A short train ride brings us to Wasserauen (868 m), where a cable car whisks us up to Ebenalp (1,644 m) and our hike begins. The Alpstein landscape is immediately dramatic — sheer limestone walls, emerald meadows, and air so clear it almost feels sharp.

We descend to the deep blue glacial lake of Seealpsee (1,143 m), passing the iconic cliffside guesthouse Äscher — one of the most photographed spots in the Alps — and the atmospheric little chapel of Wild Kirchli carved into the rock face. There may even be time for a swim in the glacier-cold lake before we begin our steep ascent to tonight’s destination.

Meglisalp sits high on an open alpine meadow, ringed by towering limestone walls. This is where the cows spend their summer and where the local farmers still make Appenzeller cheese by hand. We’ll make sure to taste it.

Night and dinner at the newly renovated historic mountain inn Meglisalp
6 km · +400 m / −300 m · 4 hrs

If it’s not the cowbells that wake you, it may well be the yodelling of the farmer calling his herd in for the morning milking. There are worse alarms.

Today we cross a high mountain pass with sweeping views back over the Seealpsee and the mystical Fählensee (1,447 m) — a remote, dark lake tucked beneath limestone cliffs that feels like it belongs in another century. We stop for a picnic at the water’s edge before continuing up and over the Zwinglipass and descending to Gamplüt, where a cable car carries us down to the valley village of Wildhaus.

Night and dinner at a spa hotel in Wildhaus
15 km · +1,000 m / −783 m · 6 hrs

Today you’ll discover exactly why the Toblerone is shaped the way it is — and then stand on top of one. The seven jagged peaks of the Churfirsten are the real Toblerone mountains, and we hike to the summit of Chäserrugg, the highest of them all.

We follow the beautiful Klangweg (Sound Trail) along the ridge before a vigorous ascent to the top, rewarded with a panoramic picnic overlooking Walensee and the eastern Alps spreading out in every direction. A cable car brings us down to Iltios and a short walk leads back to our hotel. If your legs allow, the little Schwendi lake is perfect for an evening swim.

Night and dinner at a spa hotel in Wildhaus
14 km · +1,240 m / −115 m · 5–7 hrs (shorter option available)

Today we leave the Alpstein behind and travel in style. A post bus and the legendary UNESCO Bernina Express carry us south through some of Switzerland’s most spectacular scenery — glaciers, soaring viaducts, and high alpine passes — into the Engadin valley.

We break our journey in Bergün (1,360 m), a village of beautifully painted Engadin-style houses, for lunch. In the afternoon we lace up our boots again for a hike along a high balcony trail deep into the unspoiled Val Tuors, a wild and quiet valley that feels worlds away from the famous resort towns nearby.

Night and dinner at a historic hotel in Bergün
7 km · +500 m · 3 hrs

We board Graubünden’s second-oldest funicular to rise up to Muottas Muragl, where the full sweep of the Engadin valley and its chain of lakes unfolds below. The panoramic trail to Alp Languard is one of the finest ridge walks in Switzerland — keep an eye out for Steinböcke (ibex) picking their way along the cliffs, and save room for what may be the best homemade cake in the canton, served at the Segantini mountain hut.

In the afternoon, an optional short train and cable car journey takes us up to Diavolezza for a close encounter with the Morteratsch glacier, Piz Palü, and Piz Bernina — Europe’s most easterly 4,000-metre peak.

Night and dinner at a hotel in the Engadin
10.9 km · +450 m / −550 m · 4 hrs

A horse-drawn carriage carries us deep into the Val Roseg, one of the most beautiful and unspoiled valleys in the Alps, at the foot of the Bernina massif. From here we begin a long and rewarding hike on a panoramic trail with breathtaking glacier views — the gleaming ice of Bernina above us, the turquoise lakes of St. Moritz shimmering far below.

The climb to Fuorcla Surlej is a fitting high point of the trip, both literally and figuratively.

Night and dinner at a hotel in the Engadin valley
15 km · +1,006 m / −305 m · 6–7 hrs

Today we step across an invisible border — not just a geographic one, but a cultural one. As we descend into the Italian-speaking Bregaglia valley, it feels as though time itself has slowed. The pace of life here is unhurried, the villages unchanged for generations.

We walk the Via Panoramica, a beautiful trail set high above the valley floor, directly opposite the legendary granite walls of Piz Badile — one of the great prizes of alpine climbing. Our destination is Soglio, a hilltop village of stone houses and chestnut forests that has been called the last hidden village of Switzerland. It earns the title.

Night and dinner at the historic hotel in the Bregaglia valley
9.1 km · +449 m / −486 m · 4 hrs

A private shuttle carries us down through the valley and across the Italian border, where the landscape transforms almost instantly. The mountains soften, palm trees appear, and the deep blue of Lake Como comes into view.

We spend the day exploring the northern shore of the lake before boarding a boat to Bellagio — perhaps the most beautiful town on Italy’s most beautiful lake. With its narrow lanes, grand villas, and lakeside terraces, it’s the perfect place to raise a glass and celebrate the end of a remarkable journey.

Night and dinner at a hotel with lake views in Bellagio
2 km · 1 hr

A private transfer brings you to Milan Malpensa Airport or Como train station for your journey home — carrying memories of cowbells, glaciers, granite peaks, and the shimmer of Lake Como.

Arrivederci — until the next adventure.

• 1 pair of hiking boots or shoes (high or low is up to you. We always recommend higher ones but the trails are generally in good shape)
• functional underwear
• 2-3 pair of hiking socks
• 1 long sleeve shirt
• 2-3 T-shirts
• 1 fleece or soft-shell jacket
• 1-2 pair synthetic hiking pants or shorts
• 1 pair long pants
• 1 pair shoes for after the hiking
• 1 pair of Sandals
• 1 sun hat, 1 warm hat
• thin Gloves
• 1 set of waterproof Gore-tex rain gear (Jacket and Pants)
• 1 thin down jacket
• Casual outfit for dinners
• Gaters (for tours in early spring)

• Swimsuit (some Hotels have a Spa or we can swim in mountain lakes)

• 1 hiking day backpack
• 1-2 water bottles, thermos bottle
• Sunglasses
• Personal toiletries
• Wollte or similar for hand washing clothes at Hotels
• 1 pair trekking poles
• Camera
• Blister tape
• Pocket knife
• Personal medicaments