) before descending back to Lenk.
Day 3: Lenk-Lauenen (5 hours). Today’s walk starts with the help of the Leiterli cable car to the Stoss. From here you will gradually climb to the Leiterli and then follow the alpine flower trail along the open ridge to the Col., taking in breath taking views over the surrounding meadows and snow-capped peaks. The views include the Wildhorn and Diablerets Glaciers! We will have a picnic lunch today along the high ridge. Then you descend to the small village of Lauenen with its romantic lake which is 8 km away.
Day 4: Lauenen-Lauenen Lake-Gstaad (5 hours). Today you walk to the romantic Lauenen Lake and back in the morning passing through a Nature Reserve. There are many wild flowers and birds en route. Lunch at Lauenen and free time to either walk down to Gstaad or take the local bus. It is a beautiful walk following the river and allows time to explore Gstaad. In the winter, Gstaad is an elite ski resort accustomed to hosting royalty and celebrities, in the summer it is a paradise for walkers. The Swiss Open tennis championships are held in Gstaad the first 10 days of July and the Music Festival runs from mid-July to early September with superb classical music.
Day 5: Lauenen-Rougemont-Chateau d’Oex (6 hours). You will be driven to Gstaad in the morning and will start your walk from Gstaad. You walk along the valley floor by the river to Saanen, famous for its Saanen goats. You will then start climbing to gain views and then descend to Rougemont where we will have lunch. You continue in the afternoon along the pine scented trail by the river to Chateau d’Oex. Known for its Hot Air Balloon Festival, Chateau d’Oex represents a true image of Switzerland; picture-perfect chalets with flower-filled window boxes, brown cows with bells grazing in the pastures and children skipping down cobblestone streets. Stay at the Gourmet Hotel.
Day 6: Chateau d’Oex-Montbovon-Gruyeres Castle (5 hours). You can spend your last day sight seeing with time to explore the impressive castle of Chateau d’Oex. The walk follows the famous Corniche Trail and the last stretch involves a bus transfer to medieval Gruyeres where you can look around the impressive castle of Gruyeres and taste its fine cheeses. Gruyeres is perched at an altitude of 800m and was formerly the regional seat of power, occupied from 1080 to 1554 by the nineteen counts of Gruyeres. The H.R. Giger museum is the permanent home of an impressive collection of the work of Swiss surrealist HR Giger, the Academy Award designer of Ridley Scott’s ‘Alien’. To view traditional cheese-making and try ‘degustation’ or sampling, you can visit ‘La Maison du Gruyere’. Having visited the town, you are then transferred back to your hotel in Château d’Oex. Since this area is the hot air balloon capital of Switzerland a fabulous hot air balloon is highly recommended on a clear day.
Day 7: Departure day. Transfer from Chateau d’Oex to Geneva at 10:00am for your flight back. Approximative 2 hours.
2008 Dates: July 5-11, August 16-22, September 20-26.
Meeting Point: Geneva Airport. Transfers are included at pre-set time.
Difficulty of Walk: Walking mainly on tracks and paths, sometimes steep. Walk between 7-13 miles a day with option of shorter walks.
Notes:
Airfare is not included in the tour price.
$2,025 per person, shared; $235 single supplement.
Price Includes:
- 6 nights hotel accommodation
- 5 guided walking days
- Breakfast and dinner each day
- Cable car and train fares
- Guide
- Luggage transfer
- Transfers to/from airport at pre-set time
- Tax.
Also see tour packages in:
Europe
Switzerland
Walking Tours
Cultural Journey
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