My husband and I are planning a two week trip back to Switzerland in late summer and want to spend more than half of that in the Alps. There are so many options, and they all seem equally spectacular. Which of these would you divide your time between and how long do you need at each place? We plan on hiking in each area, and would want to spend at least 3 nights anywhere we go.
Lauterbrunnen and the Jungfrau, Zermatt and the Matterhorn, Klosters and Davos area (we have a friend's cabin that we can use here), or Chamonix and Mont Blanc?
Thank you in advance.
Posted by
San Diego, California
5604 posts
I'd suggest reading the entries under the Switzerland section here on the Forum, along with the Trip Reports. You are fortunate because this has been discussed already in great detail. Review the posts over the past twelve months.
Have a wonderful trip in this beautiful country.
Posted by
Forest Grove, OR
11775 posts
At what level do you hike? Are you “easy-hikers” who enjoy a 2 or 3 hour outing with not too much elevation gain or loss, or are you long-distance go-all-day-no-mountain-is-too-high types?
We found the area around Zermatt to be more challenging than we like (we are easy-hikers) and we very much like Pontresina in the Engadine as well as Kandersteg in the Berner Oberland and Bettmeralp in the Valais, but we spend significant time in Lauterbrunnen each year due to the variety of hiking and vistas we find there that suit our style.
FWIW, we spend at least 4 nights anywhere in the mountains because some times weather does not cooperate. We once spent 3 nights in Chamonix and never saw Mont Blanc, and a few weeks ago in the Lauterbrunnen area there were 5 sequential days of periodic rain and mostly overcast. Luckily we were there for several weeks so got our chance at a lot of good weather, too.
Posted by
Irving
3226 posts
If it were me I would go to Lauterbrunnen and hike from Männlichen to Kleine Scheidegg.
Posted by
Everett, WA
1299 posts
We just spent 4 weeks hiking in the alps of Switzerland, Austria, Germany and the Dolomites in Italy. I have also hiked in 3 of the 4 areas you are thinking of...we were suppose to go to Bergun near Davos this year but an early snow made for a change of plans. We have hiked in the Pontresina area near St. Moritz and enjoyed it very much. Out of the 3 I have hiked, I would rate them:
1.Lauterbrunnen
2. Chamonix
3. Zermatt
If the sun is out in Lauterbrunnen, it is fantastic. We try to spend 5 nights there when we go. You don't say what distance or level of hikes you want, but here are the ones we did this year:
We hiked from Mannlichen to Kleine Scheidegg, then rode a train to the Gleischer station and hiked the Eiger Trail. These 2 could be done on different days.
We hiked from Gimmelwald to the Obersteinberg hut. This is a more challenging hike and it was our fourth time doing this hike because it is one of our favorites.
We hiked the North Face Trail from Murren. Fantastic hike with stunning views. We hiked up to Almendhubel then down to Murren. We did the detour to the Spurtz waterfall.
Schyngie Platte to First. Challenging but fantastic hike. If you want shorter ideas for this area, you can do the Panorama hike from Schyngie Platte and ride the train down. Also, taking the lift to First and hiking to the Faulhorn hut is a great hike.
Lifts are expensive in this area. We paid $215 per person for 4 day Jungfrau travel passes that included most of the trains and lifts in this area. (Does not include the Stechelberg lift to Murren and the Schilthorn. Also, doesn't include the train to Jungfrau Joch (but you can go as far as the Gleischer station)
This was our fifth visit to Lauterbrunnen. I did find this web site helpful in looking for new hikes to try:
https://www.earthtrekkers.com/switzerland-travel-guide/
We did some hiking in Chamonix and enjoyed it. However, it does not come in as high on our list of places we would like to return and hike again. The previously mentioned web site has some information on hiking there:
https://www.earthtrekkers.com/destination-france/
They also have a section on hiking in the Zermatt area. I rated this the lowest. However, I have to say that we hiked there in 2001. The internet was not nearly as helpful in planning hikes as it is now and that could have affected my rating. (RS didn't even include it in his book back then) We basically just hiked steeply toward the Matterhorn until we got tired then hiked back. I have never been tempted to go back to Zermatt.
For the record: I have no affiliation with the web site I recommended. Usually when I am planning on hikes on trips, I google "best hikes in "wherever I am going" and get very useful information
Posted by
OP
4 posts
Thanks everyone. It seems like most people are in agreement that the Lauterbrunnen area is the best area. It also seems that Jungfrau and MAtterhorn are beautiful to see from other hiking spots, but it isn't worth the money and crowds to go up to them. I have gathered all the information and will start making some final decisions in the next month or so. I really APPRECIATE all the help!
Posted by
Oberpfalz, Germany
1388 posts
I've not hiked here (yet and when able), but have seen it recommended in these Forums several times. Oeschinensee. We have put the car on the train on the Lötschbergbahn between Bern and Valis several times. Makes for a quick trip between the regions. You can sit in your car for the trip. Come prepared for mountain hiking. Almost reached hypothermia unprepared in freezing rain above Davos years ago.