DAY #1 - Zurich, Switzerland The Chedi Andermatt
Arrival into Zurich, where you will be met by your driver for your transfer to Andermatt, located about 1.5 hours away.
Enjoy the remainder of the day at leisure. You may want to indulge in the magnificent spa or explore one of the multiple hiking trails in the area.
This charming town is located at the foot of the Gotthard Pass and is also linked to Lugano via the Gotthard Panorama Train. Andermatt is a ski and hiking area less frequented than the popular Zermatt or Verbier, and it is a perfect spot to skip the crowds for a couple of days.
DAY #2 - Andermatt, Switzerland The Chedi Andermatt
Meet your driver to explore the region today. You will first head to the Gottard Pass, where you will visit the Sasso San Gottardo Museum, an excavated fortification from World War II. This museum not only shows the measure taken during the war but also houses relevant artifacts that shaped the culture of Switzerland and projects onto its modern societies.
Continue towards Altdorf, where you can enjoy lunch at leisure. Later, a local guide will meet you for a walking tour of the town, famous for its William Tell monument. It is believed that on that same spot, the Swiss national hero shot the famous arrow through the apple. You will finish the tour at a local house to enjoy an aperitif with local specialties.
Return to your hotel and enjoy the remainder of the day at leisure.
Alternatively, we recommend you explore the surrounding mountain passes such as the Gotthard Pass, the imposing Furka Pass, or the Oberalp Pass which features the only lighthouse in the Alps (and the highest in the world!). Or you might want to have a hiking adventure with a local guide. Please inquire for details and cost.
DAY #3 - Andermatt, Switzerland Grindelwald, Switzerland Glacier Boutique Hotel
Meet your driver today for your transfer to Grindelwald. This picturesque town is surrounded by impressive mountains, including the famous Eiger North Face.
En route, you will make a stop in Brienz or Giessbach to enjoy lunch (payable locally).
Arrival in Grindelwald and remainder of the day at leisure. Grindelwald is one of the most popular destinations in the area that has been attracting visitors since the end of the 18th century. Alpinism developed in the region in the mid-19th century when local mountain guides climbed the peaks with mostly English tourists.
Walking trails, ski resorts, mountain climbing and lookout points are all easily accessible thanks to the extensive rail and cable car system.
DAY #4 - Jungfraujoch, Switzerland - Glacier Boutique Hotel
Today you will enjoy a day of exploration in the Jungfrau region. You will first meet your guide and head to the train station to begin your journey. Train tickets are included in the program cost.
The “Top of Europe” can be accessed from Grindelwald via the Bernese Oberland Railway. The panoramic ride takes guests to Europe’s highest train station, located at 11,300 feet. Here visitors can access the observation deck to admire the surrounding mountains – Jungfrau and Mönch, and the glaciers; visit the Ice Palace, the Alpine Sensation moving walkway, and even the highest chocolate store in Europe!
DAY #5 - Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland Interlaken, Switzerland - Glacier Boutique Hotel
Meet your guide and driver in the lobby of your hotel. Your first destination today will be Lauterbrunnen. Ideally located in one of the most picturesque valleys, between mountain peaks and rock faces, this town boasts over 70 waterfalls and it’s surrounded by smaller valleys and meadows. Lauterbrunnen is actually one of the largest nature conservation areas in the country. The Staubbach Falls, one of the highest free-falling waterfalls in Europe, plunges from almost 1,000 feet high. The town connects easily with the ski resorts of Wengen-Kleine Scheidegg and Mürren, and it is known for being the starting point for many wonderful excursions and trails in the Jungfrau region.
Later, head to Interlaken, located between Lake Thun and Lake Brienz, and surrounded by three magnificent mountains – Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau. This area is the starting point for multiple activities, and it is known as one of the adventure capitals of Europe. There are over 45 mountain railways, cable cars, chair and ski lifts that lead to miles and miles of hiking trails and ski slopes.
We recommend you take the funicular to Harder Kulm. This viewpoint is located 4,300 feet above sea level, overlooking the Interlaken alluvial plain, Lake Brienz and Lake Thun, as well as the surrounding mountains. A short walk from Interlaken Ost train station, the Harder Kulm funicular takes you to the top in 10 minutes.
DAY #6 - Grindelwald, Switzerland Zurich, Switzerland Baur au Lac
Today, meet your driver for your transfer to Zurich. On your way, you will stop in Lucerne where a local guide will join you for a short overview tour.
Lucerne is the gateway to Central Switzerland. Founded on the banks of Lake Lucerne in the 6th century, the city grew up around the Sankt Leodgar Abbey, initially built in 840. Today, as the most populous city in Central Switzerland, the city is a nexus of business and culture for the region, with several world-class museums and theaters for its residents to enjoy.
Your walk will take you through some of the beautiful town squares, lined with historic homes decorated with frescoes. Make your way to the water, where you will cross the medieval Kapellbrücke (Chapel Bridge). Your guide will show you some of the 158 paintings that decorate the interior frames of the bridge. Painted by local artist Heinrich Wägmann in the 17th Century, they depict events from Lucerne’s storied history.
From there, walk through the medieval cobblestone streets up to the Musegg Wall, also known as “Nine Towers”. As part of the rampart walls built in 1386, the Musegg and its nine towers soar high above the city, providing some of the best panoramic views of Lucerne, The Reuss and the lake. Today, four of the towers are open to guests, including Zytturm, home to the city’s oldest clock.
You can end your walk at the Lion of Lucerne, a moving monument to Swiss Soldiers who were massacred when revolutionaries stormed the Tuileries Palace during the French Revolution. Hewn out of a cliffside by Lukas Ahorn in 1821, it depicts a mortally wounded lion impaled by a spear, covering a shield bearing the fleur-de-lis. Mark Twain immortalized the monument in ‘A Tramp Abroad’, calling it “the most mournful and moving piece of stone in the world”
Afternoon arrival in Zurich and remainder of the day at leisure.
DAY #7 - Grindelwald, Switzerland Zurich, Switzerland Baur au Lac
This morning, you will be met and transferred to the airport to board your flight onward.