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Skill: **
The traverse of the Bernese Oberland is a demanding multi-day, high-altitude trek but no previous alpine trekking experience
is required. Your guide will teach you the necessary skills for the glacier crossings where you need to be roped up and wear
crampons.
Stamina: ***
If you take regular exercise and have a good level of aerobic fitness you should have no problem undertaking alpine trips at
this stamina level. For alpine walking & climbing, aerobic stamina and leg strength are the key. So when preparing for this
trip nothing beats activities that increase your heart rate and build your aerobic levels e.g. running, cycling and swimming.
Movement skills - agility, balance, flexibility - which allow you to walk easily over rough ground to make your way safely up a snow slope - are also very relevant. If time permits try to include some yoga or pilates into your training schedule.
The Bernese Oberland is one of the Alps most impressive ranges. This traverse of the range from east to west is a wonderful high-alpine trek across glaciated terrain and the group will be roped up and wear crampons for long sections. Stunning panoramic views stretch out in all directions.
Itinerary
DAY 1 Travel day
Travel to Brig for welcome meeting and briefing. Stay overnight in the town.
DAY 2 Brig - Gletsch
The day starts with a 1 hour 20 minute train journey to the trailhead in the village of Oberwald. The trail ascends
easily through conifer forest before emerging into rich alpine meadows and the village of Gletsch and our hotel, the Hotel
Glacier du Rhone which sits at the foot of the impressive Rhone Glacier.
Walking time: 5 hours
Elevation gain of about 1000m
DAY 3 Gletsch—Grimsel Pass
The route sets out leaving right from the hotel, a half an hour walk along the moraine trail brings us to the edge of the
Rhone Glacier. With technical gear in place, we’ll set foot onto the ice for the first time and cross from one side of the
glacier to the other. After removing our crampons we’ll continue our trek on an alpine trail that rises and falls to the
Grimsel Pass (2200m). The route has stunning views that strech across the Ticino and Walliser Alps. Stay overnight in the Hotel
Grimselblick.
Walking time: 7 hours
Elevation gain/loss: 300m/550m
DAY 4 Grimsel Pass—Oberaarjoch Hut
Today’s walk starts on a well defined alpine path below the Sidelhorn (2765m) and continues along the moraine of the
Oberaar Glacier. On reaching the glacier we’ll need to wear crampons and be roped together for the long, gradual ascent of the
glacier to the Oberaarjoch hut (3300m) perched on a rocky buttress and accessed via a steep ladder.
Walking time: 8 hours
Elevation gain of about 1200m
DAY 5 Oberaarjoch Hut—Finsteraarhorn Hut
Today is spent entirely on ice – firstly with the descent over the Studergletscher and up the Gemschlicke (3335m) before
ascending the Fiescher glacier beneath the peaks of the Finsteraarhorn and Galmihorn to reach the Finsteraarhorn hut. Along the
route great views stretch out in all directions.
Walking time: 6 hours
Elevation gain/loss: 565m/300m.
DAY 6 Finsteraarhorn Hut—Hollandia Hut
We’ll descend from the Finsteraarhorn hut and then cross the Fiescher Glacier to reach the saddle at Grünhornlücke
(3330m) where great views of the Aletschglacier and the Ewigschneefeld await. The route takes us down the Grüneggfirn to the
majestic Konkordiaplatz for the start of the long traverse of the heavily crevassed Grosser Aletschfirn to the Hollandia hut in
an impressive location beneath the north face of the Aletschhorn.
Walking time: 8-9 hours
Elevation gain/loss: 1200m/800m
DAY 7 Hollandia hut – Blatten in Lotschental – back to Brig
From the hut we descend the glacier and follow a well-defined path to Fafleralp at the head of the Löschental. Continue
on down to Blatten where we pick up the bus for the 1 hour journey back to Brig.
Walking time: 5 hours
Elevation loss: 1700m down
1 hour bus/train journey back to Brig
DAY 8 depart after breakfast
Other Glacier Treks
The Alps are criss-crossed with great trails and a network of high altitude huts.
Our selection of multi-day treks include
Chamonix-Zermatt Haute Route, the
Eiger Trek, the
Gran Paradiso Circuit and the
Italian High Level Route
Or why not combine trekking with some exhilarating Via Ferrate - check out our
Via Ferrate weeks in the
Dolomites and our
Bocchette Way Via Ferrate week
Additional Information
Prices
£925 per person
The price includes all guiding fees & expenses and 5 nights half-board accommodation and 2 nights B&B.
The price does not include lunches, beverages, personal insurance, equipment hire, travel to and from Brig, local
transfers and uplift costs.
Local Transfers and Uplift Costs
On our Bernese Oberland Traverse we estimate that the cost for local transfers and uplifts will be in the region of
£20-25 per person which is not included in the price and needs to be paid for locally in Swiss Francs.
Group Size
The maximum group size is 12 with 2 guides. The minimum group size is 5.
Accommodation and meals
We stay in a combination of comfortable alpine hotels and traditional mountain huts.
A typical breakfast will consist of coffee, tea, hot chocolate, orange juice, muesli, yoghurt, bread, butter, jam. During
the day you carry 'hill food' e.g. snacks such as nuts & raisins, chocolate or muesli bars. Sometimes you will arrive at
huts for a late lunch of omelettes, rosti (swiss fried mash) or pasta.
The evening meals are usually a set menu of 3 courses plus cheese. Typical menu will be soup to start, a main dish of
meat or pasta with mash or rice and vegetables. Dessert will be fruit or mousse. The vegetarian options are often limited with
omelettes being the standard main course.
Climate
The Bernese Oberland generally has a very pleasant climate throughout the spring, summer and autumn with warm days and
cool nights. Daytime temperatures in the valley are usually around 20 - 28°C. At altitude the temperature can be as low as
-10°C and feel colder with windchill.
Safety awareness & training
Adventurous activities in the mountains have their dangers. These can never be removed altogether but they can be
minimised. At Mountain Tracks our aim is to provide you with a thrilling holiday directed with maximum attention to your safety
and that of others. We don't just blindly get you to follow our experienced leaders. We give you the opportunity to learn
mountaincraft skills and understand about the hazards, how to minimise the risk, and how to cope with incidents should they
happen.
Equipment
Our recommended equipment list will be emailed to you at the time of booking.
Certain technical items can be hired from Mountain Tracks.
Your guides
This trip will be led by one of our UIAGM Mountain Guides who are all very familiar with walking and climbing in the
Alps. They will inspire you with their enthusiasm and with their passion for the mountains.The guide-client ratio for the
Bernese Oberland Traverse is 1:6.
Insurance
It is a condition of booking that you are insured for alpine trekking covering personal accident, rescue and third party
risks. You are strongly advised also to take out cover against cancellation and curtailment.
If you are looking to purchase insurance for your trip we recommend
SNOWCARD. They specialise in travel insurance for adventure sports particularly skiing
and snowboarding. Their rates for both single trip and annual policies are very competitive.
For details on their policies and to get a quote CLICK HERE or contact our office for further details.