Category: Hiking & mountain tours

The Great Aletsch Glacier is, at around 20 km long, the longest and largest glacier in the Alps and the heart of the UNESCO World Heritage Site Swiss Alps Jungfrau-Aletsch. From the Aletsch Forest and the viewpoints Eggishorn, Bettmerhorn and Moosfluh you look out over the mighty stream of ice, fed by the firn fields of the Jungfrau region. Like all Alpine glaciers…

Saas-Fee lies at 1,800 m at the head of the Saas valley, surrounded by thirteen four-thousand-metre peaks, among them the Dom (4,545 m), the highest mountain lying entirely on Swiss soil. The car-free village is regarded as the Pearl of the Alps and is known for its year-round glacier ski area and the world's highest revolving-restaurant view, reached by the Metro Alpin…

The Lauterbrunnen valley is a deeply incised trough valley with almost vertical rock faces over which around 72 waterfalls plunge. The best known is the Staubbach Falls, which drop almost 300 m freely into the depths. The valley is considered one of the most beautiful in the Alps and inspired Goethe; the car-free mountain villages of Wengen and Mürren lie…

Founded in 1914, the Swiss National Park in the Engadin is the oldest national park in the Alps and a strict total reserve: nature is left entirely to itself and visitors may not leave the marked trails. Across some 170 km² live ibex, chamois, red deer, marmots and bearded vultures. The visitor centre in Zernez introduces the idea and…

The Verzasca valley north of Locarno is famous for the exceptionally clear, emerald-green water of the Verzasca river. Its landmark is the double-arched stone bridge Ponte dei Salti near Lavertezzo, often called the “Roman bridge”. At the valley exit, the 220 m high Verzasca dam holds back the lake, known for the bungee jump in the James Bond opening of “GoldenEye”.HighlightsCrystal-clear, emerald-green river waterPonte…

The Obersee is a quiet mountain lake about 600 metres south-east of the Königssee, reached via the Salet boat landing. The Röthbach Falls plunge over the Röthwand, at around 380 m the highest waterfall in Germany.HighlightsBoat trip across the Königssee to Salet, then a short walkTurquoise, very quiet mountain lake framed by steep rock facesRöthbach Falls – at around 380…