Switzerland
Hiking Switzerland: From the Jungfrau to the Matterhorn
Program No. 16543RJ
By cable car and mountain path, explore quiet meadows, sweeping vistas, glacial waterfalls and alpine villages as you learn about Switzerland from local experts.
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14 days
13 nights
28 meals
12B 9L 7D
1
In Transit to Program
In Flight
6
Wengen, Schynige Platte
Wengen
8
Grimselpass, Transfer to Bettmeralp
Bettmeralp
10
Bettmeralp, The Lötschental Valley
Bettmeralp
11
Bettmeralp, Zermatt, Free Time
Bettmeralp
12
Bettmeralp, Aletsch Glacier, Riederfurka
Bettmeralp
14
Program Concludes
Zurich
At a Glance
On foot and led by local experts, explore the picturesque villages and idyllic valleys of Switzerland’s Bernese Oberland and Valais regions, including areas that are only accessible by cog railway or cable car. Experience places where timeless traditions live on, Alpine peaks reach toward the sky and every turn in the path is rewarded with vistas of breathtaking beauty.
Activity Level
Outdoor: Spirited
Walking 4-8 miles daily; well-marked trails and dirt roads, some uneven and hilly terrain. Sturdy walking/hiking shoes are required. Elevations up to 8,720 feet.
Small Group
Love to learn and explore in a small-group setting? These adventures offer small, personal experiences with groups of 13 to 24 participants.
Best of all, you’ll…
- Visit the cozy mountain town of Zermatt for a spectacular view of the famous Matterhorn.
- Discover the unique Trummelbach Falls, located inside a mountain and made up of 10 glacier waterfalls.
- Visit Villa Cassel, a stately home built at the turn of the 20th century and now property of the Swiss League for the Protection of Nature.
- Access some of the most remote, beautiful areas of Switzerland by cable cars and cog railways for expert-led walking excursions.
Suggested Reading List
(29 books)
Visit the Road Scholar Bookshop
You can find many of the books we recommend at the Road Scholar store on bookshop.org, a website that supports local bookstores.
Hiking Switzerland: From the Jungfrau to the Matterhorn
Program Number: 16543
Swiss Watching, Inside Europe's Landlocked Island
An international bestseller. Diccon Bewees, a neutral Brit, covers cheese, chocolate, William Tell, bureaucracy and banks, all with humor and thorough research. His cultural portrait of the one-of-a-kind nation includes tips on local customs, greetings and etiquette. Second edition.
The Alps, A Human History from Hannibal to Heidi and Beyond
In an entertaining narrative, O'Shea drives, hikes and climbs through 500 miles of the Alps while musing on the historic personalities who braved the forbidding range, including Napoleon, Hitler and James Bond. A thoughtful introduction to the Alps.
Eyewitness Guide Switzerland
A compact, thoroughly illustrated guide, featuring over 900 photographs, good maps, and plenty of information on hiking in the Swiss Alps, natural and tourist attractions and the history and arts of Switzerland.
Slow Train to Switzerland, One Tour, Two Trips, 150 Years -- and a World of Change Apart
Bestselling author Diccon Bewes (Swiss Watching SWZ73) follows in the footsteps of an 1863 tour group who traveled from London to Lucerne, Switzerland. In his trademark breezy, intelligent prose, Bewes traces how tourism and time have caused a sea change in Switzerland.
Coming Out Swiss, In Search of Heidi, Chocolate and My Other Life
Part memoir, part history, part travelogue, Anne Hermann’s passionate celebration of what it means to be Swiss intertwines personal revelation with cultural fact.
Birds of Europe
Featuring 3,500 glorious paintings by Killian Mullarney and Dan Zetterstrom, the second edition of this exquisite guide features updated text and maps.
Switzerland Map
A colorful, shaded relief map of Switzerland at a scale of 1:400,000.
Culture Smart! Switzerland
A concise, no-nonsense guide to Switzerland's customs, etiquette and culture.
Asterix in Switzerland
This entry in the Asterix series of comic books features excellent drawings of the Swiss Alpine landscape.
Daisy Miller
A classic story of a young American woman's innocent flirtation and its misinterpretation by a sophisticated European man, set in Lac Leman and Chillon. This is James' first fictional work to gain mass popularity and one of his great American female portraits.
Wild Flowers of Britain & Northern Europe
A colorful field guide featuring commonly encountered species of the fields and gardens of Europe.
The Walk
In this classic novella by the Swiss modernist, freshly translated, Walser writes that "it is on walks that the lore of nature and the lore of the country are revealed, charming and graceful, to the sense and eyes of the observant walker."
Frankenstein
The Norton Critical edition of Frankenstein features the original 1818 text, an expansive preface, annotations, illustrations and supporting sections with selected criticism. With new analysis on the novel's many film adaptations.
Scrambles Amongst the Alps: In the Years 1860-69
Edward Wymper's classic account of Victorian-era mountaineering captures the geography, beauty and allure of the Alps.
All Along the Rhine
Subtitled "Recipes, Wine and Lore from Germany, France, Switzerland, Austria, Liechtenstein and Holland" this tribute to the Rhine Valley complements its history and culture with 130 recipes.
Eiger Dreams, Ventures Among Men and Mountains
A collection of some of Krakauer's (Into Thin Air) best journalism, these stories and essays focus on the mindset and determination of world-class mountaineers, including Alpine and Himalayan climbers.
William Tell: One Against an Empire, A Swiss Legend
The classic tale of a Swiss hunter facing a terrible choice, as a graphic novel for ages 9-11.
Banner in the Sky
A suspenseful tale of a young boy determined to keep his father's mountaineering dream alive.
Killing Dragons, The Conquest of the Alps
Fleming spins lively tales of man against nature in this entertaining history of the eccentrics, adventurers and publicity-hounds who sought to conquer the Alps, including Whymper and his first ascent of the Matterhorn 150 years ago.
Neither Here Nor There, Travels in Europe
Bryson deploys his famously cranky humor in this romp through European capitals. He's great fun to read and insightful on quirks of character.
The Apple and the Arrow
Families will enjoy this spirited retelling of the famous legend of William Tell and his 12-year-old son, Walter, which won the 1952 Newbery Medal.
Europe, A True Book
Part of the True Book series, this illustrated, readable volume geared toward ages 9 to 12 introduces children to the geography and diverse cultures of Europe.
Cuisines of the Alps
Subtitled "Recipes, Drinks, and Lore from France, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Italy, Germany, Austria, and Slovenia," this colorful tour of the region's rustic cuisine offers more than 140 recipes, a section on regional wines and historical information.
A Farewell to Arms
Set in snowy Switzerland and the rainy Italian Lake Country during WWI, this semi-autobiographical novel chronicles the romance between a British nurse and an American ambulance driver. This edition collects all of the alternate endings, along with early drafts of other essential passages
A Tramp Abroad
Written 11 years after Innocents Abroad, this is Twain's second foray into European travel. Filled with his characteristic wit and humorous observations, it documents his journeys through Germany, Switzerland, France and Italy. Now with an introduction by Dave Eggers.
Heidi
The beloved tale of a little girl who is sent to live with her curmudgeonly grandfather in a remote Alpine village. This handsome hardback edition retains the quaint prose and buoyant disposition of Johanna Spyri's 1880 original.
Hotel du Lac
Funny, stylish and spellbinding, Brookner's novel tracks the story of a romance novelist seeking evasive peace and quiet at the luxurious Hotel du Lac in Switzerland. Winner of the Man Booker Prize.
La Place de la Concorde Suisse
McPhee deploys his usual insight and wonderful prose on the phenomenon of the Swiss army, presenting an irreverent portrait of Switzerland and the Swiss mindset.
The Gilded Chalet, Off-Piste in Literary Switzerland
In this amusing guide, a grand tour of literary Switzerland, Rooney profiles 200 years of outstanding works and their strong Swiss influences. He argues that the land of luxury hotels, fresh air and fresh milk deserves wide renown as a literary hub.
