Best time of year for GAS tour?

I dont know what "best" means to you, but we went in September and had great weather in Switzerland and Austria, and the timing was such that we caught Oktoberfest in Munich while we were there. Crowds were not an issue for us. Airfare was.

My husband and I are also trying to figure out a time for GAS in 2019. Would appreciate hearing from anyone who went in May or June. Thanks!

When I did this tour I took one of the last tour dates in August. While I caught perfect weather in Switzerland the rest of the tour was WAY too hot for my comfort, starting with it being 95F in Trier the day I arrived there. I missed out on some of my "To-do" list in Trier because of the heat. The accommodations in Trier also do not have AC but they did have a fan.

If I were doing this again, I'd go mid-late September altho that will put you into the Oktoberfest crowds in Munich.

I'd caution about going too early in the Spring. You want for the trails in Switzerland to be clear of snow for good hiking.

This IS an excellent tour! You visit some smaller places so crowds are not really a problem except in Munich. Salzburg and Vienna didn't feel crowded to me at all.

Thanks Pam, this is just the type of feedback I was looking for. My initial thought was that Sept right before the Octoberfest crowds become an issue might be a good time. Like you, we would much prefer cooler temps.

That’s our thinking as well. We’re planning to book in September of 2019. Did you know you can save $100 off the price of a tour if you book before Nov 30? Maybe we’ll see you on the tour!

Another vote for late September or early October. I was there during Oktoberfest and it wasn’t really a huge problem. I went to the Deutsches Museum for part of the day, wandered around downtown Munich the rest.
We stayed in Starnberg because of the festival and took the bus in for the day.
The autumn foliage was out so it was great!
Hiking in Murren was good but it also could have turned.

We took this tour starting September 1. It was a little warm the first few days. Crowds were not really a problem anywhere except the larger cities of Munich and Vienna. I would recommend September 7 or later. This is a fabulous tour. It's at the top of our favorites list. Plan on coming early and or staying late with independent travel. There's so much to see in the area that you'll be visiting.

I took this tour beginning the very end of May into June. The weather was really good and we didn't run into issues in Switzerland with snow...although in early May you might. We didn't experience any "crowds" to speak of with any of our stops. The wildflowers were beautiful this time of year too. If you go, be sure to check out this past year's scrapbook winner. It was made by my friend Kristi and features our adventures on the GAS tour... "Girlfriends Go To." It is a fantastic trip! Enjoy.

Thanks Katykrip, that is just what I wanted to hear. I will check out the scrapbook.

Thank you Katykrip, I did see your friend's scrapbook. Very nicely done! My wife has been interested in Iceland, and we may adopt some of your pre-tour ideas also. It sounds like you had a great trip.