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Switzerland - Your Alpine Village among the Clouds
Overview
All things Swiss featuring an extended stay in the Alpine village of Wengen
Details
- 6 nights in the car-free Alpine village of Wengen
- Overnights in Bern and Zurich
- Experience the Bernese Oberland by train, cog rail, funicular, cable car, gondola, Postbus and boat!
- Mountain peaks, Alpine valleys, quaint villages and breathtaking waterfalls presented daily
- City tours of Bern and Lucerne
- 14 meals: Daily breakfast, 1 lunch, 5 dinners
- Roundtrip airfare to/from Zurich
- Door-to-door airport transportation
- The services of both a European and Sports Leisure Tour Director
- 8650/9700 Gold Passport Points
Categories
Categories:
Daily Itinerary
Day 1
Take off on an overnight flight to Zurich via Washingto Dulles - only one change of planes!
Day 2
Upon your morning arrival in Switzerland, meet your Europe-based guide and embark on the journey to Bern, Capital of Switzerland and gateway to the Bernese Oberland. Yes, you'll be tired, but Switzerland's unsurpassed beauty is worth staying awake for, especially as our route takes us closer and closer to the Alps. We'll let you go to bed early tonight! Hotel TBA (L)
Day 3
Bern's cobblestone streets and medieval arches make it one of Europe's most picturesque cities. In this UNESCO World Heritage Site you'll take a guided tour to see, among other spectacles, the famed Rose Garden and the impressive 13th Century Zytglogge Glockenspiel. After some free time for lunch and personal exploration, continue on to Lauterbrunnen with is towering cliffs, waterfalls and spectacular vistas. Say good-bye to the motor coach for a few days as you begin using your included Berner Oberland Pass which provides full access to nearly every train, cog rail, funicular, cable car, gondola, Postbus and boat in the region! Travel by cog rail up to the enchanting Alpine village of Wengen, your home for a week. Wengen is a picturesque small village on the slopes of the Jungfrau and could represent the Swiss Alps on a postcard for its idyllic beauty as it features no cars, only mountains, meadows, forests, and the occasional passing brown cow. This evening enjoy a welcome dinner where we'll discuss the unique logistics for your week in the clouds! Hotel Silberhorn - 6 nights (FB, D)
Day 4
This morning ride the cog railway for an excursion through the glacier-carved Lauterbrunnen Valley. Board a Postbus to Trummelbach Falls, a series of ten glacier-fed waterfalls inside the mountain made accessible by a tunnel-funicular built in 1913. Go inside the mountain and see how the falls have carved incredible caves and flumes. Next, take the cable car up to Gimmelwald, a small traffic-free village, then continue to Murren, noted for hiking paths surrounded by bell-ringing cows, waterfalls and wildflowers. At the west end of the valley take the Schilthorn cable car up the the summit of Piz Gloria. At an altitude of 9,700', the revolving restaurant located there was featured in the 1969 James Bond movie "On Her Majesty's Secret Service." (FB, D)
Day 5
Today begins with a visit to Wilderswil to board the vintage cog railway up to Schynige Platte for incredible views of the surrounding mountain peaks (altitude 6,800'). Later, take in the scenery as you cruise across turquoise blue Lake Brienz, then ride the Brienzer Rothorn steam train to the heights of the Rothorn through Alpine meadows to experience more views of the impressive Alps. (FB, D)
Day 6
Enjoy a full day trip to the famous car-free ski resort village of Zermatt situated at the foot of the majestic Matterhorn, one of the world's most famous mountain peaks. Ride up the cogwheel railway to the Gornergrat (9,500 feet) offering incredible views of the Matterhorn and 29 of the highest peaks in Europe. Enjoy time at leisure to explore Zermatt on your own. Perhaps peruse the luxury boutiques and shops or enjoy a meal in a ski lodge. Return to Wengen after an incredible day with the evening at your leisure. (FB)
Day 7
You're off on the Jungfraujoch Mountain Rail Excursion, referred to as the "Top of Europe," a place where the highest railway station on the continent is located at 11,300 feet above sea level. Later, travel via cog railway to enjoy a visit to the resort village of Grindelwald to explore, shop and maybe visit a local cafe. Continue on to "Summit in First" via the Grindelwald-Mannlichen Gondola Cableway, Europe's longest cable car at an altitude of 7,600 feet. (FB)
Day 8
Travel by cog train along the sheer walls of the Swiss Alps back to nearby Grindelwald. There you'll board the yellow Postbus and travel through the most remote portions of Switzerland for exploration of the Rosenlaui Glacier Gorge which features waterfalls, natural whirlpools and fantastic rock formations. Later descend out of the mountains to the amazing 600-foot-deep Aare River Gorge, carved over thousands of years by the Aare River. Later travel to the village of Meiringen known for being the home of the tasty confection known as meringue and the site of Sherlock Holmes' final case. Have some time on your own to visit the Sherlock Holmes Museum and try a meringue at a cafe if you wish. This afternoon ride the panoramic express train along Lake Brienz to Interlaken, then take the cog train back to Wengen where we'll make a toast to the great week we've had in the Swiss Alps. (FB, D)
Day 9
Ride the now-familiar cog railway one last time to Lauterbrunnen and board a motor coach for the first time in days! Departing the Alps visit one of the most scenic local residential streets in Europe, the Brunngasse in Brienz, which also includes a visit to a local wood carving shop. if you were looking for a Swiss timepiece or cuckoo clock, this is the place! Then travel over Brunig Pass to Lucerne, poetically described by Alexandre Dumas as "a pearl in the world's most beautiful oyster." Embark on a Lucerne walking tour featuring the famous Lion's Monument, the historic wooden Chapel Bridge and a walk along shore of beautiful Lake Lucerne. Continue to Zurich and check into your hotel for a farewell dinner and final night. Dorint Hotel (FB, D)
Day 10
Return to Zurich International Airport for a late morning departure to the United States, again a one-stop flight through Washington Dulles, returning to Sacramento in the evening, your head filled with happy memories of your time among the clouds in Switzerland. (FB)
| CB | Continental Breakfast |
|---|---|
| B | Generally a limited buffet or menu |
| FB | Full buffet or choice of menu |
| BR | Brunch, often buffet-style |
| L | Lunch, often several menu options |
| HT or AT | High or Afternoon Tea |
| D | Dinner, often several menu options |
Departures
Monday, July 7, 2025 to Wednesday, July 16, 2025
10 Days, 14 Meals
Daily breakfast, 1 lunch, 5 dinners
$8640 | p.p./dbl.occ. |
$9695 | single |
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Speak to a Staff Member
Have a question or would rather book over the phone? Call us!
| Local | (916) 361 - 2051 |
|---|---|
| Toll-Free | (800) 951 - 5556 |
