6 Days of Hiking in Switzerland on The Bernese Oberland Section of the Via Alpina Trail Claimed

Over the past 5 years, we’ve done a number of overseas hiking trips together with a group of our close friends (Tour de Mont Blanc, the Dolomites, the Haute Route, Patagonia) and have loved the combination of incredible scenery and rigorous exercise while exploring new parts of the world. This year we decided to venture to an area of Switzerland none of us had previously hiked. Some of us were coming directly from another 6-day hike the week prior on the Tour de Mont Blanc.

The Bernese Oberland Traverse (also known as a section of the longer Via Alpina) is a classic 5- to 8-day alpine trek in Switzerland, running from Meiringen to Kandersteg and covering about 64 miles (102 km), with stunning views of the Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau mountains. It winds through beautiful hamlets with window boxes overflowing with flowers, incredible mountain peaks, jaw-dropping valleys, and meadows filled with cows ringing the bells around their necks. It’s really got everything!

17 of us, all aged 60+, started planning this hike (over a year ago, with the help of Pygmy Elephant (who also planned the trip the week prior). Once on the ground, we are solo and self-guided but can call Pygmy for any emergencies or help needed. Pygmy had not organized a trip in this specific region before, and we were happy to be their guinea pigs given we’ve worked with them before and think they do a great job.

Below is the general info about the trip and how we planned it, followed by a summary of the itinerary and a packing list. A full day-by-day description is also included for anyone who may want to do a similar trip themselves.

General Info:

When: July 19-26, 2026, with 6 actual hiking days.

Overall Thoughts:

This area of Switzerland is stunning. We hiked through a number of valleys, each more beautiful than the last. We were always surrounded by mountains that look like they are from a postcard. The hike offers a lot of variety, from steep mountains that feel miles away from civilization to walking through small mountain towns. There are gondola options at several points as well, if you want to skip a steep ascent or descent. It is a hike that offers something for everyone.

Planning:

Along with the trip we did the prior week, we started planning this trip almost a year and a half in advance, because we were such a large group and the small huts/hotels we stayed in sell out quickly. The trip itself was self-guided, but we worked with Pygmy Elephant to plan the trip (they had never booked a trip here before but hopefully it will now be on their roster of trip offerings), book accommodations, and arrange luggage transport. They provide an app with detailed daily info on the route, distances, elevations, and more, so you won’t get lost, plus you can export their daily trail guides into AllTrails, which makes daily navigation super easy. We made many of our dinner reservations when we were in towns, but they managed our accommodations with the huts and hotels.

Packing Logistics:

We each carried a backpack with water, rain gear, medical needs, clothing, etc. One person each day even carried a defibrillator just in case! Each person was allowed one bag to be transported from one location to the next, vs carrying everything on our backs, which was quite the luxury! But you don’t need to take much on a trip like this! When we stayed at refugios that did not have car access, we carried everything we needed for two days in our backpacks.

Daily Distances/Elevations:

We hiked for 6 days, with daily distances ranging from 7-11 miles and hiking times of roughly 4-6 hours/day, and elevation gains ranging from approx 1,500’ to 5000’ per day. I personally hiked just over 40 miles and about 12k in elevation gain, but I skipped a couple big uphills by taking gondolas, as well as one big hike on the last day, so many of the group hiked more than me.

Daily Schedule:

After an always amazing breakfast of homemade breads, cheeses, meats, eggs, yogurt and more, we would usually start hiking by 8:00 (people spread out on the trail and hiked at their own pace), stop at a mountain hut for coffee and a delicious homemade pastry snack late morning (these seemed to magically appear just when you needed them), have lunch at a mountain restaurant (lots of roti potatoes!), hike to our lodging, and arrive by 3-4ish. We’d soak feet in a stream if available, wash/hang clothes as needed, have a most delicious post-hike beer while gazing out at amazing mountain scenery, and then enjoy dinner. We were in bed by 9 or 9:30, tired and happy.

Lodging:

We stayed primarily in hotels, but also stayed in a few on-mountain refugios (mountain huts with group rooms/shared bathrooms). Some were a bit nervous about the hut accommodations (one spot in particular), but these nights sleeping like sardines in a big dorm room and eating a delicious homemade meal in a hut made of stones on a mountaintop are what build friendship and memories!

Itinerary Summary:

Packing List:

Pack Type:

Bring the lightest backpack available. Many of us used Osprey packs with capacities ranging from 20 to 45 liters (around 35 liters seemed the norm). Make sure it can accommodate a water bladder and is properly fitted to your body (I had REI do the fitting for me).

For the Trail:

• 1 Hiking Shorts (or skort) (quick dry)
• 1 Hiking Pants (quick dry) NOTE: Most people hiked in shorts because of the warm weather. Some didn’t bring pants. I hiked in a skort almost every day.
• 1 Long Sleeve Hiking/Sun Shirt with Hood (Quick dry. This one from Path Projects was LOVED by those who had it – SO lightweight.). I wore an IBKule shirt every day.
• 2 Short Sleeve Hiking Shirts (quick dry). I just wore the IBKule shirt for arm coverage.
• 2-3 Socks (wool) Darn Tough socks recommended.
• Rain Jacket
• Rain Pants
• Fleece jacket (on the thinner side that packs down well)
• Puffer jacket (good as a pillow as well)
• Thermal top and bottoms (lightweight kind)
• Sun hat with good brim (love the Tilly hats), or cap with flaps that protect you from the sun on your neck/face
• 1 Set of clean clothes for post hike each night (I had sweats that doubled as sleepwear)
• Neck buff or bandana
• Toiletries (bring minimal/small bottles)
• Phone chargers and adaptor (all refuges we stayed in had a few communal outlets for use)
• Power bank (especially if camping)
• Hiking shoes
• 30-35L Backpack (or bigger if camping)
• Backpack rain cover
• Telescopic Hiking Poles (A MUST)
• Sunglasses
• Water bottle or bladder (at least 2 liters)
• Guide book/map (1 per group)
• 2 Bars/snacks for emergency food/hunger (you can get more on the trail as needed)
• Sun gloves (optional but give good protection)

For Staying in a Refuge:

• Sleep sack/sleeping bag liner (you sleep in this and have blanket/pillow they provide as well)
• Sleeping attire (can use thermals or t-shirt, etc)
• Beanie/gloves
• Flip-flops or Crocs (you take off your hiking shoes in refuges and need lightweight shoes for walking and showering).
• Head torch
• Ear plugs/eye mask (optional, but if you are in a bunk room it is good to have)
• Small travel towel

Other:

• First Aid Kit (one person carried most of the items for the group)
• Map
• Whistle
• Pen Knife
• Phone charging cord and adaptor, as needed
• Ziplock bag

Detailed Itinerary – The Nitty Gritty:

For those who want all the details, here you go!

Day 1: July 19

Arrive Meiringen

• Everyone arrived via train in Meiringen, a small city that was very sleepy/closed when we arrived, given it was Sunday afternoon. Some arrived early and went to the Sherlock Holmes museum, as Reichenbach Falls in Meiringen is where the detective was ‘killed’ by his author, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, although he was brought ‘back to life’ later when the author needed to make more money via the detective!
• We had dinner (booked ahead of time) at Pizzeria Bahnhof, which was good, then watched the World Cup finals in the hotel.

Hotel: Hotel Alpbach was nice, clean, well located, and had a good breakfast.

Day 2: July 20. Day 1 of Hiking.

Meiringen to Chalet-Hotel Schwarzwaldalp

• After a good breakfast, we walked out of town and got on the trail. It started with a big uphill, and a couple of us took the Reichenbachfall-Bahn, a cable car that goes up to Reichenbach Falls and offers amazing views. We then joined the hikers and continued uphill for the rest of the day.
• We walked through lovely towns, along a beautiful river, and through forests, and were near a road much of the time.
• First stop was for cake and coffee at a small cafe we came upon.
• Next stop was lunch at Hotel Rosenlaui, a lovely spot with outdoor dining that was delicious. Very close by is an area that has tons of waterfalls and a rushing river that’s been carved out into the mountains. A walkway has been somehow constructed, and you wander on the side of, and through, giant rocks to view this massive water/river in action. You pay an entrance fee to access it, and it’s well worth it!
• The hike then continued with gradual uphill until we reached Chalet-Hotel Schwarzwaldalp, a lovely alpine hotel sitting on a hillside with a lumber mill next to it that’s powered by the river. We had beers outside surrounded by beautiful scenery, did laundry, and hung out until dinner, which was at the hotel.
• Dinner at the hotel was very good with really excellent, kind service.Hotel: Chalet-Hotel Schwarzwaldalp. Shared bathroom but individual rooms with sinks in the rooms

Day 3: July 21, Day 2 of Hiking

Chalet-Hotel Schwarzwaldal to Berggasthause First

This was a beautiful day of uphill hiking through a variety of landscapes (forests, meadows, open trails) while flanked by amazing mountains. We took an alternate route that was suggested (we didn’t take the Romantikweg), so the graphic shown below is correct in terms of general direction, but we joined up with the suggested route at Scheidegg Oberlager.

• We stopped for coffee and pastry at Grosse Scheidegg along the way and then continued up through meadows filled with cows.
• The end destination of Berggasthaus First is actually the top of a big gondola that comes up from the town of Grindelwald. It is a popular day destination for tourists to come up the gondola from town to wander to a nearby lake or to do some of the activities offered, like using Trotti bikes, go-karting down the mountain, and parasailing. It also has dorm rooms, which is where we were to spend the night.
• We arrived about noon and had lunch. Afterwards some went on to hike to the lake, and some took the gondola down to explore Grindelwald (small, somewhat touristy). The gondola is expensive though, and we wished we’d gotten the Swiss transport pass to cover all the gondola options at a reduced cost.
• Once the last gondola left, we (and others staying in the dorms) had the area to ourselves.
• We had a nice dinner and then went to our three rooms, each filled with about 4 sets of bunk beds. We had only our group in our rooms, and shared a bathroom/showers with all others staying in the dorms. Not our best sleeping spot, but the views of the valley were spectacular, and once we had it to ourselves, it was beautiful.

Hotel: Berggasthouse First: This is a dorm-style situation where we had three rooms, each with multiple bunk beds. There was a shared bathroom for everyone with multiple showers/toilets.

Day 4: July 22, Day 3 of Hiking

Berggasthause First to Wengen

We took the gondola down to Grindelwald (a 30-minute ride) and then started the big uphill portion of the day to get to Kleine Scheidegg! There are a couple gondola options to skip some of the uphill, and our group did various things.

• Everyone walked the steep uphill to The Holenstein mid-station, where we stopped for coffee and pastry at Alpiglen, overlooking the entire valley with the Eiger by our side – beautiful.
• At that point, one group took the cogwheel train up to the top, others walked up to the top on a wide path (like walking up a ski run in the summer), and others took the Eiger trail to the top to the Jungfrau train station (more challenging). My husband took the Eiger route and said it was one of his favorite hikes of his life.
• Even though you’ve done all this climbing to get to the top, once there, at the top in Kleine Scheidegg, there is a tram arriving to/from the Jungfraujoch, as well as various gondolas (so people who don’t hike can get up to this magical spot). We had lunch reservations, and after eating, some took the train to visit the Jungfrau (the highest point in Europe on a glacier where it’s a bit like Disneyland but the sights are quite spectacular and it’s worth a visit).
• Others of us who had been there previously hiked down (via a beautiful trail, not the road!) to the town of Wengen, taking a tram the last little bit as it’s a long, steep descent on a road into town. Once again we found ourselves in another valley surrounded by the most magnificent mountains.
• Wengen is a beautiful small mountain ski town surrounded by mountains that you can wander in about half an hour. We checked into our nice hotel, washed clothes, rested, had a pre-dinner cocktail, and then had dinner at the hotel’s pasta restaurant where we were not served for over two hours. It was ridiculous – how do you ‘lose the ticket’ for an order of 17 people who are almost the only ones in the restaurant?

Hotel: Hotel Victoria Lauberhorn

Day 5: July 23, Day 4 of Hiking

Wengen to Rotstockhutte

This day really took us out of the towns (after lunch) and up, up, up into the mountains.

• First we did a long downhill walk (a lot on roads) from Wengen to Lauterbrunnen, a small, touristy but quaint mountain town filled with sports stores and coffee shops. From there, some did the big ascent to Murren, and some opted to take the bus/cable car to get there (we love the efficiency of Swiss transport!).
• Murren is a beautiful mountain town tucked into the hillside that is so quaint and charming – my favorite town visited, I think. We had lunch at Hotel Regina with an amazing view out over the valley, with paragliders soaring in front of us. Wonderful spot and wonderful food.
• After lunch we did the uphill hike to Rotstockhutte, our mountain refugio for the night. There was one very steep part of the walk, followed by gentler uphill until reaching the refugio.
• The refugio is a rock house, as the name suggests, where supplies are helicoptered in once a week. It has cows and a dairy attached to it, and picnic benches outside to drink your amazing beers after the hike and gaze at the huge mountains in front of you (that you’ll climb the next day). You take your boots off in the bootroom, then climb upstairs to the shared bunk room where there are mattresses side by side with little wooden partitions every few mattresses. You sleep in a little box, in your sleep sack on their mattress. Cozy with 17 of us in one room. The shared bathroom was outside in another building. No showers available. These are the shared memories that make friendships forever! 🙂
• Beers outside, followed by a delicious curry dinner inside, followed by card games. We met some fellow hikers, one of whom joined us for the couple of days of hiking. Then we put in our earplugs, put on our sleeping masks, and crawled into bed to try to get some sleep amidst the snoring.

Hotel: Rotstockhutte

Day 6: July 24, Day 5 of Hiking

Rotstockhutte to Griesalp

After a good breakfast (they are all so good here!), we headed up the hill out our front door for a big climb to the summit at Sefinenfurggee Pass. The end of the climb, after steep switchbacks in scree, has stairs built in given the slope. It’s a feeling of accomplishment to get to the top!

• After a rest at the summit, it’s then a longer set of steep stairs to start the descent, followed by a long downhill the rest of the day through rocky paths and then a bit of road to Greisalp, a cute town that really is just the three buildings of the hotel we stayed in.
• People had late lunches as they arrived, then the routine of laundry, followed by beers and dinner. Big rooms at this hotel, which was nice. The woman who ran it was a character, who waved us off with a Swiss flag the next morning.

Hotel: Griesalp Hotels

Day 7: July 25, Day 6 of Hiking

Griesalp to Kandersteg

Final day of hiking! The group broke into two groups for this day, as the hike from Griesalp to Kandersteg is a tough one in terms of elevation gain as well as technical stairs and climbing. It ends in the beautiful alpine lake above Kandersteg called Oeschinsee, and from there you can walk down into town or take a tram.

• Half did the hike, loved it, and lived to tell about it. There were lots of steep stairs, and it was technically very challenging. At the summit, there was a remote hut to greet them with coffee and pastry (there always is!), followed by the long downhill the rest of the way to the lake.
• The other half of the group took the local bus down the mountain – a very steep, windy set of switchbacks that apparently are very famous for how tough it is to drive. Then we took the train to Kandersteg, which was very easy to do. Most people go to Kandersteg to visit Lake Oeschinsee, whether you hike up or take the tram. The lake is crystal blue and beautiful, but it is touristy. You can swim, and there is a restaurant as well. After a bit, the hikers met up with us, and we all hiked or trammed back down to our hotel.
• For our last night, we enjoyed final beers outside, and then as the first rain of the trip began, we headed to a delicious dinner at Nico’s, a few blocks away, for our final meal together! There were multiple courses in our prix fixe meal, and it was a delicious end to our trip! Nico’s is only open Friday and Saturday nights.

Hotel: Belle Epoque Hotel Victoria

Day 8: July 26

Travel Day Home or Onward!