Classic Bernese Oberland Guided
Trail running from inn to inn, with our bags transported for us is one of our favorite ways to see the Alps! Run the Alps’ trail running tour of the Bernese Oberland will traverse some of the most famous mountain terrain anywhere in the Alps, if not the world. We’ll run about 8-10 miles each day, taking plenty of time on the uphills, pausing frequently to take photographs, enjoy the scenery, and sample great food and drink en route. We’ll trail run over historic Grosse Scheidegg pass, then cruise along high alp pastures with sweeping views of the Eiger. In the mountain villages of Wengen and Mürren, we’ll finish with several days of trail running past high alp farms (including stops for some great lunches!), within sight of the Jungfrau, one of the most photographed mountains anywhere.
Our typical day starts with a continental buffet breakfast at our inn – delicious fresh baked bread, local cheeses, cereal, fruit, coffee and juice – which gives us the energy needed for a day in the mountains. Soon we’ll be out on the trail, and each day we’ll offer options for an ambitious route, or an easier route that takes advantage of mountain trams and railways. Each morning, we’ll bring out a variety of trail nutrition from which you can choose. Almost all of our runs will include stops at mountain huts or alp farms, where we can sample local cheeses, röstis or a fruit torte.
Our stages can be hiked in a full day or run in half a day, and we plan the itinerary to finish each day with plenty of time to relax. You will have your own bedroom and luggage every night. In the evening we’ll enjoy dinner together at our inn. These are often multi-course feasts, featuring local Swiss specialties, and will definitely be hearty, filling, well-earned and very delicious. We will leave one night in Grindelwald free, where you will have a chance to explore on your own.
Top photos: Kim Strom, PatitucciPhoto, Yuji Yanaru
Make it privately guided
Prefer to go guided with your own group? Inquire here.
Go self-guided
Run on your own schedule, without a guide, and let us take care of the logistics! See details here.
Itinerary
Day 1 - Schwarzwaldalp
Arrive in Switzerland, and transfer by train and then Swiss Post bus to Schwarzwaldalp Inn. We’ll then meet for a drink and briefing, and enjoy our first dinner together.
Arrive in Switzerland, and transfer by train and then Swiss Post bus to Schwarzwaldalp Inn. We’ll have the option of a short trail run after arriving. We’ll then meet for a drink and briefing, and enjoy our first dinner together. Waterfalls and imposing mountains watch over us in this relaxing corner of the Alps. We’ll stay in a friendly, rustic inn with private rooms and shared bathrooms.
Day 2 - Grindelwald
We’ll run over high Grosse Scheidegg pass and enjoy our first views of the Eiger and of the Grindelwald valley.
After a hearty breakfast, we’ll run over high Grosse Scheidegg pass and enjoy our first views of the Eiger and of the Grindelwald valley. With 10,000 vertical feet separating valley from peak, Grindelwald sits at the base of one of the most impressive vertical mountain walls in the world. After reaching the pass, we’ll traverse the upper reaches of the valley to the postcard-perfect Bachsee Lake before winding down on quiet trails to the glacier village of Grindelwald and our lovely three-star hotel in town.
Day 3 - Grindelwald
We’ll contour along the scenic ridge opposite the Eiger, where huge mountain views to the south are balanced by stunning views down to the Thun and Brienz lakes just north of us.
We’ll kick things off with a trail run high above Grindelwald. We’ll contour along the scenic ridge opposite the Eiger, where huge mountain views to the south are balanced by stunning views down to the Thun and Brienz lakes just north of us. Return to Grindelwald for a second night. Dinner will be on our own tonight, giving each of us a chance to roam the town and explore.
On our tour starting on July 30th, today will be Swiss National Day- Switzerland’s annual patriotic day of celebration, and we’ll enjoy the festivities throughout the day!
Day 4 - Wengen
From Grindelwald, we’ll run up to the Kleine Scheidegg pass, directly under the Eiger itself.
From Grindelwald, we’ll run up to the Kleine Scheidegg pass, directly under the Eiger itself. The Eiger’s massive North Face dominates a landscape that includes many stunning peaks and glaciers. We’ll take lesser-known trails through meadows and quiet alp farms as we run to the quaint car-free mountain village of Wengen.
Day 5 - Mürren
Today features a run between two of the most famous mountain villages in Europe, through one of its most dramatic valleys, and lunch at a high, working alp farm!
Our day features a run between two of the most famous mountain villages in Europe, through one of its most dramatic valleys, and lunch at a high, working alp farm! Starting high in Wengen, we’ll choose our route down to the end of Lauterbrunnen valley, running some of the Jungfrau Marathon route, and taking in the 10 glacier-fed waterfalls that make up Trümmelbach Falls. We’ll drop in at the quiet Stechelberg Alpenhof at the end of the valley, as we watch paragliders descend from the cliffs above. From there, we’ll run up to the working alp farm of Obersteinberg, one of our favorite spots in all the Alps. Then we’ll have the option of a run through woods and past waterfalls, or you can descend to a cable car that takes us up to our comfortable three-star hotel in Mürren.
Day 6 - Mürren
We’ll take a day to enjoy our perch high above the Lauterbrunnen valley, in the car-free mountain town of Mürren, where the trail running possibilities are practically endless.
We’ll take a day to enjoy our perch high above the Lauterbrunnen valley, in the car-free mountain town of Mürren. The trail running possibilities here are practically endless—run high pastures with views over our shoulder of the Jungfrau, to lunch at the classic Rotstockhütte, or enjoy the tram to the top of the Schilthorn and a run back to village, or simply relax with a day with Mürren’s unparalleled cliffside views of the surrounding mountains! In the evening, we’ll enjoy a final celebratory dinner together.
Day 7 - Depart from Mürren
Today we say good-bye to the Bernese Oberland and depart for our post-tour destinations.
Today we say good-bye to the Bernese Oberland and depart for our post-tour destinations.
What's Included
- Daily guided trail runs with a licensed International Mountain Leader
- 6 nights accomodation – 6 nights in 3* or 4* hotels or a well-appointed mountain inn
- Welcome briefing and drinks on first night
- All breakfasts, packed/light lunches and trail nutrition, plus 5 multi-course dinners
- All transfers to and from trailheads that are included on our planned itinerary
- Luggage transfers (luggage available every night)
- Run the Alps’ Guide to Trail Running in the Alps, which contains 80+ pages of information about where you’ll be running, what to pack, how to train, and plenty of other insider information from Run the Alps staff and guides
- A day of professional photography on the trails, with images provided to you license-free
- An in-country welcome pack – includes trail nutrition and a Run the Alps T-shirt (Note: You can choose to opt out of the T-shirt during registration; if you do, we’ll automatically donate the equivalent to one of our 1% for the Planet partners instead.)
- Personalized support before and during your tour
- 20% discount code for the Run the Alps store
- Contribution to our Net Positive initiatives
What's Not Included
- Flights / transportation to and from the tour
- Transport to and from trailheads if you shorten a run
- One dinner in Grindelwald; recommendations provided
- Drinks with dinners
- Any additional nutrition and drinks while on the trail
- Extra charges made at accommodations such as room service or laundry
- Tips for guides
- Trip insurance
Arrival
Plan to arrive the day your tour starts at the latest. Flights from the US usually depart the day before. The closest airport is Zurich, which is a little over three hours away by train. Geneva is four hours, forty-five minutes away. There are train stations in each airport, making for convenient transport to the region. Your tour package will include detailed information about traveling on the Swiss rail system to the start of the tour in Schwarzwaldalp.
Departure
Plan to depart the morning day after your tour ends, at the earliest. The closest airports from our finishing point are Geneva and Zurich. Plan on one night at a hotel in your departure city if you have a morning flight. We can assist you with hotel information and Zurich city information, if you like. If you’d like to extend your visit with additional trail running, we can help with self-guided run descriptions for other regions, and review trail racing possibilities, if you’d like to take part in an Alps trail race.
Good To Know
- Want to extend your trip with more running? We can help provide self-guided run descriptions for nearby regions of the Alps, and/or trail race options.
- Concerned about being ready? We’re here to help. Check out our Alps Training Resources or get in touch if you’d like to be put in touch with a coach.
- Can a non-running partner join me on this tour? Yes–read how hiking and sightseeing companions can come too.
- Celebrating a special occasion? Each year we get a number of guests who are celebrating a birthday, anniversary or retirement with a Run the Alps trip. If this is you, let us know!
- Alumni Discount: We love welcoming our alumni back to the Alps and offer a 10% discount on all standard Run the Alps trips. Simply check the Alumni box on the registration form and we’ll apply the discount when we invoice you.
- Tour Balance: Your tour balance is due 90 days before your tour starts. We will send you an invoice about a month before that due date. However, you can pay your balance at any time. If you’d like the simplicity of paying in full sooner, or would like to pay in installments, please contact us.
- Tour Grants Program: Run the Alps is committed to making our trips more inclusive. If you’d like to join this trip, but don’t think you can afford it, please check out our Tour Grants Program.
- Trip Insurance: Life can sometimes throw us a curveball and wreak havoc upon the best laid plans, which is why Run the Alps requires trip insurance. Learn more here.
- Terms and Conditions: You can read up on them here.
Regional map
Interactive map with 7 point(s): Schwarzwaldalp Inn: After we arrive in Switzerland, we transfer by train and then Swiss Post bus to Schwarzwaldalp Inn.; ; ; ; ; ; Tour start point: Schwarzwaldalp.
Guides for this Tour
What our guests had to say
Extraordinary Swiss Alps Trail Tour!
Run the alps
Incredibly empowering experience
Stellar! Exceeded my expectations!
Trip of a lifetime!
Trip of a lifetime!
Stunning, incredible, wow!!
Bernese Oberland
Run the Alps Experience
The Berenese Oberland Trail run
Wonderful Experience!!
Life-changing!
A quick note of gratitude for the fantastic week
If you're looking for a way to blend nature, endurance, beauty, adventure, sustainability, culture, and purpose-- look no further. The Run the Alps Bernese Oberland (2023) was the adventure of a lifetime largely because of the experience, knowledge and attention to detail that Run the Alps provides. We will be back for more!
Unbelievable
My wife and I ran a self guided trip with another couple (our cousins). It blew away our high expectations and we would go back in a heartbeat. It was one joyful day after another.
Life Changing
The trip was magical. The routes were perfectly designed so that each day was different and beautiful in its own way. It was so relaxing to have all the arrangements taken care of from luggage transport to dinner. The trip was such an adventure without being too hard to enjoy it.
I’d do it again!
Don’t miss out. It’s an all logistics figured-out-for-you adventure that’s dynamite fun.
Lovely people, guides and fellow guests all friends in the making.
Amazing Covid Summer 2020 Excursion
We did the self supported option since we were already somewhat familiar with the area and wanted to go at our own pace. Great support from Run the Alps with making all the arrangements for our overnight accommodations, luggage transfer, most meals, and detailed maps and trail descriptions with great recommendations and information about the various huts and scenic highlights along the route. Doug and everyone with Run the Alps are super, super, knowledgable, experienced, customer oriented and always strive to improve and expand their offerings. They will settle for nothing less than the very best routes, accommodations, service, support, information, and customer service.
Want to know more?
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