10 day trip May – Luzern, Wengen, Montreux, Zermat

Hi etroy, and welcome to MySwissAlps!

>> My husband and I will be traveling to Switzerland for our honeymoon in early-mid May … We are planning on purchasing the swiss travel pass … Luzern: What suggestions do you have for dinner?

Central location on the riverside in the Altstadt (old town):

http://www.rathausbrauerei.ch /en

>> We chose Mt. Rigi over Pilatus as I felt it had more hiking opportunities at the top. Is that a fair assessment?

Yes.

>> If so, what specific hikes do you recommend for moderate to strenuous hikes for that time of year?

Others can better advise you about that than I can, but here are some links while you await further advice:

http://www.myswissalps.com/hi king

http://www.rigi.ch/en/Experie nce-Enjoy/Summer/Hiking/Hi king-trails-on-Mount-Rigi

>> Travel to Wengen. Luggage in lockers as AirBnB not available til 4pm.

There are no lockers at Wengen station, but you can probably use the baggage service at the station.

>> Go to grocery store for snacks/breakfast.

You will be able to see the Coop supermarket from the station – look across the park and a bit to the right.

>> Hike in region.

Higher altitude hikes are not likely to be open before mid-June. The local tourist offices can advise you on what trails are open during your stay.

Your visit coincides with the low season between the end of the ski season and the beginning of the hiking season. Some mountain transport will be closed for maintenance, but you still have some options:

Operating

• Gondola Grindelwald to First

• Train to Jungfraujoch

• Cable car Lauterbrunnen-Grütschalp (from 5 May; closed 30 April-4 May). While it is not operating, you can travel to Mürren via bus Lauterbrunnen-Stechelberg and cable car Stechelberg-Mürren

• Cable car Mürren to the Schilthorn

• Trümmelbach Falls will be open

Not operating

• Gondola Grindelwald Grund to Männlichen (opens 26 May 2018; they might also operate it on Sat/Sun/Mon 19-21 May if the weather is nice)

• Cable car Wengen to Männlichen (reopens 1 Jun 2018)

• Funicular Mürren to Allmendhubel (closed 9 Apr to 22 Jun 2018)

• Train Wilderswil to Schynige Platte (expected to reopen 26 May 2018)

>> my 30th birthday! Go to Jungfraujoch early in the morning.

Nice choice! I had my last “round” birthday on top of a mountain too!

>> Hike at Kleine Scheidegg on the way back.

Not sure if those trails will be open – check with tourist office when you are there.

>> We would love to hike out over the glacier. Can you do that without a guide? I only saw the 2 day excursion posted.

You can do an unguided walk on the glacier to the Mönchsjochhütte at some times of the year – about an hour each way. The hut reopened on 19 March, but I would still check about the status of the hike before starting out. (See attached photo of people on the trail, taken from the Sphinx at the Jungfraujoch in December 2016).

For any other hikes on the glacier, I believe you would need a guide and suitable clothing and equipment.

>> I was saddened to see that Hotel Scheonegg restaurant is closed that time of year. Any other great suggestions for the perfect 30th birthday meal?! We are willing to travel to nearby villages.

That’s because it’s the off-season, and it will be pretty much the same in the other villages. There will be some places open, but perhaps not offering the setting and style of meal you would prefer for a special occasion.

If no-one else comes up with a better suggestion, I would try one of the fancier hotels in Interlaken.

Alpenrose