A hike to the Boval Hut is one of the most beautiful walks in eastern Switzerland

The Boval Hut at sunrise in the Upper Engadine.

A really nice introduction to the Upper Engadine region of eastern Switzerland is a hike to a Swiss Alpine Club hut called the Chamanna da Boval (Boval Hut) situated at an elevation of 2,495 meters / 8,186 feet. Every Swiss Alpine Club hut has its own character and the characteristic that makes the Boval hut unique is its incredibly scenic perch next to the sparkling Morteratsch glacier. The views of the glacier from the terrace of the hut are huge. In addition to the outstanding glacier scenery, hiking to the Boval Hut offers front row seats to the giant mountains of the Bernina range including the Piz Palü, Piz Zupo, Piz Morteratsch, and the Piz Bernina (4,048 meters).

A convenient way to do an out-and-back hike to the Boval Hut is to start at a rail stop called Morteratsch which is just a six minute train ride from the nearby village of Pontresina, or a 25 minute ride from St. Moritz. Spend a couple of hours hiking up the Morteratsch Valley to the Boval Hut. Have a delicious lunch at the hut then retrace your steps back to Morteratsch. On sunny days, the views of the glistening glaciers encircled by the tallest peaks of the Rhaetian Alps makes the Boval hike one of the most beautiful walks in the Upper Engadine.

You can enjoy the Boval Hut hike as an optional walk during our eight night Engadine inn-to-inn hike. You can also add it on to our four night Engadine inn-to-inn hike. Would you like to hike the Swiss Alps? Please contact us. 

Thinking about hiking Mount Rigi? Here are two great ways to reach the summit

Mount Rigi is a great place to stretch your legs or simply grab a seat and admire the views over Lake Lucerne and the Swiss Alps.

Mount Rigi, located on Lake Lucerne, is one of the most accessible mountains for hiking in the Swiss Alps. With a well-developed hiking trail system, an abundance of on-mountain restaurants and easy-to-use public transport ferrying visitors up and down the slopes, Rigi makes a wonderful place to walk for hikers of all ages and abilities.

There are a bunch of ways to access the lower slopes of Mount Rigi, but if you want to hike from the very top then you’ll need to get there under your own power (hiking, walking, biking, etc.) or use public transport.

There’s an easy way and a harder way to walk to the summit of Mount Rigi. Can you guess which is which?

From nearby Luzern, there are two convenient options for reaching the summit of Mount Rigi using public transport. The first option is the Vitznau-Rigi Kulm cog railway (Europe’s oldest mountain rack railway) which departs from the lakeside village of Vitznau on the west side of the mountain. The second option is the Goldau-Rigi Kulm cog railway which departs from Arth-Goldau on the east side of Mount Rigi. Both options are great and each journey has its own charm.

The Vitznau option offers big views of Lake Lucerne (try to snag a seat on the left side of the train as it climbs Mount Rigi). The Vitznau option is also the most romantic choice because it includes a boat ride across Lake Lucerne before changing to the cog railway. Because of the fun and excitement of the boat ride paired with the Lake Lucerne views, the Vitznau option can be very busy during high season. Pro tip: Boats departing Luzern from 9:12 am to 12:12 pm during high season are usually steamships.

A historic steam ship at the Vitznau dock. Guests staying in Luzern usually take a boat to Vitznau where they change for a cog wheel train to the summit of Mount Rigi.

Historical side note: The railway line from Vitznau to a mid-mountain station called Staffelhöhe is Europe’s oldest mountain rack railway. The line opened on May 21, 1871, making Mount Rigi the first mountain in Europe, and only the second mountain in the world, to feature a cog railway. Today the Vitznau line operates state-of-the art equipment in addition to its historic rolling stock. The Jewel of the fleet is Locomotive No. 7 (LOK 7), a steam locomotive built in 1873 that features a unique vertical boiler. A team of steam enthusiasts restored LOK 7 to running condition and today she carries passengers up Mount Rigi during special events.

One of the nostalgic trains of the Goldau-Rigi Kulm cog railway at the summit station of Mount Rigi.

If you don’t like crowds then we recommend the Goldau-Rigi Kulm option (the second option) because it tends to be less busy. The Goldau-Rigi Kulm line also runs historic train cars every day which is a bonus for guests who enjoy the nostalgia of “Old Switzerland.” Most of the rail cars are least 50 years old. We love them! If you choose the Goldau-Rigi Kulm option then sit on the right side of the train for the best views. You’ll enjoy peek-a-boo views of nearby Lake Zug as your cute little cog train chug, chug, chugs its way uphill through the meadows and trees.

Please contact us if you have questions about the Swiss Alps. Would you like to hike on Mount Rigi? Check out our Swiss Alps Rail + Hike | Luzern, Wengen & Zermatt. 

A hike to the Faulhorn offers one of the grandest views in Switzerland

View to the Eiger (left), Mönch and Jungfrau peaks from the Faulhorn (2,681 meters).

The Faulhorn (2,681 meters) is a mountain in Switzerland which offers one of the grandest vantage points in the Berner Oberland region of Switzerland. Even more, the summit is very accessible to hikers (no climbing experience necessary*), and there’s a historic hotel perched on the top. What more could you ask for?!

There are a number of ways to hike to the summit of the Faulhorn. Here are five popular options.

Hiking from Schynige Platte to the Faulhorn

This is the classic, and arguably the most scenic, way to reach the Faulhorn. Not only do you get HUGE views of the famous Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau peaks to the south, but you ALSO get the wide panoramic spectacle of Lakes Thun, Brienz and their abuting peaks to the north. This hike takes approximately four hours one way not including breaks.

Hiking from First to the Faulhorn

This hike begins with a gigantic boost by gondola from the village of Grindelwald to a mountain cable car station called First. From First, the busy but oh-so-gorgeous trail carries you past the glimmering Bachalpsee, one of the most beautiful lakes in Switzerland. From the lake, an uphill climb delivers you to the Faulhorn. The walk takes approximately two and-a-half hours one way.

Grosse Scheidegg to the Faulhorn

As the name suggests, this hike begins at Grosse Scheidegg, passes by the Bachalpsee (see First-Faulhorn above) and continues to the Faulhorn. This hike stays high so it’s incredibly scenic on a clear day. It’s also a longer hike than the walk from First. Plan on walking approximately four hours one way not including breaks.

Hiking from Iseltwald to the Faulhorn

You don’t hear about this hike very often because it’s pretty much straight up. This hike also begins at the village of Iseltwald located on the south shore of Lake Brienz which is somewhat secluded and takes extra effort to get to. Iseltwald doesn’t experience the same amount of touristic traffic that Schynige Platte and Grindelwald do so the trail is generally quieter. If you’re looking for a strenuous, and somewhat sneaky, backdoor to the Faulhorn, this is it. Plan on hiking approximately five hours one way..up, up, up.

Bussalp to the Faulhorn

Hopping on a bus in Grindelwald will deliver you to a mid mountain meadow called Bussalp. Descend the bus, then hike uphill for three hours to reach the Faulhorn. Remember to look behind you as you climb. The views of the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau are sublime.

Of course there are some other creative ways to reach the Faulhorn. You can also skip the cable cars and buses if you’d like a full day of climbing. That said, no matter how you hike to the Faulhorn, the views across the Berner Oberland when you get there are splendid. As we mentioned previously, there’s a hotel/restaurant up there too, so bon appetite and sweet dreams!

Would you like to hike to the Faulhorn? An inn-to-inn hike through the Berner Oberland is a great way to do it! Check out our:

9 Night Berner Oberland Inn-to-Inn Hike

5 Night Berner Oberland Inn-to-Inn HIke

Or request info for our 7 Night Jungfrau Wanderweek.

*Note: While climbing experience is not necessary to reach the Faulhorn, hikers should have the knowledge, experience and fitness to travel above tree line in mountainous terrain. Please contact us if you have questions about hiking in the Swiss Alps.

Searching for Scenic Day Hikes in the Swiss Alps? Our 4 Day “Taste of Appenzell” Hike Will Knock Your Socks Off

The view from Hoher Kasten, elevation 5,886 feet /1,794 meters. 

Appenzell is one of the most endearing regions of Switzerland, offering a laid-back folksy lifestyle, a paradise of velvety green hills, and some of the most striking limestone peaks that you’ll see anywhere in the Alps. You’ll experience the best of Appenzell and more during our 4 day (3 night) Taste of Appenzell Swiss Alps Hiking Getaway.

Your base for this trip is the historic and colorful village of Appenzell, Switzerland. Walk down the cobbled streets of Appenzell village and you’ll find aromatic Konditoreien (cake shops); traditional butchers, taverns and artisan workshops; and gabled houses with richly decorated facades, many of them portraying scenes of country life in an achingly beautiful and bucolic district. You’ll have free entry to interesting museums around Appenzell, and we’ll also give you insider tips to explore a few of our favorite hidden gems. 

From Appenzell, we’ll send you on our favorite hikes in the Alpstein Mountains. The Alpstein range is the centerpiece of the Appenzell region offering airy ridge line hikes (great for snapping photos), sunny alpine meadows (great for alpine picnics), and a colorful assortment of alpine farms and mountain inns (great for sampling local alpine specialities). Some of these mountain inns are only accessible by foot which makes visiting them a very peaceful mountain experience. 

The secret to the Alpstein’s eye-popping scenery lies in the limestone formations which have eroded over time and produced some very spectacular shapes. Mountains look like shark’s teeth, hiking trails follow knife-edge ridges, rock spires appear folded like taffy, and lakes drain into the mountains like giant bathtubs, their waters bubbling underground and remerging miles away. There are caves in the Alpstein Mountains too, some with fascinating histories. In the Wilkirchli caves, for example, remnants of human habitation date back 40,000 years. In the same caves, cave bear bones date to 90,000 years ago. You’ll have a chance to walk through these caves. 

Click here and here to read more about our 4 day (3 night) hiking getaway in Appenzell. We can also customize this Appenzell hike to suit any desire. Please inquire!

Looking for a Short Hike in the Swiss Alps? Our 4 Night Berner Oberland Inn-to-Inn Hike is a Wonderful Choice

The village of Lauterbrunnen and Staubbach Falls—Berner Oberland, Switzerland.

Our four night inn-to-inn hike through Switzerland's Berner Oberland region is a perfect trip for hikers that would like to experience the very best of the Bernese Alps but don’t want to spend a full week on the trail.

This hike through the Swiss Alps delivers the most scenic highlights of the Berner Oberland paired with upgraded deluxe accommodations in cozy Swiss inns with mountain views along the way. Following well-maintained trails with incredible views, you’ll connect the idyllic Swiss villages of Interlaken, Grindelwald, Wengen and Mürren. You’ll also hike beneath a trio of stunning glacier covered mountains, the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau, and you’ll walk through the magical valley of Lauterbrunnen (pictured above), nestled between stunning precipitous cliffs and 72 ethereal waterfalls. Tranquil mountain footpaths also lead to the timeless village of Gimmelwald where cute wooden chalets adorned with colorful flower boxes (and Swiss flags) huddle around perfectly manicured mountain pastures. Luggage is transported, and breakfasts and multi-course epicurean dinners are included during this hike. 

Click here to read more about our four night inn-to-inn hike through the Berner Oberland. We can also customize this hike to suit any desire. Please inquire!