krissykris

We are interested in hut to hut hiking in the Berner Oberland. We want to do a reasonably priced self guided tour and are considering Wengen, Grindewald, Murren, Kandersteg areas. Suggestions? We have about 5 nights for Switzerland. Where to stay? What to hike? We are intermediate hikers who want to see typical Swiss villages and alp scenery. We are also planning a week in Italy. How do we get there from Kandersteg or Interlaken? Is it best to go back through Austria and Venice or go through Milan and head toward Cinque Terre and Tuscany? We are not sure travel times and best routes(rent a car or take the train). Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

annetti

Good question. Any answers out there? TTT

Ingo

Here is my suggestion, if you want to spend the time in the Bernese Oberland/Jungfrau region:

first night in Wilderswil (Hotel Alpenblick e.g.), next morning cog-train to Schynige Platte, hike to Mt. Faulhorn, stay a night in the mountain hotel.

Next morning hike via Lake Bachalpsee to First, and down to Grindelwald (or gondola), gondola to Männlichen, hike via Kleine Scheidegg down to Wengen and Lauterbrunnen (or parts by cog-train), bus and cable car to Mürren. Stay one night.

Hike via Sefinenfurgge Pass to Griesalp, stay the night in the mountain inn.

Hike via Hohtürli pass to Lake Oeschinensee and Kandersteg. Stay one night (maybe in the mountain hotel at the lake), eventually take the chair lift from the lake down to Kandersteg.

Kandersteg is a stop for international trains to Milan.

This includes some wonderful hikes (partly steep and long), gorgeous views, stays in cosy hotels in relatively unspoilt villages(Wilderswil, Mürren, Kandersteg) and in mountain inns/simple hotels (Faulhorn, Griesalp). Be prepared that these hikes are popular are you won't be alone ... the area is very touristy (not between Mürren and Kandersteg).

I personally prefer Graubünden for hiking in Switzerland. Another excellent region is the Valais, but it is more challenging (yet steeper and higher elevation, more glaciers).

enzian

Ingo,

When I read the question I was going to post an answer similar to yours---but you did so first, so I won't repeat. However, since you prefer Graübunden, can you suggest a similar hiking itinery there for us? We have been to the Berner Oberland and the Valais several times, but not yet to Graübunden. What is it you like so much there? The scenery, or is it less crowded?

Vielen Dank!

swandav2000

For enzian,

Until Ingo comes back to read this, I'll give you some links to Ingo's travels that may help you get started in planning.

Here's Ingo's trip report from Oct 05:

http://www.worldisround.com/articles/229817/index.html

And here are Ingo's pages on St. Moritz/Engadin at Virtual Tourist:

http://members.virtualtourist.com/m/4166c/a88f9/

Have fun browsing!

s

Ingo

I had almost completed my post when the electric power collapsed ... urgh. I hope you forgive if this post is a bit shorter

Thanks swandav for promoting my pages ;-)

Graubünden is Switzerland's largest canton - and yes, it is less crowded. At least outside the glitzy resorts like St. Moritz and Davos. But even around these you find endless miles of fantastic hiking paths which are less frequented.

Another big difference is that Graubünden has always been (since the ancient Roman's times) a transit land. Passes lead from North to South and West to East and vice versa. It is fun to explore and discover traces of previous travellers, old inns, churches, paths.

Another difference to Bernese Oberland: you can find 3 different cultures in Graubünden: Rumansch, German (Walser), Italian. And so they also have different types of architecture - brown wooden chalets (Walser-German), picturesque villages with sgraffito/fresco decorated white stone houses and small squares with fountains(Rumansch), granite stone houses (Italian regions). The food is also of more variety (and IMO better than in Bernese Oberland).

In addition, Graubünden is easier for big round trips with the Rhaetian Railway and buses which run over passes or through tunnels.

The Bernina Massif offers similar gorgeous mountain/glacier scenery like the Jungfrau region. Only a few miles away you can see vineyards, palm trees and chestnut forests.

It is quite difficult to suggest a hiking itinerary without knowing more. How long? Do you prefer to stay in mountain huts, inns in small villages? Do you have experiences with glacier crossings? More "green" scenery or high Alps? Want a taste of different cultures?

Let me know!

enzian

Ingo and Swandav, thank you both so much. I will print out the previous trip reports, and ask for further suggestions. Although familiar with some parts of Switzerland, I have thus far only been as far east as Goms, for hiking in the Grimselpass area, and then skipped over to the Dolomites. So Graubünden would be a whole new area.

I would say we prefer to stay 2- to 3-star inns in small villages, with hikes from there. I would love to go hut-to-hut, but I am always concerned about getting "weathered out". We like fairly strenuous hikes (around 1200 meters of gain) with a mixture of green meadows and high Alps. The hike up to Blumlisalphütte (Hohtürli) from Oeschinensee would be an example of what we like. Also the one up to Freundenhütte, with a few cabled stretches. Easier half-day hikes are fine too, especially if the views are nice. A hike that ends at the top of a lift we can take down is best of all (we are fit and strong but going down is hard on our poor old knees). As for glacier crossings, I'm afraid I am a wimp about that---I've had some bad experiences and try to avoid snow unless I have skis on. We also love history and are eager to learn more about places such as this, where, as you say, paths of different cultures have crossed since ancient times. Speaking of that---I'm curious if Rumansch is similar to the Ladino language and culture found in some parts of the Dolomites?

Other considerations---we generally like to spend 3 or 4 nights in each place, and we appreciate good food (and wine) in any culture. We are in our 50's, and generally travel with our teenage daughter, as well as others in our family who are in their 20's. All told, there are usually 6 or 7 or us, half of whom speak much better German than I do!

krissykris

Thank you.

kittyl

Hi, I'm trying to plan a 5 night stay(3.5 days effectively) route for the Berner Oberland for early June this year. Do you think the above mentioned route would be feasible for that time of the year? I'm worrying about having to hike in snow as well. If not, would you help suggest a alternative route? Or, would there be more interesting suggestion for spending the time in Valais area instead?? Thanks very much in advance!!!