Grand Bernese Oberland Traverse
Anytime from June 15 - Sept 20
Dates | Duration |
|---|---|
Anytime from June 15 - Sept 20 | 12 days - 11 nights |
An epic point-to-point run across the Swiss Bernese Oberland, through bucolic alpine pastures, past high peaks, and stopping overnight in traditional Swiss villages.
Run through the mountains of central Switzerland, taking in high farming pastures with sheep and cows, legendary peaks such as the Eiger, Monch and Jungfrau, and historic mountain passes. This grand tour starts in the high mountain farming hamlet of Schwarzwaldalp and finishes in the village of Gstaad. The route follows much of the Via Alpina, a famous long-distance hiking route.
Starting on our shorter Bernese Oberland tour, our Grand Traverse extends the route for five days from Murren to Gstaad, the famous mountain town close to Lake Geneva. The terrain varies, starting with flowy single track balcony trails beneath the Eiger, followed by steep, technical passes and azure lakes on the way to Kandersteg, nestled between mountain ranges. The last few days offer rolling terrain through meadows, with airy ridgelines giving wonderful panoramic views.
This route can be shortened or combined with one of the trail races in the area, such as the Eiger Ultra race series, Glacier 3000, or the Inferno half marathon.
Sample itinerary:
Day 1: Arrive in Switzerland, and travel through the mountains by train and then Swiss Post bus to Schwarzwaldalp, a friendly, rustic inn high in the Bernese Oberland, with private rooms and shared bathrooms.
Day 2: After a hearty breakfast, run over the Grosse Scheidegg pass to enjoy your first views of the Eiger and of the Grindelwald valley. Next, 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.
17.7km (11mi), 820m (2700ft) ascent, 700m (2300ft) descent
Day 3: From Grindelwald, you’ll run up to Kleine Scheidegg pass, directly under the famous north wall of the Eiger. The Eiger’s massive face dominates a landscape that includes stunning peaks and glaciers. Follow lesser-known trails through meadows and quiet alp farms to the quaint car-free mountain village of Wengen.
10-16km (6-10mi), 915m (3000ft) ascent, 610m (2000ft) descent.
Day 4: Run through one of the Alps’ most dramatic valleys, to your overnight destination at the beautiful Obersteinberg mountain hut. You’ll run to the end of Lauterbrunnen valley, taking in the 10 glacier-fed waterfalls that make up Trümmelbach Falls. There is no baggage delivery tonight, so carry a few extra items to make for a comfortable overnight.
15-17km (9-10miles), 1040m (3420ft) ascent, 540m (1770ft) descent
Day 5: Today, you’ll run from the mountain hut to the car-free town of Mürren, perched above the Lauterbrunnen valley. There’s the option to run through woods and past waterfalls, or over grassy Tanzbodeli, a peak with dramatic 360-degree views that’s so flat it’s nicknamed, “The Ballroom.” It’s also possible to descend to a cable car then travel up to Mürren.
9km (6miles), ascent 730m (2400ft), descent 850m (2800ft)
Day 6: Mürren is a unique, dramatically-located town, and today you’ll have a chance to explore the area, with a choice of runs ranging from a gentle 10 km pasture run to a big push up to the summit of 2,970m high Schilthorn, where you can enjoy lunch and then a gondola ride back to town. If you need a rest day, the cafes and quiet pastures of Mürren await. You’ll spend a second night here before your adventure continues!
Day 7: Run through traditional farming landscapes and pass several high-altitude farms, passing the classic Swiss Alpine Club’s Rotstockhuttë before climbing to the 2611m high Sefinafurgga Pass. Here, leave the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau behind, and enter the wild Kiental valley.
15.6km (9.7 miles), 1132m (3720ft) ascent, 1323m (4340ft) descent
Day 8: Continue through working farmland with plenty of cows roaming steeply-angled pastures on the way up one of the big climbs of the trip to Hohtürli pass. Here, the close-up views of the glaciers are incredible, and you can enjoy a coffee at one of Switzerland’s most famous mountain huts, Blüemlisalphütte, at just under 3000m. The descent to Kandersteg takes you past an iconic Swiss treasure, the azure lake of Oeschinensee.
17km (10.6 miles), ascent 1500m (4920ft), descent 1769m (5800ft)
Day 9: From today, you’ll be running on wilder, less frequented trails. The route from Kandersteg to Adelboden crosses the Bundergrat pass. It’s possible to take the Allme gondola up from the valley floor and skip the first steep part of the climb.
16.6km (10.3 miles), ascent 1500m (4920ft), descent 1326m (4350ft)
Day 10: Rolling meadows, smaller mountains and patches of forest are the order of the day as you head over Hahnenmoos pass to Lenk. This small town sits in the Simmental valley with the Wildstrubel mountain range above.
18.7km (11.6 miles), ascent 950m (3120ft), descent 1237m (4060ft)
Day 11: Your last day of running goes through an intricate agricultural landscape of rolling pastures, rocky crags and forest patches, as you leave the Simmental valley. The high point of the Wasserngrat ridgeline is an exciting finale to the tour – but a less exposed descent to Gstaad is also possible.
20.4km (12.7miles), ascent 1441m (4730ft), descent 1455m (4770ft)
Book this tour
$4250 per person
$980 single supplement
Looking for a customized itinerary?
Please get in touch. We’d love to discuss your options with you.
Prefer to go with a guide?
Explore our group guided trips or inquire about our privately guided trips.
- Accommodation in 3 and 4 star hotels and/or mountain huts
- Buffet breakfasts each morning and multi-course dinners each evening
- Detailed daily run descriptions, GPX files and all the resources you need along the way are provided via our app (see a sample here). We’ll also send you a printed copy of the route and other key information, in case you’d like to take these with you as a back-up
- Luggage transfers
- A copy of our Guide to Trail Running in the Alps, which contains thorough travel instructions, regional information and tips from the staff and guide team at Run the Alps
- In-tour support through our WhatsApp Helpline
- Flights / transportation to and from the tour
- Transport to and from trailheads if you choose to shorten a run
- Drinks with dinners
- Extra charges made at accommodations such as room service or laundry
- Trail snacks and lunches – our materials include info of where to stop along the way or if bringing trail snacks is a better option based on the day
Plan for your flight to arrive by 11am the day your tour starts. The closest airport is Zurich, which is a little over 3 hours away by train. Geneva is 4 hours, 45 minutes away. There are train stations in each airport, making for convenient onward travel. Your tour package will include detailed information about how to travel on the Swiss rail and bus system to the start of the tour in Schwarzwaldalp.
Please note that flights from the U.S. usually depart the day before arrival in Europe.
Plan your departure flight for the afternoon the day your tour ends, at the earliest. Gstaad, where your tour ends, is about 3.5 hours by train from either Zurich or Geneva airports. If you have a morning flight, plan for one night at a hotel in your departure city. Run the Alps can assist with accommodations in Geneva or Zurich if needed.
- Why Run the Alps? See how Run the Alps compares to other trail running companies and what sets us apart here.
- Group Discounts: When we create tours for a group of five or more self-guided guests, there is an opportunity for some savings. We’re pleased to pass them on to you – please get in touch to explore your options.
- Alumni Discount: We love welcoming our alumni back to the Alps and offer a 10% discount on all standard guided and self-guided trips. Simply check the Alumni box on the registration form and we’ll apply the discount when we invoice you.
- Want to shorten or extend your trip or add an Alps Trail Race? Just let us know and we’d be happy to help.
- 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!
- Concerned about being ready? We’re here to help. You can check out our Training Resources or get in touch if you’d like to be put in touch with a coach.
- 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.
Loading...
Read more about Switzerland's Bernese Oberland
Inaugural Grand Bernese Oberland Traverse
The inaugural Grand Bernese Oberland Traverse was a great success! Crossing this section of the Swiss Alps we saw the region’s most famous peaks, bluest lakes, and deepest valleys, plus plenty of cows, sheep, and goats grazing the hillside pastures.
Read more →
After the Tour du Mont-Blanc: What’s Your Next Big Trail Run?
Depending on what you’re looking for in a multi-day trail running adventure, you just might find these routes preferable to the Tour du Mont-Blanc (TMB).
Read more →
First Edition of Eiger 250: Ultrarunning through the Berner Oberland
In mid-July under window boxes full of geraniums in the Swiss mountain resort of Grindelwald, my partner and I toed the line at the Eiger Ultra Trail by UTMB.