[Removed user]

8 February 2017 at 20:02:02 #810762

Hello my fellow Swiss companions,

I’m a U.S. native with luggage taking a 9 day trip to Switzerland. I want to explore every part of Switzerlands country side– if that is possible. I would like to do a lot of hiking ( no overnight hiking because I will have luggage that I intended to to keep at whatever hostel I stay at).

I understand that the train system there is terrific and that is the way I will be traveling. I would like to know which hiking spots are a must and also ways to save money on food.

I’m extremely fit so I can cover a lot of miles of hiking in a short amount of time. Some feedback on hikes will be greatly appreciated (i.e., certain trails to take, hike difficulty (1-10), must sees, secret spots :))

I will be traveling alone and I’m 25 years of age.

(1) ways to keep the cost down.

(2) must see’s

(3) any night life for recovery days.

ANY tips, suggestions, or comments would be greatly appreciated.

I will be in the country early June.

Thank you in advanced for all of your help andI look forward to hearing back from all of you 🙂

Effortlessly learn from the questions and answers in the forum. Receive a daily e-mail with new discussions. Sign up

[Slowpoke]

9 February 2017 at 2:18:49 #858789

Hi Sanchezj1982

Welcome to my Swiss Alps-

Sounds like a great trip.

I’m not going to be able to answer all your questions/interests at this time, but here is a start.

<<“I want to explore every part of Switzerlands country side– if that is possible. I would like to do a lot of hiking ( no overnight hiking because I will have luggage that I intended to to keep at whatever hostel I stay at).”>>

There is good luggage transport system on the trains, which might help.

http://www.sbb.ch/en/station-services/services/lugg age-and-flight-luggage.html

The timetable will help your planning and travel:

http://www.myswissalps.com/ti metable

This map is god on transport. Zoom in and play with the menus:

map.search.ch/

This website can help with details of many hikes. You me need to spend some time with it, but once you find hikes…and they include the best…you can get altitude profiles and accommodation details.

http://www.wanderland.ch/en/h iking-in-switzerland.html

Here is one example:

http://www.wanderland.ch/en/r outes/etappe-01559.html

<<“I want to explore every part of Switzerlands country side– if that is possible.”>>

To explore every part of Switzerland’s countryside will require approximately 123.7 days, and require a visit during the peak of the hiking season.

Just joking…it would actually require more than that. 😉

That is July 1 through September 30. You will note that that is only approximately 90 days. Thus, you will adjust your hikes to lower altitudes at the beginning or tail ends of that time, or comeback again.

This splenid and exceptionally scenic, very easy short hike might be open in early June, with luck and a melt off of much of the snowpack that can slide and block the trail. June 15th is the usual approximation for the opening date. Starts at roughly 2200 meters and finishes at roughly 1900 meters….if my memory is working tonight.

http://www.myswissalps.com/hi king/maennlichen-kleinescheidegg

This really good but not easy one will not be:

http://www.myswissalps.com/hi king/first-schynigeplatte

<<“I will be in the country early June.”>>

By choosing that time, you have excluded the best high Alpine hiking. It is still the tail end of winter at 2000 meters and above. The SAC huts, which experienced Alpinists use, tend to open in late June or early July.

After you have taken a look at the links on the home page, such as-

http://www.myswissalps.com/ge ttingstarted

and-

http://www.myswissalps.com/ac commodation

and begun to focus on possible ideas for where to go in your very limited time, come back with some thought about your itinerary. We can go from there.

Slowpoke

[Removed user]

9 February 2017 at 22:31:33 #858790

Hey Slowpoke,

YOU HAVE BEEN TREMENDOUS MY FRIEND.

Thank you for all of your help; your advice has been really instructive. Needless to say, I think my initial plan was a little naive and or ambitious — ill go with ambitious :).

I have yet to actually book my flight, so now I am definitely going to delay it until early August so that I can hit those incredible alpine trails. Maybe I’ll even extend my trip a few more days.

I have to do a lot more research and then ill update you with a more precise itinerary and hopefully less broad questions.

I appreciate you getting me started and handing me all these resources. This forum is pretty awesome.

I will touch base soon!

[Slowpoke]

10 February 2017 at 1:48:54 #858791

You are welcome. Let us know if we can help more.

Please don’t SHOUT. 😉

Slowpoke

[Removed user]

11 February 2017 at 18:18:43 #858792

Hi Sanchez

You expressed an interest in “secret” spots so here is an idea for you!

If part of your trip is based in the Bernese Oberland, an unusual hike/walk can be made from Brienz, if you make your way there first. Take the Postbus from next to the rail station to Axalp (you can find bus times from sbb website). The bus ride is fun – twisty and narrow road. Get off at the terminus and make a note of the times of return buses!

Look for a carving of a hiker pointing to the trail to the left then simply follow that trail – it is called Schnitzerweg (German for carver way) – there are carvings all along the trail which leads down to a small lake. there are fine views over Brienz at the early part of the walk before it goes through the trees.

Students from the wood-carving college in Brienz did these carvings after a storm damaged a lot of the trees so they turned them into something beautiful/interesting.

It is not a difficult trail but will not be crowded and will certainly be a bit different! Take a camera to take photographs of the carvings. You return by the same route. There are two places to eat near the bus stop if you need refreshments before catching you bus back to Brienz.

Maggie

[Removed user]

15 February 2017 at 16:26:53 #858793

Thank you for the advice Maggie!

I will be in that region Switzerland so I will definitely check it out. I plan on taking a ton of pictures 🙂

[Removed user]

15 February 2017 at 16:32:06 #858794

with a change of plans here is what I have decided to do.

Im thinking of staying for 10-12 days at the beginning of August.

Right now I plan to fly into Zurich but if anyone has suggestions I’m all ears.

Areas I want to see:

(1) Interlaken – I must do the Hardergrat trail.

(2) Visit the Lauterbrunnen

(3) Zermat – I want to see the matterhorn ( any suggestions on the best hikes around that region?)

Any suggestions, comments, and tips would be highly appreciated.

Thank you all for your time and efforts.

[Removed user]

15 February 2017 at 17:05:50 #858795

Hi sanchezj1892,

For international Flights you are limited to Zurich and Geneva (sometimes Basel but usually only flights within Europe). Location wise for what you are looking at Zurich is a good choice.

Here are some links to the areas you are interested in seeing – for a few more ideas.
Things to do in Interlaken
Lauterbrunnen – Jungfraujoch and Schilthorn are quite spectacular!
Zermatt – Gornergrat and Klein Matterhorn – Glacier Paradise are very popular options.

The hikers on this website will be able to give you some specific recommendations I’m sure.

You may also want to consider a few nights in Luzern as there is a lot to do there as well – however you can do a lot of those activities from Interlaken as well if you choose.

Lucas

[Slowpoke]

16 February 2017 at 2:46:17 #858796

Some thoughts –

http://www.myswissalps.com/fo rum/topic/tips-about-wengen-and-the-jungfrau-region-by-kim

Wengen is just above Lauterbrunnen.

As lucas has noted, Luzern is a great place to be near to in August.

http://www.myswissalps.com/fo rum/topic/the-swiss-path-and-southern-lake-lucerne

Slowpoke