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Typically, you will arrive on a morning flight at the Zurich airport and then travel by train to Lucerne (1 hr). In the afternoon, you can take a local train to Alpnachstad and then ascend on the world's steepest cogwheel train to the top of the 7000 ft. Mt. Pilatus. You will enjoy the beautiful Central Swiss Alps panorama and Lake Lucerne below you. When you are ready, descend via a cozy 4-person gondolas for a scenic ride down to Kriens. From Kriens, take a short walk downhill to the main road bus stop for a bus ride back into Lucerne. Overnight in Lucerne.
Lucerne--Flüelen --Gothard Route -- Lugano
Ride a historic paddle steamboat along the Wilhelm Tell express route to the town of Flüelen on Lake Lucerne. Transfer to a train to Lugano through the historic beginnings of Switzerland where you see the Rütli meadow where Switzerland was founded in 1291 and ride through the 15 km Gotthard tunnel that first opened in 1882. This 13th century Gotthard pass became the shortest North-South route through Europe and still one of the reasons for Switzerland's economic success. Once in Lugano you will be delighted to enjoy this Italian speaking part of Switzerland called Ticino, representing 10% of the Swiss population. Overnight in Lugano.
Lugano -- Bernina Express Bus and Train -- St. Moritz
Begin with a morning bus ride alongside Lake Lugano and into Italy following the northern shores of Lake Como, then through the extensive Veltlin vineyards to the Italian border town of Tirano. From here, you will board the Bernina Express train to traverse the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Bernina Railway line. Experience the scenic narrow valley terrain as the train climbs from 1200 ft up and over the 7300 ft Bernina pass summit with the 12900 ft Bernina mountain range surrounding you. The beautiful alpine scenery changes with the many twists and turns of the train along its 122 km/76 mile route, through 55 tunnels and over 196 bridges and viaducts. Overnight in St. Moritz.
All Day in St. Moritz to relax, discover, and enjoy
You will see numerous alpine lakes from the Muottas Muragl funicular railway to reach the 2554m/7362ft summit overlooking this scenic Engadine valley. You have several choices today to visit a variety of mountain excursions or to walk along the pathway around the glistening St. Moritz lake while taking in the beauty of nearby snowcapped Bernina Mountain peaks. You will also be amazed at the high-end and fashionable attire in the store windows and come to understand the "champagne climate" branded by St. Moritz. The hotel should provide you with an Engadine card that will provide access to all local transportation and cable cars to summit either Piz Nair, Piz Corvatsch, or Diavolezza Mountains. It is possible that you might even be able to hear the language of Romansh in this region, which is spoken by only 1% of the Switzerland population. Overnight in St. Moritz.
St. Moritz -- Glacier Express -- Zermatt
There are surely faster ways to get from St. Moritz to Zermatt, but none more picturesque or more notable than the Glacier Express while experiencing the one-of-a-kind mountain landscape in the Swiss Alps. In addition to breathtaking scenery, you can listen to narration (in English) along the way to learn more about what you are seeing. You will be astounded with the engineering feats of this rail route as you cross 291 bridges and go through 91 tunnels while ascending and descending 500m/1660ft through the diverse and ever-changing mountain valleys. You should have the opportunity to order al a carte lunch on the train. Throughout the day there is plenty of room to get up and walk around as you enjoy the scenery travelling by. Please note that lunch is eaten at your seats and there is no separate dining car. Overnight in Zermatt.
All day in Zermatt to discover and enjoy!
The Gornergrat cogwheel train is a major highlight as you travel to 3000m/10,000ft and enjoy the best views of the Matterhorn Mountain along with a 360-degree view of the surrounding 4000m/13,000ft highest peaks in Europe. Immerse yourself in the stunning mountain and glacier views; showcasing awesome alpine snow-covered peak scenery. If you want to extend your Matterhorn experience, you could consider some easy hiking options along signposted paths to and through tiny alpine hamlets that offer great photo taking opportunities. In the afternoon, you’ll have time to further enjoy Zermatt on a walk through the historical section of town or a visit to the local Matterhorn museum. You will be in the German speaking region of Switzerland. Overnight in Zermatt
Zermatt – Montreux -- Chillon Castle -- Lake Geneva (Lac Léman)
Today you can travel by train to the town of Montreux which has a Mediterranean flair and considered part of the Swiss Riviera. As you enter the region, you will enjoy views of the terraced vineyards of the Lavaux Vineyards which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Once in Montreux, you will have plenty of time take a leisurely 45-minute walk along the lakeshore promenade on your way to the well-preserved 12th-century Chillon Castle which is located on a rock on the banks of Lake Geneva. This impressive fortress was immortalized by Lord Byron who was once a prisoner there and is the most popular castle in Switzerland. In the afternoon, you could also choose to take a relaxing boat ride on Lake Geneva which is the largest lake in Switzerland and France. Montreux is in the French region of Switzerland. Overnight in Montreux
You will ride the GoldenPass train as it travels past alpine valleys, rolling hills, beautiful green pastures with grazing cows, wooden chalets and picturesque villages, to bring us to Interlaken and on to Grindelwald, one of Switzerland’s oldest and most popular resorts in the UNESCO World Heritage Jungfrau region. Overnight in Grindelwald.
The tour ends with a magnificent trip up to the Top of Europe when you ride up to the 3,400m / 11,371ft Jungfraujoch. The Jungfraujoch complex was built in 1914 and is positioned between the Mönch & Jungfrau mountains. At the top, you will be on Europe’s largest Aletsch Glacier and bask in alpine mountains, snow, and ice as far as you can see. There’s time to walk outside on the hard-packed snow glacier or go exploring in the Ice Palace filled with ice sculptures. When you are ready, you will then take a final train to Zurich for your final tour night. Overnight at the Zurich airport hotel
Enjoy breakfast at the hotel before heading out for onward destinations.
Alpenwild trips are designed for people who are active and filled with a spirit of adventure. We rate this trip as easy, but you should be capable of walking about one to two miles per day. You should also be able to handle your own luggage to get to the trains and to/from your hotels. On two days, you will take a mountain railway excursion to an elevation of over 10,000 feet and you should be able to handle staying at this elevation for a couple of hours.