GOURMET WALKING TOUR

The  below sample itinerary utilizes mostly 5-star hotels and most meals are included. We also have access to less-expensive 3 to 4 star walking tours as well.

Embark on a hiking adventure in Switzerland, where the breathtaking beauty of snow-capped peaks, lush green fields, and crystal-clear lakes beckon you to explore. Begin your journey in the picturesque Rinderberg, where a cable car ride lifts you to a world of alpine meadows and quaint honour-system fruit stands. Marvel at the serene Lake Lauenensee and savour the views of the iconic Matterhorn over a gourmet lunch at Lake Stellisee. Ride the Gornergrat Railway to the tranquil Riffelsee, where wildflower meadows and serene forests await. Along the way, delight in the rich flavours of local cheeses with a cheese ager, visit a farm to meet charming black-nosed sheep, and enjoy the exhilarating descent to Zermatt on mountain scooters.

The Ridge Walk & Gstaad

Departing from lively, liveable Bern, you’ll set off on a 1-hour drive through the plains towards the Alps, beside Lake Thun and then up into the Simmenthal to the village of Zweisimmen.  There at a coffee stop, you’ll get your hiking poles and hop aboard a cable car up to Rinderberg. There isn’t a more spectacular way to start our Swiss adventure.

This easy walk brings us to a quiet spot near Hornberg for lunch where you can enjoy the views with or without an ice-cold beer.  From here it’s a short stroll to Horneggli and down the exhilarating chairlift, or you can take a 4×4 taxi down. If you’re up for more walking, continue on a lovely hiking route to Gstaad or take us up on a quick shuttle if you’re eager to relax or explore Gstaad.

This evening, we’ll toast to our week ahead over a welcome drink then we’ll sit down for a delectable dinner in the hotel.

Lovely Lauenensee
(the lake lost in the mountains)

Grüezi mitenand. Following a restful night and after a mountain breakfast, you can decide whether to take a short lift or walk to the gondola station, where we’ll take an enclosed cable car up to a scenic crest. Here, begin a gentle hike to one of the most magnificent spots in Saanenland—the idyllic Lauenensee lake (“see” actually means lake in Swiss German), surrounded by waterfalls and snow-clad peaks.

After a simple, delightfully Swiss lunch on a restaurant terrace near the lake, or perhaps a picnic (weather permitting), our taxis await to bring us to the scenic little village of Lauenen.  Strangely enough, the cemetery, overflowing with a rainbow of living flowers, is like a beautiful park or a sculpture garden in its own right. Individually carved wooden grave markers showing what the departed most loved in their lives: Halflinger ponies, gardening, mountains, pets.  Then it’s a short ride down to Gstaad.

This evening, we’ll visit a local cheese cellar, just a short drive up the mountain from Gstaad. Here, we’ll meet the cheese ager for an aperitif while he explains the secrets of the cheese business. After, savour the options for dinner on your own—Gstaad is ideal as it offers many choices for restaurants of various culinary styles, from pizza to fondue to Michelin-starred gourmet sushi.

Into the Mattertal (the Matter Valley’s hamlets)

This morning begins with a grand journey: our driver will bring us down into the Rhône Valley and then up to the Matter Valley, about 2 hours of beautiful driving to Täsch.  There you’ll hop into electric vehicles for the final quarter-hour into Zürich’s car-free zone.

While the luggage is whisked to our next hotel, we’ll set off with our guides on a hike into the Gornera Gorge to Zmutt. We’ll pass the Ricola herb garden (with many of its composite herbs growing in their natural environment) and savour a great little lunch in a typical wooden house.

On the way back to Zermatt, we’ll stop in to meet the iconic, and impossibly adorable, black-nosed sheep from the Valais region at one of the valley’s most important farms. *In mid-summer, we might need to catch them in a mountain pasture on one of the following days.

If you’re up for a real challenge, you can also opt to hike up to the hotel.  Otherwise, our guides will be sure to keep us on schedule to catch the train up to Riffelalp, our high-perched luxury home for the final two nights.  After the train, you can walk a gentle kilometre or hop aboard the hotel’s private tram.

For dinner tonight, we’ll stay in and savour our hotel’s casual and delizioso Al Bosco restaurant, at whatever time suits you, either alone, for date night, or with friends.

The Five Lakes Walk and Zermatt

After breakfast with (clouds permitting) views of the Matterhorn, we are off to the high Swiss alpine meadows we all dream of. We’ll walk from our hotel to the Stellisee, a famous little lake that enjoys an iconic view of the Matterhorn that is held in perfect reflection on a still, sunny day. From there, a beautiful walk with an impressive Alpine panorama will take us down past a string of beautiful lakes to a quaint little hamlet, home to some truly gourmet lunch spots on a beautiful terrace facing the Matterhorn.

Several options are available this afternoon.

Option one: hike back up to the Sunnegga lift station and catch a ride back to Zermatt.

Option two: feel like a kid again and take kick bikes (mountain scooters, with fat tires and with helmets provided) to town from Sunnegga on a lovely, gentle, larch-framed trail.

Option three: a comfortable trail winds down from lunch through larch and pine forests all the way to the charming hamlet of Winkelmatten and on to the town centre.  Catch a train back to our hotel, or perhaps stay to shop or explore the mountain museum.

For dinner tonight, there are many options in both the hotel and in Zermatt. Keep it casual and stay in town until an early dinner seating, or head up to Riffelalp to freshen up and then come back down. Just be sure to have us reserve in advance, and take careful note of the train timings.

Glacier Country

Today we’re heading up to an even higher altitude.  Begin with either the Riffelalp tram or a short walk to the train, then a lovely ride up.  Stepping off the Gornergrat Railway, we’ll breathe in the crisp alpine air and set our sights on the surrounding glaciers.

Our trail leads us to the serene Riffelsee, where the mountain’s reflection creates a picture-perfect scene. As we continue, the rugged alpine landscape gradually leaves space for vibrant wildflower meadows (especially in early summer) and panoramic vistas, with views of the mighty Matterhorn adding to the awe. The path then descends into a tranquil forest, offering cool, shaded serenity before emerging at Alphitta, our picturesque lunch spot.

Here, we’ll savour local cuisine while soaking in the stunning views. Refreshed, the afternoon is yours: perhaps to relax and take in the final views of the Matterhorn from our nearby hotel. Or perhaps descending back to Zermatt, either by train or, for some extra mileage, by foot with one of the B&R guides.

Tonight, we’ll have our final festivities back at the Riffelalp Resort, toasting our shared adventures in front of one of the true wonders of the world, before enjoying a final dinner near the peaks and the stars.

Farewells

After breakfast, you can depart at your leisure.  Your guides and the hotel will arrange for you to journey down to Zermatt via tram and train at your desired time. Check-out is 11:00 am, and you can keep your bags at reception if you’d like to linger.

May the beauty of these mountains and villages linger as sweetly as the best Swiss chocolate. Tschüss.

Cost

Prices start at $9,595 per person. Most meals are included as are 5-star luxury hotels. Groups are no larger than 16 persons.