vibhav

Fodorites,

Having extensively read trip reports and planning threads of a lot of the fodorites, I think I have some kind of a sembelance of an itinerary ... Need your help to fine tune, comment and critique this itinerary... I am adding in my Czech days just for reference.. Will set up a different thread for the details for that portion.

We are two adults with our 5 year old son. So looked for relatively easy and 2-3 hour hikes and activities in BO... Also, I am an avid photographer and we are making this trip especially for our 10th anniversary... So looking to spend some leisure time in BO and do not want to hurry through it too much ...

Here is the itinerary with the overnight city listed in (parentheses) followed by the activity planned for the day

21-Jun, Monday, (Prague) Prague City
22-Jun, Tuesday, (Prague) Prague City
22-Jun, Wednesday, (Prague) Prague City
23-Jun, Thursday, (Prague) Prague City
24-Jun, Friday,(Cesky Krumlov) Train/Bus to Cesky in AM
25-Jun, Saturday,(Cesky Krumlov) Canoeing and Cesky Town
26-Jun,Sunday, (Train)
Bus to Prague
Then overnight train to Zurich

27-Jun, Monday, (Murren)
Train Zurich to Lauterbrunnen;
Reach Murren by 2 PM; Settle in and explore Murren"

28-Jun,Tuesday, (Murren)
AM - Cable Car to Schilthorn;
PM - Walk to Gimmelwald and hike to Kilchbalm; Take cable car down to Stechelberg,
Dinner in Lauterbrunnen

29-Jun, Wednesday, (Murren)
AM - Almendhubel and Hike Back
PM - Grustchalp to Murren walk via Winteregg"

30-Jun, Thursday, (Wengen)
AM - Bike ride through Gimmelwald, and Stechelberg to Lauterbrunnen, Trummelbach falls
PM: Explore Lauterbrunnen; headover to Wengen"

1-Jul, Friday,(Wengen)
AM - Trip to Jungfrau
PM - Cable car upto Mannlichen, Hike to Kleine Scheidegg, Explore Wengen town during dinner time

2-Jul,Saturday,(Wengen)
AM - Train to Grindelwald, Gondola to First and hike to Bachalpsee
PM - Explore Grindelwald"

3-Jul,Sunday, (Wengen)
Flex Day for additional BO or Day trip to Interlaken, Thun and paddle boat on the Thun lake

4-Jul, Monday, (Zermatt)
Train to Zermatt; Cable car to Rothorn

5-Jul, Tuesday (Zurich)
Sunrise with Matterhorn
Glacier Express to Chur;
Train onto Zurich"

6-Jul,Wednesday
Fly back from Zurich

So fodorites, please fire away ...
Here are some of our concerns and questions

- Staying at both Murren and Wengen? Is that a good idea? We could not decide so decided to stay on both sides of the valley so that we have no regrets... I know that 90% of the Fodorite reports that I have read stayed in Wengen... Are there any Murren fans or better still anyone stayed in both and can compare them for us?

- Any other easy hikes with great rewards?

- We are mising a Chocolate and A Cheese Tour. Can anyone suggest which one and where we can squeeze one in?

- Are there any other kid friendly activities in this area that I missed out on in my research?

- We are staying only one night in Zermatt because I have to, have to see the Matterhorn. I know my chances are slim of seeing it free of clouds, but I do not want to short change BO to increase a day in Zermatt. What say?

- Glacier Express? Reading the posts, I realize that it is overhyped. But it is pretty and worth doing still, right? I have been trying to squeeze in the Bernina Express from Chur to Bernina Ospizio and back to Chur. But I do not see any way of doing it without sacrificng additional days. Since Chur is poory connected to Lauterbrunnen and Zermatt, the only way is to circle back to Zurich.

All help will be much appreciated!!

swisshiker

Hello vibhav

My oh my, you sure have done your homework. Well done!

I've got just a couple comments:

<i>30-Jun, Thursday, (Wengen)
AM - Bike ride through Gimmelwald, and Stechelberg to Lauterbrunnen, Trummelbach falls</i>

The bike trail down to Stechelberg may be a bit much for a 5-year-old. It's pretty rugged. You may want to reconsider this part. Check with the sports store in Murren which rents the bikes (reserve early!) to even see if your son is allowed.

<i>Staying at both Murren and Wengen?</i>

I'm one of the odd ones out here, as I LOVE staying in Grindelwald, would choose Murren second, and Wengen third. To me, Wengen just doesn't hold a candle to the others. But that's what's great about all the opinions you get. Truly, there's no wrong answer. It's all good! For us, we like to stay in one place as the trains are so easy to get around on and see the other areas. No need to schlep luggage, kids, etc. just to stay in a different locale. None are that far from the other.

<i> Are there any other kid friendly activities in this area that I missed out on in my research?</i>

Almendhubel has a lovely playground. Grindelwald has an alpine slide (he'll love it!!), a miniature golf course, and an indoor swimming pool.
Wengen has a miniature golf course; don't know about a playground there.

Happy travels!

vibhav

Thanks Swisshiker. I have seen in my experience that one can maximize the fodorites' time and effort if you do your research from the old posts. So yes, the homework was needed

For the bike ride, we will likely want to rent a trailer in which our son can ride in behind my my bike ... That is what we do in the US... Does anyone know if the trailer concept exists there ?

If not this bike route, any other suggestions for a flat or slight downhill bike ride? We are not very good bikers, we want to bike for enjoyment and leisure and for a different activity more than anything else ..

As for Wengen and Murren, we are leaning more towards Murren .. but waiting on more feedback ...We love to stay in small villages which have moderate activity but have a small feel ...

For the kid activities, yeap, zeroed in on the Almendhubel playground .. there is some kid friendly hike there too, right??

Thanks for the Grindelwald kid activity suggestions ...

vibhav

We were just able to research more on our travel from Cesky Krumlov to BO and we might have just found the perfect combination of shuttle bus to Linz and then train through Zurich to Lauterbrunnen ... Long day of travel but it saves us from over night train and gets us into Murren one whole day earlier. Yayy!!

With the extra day, now I am like a kid in candy land ... Extra day in BO or extra day in Zermatt or try to do the Bernina Express till the Bernina pass ... Any help is much appreciated!

Here is the revised itinerary ...

21-Jun, Monday, (Prague) Prague City
22-Jun, Tuesday, (Prague) Prague City
22-Jun, Wednesday, (Prague) Prague City
23-Jun, Thursday, (Prague) Prague City
24-Jun, Friday,(Cesky Krumlov) Train/Bus to Cesky in AM
25-Jun, Saturday,(Cesky Krumlov) Canoeing and Cesky Town
26-Jun,Sunday, (Murren)
Shuttle Bus to Linz, then train to Zurich and onto Lauterbrunnen. Reach Murren by 10 PM

27-Jun, Monday, (Murren)
AM - Cable Car to Schilthorn;
PM - Walk to Gimmelwald and hike to Kilchbalm; Take cable car down to Stechelberg,
Dinner in Lauterbrunnen

28-Jun,Tuesday, (Murren)
AM - Almendhubel and Hike Back
PM - Grustchalp to Murren walk via Winteregg"

29-Jun, Wednesday, (Murren)
AM - Bike ride through Gimmelwald, and Stechelberg to Lauterbrunnen, Trummelbach falls
PM: Explore Lauterbrunnen; headover to Wengen"

30-Jun, Thursday, (Wengen)
AM - Trip to Jungfrau
PM - Cable car upto Mannlichen, Hike to Kleine Scheidegg, Explore Wengen town during dinner time

1-Jul, Friday,(Wengen)
AM - Train to Grindelwald, Gondola to First and hike to Bachalpsee
PM - Explore Grindelwald"

2-Jul,Saturday,(Wengen)
Flex Day for additional BO or Day trip to Interlaken, Thun and paddle boat on the Thun lake

3-Jul,Sunday, (Wengen)
Train to Zermatt; Cable car to Rothorn

4-Jul, Monday, (Chur)
Sunrise with Matterhorn
Glacier Express to Chur;

5-Jul, Tuesday (Zurich)
Bernina Express to Bernina Ospizio and back to Chur
Train back to Zurich

6-Jul,Wednesday
Fly back from Zurich

vibhav

Topping ... I realize that my post is kind of long to read, but that was to post the detailed itinerary and allow for detailed feedback ... Help, please!

otherchelebi

I hope you have also tagged this thread "Switzerland"

Currently, i only see a "Turkey" tag, which will make it difficult for you to receive any useful information or comments.

Good luck.

vibhav

OMG .. Thanks otherchelebi !! You saved me ... I was starting to think I had offended all the fodorites .. LOL ... Did not realize that I had tagged it wrong .. Seems like I clicked just below Switzerland and reached the first T country Turkey ... I do not think I can change the post .. I will report with a Swiss tag ..

Thanks Once again ..

And Thanks to Swisshiker for your response here!

Ingo

I sure have something to add here, but will wait until you either started a new thread or this one is tagged correctly (don't want to post the same twice).

You could email the editors that they change the tag to "Switzerland".