What to Pack? Switzerland tour Sept 2022

Kateja, do you already have the items you’ve listed, or are you going to be doing any shopping? A down vest can be a very good insulating layer, but a more packable option might be a polyester fleece vest or long sleeved top. Since it’s for early September and not the middle of winter, fleece might be just the right amount of warmth, where down could be too much for me. Then there’s thinner, lighter down garments and thicker, bigger down vests and coats, and I’ve got both kinds, for different situations. How chilly do you get?

You might also consider a fleece or knit earband or ski cap, or other hat. Just as important for me as sturdy light hiking shoes are good, cushioning socks. I use thicker wool or synthetic hiking socks, which take longer to dry when washed, but still insulate feet if they get wet.

Your tour isn’t hiking in the mountains all the time, but for hiking, I use nylon pants instead of jeans. They block wind better then cotton jeans, and if they get wet, jeans get really cold really fast. Hiking pants aren’t the most fashionable in cities, but they’re comfortable on buses and trains, and essential on mountainsides and trails. There’s also the zip-off version that can convert to shorts if weather gets warm.

Thanks for the advice! I get cold really easily. I do have most of those items, left over from 20+ years in Seattle. I have a pair of earmuffs that, surprisingly, do a lot to keep me warm. My jacket has a hood, also helpful. I'll have to shop for a fleece vest.
I'm just wondering if there is real hiking on this tour or basically just walking on a path up a gentle incline. I am hoping to get by with my Keens.
I have a large variety of coats, everything from light jackets to one that is basically a sleeping bag.

Early September you will only likely need a very few days where you will need warm clothing, when you go up to the Schilthorn for example. If its windy or gets foggy.

Early September is some of the best weather.

One year we had an apartment in Meiringen in the first week of September and we didn't get out of shirtsleeves the whole time.

Hi Kateja,
Because Switzerland is on my list, I have read through the itinerary and daily activities and I have found you can pick your hikes from strenuous to easygoing throughout the tour. My concern is the altitude as I had altitude sickness in the Rocky Mountains at 10,000 feet.
I’m sure it will be a fantastic tour. Enjoy!
Kateja,
I thought you originally asked about the hiking on this tour and level of energy needed. My comments look completely out of sync.

Hello. I took this tour a few years ago when I was in my early 60s. There have been a few itinerary tweaks since, but it remains light to moderate walking. In the Berner Oberland, you have the opportunity to undertake more strenuous hiking if you choose. I am a walker rather than a hiker, so I did not choose beyond exploring the areas easily accessible surrounding Mürren. I wore my Keen hiking sandals, and probably had a similar pair of Merrells with me, too.

Yep, down vest, fleece, and maybe a cashmere sweater would be my choice, plus a weatherproof jacket, some socks, maybe light gloves. Remember, you are going to be in some towns so perhaps leave room for a little light shopping? I purchased one of my favorite sunhats in a department store in Luzern.

My most strenuous experience on this tour was taking advantage of a near-by barefoot walking trail. I would say this is not for those with unconditioned feet!

Bring many layers over one bulky heavy one. This gives you many options so that you can adjust for daily weather. A couple pairs of warms socks, gloves, warm hat. Rain pants are nice obviously for rain, but they are a nice extra layer to have for cold and wind. A visor is nice to wear under a hood of a raincoat to keep water off the face. I'd bring at least one pair of pants that dry quickly. Jeans take forever to drive.

EDITED to change "wine" to "wind" ;)

I'm very intolerant of cold; I know I'd just burrow under the covers in my hotel room if not confident I had the right clothes to face the elements, so I pack more layers for my trips than most people would. In addition to the things already mentioned (though I've not yet taken rain pants to Europe) I'd include at least one set of long johns. For my 2019 trip that started in Andalucia in early April (on a chilly, rainy day as it turned out) and included 26 days in Scotland, I took two sets--one merino wool and one polypropylene. There were a few days when I used both sets of long john bottoms under nylon pants, and I stayed basically dry except for the rain that ran down my legs onto my socks. Even with waterproof shoes (recommended) my feet did not stay dry.

If packing weight were not an issue (it always is, for me), I'd seriously consider taking my rain pants if my itinerary included plans for a considerable amount of walking in areas where indoor options for icky days would be limited.

Kateja, anywhere you are in mountains in any season, the temp can drop off in the evening, so even a warm day can mean a cool night. A waterproof outer layer is good. And know that you can always buy more layers over there if what you take is not enough.

We had an entire day of rain in Lake Como. Had to take a ferry in the rain. Had to walk to a villa in the rain and had to wait outside for the start of the tour in the rain. My husband finally took the umbrella and gave me his rain pants. I'm 5-4 on a good day. He's 6-2, I'm sure I looked fantastic. I now bring rain pants everywhere there can potentially be rain. They work especially well with leggings. On a rainy day, I'll put on a tunic and leggings and then rain pants can easily be slipped on and off.

Since I tend to be the tour director (I have the map, phone, etc.) I have a hard time carrying an umbrella when my hands are already full.

I stuff my rain pants that are contained in a self pocket and my rain coat, again compacted into a pocket in a small stuff sack for the plane, it makes a nice pillow.

EDITED: I'm rereading this and I think my point was unclear. I was using the Italy example to make a point. I've been in Switzerland, 3 separate times. Each time there was a fair amount of precip. In Switzerland, at least for us, the majority of the activity was outside. Good gear is necessary if you want to be comfortable doing the planned activities.

Hi Kateja, we did this RS tour in September 2016 and returned to Murren to spend a week on our own in September 2017. This is a great time of year to travel to Switzerland! We were at the end of September both times but had mostly beautiful, sunny days. The day we arrived in 2017 it snowed but everything melted by noon the next day.

We experienced trail walking rather than hiking. There is free time where you can do more “real” hiking if you choose. We like Eddie Bauer clothing a lot and wore mostly the guide pro pants that can be washed in the sink and dry very quickly. They are lightweight so you might consider adding a pair of silk long underwear. We both wear New Balance 1300 water-resistant hiking shoes and didn’t need boots. Think layers. A t-shirt and fleece will probably be all you need most days. You’ll want some type of jacket for the evenings.

We really loved this tour. Switzerland is a very diverse country and you will experience Swiss, German, French, and Italian culture, all with your two week trip!

You are going to love this tour!
You will do as much or as little hiking as you want to do. There are always options available that give you choices about whether you want to even go on a hike, how strenuous that hike is, and how long it is. I wouldn't worry about the hiking component.

I went in August. I am from the Pacific Northwest so I am a life long "layer wearer." I pack a fleece jacket, a rain jacket with hood to go over that, and a very lightweight packable down vest. This combination has never let me down and takes up little space. I only used the vest once on this trip and that was when we went up the Schilthorn.

The weather is often changing due to altitude and location. Be prepared that it could also be hot. I know it was quite warm when we started out in Luzern.