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Hike Europe: The...

Hike Europe: The Alps (Plus)

12 days, 4 cities63
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From $3619 without flightsPayments as low as $96

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Why go?

A trip designed for those yearning for a European adventure, with a big emphasis on adventure. Fuel up on local chocolate, beer, and cheese and then conquer iconic hikes and earn unparalleled views of a stunning and vast region.

This is a physically demanding tour. You should be comfortable hiking at high inclines and altitudes for several hours. If needed, please begin training for this tour at least two months in advance.

Picture yourself

  • Summiting Rocher-de-Nayes for an unparalleled view of Lake Geneva

  • Stepping into the void atop Aiguille du Midi

  • Earning, and indulging in, Swiss delicacies like raclette and chocolate

  • White water rafting at the River Arves

  • Cooling off in the lakes of Aiguilles Rouge

What you'll get

  • Round-trip flights & airport transfers (or book 'em yourself)

  • 10 nights in handpicked accommodations

  • 10 breakfasts

  • 3 dinners

  • Expert Tour Director

  • 24/7 support from our travel gurus

  • 6 guided hikes with a local expert

  • Entrance to the St. Bernard Musieum

Map for the Hike Europe: The Alps (Plus) tour
Full trip itinerary

Itinerary

  • Day 1: Overnight Flight

    Hop on the plane, do some light calisthenics in the aisle to warm up your legs, and try to sleep as much as possible. You’re in for a full-throttle hiking adventure.

  • Day 2: Arrive in Lausanne + Welcome Dinner

    Sitting on the Northern shore of Lake Geneva, Lausanne is Switzerland’s fourth largest city with views of the lake and surrounding mountains that will leave you speechless. But in the words of the Canadian rock band, Bachman-Turner Overdrive, you ain’t seen nothing yet.

    During your free time, enjoy Lausanne old town or hang out by Lake Geneva, the largest lake in Western Europe.

    In the evening, enjoy a Welcome Dinner of local cuisine and drinks with fellow travelers at an authentic local spot. Afterwards, you’re free to take the party elsewhere!

    Today's highlights:

    • Meet an EF representative at the airport.
    • Transfer to your accommodations and check in.
    • Receive the latest schedule from your Tour Director.
    • Meet your fellow travelers as they arrive.
  • Day 3: Explore Lavaux Vineyard Terraces via Chexbres

    Vineyards are great. Walks through Swiss vineyards alongside Lake Geneva are better. Today will be your first adventure—and it’s a relatively easy one. More of a long walk along a paved path than a proper hike, you’ll start in Chexbres and head to the Lavaux Vineyard Terraces, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Evidence of these terraces date back to the 11th century. Breathe in the fresh (and slightly wine-scented) air, and get ready for a beautiful day. You'll even get some wine.

    After the hike, you may have the chance to take a refreshing dip in Lake Geneva.

    Hike Stats

    Distance: 6.5-7 miles

    Descent: 710 feet

    Please note: All outdoor and hiking activities may be adjusted on tour due to local conditions, such as weather or trail closures.

    Today's highlights:

    • Begin your hike through the Lavaux Vineyard Terraces, a beautiful 18-mile stretch of vines that produce some of the best wine in Switzerland.
    • Admire the combination of nature and human ingenuity that went into making the vineyard what it is today.
    • Take a break for an included wine tasting because...why not?
    • Try and figure out what locals consider the "three suns" of Lavaux
    • After tasting the local wines, end in Lutry, another small town, for some free time to grab more Swiss eats (there will likely be cheese).
  • Day 4: Travel to Zermatt Region via Montreux + Included Dinner

    Continue around Lake Geneva to Montreux, a town that has one of the most stunning lake walks in the world as well as one of the most famous Jazz festivals. Stroll through the town (looking for chocolate), followed by a scenic hike down from Rochers de Nayes (working off the chocolate) with more epic views of the lake down below and the Swiss and French Alps high above. Then it’s on to the Zermatt Region of Switzerland, where the world-famous Matterhorn mountain awaits.

    Hike Stats

    Distance: 5 miles

    Descent: 2,910 feet

    Please note: All outdoor and hiking activities may be adjusted on tour due to local conditions, such as weather or trail closures.

    Today's highlights:

    • Get those legs moving again for a hike around the surrounding mountainside.
    • Reach the summit of Rochers-de-Naye, and enjoy the sprawling views of the lake below.
    • Say “more cowbell” as you hear that unmistakable noise from some of the thousands of cows in the area.
    • Wave goodbye to big, beautiful Lake Geneva, and make your way to the Zermatt region, where you’ll feel even more surrounded by the Alps. Because you are.
    • Enjoy an included dinner.
  • Day 5: Hike to the Matterhorn's Hornlihutte at 10,695ft

    Today’s your day to tackle the Matterhorn. (Not literally, it’s a mountain. But this will be the most difficult hike.) Start in Zermatt, hop in your gondola, and gawk at the mountain’s almost symmetrical natural pyramid that stands 14,692 feet tall. From gondola station, you’ll have the opportunity to hike higher and closer to the Matterhorn.

    Today's destination is the Hornlihutte, a high altitude hut (10,695 feet) that climbers' of the Matterhorn use as a final staging point for their ascent. You’ll hike 3 miles almost entirely uphill before returning the same way. So far this is the most epic hike of the trip!

    Hike Stats

    Distance: 6 miles

    Ascent/Descent: 2,320 feet

    Please note: All outdoor and hiking activities may be adjusted on tour due to local conditions, such as weather or trail closures.

    Today's highlights:

    • Hop aboard a gondola (not the boat kind), head 8,373 feet above sea level, and check out the Matterhorn (you can’t miss it).
    • Continue upwards, over fairly steep terrain, to Hornlihutte (Matterhorn basecamp). If you’re not feeling this hike, hang out by the Black Lake or head back to Zermatt on your own.
    • Watch in awe as hikers prepare to ascend the Matterhorn.
    • Grab a high altitude lunch at Hornlihutte (on your own).
    • Put those hamstrings to use as you hike back down to where you started in Zermatt (or take the gondola back down #noshame).
  • Day 6: Free Day in Zermatt Region

    You’ve got a free day in the Zermatt Region to do as you please. The views are incredible, the lifestyle is easy-going, and the opportunities to ice your hamstrings are ample.

    Free time suggestions

    Raclette: You haven’t had cheese until you’ve had it in the traditional Swiss fashion—melted and served in a mountain of gooey deliciousness.

    Bahnhofstrasse: Stroll the main shopping street of Zermatt, popping in and out of designer stores, bars, and cafés, sneaking a glance at the Matterhorn in the distance each time.

  • Day 7: Travel to Aosta Region via Martigny

    Give your legs a rest. Today, you’ll head to the Aosta region in northwestern Italy, one of the most beautiful places in the country. It’s a nature-lover’s paradise, with hiking opportunities galore.

    Today's highlights:

    • Visit the St. Bernard Museum in Martigny.
    • Cross the border from Switzerland to Italy, saying goodbye to chocolate, and hello to pasta (and realistically, more chocolate if you want it).
    • Walk through the town with your Tour Director, passing by ancient ruins with the Italian Alps in the background.
    • Picture yourself living the serene mountain life (just need to learn some Italian).
  • Day 8: Hike Gran Paradiso

    Today enjoy the playground of Kings - or at least the last King of Italy. Hike in a tremendously beautiful and protected setting, teeming with ibex. This will be an exhausting hike up 2,000+ feet in elevation before looping back down - but the views at the top will be well worth it. It's another unforgettable day, this time under the Italian sky.

    Hike Stats

    Distance: 7-7.5 miles

    Ascent/Descent: 2,330 feet

    Please note: All outdoor and hiking activities may be adjusted on tour due to local conditions, such as weather or trail closures.

    Today's highlights:

    • Stretch your legs and prepare for an epic hike.
    • Yell as loud as you can like they do in the movies; you just crushed another intense hike .
  • Day 9: Travel to Chamonix + Optional White Water Rafting

    Next up: France. You’ve got really tall mountains and a whole lot of adventure at your fingertips. Today, you have a choice: relax on your own in the Chamonix region, or hit the water (not literally, water has feelings, too) during an optional white water rafting adventure.

    Today's highlights:

    • Travel from Italy to France, crossing a third country off your list.
    • Let your jaw drop and your eyes widen as you stand in awe of Mont Blanc.
    • Explore the surrounding area in Chamonix or get extreme(ly wet) during an optional white water rafting trip.

    White Water Rafting (extra cost)

    Note: This excursion is seasonal and only runs from May through early September. Availability is subject to your tour’s departure date.

    Give your legs a break during an adrenaline-pumping Arve river adventure. Hop in a raft with a local river guide, and work together to navigate the rapids. Experience Alpine wilderness from a new perspective.

    Why wait? Save money by booking this optional excursion before your trip departs.

  • Day 10: Hike Aiguilles Rouges

    Hike the mountain where the first Winter Olympics took place in 1924. While today is all about you and the mountain, back then, 16 countries battled it out in a variety of snowy events like curling, ice hockey, and Military patrol. While you try and guess what Military patrol is, spend the day hiking and visiting a lake near the peak of Aiguilles Rouges, or “Red Peaks.” You’ll maneuver up and down in elevation across some pretty uneven terrain, including a couple of boulder fields.

    Hike Stats

    Distance: 5.5-6 miles

    Descent: 1,955 feet

    Please note: All outdoor and hiking activities may be adjusted on tour due to local conditions, such as weather or trail closures.

    Today's highlights:

    • Join a local hiking expert for a full day hike and exploration of Chamonix.
    • Take a cable car part way up the mountain to around 6,500 feet.
    • Hop in the lakes (weather dependent), and take in the views from a different perspective.
    • Stop by the Aiguilles Rouges Nature Reserve, where, if you’re lucky (and quiet), you could see groundhogs, wild goats, and plenty of bird species.
  • Day 11: Hike High above Chamonix

    Another day, another hike, amirite? Today, you’ll get a little bit of everything, from hiking next to a glacier to getting over your fear of heights and stepping into a glass box at 12,000 feet (NBD). This is your last big hiking day. So live it up.

    Hike Stats

    Distance: 4-4.5 miles

    Descent: 1,305 feet

    Please note: All outdoor and hiking activities may be adjusted on tour due to local conditions, such as weather or trail closures.

    Farewell Dinner
    Share some last laughs (and maybe shed a few tears) at an included farewell dinner with the group.

    Today's highlights:

    • Start the day by stepping into a glass room (floor and all) at the Aiguille du Midi mountain peak, where over 3,000 feet of nothingness stands between you and the rocks below.
    • Grab lunch at a chalet near the midway cable car station of Plan de ‘Aiguille.
    • Make your way to Montenvers, a nearby town, where you’ll hike to a glacier.
    • Head back down to Chamonix, or continue up on your own via cable car (small fee) to the highest elevation of the trip: 12,391 ft.
    • Wipe the sweat from your palms and take a moment to appreciate the breathtaking mountain scenery at 12,391 feet.
  • Day 12: Fly Home

    Au revoir les amis!
    Translation: Goodbye, friends! Your next destination awaits—home. Before you head to the airport, enjoy your last few moments together. Take one more group photo. Grab that final drink. (Fine, maybe a couple of drinks.) But this isn’t goodbye. It’s “See you later.” The only question is, where?

    –OR–

    EXTEND YOUR TRIP 2 WAYS

    1. Double the fun
    A lot of our trips line up back to back! Give us a call—we can help you add another and save big while you're at it.

    2. Go ahead or stay behind
    Extending your trip is easy! During checkout, you'll have the option to fly to (or from) the gateway of your choice for an additional fee. We'll adjust your flights accordingly, but you'll be responsible to take care of your transportation, hotels, and other logistics outside of tour.

    Note: Depending on your desired gateways, additional fees may apply.

    Activities will take place rain or shine, however the hiking routes may change based on local conditions. Any changes are at the discretion of the guide.

Reviews


Overall rating: 5 out of 5
Based on 63 authentic traveler reviews
  • Absolutely Amazing

      Patricia, traveled Sep. 2023

    This tripped has officially topped all other EF trips I’ve done. The itinerary was super active but we were done most days by early evening so we could still enjoy the restaurants and shops of the area. Some of the hikes are no joke (the steep uphill parts will burn lol) but the views and experiences along the hike are something you can’t get anywhere else. ... See more

  • Excellent Trip.

      Matthew, traveled Sep. 2023

    I probably should’ve read the itinerary before booking, because I’m fat and out of shape but the hikes were well worth it in the end. Adam was one of the best tour directors I’ve had. Side note all the hikes can be done in jeans.

  • Would highly recommend

      Cody, traveled Sep. 2023

    The trip was phenomenal. Adam was great. Very laid back and fun. The hikes were great. Very beautiful. I do wish the hikes were more technical. There is a lot of free time in this trip even tho we are on mountains half the day. Be prepared to spend extra money in that time. Hikes do get rough. Take the hiking shoes seriously.

  • Just Book It!

      Rachel, traveled Sep. 2023

    I can’t recommend enough! This trip was the perfect combination of challenging hikes and free time to explore the cities. Our guide, Adam, was incredibly knowledgeable about the area and made the trip phenomenal. If you’re considering booking, just go for it.

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