Hiking in the Bernese Oberland

Welcome to Lenk, a cosy little alpine town at the far end of the Simmental valley, with the Wildstrubel massif as a backdrop. You'll likely arrive on the punctual Swiss trains and then check in to the hotel in the middle of the village, where dinner is served in the evening.

Your hiking boots don't need to wait until tomorrow: if you arrive early, there are several tours at the foot of Wildstrubel, ranging from a shorter introductory walk to a solid first day on the trail. It's a great way to get your legs going and get acquainted with the landscape that will be your home for the coming week. If you want to make the most of your hiking trip in Switzerland, you can book an extra night in Lenk to tackle Wildstrubel at a relaxed pace.

Now the actual traverse eastward begins. From Lenk, the trail climbs through cool forest, green meadows and blooming alpine pastures towards Hahnenmoos Pass at 1,956 metres. Up at the pass, a true Swiss alpine panorama opens up, with snow-capped peaks in several directions. After that, a descent awaits to the sound of cowbells towards Adelboden, a classic mountain village with timber chalets and traditional architecture. Here there's time to stroll through the village and pop into local shops after the hike. There's also an alternative route via Simmenfälle for those who want to vary the day's route.

Today's goal is Bunderspitz, one of the trip's many highlights in more ways than one. The trail winds its way up through coniferous forest and alpine meadows where waterfalls follow one after another and summer flowers colour the slopes. From the heights, a vast 360-degree panorama awaits over the Swiss Alps, with snow-capped mountains as far as the eye can see. This is what hiking should look like! A long descent then follows through valleys and more rugged mountain terrain towards Kandersteg. Keep your eyes open along the way – there's a chance to see both chamois and marmots. The day ends in the small alpine village of Kandersteg.

A big day in the mountains that you'll remember for a long time. From Kandersteg, the route goes up into the high mountains, past the turquoise Oeschinensee and on towards Hohtürli Pass at 2,778 metres. The trail climbs through forest and alpine meadows and follows babbling streams before the terrain becomes increasingly high-alpine. The view grows with every metre of altitude. From Hohtürli, the mountain world truly unfolds before descending, long and at times steep, towards Griesalp. The day's 1,600 metres of ascent make this the trip's most demanding stage. It can be shortened by taking the cable car from Kandersteg to Oeschinensee, which is then paid for on site.

From little Griesalp, you continue straight into a landscape where the Alps show their most dramatic side. The route crosses Sefinenfurgge at 2,612 metres, through lush alpine pastures with traditional chalets, with glaciers and high peaks as a constant backdrop. Grosshorn and Breithorn dominate the horizon and give the day a truly high-alpine character. After the pass crossing, the descent towards Mürren begins. The car-free alpine village sits on a terrace high above the Lauterbrunnen valley and is one of those places where you really enjoy things once your boots come off for the day.

The day begins with a mountain railway or cable car from Mürren to Lauterbrunnen (paid on site). From here, a magnificent hike awaits, from the waterfalls of the Lauterbrunnen valley up towards Kleine Scheidegg. Along the way, you can visit the Trümmelbach Falls, where glacial meltwater thunders through inside the mountain itself. The trail then continues through the narrow valley and up over the alpine meadows, partly alongside the classic railway towards Kleine Scheidegg. At 2,061 metres, three of the Alps' true celebrities stand before you: Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau. From there, you hike down through coniferous forest and alpine meadows to Grindelwald at the foot of Eiger.

The final day offers a spectacular finale with the alpine peak Faulhorn at 2,680 metres, with sweeping views over the surrounding peaks and the glittering lakes below. You can choose between several options depending on how much hiking your legs want. The long version starts directly in the village, while the First cable car can cut off a good portion of the climb. Another option is a bus to Grosse Scheidegg at the foot of Wetterhorn. Perhaps the most varied option is the train via Wilderswil to Schynige Platte and from there a hike towards Faulhorn. Whichever you choose, sweeping views await over mountains, valleys and glittering lakes.

The trip ends after the day's hike in Grindelwald. Just as on arrival, you can choose to book an extra night to finish off with a shower, dinner and a good night's sleep before your journey home.