In the Shadow of the Eiger (2024)

Bernese Oberland – the Eiger, Münch & Jungfrau

In the mountains above Interlaken stand some of Switzerland's most famous and iconic peaks, which draw the walker, the adventurer and the romantic. Of these, the Eiger conjures up images of precipitous crags and jagged snow-capped ridges that pierce the blue sky. In the valleys below nestle small villages and farms amid flower-filled meadows, high Alpine pastures and forested slopes. Exploring Grindelwald and then walking on to Wengen, you enjoy a classic walk through high mountains and over splendid passes within the Jungfrau-Aletsch UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Our walks on this short break follow well-established paths recognised for their outstanding vistas. The ascents are rewarded with magnificent views from high passes; the descents draw you on with the anticipation of things to come, and the hotels delight with their warm welcome and friendly ambience.

The key to Inntravel holidays is flexibility. You can start on the day of your choice, and are free to add extra nights.

• The average maximum daytime temperatures and monthly rainfall relate to the nearest weather station and are intended as a guide only.

  The best time for flowers is late June and early July.
  

  Average temperatures and rainfall

  	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
  °C	0	1	4	8	12	16	19	18	15	10	4	1
  mm	84	80	80	99	119	142	130	153	108	85	100	86

• Arrival

  Arrival in Grindelwald

  Arrival in Grindelwald

  Night 1: at Hotel Kreuz & Post (the first of two nights here).
  As your first night's accommodation is on the day of travel, Day 1 is your first day of walking.

• Day 1

  Circular walk from Grindelwald: 16km, 5.5hrs; ascent 700m/descent 865m

  Circular walk from Grindelwald: 16km, 5.5hrs; ascent 700m/descent 865m

  On your day in Grindelwald, our scenic introduction to the region involves taking the gondola to First and walking westwards. Following a classic high alpine route, you pass the lake of Bachalpsee and enjoy far-reaching views towards Lake Thun. Your target is Schynige Platte, the 19th-century narrow-gauge cog railway summit station and its Alpine garden, where 560 plants can be seen. You return to Grindelwald on the oldest electrically powered locomotive, complete with nostalgic open carriages and original wooden seats (pay locally for this and the gondola using the included half-fare card).

  Circular walk from Grindelwald: 16km

  Schynige Platte

• Day 2

  Grindelwald to Wengen: 16.5km, 6.5hrs; ascent 905m/descent 1235m

  Grindelwald to Wengen: 16.5km, 6.5hrs; ascent 905m/descent 1235m

  Today you start with a train ride out of the valley to Alpiglen (included), where you pick up the dramatic Eiger Trail which runs along the foot of the classic rocky north face. You also pass the Mönch and Jungfrau, with wonderful glacier views, before descending over glacial moraine, and later through pastures and woodland, to the beautiful village of Wengen where you stay at the Hotel Alpenrose on the edge of the village.

  Alternative route via Kleine Scheidegg: 20.5km, 8hrs; ascent 1190m / descent 1015m
  Our bad-weather option also takes you past the north face of the Eiger, the Mönch and the Jungfrau, but at a further distance.
  

  The Eiger Trail

  Eiger Trail: 16.5km

  See Also

  Switzerland Rail Passes and Train Tips

  Via Kleine Scheidegg: 20.5km

• Day 3

  Linear walk from Männlichen: 12km, 3.5hrs; ascent 150m/descent 1050m

  Linear walk from Männlichen: 12km, 3.5hrs; ascent 150m/descent 1050m

  To make the most of Wengen's spectacular surroundings, we suggest that you take the cable car to Männlichen, a superb vantage point from which to admire the soaring peaks of the Eiger, Münch and Jungfrau. From here, panoramic paths lead across the high slopes and through pastures back to Wengen and your hotel.

  Linear walk from Männlichen: 12km

  The clanging of cowbells can often be heard

• Prices (£ per person based on 2 sharing)

  Walk price

  4 nights: 28 June 2024 - 30 September 2024 & 28 June 2025 - 30 September 2025

  Start any day | End by latest date(s) shown above

  Starting	Price	Single room
  28 Jun - 11 Jul 2024	£1110	£121
  12 Jul - 12 Aug 2024	£1140	£121
  13 - 21 Aug 2024	£1110	£121
  22 Aug - 12 Sep 2024	£1020	£121
  13 - 26 Sep 2024	£960	£121
  28 Jun - 11 Jul 2025	£1155	£130
  12 Jul - 12 Aug 2025	£1190	£130
  13 - 21 Aug 2025	£1155	£130
  22 Aug - 12 Sep 2025	£1065	£130
  13 - 26 Sep 2025	£1000	£130
  3rd & 4th person discount	£0
  Single traveller supplement	£0

  Includes accommodation, meals and services integral to the holiday as described, plus walking notes and maps, but no travel from the UK, nor any connecting travel from the airport unless stated below.

  Included travel: return rail/bus from any Swiss airport. A Swiss Half-Fare Card is also included, providing you with half-price tickets for trains, bus and boat journeys and up to 50% reduction on private railways and cable cars.

  Book your flights through us and we'll find the best route and times to suit you. Please contact us to find out more about our flight booking service. We can also book connecting travel - see below.

• Room upgrades & extra nights

  Room upgrades (£ per person per night)

  Hotel Kreuz & Post, Grindelwald
  Junior suite: 28 Jun - 30 Sep 2024	£48
  Junior suite: 28 Jun - 30 Sep 2025	£50

  Hotel Alpenrose, Wengen
  South-facing with balcony: 28 Jun - 30 Sep 2024	£33
  South-facing with balcony: 28 Jun - 30 Sep 2025	£34

  Extra nights (£ per person per night) in a double or single room

  Hotel Alpenrose, Wengen (with dinner)	Double room	Single room
  28 Jun - 14 Sep 2024	£155	£178
  15 Sep - 30 Sep 2024	£131	£154
  28 Jun - 14 Sep 2025	£165	£189
  15 Sep - 30 Sep 2025	£140	£164

• Flight options

  RECOMMENDED AIRPORT(S):
  Zürich, Geneva or Basel
  As an alternative to flying, we can arrange rail travel from London

  Travelling from the UK

  Travelling from outside the UK

  If you are flying from outside Europe, we recommend flying via Zürich or Geneva.To discuss onward connecting travel to the start of your holiday, please contact us.

  Travelling from outside the UK

  We have many years' experience catering for customers who live outside the UK, and will be happy to make tailored arrangements to fit with your plans.

  You have two options:

  1) Book your own flights to London, from where we can book flights and onward connecting travel to your hotel.

  2) Book your own flights direct to an airport appropriate to your chosen holiday. You can either make your own way from the airport to the hotel, or we'll be happy to book onward connecting travel for you. Please consult with us before booking your flights, so that we can advise you on the suitability of your proposed route and timings.

  Outward route	Airline
  Aberdeen - Zurich (via Frankfurt)	Lufthansa
  Aberdeen - Zurich (via Paris)	Air France

  Outward route	Airline
  Birmingham - Zurich	Swiss
  Birmingham - Zurich (via Munich)	Lufthansa

  Outward route	Airline
  Bournemouth - Geneva	easyJet

  Outward route	Airline
  Bristol - Basel	easyJet
  Bristol - Geneva	easyJet
  Bristol - Geneva (via Amsterdam Schiphol)	KLM
  Bristol - Zurich	Swiss
  Bristol - Zurich (via Amsterdam Schiphol)	KLM

  Outward route	Airline
  Edinburgh - Basel	easyJet
  Edinburgh - Geneva	easyJet
  Edinburgh - Zurich	Swiss

  Outward route	Airline
  Glasgow - Geneva	easyJet
  Glasgow - Zurich (via Amsterdam Schiphol)	KLM

  Outward route	Airline
  Humberside - Basel (via Amsterdam Schiphol)	KLM

  Outward route	Airline
  Leeds Bradford - Zurich (via Amsterdam Schiphol)	KLM

  Outward route	Airline
  Liverpool - Geneva	easyJet

  Outward route	Airline
  London City - Geneva	British Airways, Swiss
  London City - Zurich	British Airways, Swiss

  Outward route	Airline
  Gatwick - Basel	easyJet
  Gatwick - Geneva	British Airways, easyJet, Swiss
  Gatwick - Zurich	easyJet, Swiss

  Outward route	Airline
  Heathrow - Basel	British Airways
  Heathrow - Geneva	British Airways, Swiss
  Heathrow - Zurich	British Airways, Swiss

  Outward route	Airline
  Luton - Basel	easyJet
  Luton - Geneva	easyJet
  Luton - Zurich	easyJet, Vueling

  Outward route	Airline
  Manchester - Basel	easyJet
  Manchester - Geneva	easyJet
  Manchester - Zurich	Lufthansa, Swiss
  Manchester - Zurich (via Frankfurt)	Lufthansa
  Manchester - Zurich (via Munich)	Lufthansa

  Outward route	Airline
  Newcastle - Geneva	easyJet
  Newcastle - Zurich (via Amsterdam Schiphol)	KLM
  Newcastle - Zurich (via Paris CDG)	Air France

  Outward route	Airline
  Norwich - Zurich (via Amsterdam Schiphol)	KLM

  Travelling from outside the UK

  If you are flying from outside Europe, we recommend flying via Zürich or Geneva.To discuss onward connecting travel to the start of your holiday, please contact us.

  This list of flight options should be used as a guide only, and you should check each airline’s website for current routes, frequency and schedules. Not all flights operate daily, and may not run for the entire season. You should also heed the latest flight arrival time and earliest flight departure time stated in the connecting travel section, as it may not be possible to arrange connecting travel outside these times. Please do not book your flights until we have confirmed your accommodation to you. Alternatively, our expert reservations team will be happy to offer advice and to make flight bookings for you for any of the options listed above. We charge £35 per person for our flight booking service. Your flights are then covered by our package-booking conditions, which give you greater protection in the event of delay or cancellation, as well as providing ATOL cover.

• Connecting travel

  Prices below are based on 2 people travelling together. If you are travelling solo or as a party of 3 or more and our arrangements include a taxi, please contact us for prices; additional passengers often pay less.

  Where a price range is given, the price you pay depends on your date of travel.

  Connecting travel options - flying via Basel

  Outward route	Price per person	Latest flight arrival time
  bus Basel airport to Basel SBB (0h20), rail Basel SBB to Grindelwald (2h40), walk to hotel (0h02)	included	1600

  Homeward route	Price per person	Earliest flight departure time
  transfer hotel to station (0h02), rail Wengen to Basel SBB (3h), bus Basel SBB to Basel airport (0h20)	included	1230

  Connecting travel options - flying via Geneva

  Outward route	Price per person	Latest flight arrival time
  rail Geneva airport to Grindelwald (3h35), walk to hotel (0h02)	included	1600

  Homeward route	Price per person	Earliest flight departure time
  transfer hotel to station (0h02), rail Wengen to Geneva airport (3h40)	included	1400

  Connecting travel options - flying via Zürich

  Outward route	Price per person	Latest flight arrival time
  rail Zürich airport to Grindelwald (2h50), walk to hotel (0h02)	included	1600

  Homeward route	Price per person	Earliest flight departure time
  transfer hotel to station (0h02), rail Wengen to Zürich airport (2h50)	included	1300

What is included

If you've experienced this holiday first hand, why not write a review?

We are keen for as many customers as possible to review their holiday. To make it easier to do so, we include a specific review section on our post-holiday questionnaire, and this is what we publish here, unedited. Read our full review policy >

• How do self-guided walking holidays work?

  We’ll send you route notes and maps 2-3 weeks before your holiday. The route notes not only contain directions to get from A to B, but also include practical information about places of interest and eateries along each route, plus cultural information about the area. If/when you are moving between hotels, you leave your luggage in reception as you leave, and it will be transferred ahead to your next accommodation, meaning that all you need to take with you are a camera, sun cream, drinks, food and waterproofs.

  For more detailed information, see our walking holidays in Europe page.

• Do you provide GPS navigation?

  Yes, prior to going on holiday you will be able to download GPX tracks so that you can follow your route on your smartphone or dedicated GPS device if you wish. It’s entirely up to you whether or not you use them – our detailed, step-by-step route notes remain the principal means of guiding you from A to B – but we provide them as a secondary means of navigation for additional reassurance when walking.

• Can I book my flights through Inntravel, and what’s the advantage of doing this?

  We can book a wide range of routes from the UK with a variety of airlines. As well as being more convenient for you to book all elements of your holiday together, it also means that we’ll accept liability for your travel arrangements, so if things go wrong, such as the airline going bust, we’ll make suitable alternative arrangements for you. The fee for this service is £35 per person (£15 for children aged 2-11). More information on flights >

• Can you book travel arrangements for customers from outside the UK?

  We can’t book flights that originate outside the UK, but if you wanted to book your own flights to London (or elsewhere in the UK), we can make all onward travel arrangements (including flights) from there. Alternatively, if you are booking your own flights to an airport in continental Europe that’s appropriate for your holiday, we can book onward rail travel and/or taxis. More information about how we can tailor holidays for customers outside the UK >

• I’m travelling alone. Is there anything I need to know?

  Since our holidays are self-guided, we recommend calling us for a chat about your plans before making a booking, especially if it’s the first time you’ve booked with us.
  The price panel shows the supplement for a single room and also the single traveller charge (this covers (luggage) transfers and other costs which are usually shared between two people).

• How do I make a booking?

  Once you’ve decided on your exact itinerary (our travel experts will be happy to offer advice), you need to provide us with your party’s details, either by phone or via our booking form. At this point we also ask you to pay a deposit so that we can secure a room for you immediately on confirming availability with the hotel(s). If it turns out that we can’t secure the accommodation for the holiday you’ve requested, or offer an acceptable alternative, we’ll refund your deposit promptly and in full. After booking your accommodation and other key elements, we'll then book your travel (or you can do so if you’re making your own arrangements) and send you a Booking Confirmation and Invoice.

  More information about the booking process >
  Information about accommodation, general practicalities and more >
  Booking conditions >

• Do I need travel insurance?

  Yes, it’s something we insist on, even for holidays in the UK. The vast majority of holidays go smoothly, but when things go wrong, it can be expensive to put them right. Buying a new pair of walking boots after your suitcase is stolen mightn’t seem so bad, but the bill for being airlifted down from a mountain with a broken leg or flown home while still recovering from an illness or accident can incur a five or six-figure bill.

  Many insurers offer travel insurance (you can find details on our insurance page of a policy that you may like to consider if you are a UK resident), but you do need to make sure that you’re covered for medical emergencies – including falling ill with Covid-19 while on holiday – and repatriation. We also recommend that you are covered for other eventualities, such as cancellation and loss of luggage and passports.

  When you purchase a policy, be sure to check that it covers the activities you'll be doing on holiday and that it is adequate for your own individual needs.

• Do I need a visa or anything health-related for Switzerland?

  It is your responsibility to ensure you are in possession of the correct travel documents, with the correct validity. If you’re a UK citizen, you need a full British passport to travel to Switzerland, but not a visa (please note, however, that a new travel authorisation system is being introduced). If you are a citizen of another country, you’ll need to check requirements with the national embassy or your own consulate.

  Current information regarding vaccinations and travel health advice for UK citizens can be found through the Travel Health Pro website. You must make sure you have adequate insurance cover for illness, accidents and repatriation (see the insurance question). You should also apply for a Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) if your EHIC has expired (if you have a still-valid EHIC, you can use this until it expires).

• What else do I need to know about travelling to Switzerland?

  The official languages are German, spoken in the majority of the country; French, spoken in the south-west; Italian, spoken in the south-east; and Romansch, mostly limited to the Engadine valley. The currency is the Franc. Swiss time is GMT/UTC + 1. It uses Daylight Saving Time, so in summer is on BST + 1.

• How does Brexit affect travel to Europe?

  For information on the practicalities of travel now that the UK is no longer part of the European Union, visit www.gov.uk/visit-eu-switzerland-norway-iceland-liechtenstein.

• Where can I find general travel advice?

  The UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) provides up-to-date, country-by-country travel advice, as well as information on security, local laws, passports and visas for UK citizens.

  If you live outside the UK, see our essential travel information page for a list of relevant websites.

• Is this holiday suitable for children?

  You are the best judge of your child’s/children’s capabilities. We are happy to take bookings for families of older children/teenagers if they walk regularly, love the outdoors and are comfortable with the distances and ascent/descent involved. Please note that the bedrooms at most of the accommodation we use will normally only sleep a maximum of 3 people, and sometimes only 2.