My husband and I are in Bettmeralp in the Valais region, a car-free village perched high above the Rhône Velley with views to the Italian Alps and the Matterhorn (on a clear day). We come to Switzerland to hike, and this is my favorite place, thanks to the beautiful Aletsch Gletscher (glacier). And it is not crowded like the Berner Oberland.
https://www.aletscharena.ch/en
At our little family-run hotel, we were surprised to run into a Road Scholar tour group of about 14 people. I looked up the tour online and was pretty impressed with the itinerary. They spend 5 nights each in the Berner Oberland (usually Wengen) and Bettmeralp, with light hiking (optional) and visits to other areas nearby (like Zermatt).
For anyone looking for a guided tour with more time in the Swiss Alps than Rick’s tours offer, this might be just the thing.
Editing to add the following reply to Steve. For some reason the website says I am “not permitted to reply”. So I will try this:
Steve, Would you like a hiking recommendation? This is our fifth time here and we discovered a hike route we hadn’t appreciated before. Normally we would hike from Bettmeralp up to Biel (a low saddle in the ridge that separates Bettmeralp from the Aletschgletscher) and then take a trail that traverses the slope above the glacier, northeastward to Marjelensee, where there is a nice mountain restaurant. I love the views of the glacier along that trail. But—-I noticed it is not on the 2024 little hiking map, so I asked in the TI and the agent said it has been closed due to rockfall!!! So instead we hiked various ways in the last 2 days, but my favorite by far was this:
From Bettmeralp walk the paved road to the next village, Riederalp, and take the Moosfluh lift up to the ride top, where the #39 Erlebniss Trail ( marked in green on signs) runs along the ridgetop. You can either exit the gondola at Blausee midstation and hike up to the trail ( recommended) or stay on the gondola to the top and meet the trail there. I prefer the former as you have a longer walk—-facing the gorgeous view of the glacier nearly the whole way. That view is what makes this route the best—you are walking toward it not away.
You can also reach the trail without the lift, by walking through Riederalp and up to the Pro Natura Centrum (Villa Cassel.). This make a longer hike.
Your goal is Biel, indicated on the trail signs. Once you reach there, you have 2 chouices to descend to Bettmeralp, apart from going back the way you came (which would be the easiest for people wanting an easier hike). But if you choose not to backtrack to the Moosfluh lift, you can either (1) descend to Bettmeralp in a 1-hour hike on a good trail, following signs to Bettmeralp and Bettmersee, or (2). Continue up a fairly steep trail one hour to the top station of the Bettmerhorn gondola, and ride down to the village.
We hiked that route today, using the #1 option, and encountered very few other people one the trai, other than the vicinity of the Moosfluh top station. Most of the rest of the time we had the trails to ourselves.
Have a great time in Bettmeralp. It is such a beautiful place to be. We depart tomorrow, and I am sad to leave.