Escorted Tour: Undiscovered Switzerland
- 9
- £3,899
- Switzerland
- Travel to Switzerland by First Class rail and spend a night in Basel
- Meet your guide, James Wilson, and head from the Bernese Oberland to Lake Lucerne and St Moritz
- Visit the Aletsch Glacier, the Stanserhorn, Stockalper Palace in Brig and many more
- Enjoy experiences including cow milking, cheese tasting and a cablecar journey where you can stand on top of the cable car!
- Stay in special hotels with breathtaking natural surroundings
TOUR DEPARTS 16 JUNE, 2025
- First class rail travel with seat reservations
- 1 night’s hotel accommodation with breakfast in Basel on your first night
- 7 nights’ handpicked hotel accommodation with breakfast and 3-course dinner (5-course dinner in Sils)
- 2 lunches and 1 packed lunch
- Bern guided tour, visit to local farmer in Wengen, Stanserhorn excursion, wine tasting in Brig
- Cocktail reception and small concert at Kurhaus Hotel Flühli
- All credit card surcharges and complimentary delivery of your travel documents
Itinerary
Meet Simon at St Pancras station. He’ll be accompanying you on the Eurostar, across Paris and down to Basel. Tomorrow morning, he will leave you in the capable hands of James Wilson and return to the UK until the last day of your holiday, when he will escort you back to the UK.
You’ll spend tonight at the Hotel Gaia (or similar) and will be at your own leisure for dinner this evening.
Meet your guide, James Wilson, at the hotel after breakfast and travel on foot or by public transport to the train station to travel to Belalp. You’ll stop over in Bern for a guided visit of Switzerland’s capital city, offering a rich blend of historical significance and architectural splendour. After the visit, buy some picnic (not included) before hopping onto the next train. Upon reaching the cable car station, your luggage is conveniently transported to the hotel. A picturesque 25-minute stroll along a scenic trail from the Belalp mountain station leads to Hotel Belalp, perched proudly and majestically on the Aletschbord, offering stunning views high above the Aletsch Glacier.
The rest of the afternoon is yours to spend at leisure before a welcome drink and dinner are served back at the hotel.
After breakfast, stroll back to the cable car while your luggage is transported to the cable car station. Pick up your luggage and continue your journey to the Bernese Oberland via PostAuto and railway. On the way, you’ll stop in Brig for a wine tasting accompanied by some local delicacies. If you still feel hungry after the wine tasting, feel free to buy some picnic (not included) for the train ride to Wengen. On arrival, check in at the Hotel Falken for a 2-night stay.
In the late afternoon, enjoy a village tour with your group leader in Wengen, in the shadow of the iconic Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau peaks. Dinner this evening will be a traditional cheese fondue at local restaurant.
You have a free day in Wengen today. Your guide will be happy to assist with ideas, but options include taking the train to Grindelwald and heading up to the top of the First for some great activities and walking options, enjoying a cruise on Lake Thun or visiting the lovely alpine resort town of Mürren.
This evening, you’ll be taken to visit a local farmer in Wengen for cow milking, cheese tasting, and schnapps before dinner back at the hotel.
After breakfast today, you’ll take train down to Interlaken and onwards to your next destination, Flühli. En route, enjoy the spectacular scenery over the Brunig Pass in the comfort of the Luzern-Interlaken Panorama Express. You’ll also have an exclusive trip to the Stanserhorn for lunch via funicular and Cabrio cable car. Lunch will be served on the panoramic terrace or revolving restaurant, subject to weather conditions (own expense).
After lunch, enjoy a guided tour of summit with Stanserhorn Ranger (an hour’s walk on an easy trail) before travelling back down to the ticket office to collect your luggage and continuing to the Kurhaus Hotel in Flühli, your base for the next two nights. Dinner is served in the hotel this evening.
Using public transportation, you’ll travel to Marbach today, where you’ll visit an alpine farm and the local cheese dairy. Since 1996, farmers have introduced water buffaloes to their farms, and now the region is also renowned for its buffalo mozzarella. A tasting of the cheese is, of course, a must. Afterward, it’s a short walk (approximately 15 minutes) to the gondola station for an ascent to Marbachegg for lunch. Enjoy the panoramic view before descending by gondola and returning to the hotel in Flühli.
Before dinner this evening, enjoy a Historic Cocktail reception with the hotel archivist who will tell you something about the history of the hotel and the local area. There will also be a little concert from a local music group playing typically Swiss music.
Enjoy breakfast at the hotel before you catch the PostAuto to Schüpfheim and continue eastwards by train towards to our next destination; Sils Maria in the Engadin region. You have a packed lunch today to enjoy during your journey. Once you arrive in St Moritz, a private transfer will be waiting to take you to nearby Sils Maria and the lovely Hotel Waldhaus, where you have a 2-night stay.
Dinner is served this evening in the hotel. Why not enjoy a glass of wine from the extensive Waldhaus wine cellar with your meal?
Today’s day trip takes you to the charming town of Soglio where you’ll meet with a local farmer (and perhaps his sheep). Stroll through the captivating chestnut forest, one of Switzerland’s largest, and discover Soglio’s herbal treasures at a local Gardner’s shop, then enjoy a delightful lunch at Restaurant Palazzo Salis, a historic Swiss restaurant housed in a charming 17th-century mansion.
Consider a visit to the Giacometti Museum (not included), situated at the bottom of Soglio, before concluding the day with a scenic drive back aboard the Postauto. Tonight, there’s a farewell drink and dinner at the hotel.
Enjoy a final breakfast at the hotel today before making a return journey by private transfer back to St Moritz. From here, travel by train with James to Zurich, where you’ll say goodbye to James and hello to Simon as he’ll be waiting to escort you back to London by train. Your holiday also includes your return travel to your local station (as long as you’re able to get home the same day – if not, please let us know).
Typical hotels on this itinerary
Belalp
With panoramic views of the Great Aletsch Glacier, the Rhone Valley and all the way to the Matterhorn, Hotel Belalp is majestically situated at 2,137 metres above sea level and at the heart of the Swiss Alps. The rustic-style rooms feature wooden furniture and floors and overlook the mountains. There is also a restaurant with an outdoor terrace (weather permitting).
Wengen
The Parkhotel Beausite in Wengen is a splendid Alpine hotel nestled amidst the Swiss mountains, offering traditional accommodation and breathtaking vistas of the Lauterbrunnen Valley and Jungfrau region. Guests can enjoy a blend of modern comfort and traditional charm, along with access to skiing, hiking, and other outdoor adventures in the stunning Bernese Oberland.
Flühli
The Kurhaus Hotel Flühli in Flühli, Switzerland, is a charming and historic mountain hotel set in a tranquil countryside location, providing a peaceful escape with beautiful views of the Swiss Alps. Guests can enjoy comfortable accommodation, an inviting restaurant, and easy access to the region’s hiking and outdoor activities.
Sils Maria
The Waldhaus Sils overlooks the alpine village of Sils Maria, 6 miles from St Moritz. This family-run hotel features three swimming pools, a spa, two restaurants and a lounge bar. Bedrooms come with all the facilities you would expect from a luxury hotel. There is also a complimentary pick-up from St Moritz station.
James has worked in the travel industry for over 25 years and has spent the majority of that time doing something involving Switzerland’s railways. He moved to Switzerland with his family in 2016 and resides in Wengen where he runs his own company. In his spare time he can be found high up on a mountain somewhere, either skiing in the winter or hiking once the snows have melted. He also dedicates time to supporting the local alpine farmers and is looking forward to introducing guests on this trip to some of them!
