Run Fast, Eat Slow with Elyse Kopecky in the Bernese Oberland
Dates | Duration |
|---|---|
| Aug 3 - 9, 2026 | 7 days - 6 nights |
Run Fast. Eat Slow. With Elyse Kopecky in Switzerland’s Bernese Oberland. Enjoy views of the Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau, and our favorite Swiss mountain hotels and cuisine.
Join Elyse and other like-minded women for a trail running and culinary adventure in the heart of the Swiss Alps. New York Times Bestselling author Elyse Kopecky has transformed how we think about the intersection of food and sports with her books “Run Fast. Eat Slow,” “Run Fast. Cook Fast. Eat Slow,” and “Rise & Run”.
On this trail running tour of the Bernese Oberland we’ll experience staying in three different beautiful mountain towns, and traverse some of the most famous mountain terrain anywhere in the Alps, if not the world. On this Level 2 tour, we’ll run about 8-12 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 from Grindelwald over the historic Grosse Scheidegg pass, then cruise along high pastures with sweeping views of the Eiger. In the mountain villages of Wengen and Mürren, we’ll run along outstanding trails past high 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 and pastries, 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 a shorter 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. It wouldn’t be a tour with Elyse without her famous Superhero muffins fueling us along the way, too!
You will have your luggage every night. In the evening we’ll enjoy dinner together at our hotel, or at a local restaurant. These are often multi-course feasts, featuring local Swiss specialties, and will definitely be hearty, filling, well-earned and very delicious.
Learn more about the Bernese Oberland
Top photos: Kim Strom, PatitucciPhoto
Itinerary
Hallo! Happy to meet you. (Photo: Sam Hill)
Day 1 - Schwarzwaldalp
Arrive in Switzerland, and transfer by train and then Swiss Post bus to the remote Schwarzwaldalp Inn. Meet for a drink and group briefing, and enjoy our first dinner together.
Running downhill towards Grindelwald. (Photo: Yuji Yanaru)
Day 2 - Grindelwald
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. We’ll traverse to the postcard-perfect Bachsee Lake before winding down to Grindelwald.
Running above Grindelwald. (Photo: Sam Hill)
Day 3 - Grindelwald
From the panoramic plateau of Schynige Platte, we’ll run trails high above Grindelwald, contouring the scenic ridge opposite the Eiger. We return to Grindelwald for a second night, and dinner out at a restaurant in town.
Wildflowers and high peaks near Kleine Scheidegg. (Photo: Kim Strom)
Day 4 - Wengen
Today we run to the quaint car-free mountain village of Wengen. We’ll fast-hike up to the Kleine Scheidegg pass, directly under the Eiger itself, then descend through meadows.
Lauterbrunnen Valley. (Photo: CesarEspinosa)
Day 5 - Mürren
We run to one of the most famous mountain villages in Europe – Mürren – through the dramatic Lauterbrunnen valley. We’ll stop for a break at the quiet hamlet of Stechelberg at the end of the valley, before climbing through woods and past waterfalls up to Mürren.
Our mountain hotel – Obersteinberg. (Photo: Kim Strom)
Day 6 - Mürren
Today’s run takes us to the top of the Lauterbrunnen valley, traversing over dramatic waterfalls and past glaciers on quiet trails. We’ll stop at the remote Berghotel Obersteinberg for lunch.
Elyse and friends with Superhero muffins. (Photo: Sam Lhermillier)
Day 7 - Depart from Mürren
Today we say good-bye to the Bernese Oberland, Elyse and our friends, and depart for our post-tour destinations.
- Daily guided trail runs with licensed International Mountain Leaders and special guest Elyse Kopecky
- 6 nights accommodation – 5 nights in 3* or 4* hotels, and 1 in a well-appointed mountain inn
- All breakfasts, light lunches and premium trail nutrition, plus six multi-course dinners
- Transfers to and from trailheads as per the 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
- Flights / transportation to and from the tour
- Transport to and from trailheads if you shorten a run
- Drinks with dinners
- Extra charges made at accommodations such as room service or laundry
- Tips for guides
- Trip Insurance
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.
It can be a big travel day to Schwarzwaldalp. If you’d like to arrive a day early, we recommend spending the night in Meiringen. Please reach out to discuss.
Plan to depart in the afternoon the day your tour ends, at the earliest. The closest airports from Mürren are Geneva and Zurich. Plan for one night at a hotel in your departure city if you have a morning flight. We can assist you with hotel information, and Geneva or Zurich city information, if you like.
- 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!
- 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.
- 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.
Guides for this Tour
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