My Way Alpine Tour

We loved our MyWay Alpine Tour in September of 2016! The escort on our tour was extremely helpful in suggesting free time activities suited to our likes and abilities. All of the hotels were fine and they were centrally located. We visited Prague and Vienna before we arrived for the start of the tour. I wish we would have skipped Vienna and added that extra time in Salzburg. At the end of the tour, we traveled back to Murren for an additional four days. We aren't sure how we can ever top that trip, but we are going to try with the Village Italy Tour in May;)

Thank you! Your description makes the trip sound like a very good choice. I hope your next trip is wonderful, too. I’m sure it will be. 😊

Travel Man - Thank you for your suggestions. I, actually, have read everything about the Alpine Tour and looked at all of the videos. I just was hoping some personal opinions and experiences from someone who’s, actually, been on the trip would be interesting and good to know.

Hi. I did this tour the first year it was offered, July 2013. The weather was almost uniformly hot. I would be happy to do the newer itinerary with the Dolomites stop farther in the mountains. We were in Bolzano. It was sweltering.

Unexpected delights: 1) I got over my fear of cable cars on this trip. 2) I wish I had sauntered through Füssen a little more. There is a great Greek restaurant in town where we ate on what looked to be old battlements - yummy and much fun. 3) Relaxing at the Alpenrose restaurant after touring Hohenschwangau - boar burger! 4) Relaxing on the little lawn of our hotel watching folks float down the river in Chamonix, while a few of us shared a bottle of wine.

Which month to go? One thing that struck me was that while we were in Lauterbrunnen, several other RS tours were in the area. I would opt for being there when fewer tours overlap. As I recall, I spent a few extra days in Innsbruck before taking the train to Salzburg. Other locations would be Munich, Vienna, and Hallstatt (or other nearby lakeside towns). Hallstatt used to be on the tour but is no longer.

I did not have difficulty figuring out things to do. The tour facilitator was a font of knowledge, and other tour members always had ideas if I did not. Despite being My Way, this group really jelled.

First of all, have you looked at previous years' scrapbooks? There are several from the Alpine tour - I know because I studied them before I took the tour . . . and at least one of them had contact info and they were very helpful with additional info- that one was a professional/semi-pro (?) photographer who took the tour in 2013 or 2014.

Weather is unpredictable. My tour - early June 2015 - had pretty bad weather, but reading the reviews from the tour before mine, late May, and after mine, late June, both had excellent conditions. There was a plethora of spring wildflowers, especially in the Alpe di Siusi. The two nights in Lauterbrunnen were disappointing because the Alps were shrouded in low cloud. I never saw a Swiss alp. The tour escort was fantastic. She had been to all the stops several times and had hiked nearly every trail. Our group had every ability, from 8 and 9 year old kids to veteran hikers to 60-somethings including one woman with a bad knee who couldn't do any hiking. Every day we changed locaations, the escort would spend 30-60 minutes on the bus explaining all the options for the next stop, then she went through the bus, person by person, helping each one plan her/his time based on what was available and what their abilities and interests were. She also had recommendations for restaurants, local food specialties, local sights, and did an introductory walk on arrival in each new town and arranged several informal happy hours for the group.

The pace was good, with alternating days of hiking and bus riding. I started with a long weekend in Vienna and arrived in Salzburg by train about 2-3 hours before the introductory meeting (I'd been to Salzburg before). After the tour, I rented a car in Chamonix and spent another week and a half in Burgundy and Alsace, then flew home from Frankfurt - that allowed me to fly open-jaw with Lufthansa and Frankfurt is only a couple hours by shuttle bus or train from Strasbourg. Several folks went to Annecy. No one from my group stayed on in Chamonix, where we finally had some good weather.

Scrapbook submissions from previous years. Select a year & scroll down to the My Way Alpine Tours
https://www.ricksteves.com/tours/scrapbooks/tour-alum-scrapbooks

Thank you so much, everyone, for taking the time to share your great suggestions! It is so appreciated. I was not aware of the scrapbook section. That should be helpful, too. Thank you!

I was happy to see this thread because I'm considering the My Way alpine tour for 2019 (it would be 2018 but I've already committed to visiting Spain this year and need to save $). I am extremely excited about seeing the Swiss Alps and other sites, and since I'm usually a solo traveler, I think the "My Way" tour would be an easy entree to the whole tour thing.

Honestly, apart from seeing breathtaking sites, the thing I'm looking forward to the most is bonding and making friendships with other tour members! The last few times I've traveled solo, it has been a bit lonely. Even if I lean toward doing a lot of things by myself, the option to join others for a hike or a meal is extremely appealing.

The last few times I've traveled solo, it has been a bit lonely. Even if I lean toward doing a lot of things by myself, the option to join others for a hike or a meal is extremely appealing.

Thanks for saying that so simply and elegantly. I feel that way, too. The My Way tours and most of the other RS tours are a good mix of alone time and group time.

I took the My Way Alpine Europe tour as a solo traveler several years ago. It was fabulous, and I would seriously consider doing it again! Before the tour I spent a day or so in Munich and 3 days in Berchtesgaden on my own, then joined the tour in Salzburg. I stayed an extra day in Chamonix at the end of the trip, then flew out of Geneva. We had a wonderful tour group; I never felt lonely or excluded due to being a solo traveler. And RS has changed the itinerary so that there are 3 nights (so, 2 full days) in the incredible Lauterbrunnen Valley!

I've traveled to the Alps twice in early September (including the My Way Alpine Europe tour) and I think that's a great time to go. As for must-sees, just take every opportunity to ride a lift up to the top of a mountain!

I did this tour in July 2014 as a solo. You will be headed to some of the most beautiful spots in Europe. You just have to hope the weather cooperates.

We had beautiful weather in Bolzano (Alpe di Siuisi) and Chamonix. Just awesome. One of the best things I did above Chamonix was to take a cable car at the top of the Auguille du Midi across the snowfields to Italy and back. Just spectacular.

Hiking in Alpe di Siusi is unlike hiking in the Pacific Northwest. Given that its essentially a huge alpine meadow surrounded by towering peaks, you can often take your walks/hikes while seeing your destination in the distance. Very open. Be sure to eat at an alpine hut restaurant along the way.

I had been to Lauterbrunnen previously and knew how beautiful it is. Unfortunately, the weather didn't cooperate when we were there. No reason to do the Jungfrau or Schilthorn. I did do the easy Mannlichen to Kleine Scheidegg hike, though it was totally in the fog. Very peaceful. Can only imagine how awesome it would be on clear day (though definitely more crowded).

After the tour, I took the train the long way down the mountain and around the lake to Geneva and enjoyed a day there before flying out next day. If I had to do it again, I might have stayed in Lausanne instead and taken an earlier train to Geneva airport the next day. Swiss trains can't be beat.

Each of your comments are so helpful and informative. Thank you!! I truly appreciate that and appreciate this format. I have another question to those who have already gone on this tour. I get a little anxious when driving on mountain roads. I realize the bus driver will be doing this, but I’m wondering what your feelings were when driving on these roads in a bus. What are the switchbacks like? Or do you really not drive on a lot of mountain roads on this trip? Thx.

There are definitely drives on mountain roads! In my experience on 3 RS tours (two of which were in Alpine areas), watching the bus drivers skillfully navigate the roads, whether crowded narrow city streets or mountain roads with many switchbacks, was one of the cool parts of the trip. Never fear--these folks are truly skilled pros, you're in good hands and I think you'll find it thoroughly enjoyable, not nerve wracking.