The Grand Bernese Oberland Traverse
Dates | Duration |
|---|---|
| Sep 3 - 14, 2025 | 12 days - 11 nights |
An epic point-to-point trail run across the Swiss Bernese Mountain range. You’ll run and fast-hike through dramatic high country and lush, green valleys, alongside waterfalls, glaciers and iconic mountain peaks.
If you’re looking for an epic cross-country trail running trip through the Alps that features dramatic high country, well, you landed on the right page!
This traverse of Switzerland’s Bernese Oberland starts in the east at a high mountain farming area called Schwarzwaldalp, passes under the famed Eiger North Face, and crosses high cols and mountain pastures to reach the mountain resort of Gstaad, not far from Lake Geneva. This tour features day after day of stunning and varied mountain terrain. While the tour broadly follows the Swiss Via Alpina trek, a high hiking route that crosses through much of Switzerland, we choose to explore beautiful and quiet variations along the way.
We’ll run about 15 – 20 km each day, taking plenty of time on the uphills, pausing frequently to take photographs, enjoying the scenery, and sampling great food and drink en route. We’ll trail run over the historic Grosse Scheidegg, Sefinafurgga and Hohtürli passes, and cruise along high alp pastures with sweeping views of the Eiger and mountain lakes. We spend two nights in the famous mountain village of Grindelwald, giving you a chance to either explore the trails, or take a leisurely day to wander around town.
After a generous breakfast at our hotel each morning – delicious fresh baked bread, local cheeses, cereal, fruit, coffee and juice are typical – we’ll be out on the trail, either moving on to our next stop on the traverse, or taking in a local run. Most days there are options for an easier route that takes advantage of mountain trams and railways. Each morning, we’ll offer a variety of trail snacks from which you can choose, plus we’ll stop at mountain huts or alp farms, where we can enjoy local cheeses, röstis, or a fruit torte.
You will have your luggage every night, with the exception of our fastpacking overnight at rustic Obersteinberg hut, one of Switzerland’s famous “candlelight” hotels. In the evenings we’ll enjoy dinner together at our hotels and inns. Dinners are often multi-course, featuring local Swiss specialties, and will be hearty, filling, and delicious. We will leave one night in Grindelwald free, so you can have a chance to explore the town and choose your own evening meal.
(Top photos: PatitucciPhoto, Kim Strom)
Book this tour
$5870 per person
$1050 single supplement
Due to the size of some of the towns and inns along the way, the single supplement can only be guaranteed 7 of the 11 nights.
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
Bernese Oberland Traverse (Photo: Kim Strom)
Day 1 - Schwarzwaldalp
Arrive in Switzerland, and transfer to Schwarzwaldalp Inn where we’ll meet for a drink and trip briefing, and enjoy our first dinner together.
A summer swim in the Swiss Alps. (Photo: PatitucciPhoto)
Day 2 - Grindelwald
After a hearty breakfast, we’ll complete the run over the Grosse Scheidegg pass and enjoy our first views of the Eiger and of the Grindelwald valley.
Trail running along Schynige Platte above Interlaken, Switzerland. (Photo: PatitucciPhoto)
Day 3 - Wengen
From Grindelwald, we’ll run up to the Kleine Scheidegg pass, directly under the Eiger, with views of 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.
Dropping down into forest to reach Grindelwald in the valley below. (Photo Yuji Yanaru)
Day 4 - Obersteinberg
Our day features a run through the waterfall-lined Lauterbrunnen valley, one of the Alps’ most dramatic valleys. From there, we’ll run up to the working alp farm of Obersteinberg, one of our favorite spots in all the Alps, where we spend the night.
Trail running from the Lauterbrunnen Valley to Obersteinberg, Switzerland. (Photo: PatitucciPhoto)
Day 5 - Mürren
We’ll run from our mountain hut to the car-free town of Mürren, perched above the Lauterbrunnen valley. We’ll have the option of a run through woods and past waterfalls, or over the peak known as Tanzbedeli, or “The Ballroom.”
Running above Mürren on the Bernese Oberland Traverse. (Photo: Kim Strom)
Day 6 - Mürren
Mürren is a unique, dramatically-located town, and today you’ll have a chance to explore the area. Options include: gentle pasture runs, a big push up to the summit of 2,970m high Schilthorn, or a complete rest day!
Drinks at the Rotstock Hut. (Photo: Kim Strom)
Day 7 - Griesalp
We’ll run through traditional farming landscapes and pass several high-altitude farms, before climbing to the 2611m high Sefinafurgga Pass. Here, we leave the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau behind, and enter the wild Kiental valley.
Cows in the Berner Oberland. (Photo: Jen Stretton.)
Day 8 - Kandersteg
We continue through working farmland with cows roaming the pastures on the way up to Hohtürli pass. Our descent to Kandersteg will take us past an iconic Swiss treasure, the azure lake of Oeschinensee.
Trail running from Kandersteg. (Photo: PatitucciPhoto)
Day 9 - Adelboden
Starting today and for the rest of the trip, we’ll be running on wilder, less frequented trails. It’s possible to take the gondola up from the valley floor and skip the first steep part of the climb to Bundergrat.
Enjoying the colorful alpine pastures. (Photo: Yuji Yanaru)
Day 10 - Lenk
Rolling meadows, smaller mountains and patches of forest are the order of the day as we head over the 1936m high Hahnenmoos pass to Lenk.
Trail running tour above Gstaad, Switzerland (Photo: PatitucciPhoto)
Day 11 - Gstaad
Our last day of running goes through an intricate agricultural landscape of rolling pastures, rocky crags and forest patches. The high point of the Wasserngrat ridgeline is an exciting finale to the tour – but a less exposed descent to Gstaad is also possible.
Which way to head next… (Photo: Kim Strom)
Day 12 - Depart from Gstaad
Today we say good-bye to the Bernese Oberland and depart for our post-tour destinations. Run the Alps can assist with Geneva or Zurich accommodations if your departure times require a night in town.
Regional map
- Daily guided trail runs with a licensed International Mountain Leader
- Accommodation for ten nights at 3 or 4 star hotels and one night at a mountain inn with private rooms
- Buffet breakfasts, food and premium nutrition on the trail, and multi-course dinners every evening
- All transfers to and from trailheads that are included on our planned itinerary
- Luggage transfers each night, except when staying in the high mountain hut
- A copy of our Guide to Trail Running in the Alps, which contains 80+ pages of information and tips from Run the Alps staff and guides
- 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
- Tips for guides
Plan to arrive no later then 11am the day your tour starts. 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 and bus system to the start of the tour in Schwarzwaldalp.
Plan to depart the day your tour ends. Gstaad is about 3 1/2 hours by train to either Zurich or Geneva airports. Please plan on one night at a hotel in your departure city if you have a morning flight. Run the Alps can assist with Geneva or Zurich accommodations if your departure requires an additional night.
- Why Run the Alps? Learn how Run the Alps compares to other trail running companies and what sets us apart.
- 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.
Guides for this Tour
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