WT18 catalog single pgs

45 / 148

45
In a land of fairytale mountain beauty,
we’ve crafted a fantastic journey using the
remarkable Swiss system of cable cars and
cogwheel trains to bring you high into the
Alps for spectacular—yet moderate—hiking
adventures. Around mountain-ringed Lake
Lucerne, we’ll hike the panoramic trails of
Mt. Pilatus and Mt. Rigi, and in
the Bernese Oberland, where
many of Switzerland’s most
legendary peaks are found,
we’ll bring you to stunning
pathways below the towering
peaks of the Eiger, the Monch,
and the Jungfrau (the famed
“North Face” of the Alps).
Our trails high above pristine
Lake Oeschinensee lead
through fields of gentian and
edelweiss, and our grand finale
is in charming Vevey for wine
tasting and hikes through the historic
terraced vineyards above Lake Geneva—a
World Heritage Site.
Days 1-4 Lucerne / Pilatus and Rigi / Murren
A classic lake steamer brings us across Lake
Lucerne for our hike on the high trails of Pilatus
and Rigi and past Swiss farmsteads. We’ll visit
an artisan cheesemaker and descend to lakeside
Lucerne by cogwheel train (the oldest in the
Alps). In the dramatic Bernese Oberland, where
37 peaks top 12,000 feet, we’ll view the sheer
faces of the Eiger, Monch, and Jungfrau as we
hike to the top of Männlichen (7,687'). Another
hike brings us into the immense, U-shaped
Lauterbrunnen Valley, with its 3,000-foot-high
walls. Overnights are in charming Lucerne and in
car-free Murren, where the only sounds are of
cowbells and waterfalls.
Days 5-6 Kandersteg / Lake Oeschinensee
From the gorgeous Swiss village of Kandersteg,
a cable car carries us to a high viewpoint for a
picnic before we head out on the trail circling
Oeschinensee, a turquoise lake nestled in an
amphitheater of jagged peaks. Our hike above
the deep Gasterntal Valley brings panoramas of
the summits and glaciers of the Jungfrau-Aletsch
World Heritage Site, home to the Aletsch, the
largest glacier in the Alps.
Days 7-9 Vevey / Lake Geneva / Lavaux
A beautiful rail journey changes the scene
entirely, bringing us to Lake Geneva and
beguiling Montreux, with its lakeshore lined
by Belle Epoque villas. We walk the lakeside
promenade to one of Europe’s most spectacular
castles, the 13th century Chateau de Chillon,
and in ancient Lavaux wine country high above
the lake, we hike through historic, terraced
vineyards. Depart on Day 9.
FROM LAKE LUCERNE ACROSS THE ALPS TO WINE COUNTRY
“The trip was
brilliantly planned
and executed from
start to finish,
with memorable
picnics, fantastic
travel companions,
incredible trip
leaders, and the
most fantastic
mountain hikes.”
Jane S.
Santa Fe NM
Our use of cable cars and cogwheel trains
brings you high into the Swiss Alps for
fantastic days on the trail. PHOTO: TOM DEMPSEY
PETER GIOVANNINI
CHRISTOF SONDEREGGER
HIGHLIGHTS
• Cable cars and gondolas do the
steep climbing—you enjoy hiking and
top-of-the-world views!
• Spectacular rock peaks and glaciers of the
Bernese Oberland, heart of the Swiss Alps
• Picturesque alpine villages of
Grindelwald, Murren, and Kandersteg
• Vevey’s charming Old Town, wine country
of Lavaux above Lake Geneva
DETAILS
• 9-day trip begins in Lucerne and ends
in Vevey
• 8 nights hotels
• All meals included except 3 dinners
DATES
Jul 19-27, 2018
Aug 5-13
Aug 30-Sep 7
TRIP COST
$6595 (11-14 members)
$7095 (4-10 members)
Single supplement: $490
TRIP LEVEL 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
8 hiking days on moderate trails,
2-6 hours a day, altitudes up to 7,900 feet,
van support