You’ve decided you want to hike in the Alps. Then you start looking at photos, and the decision gets harder.
Switzerland has the mountain villages and the Matterhorn. The Dolomites have those extraordinary limestone peaks. And Chamonix? One look at Mont Blanc and you’re opening another browser tab.
We understand. We’ve spent more than 40 years hiking these mountains, and we still have trouble picking favorites.
A good place to start is with the kind of day you’d like to have. What gets you excited about heading out each morning? How much hiking feels satisfying? And when the boots come off, where would you like to be?
Here are three of our favorite Alps hiking trips, each offering a different experience of the mountains.
Highlights of Switzerland: Variety and Time to Settle In
10 days • Guided • Three nights in each location • Hotels throughout
Perhaps you want high mountains, but you’d also like lakeside cafés, village walks and time to stay in one place for a few nights. You enjoy a good climb. Your traveling companion would appreciate a shorter option now and then.
Our guided Highlights of Switzerland: Engadine, Lago Maggiore & Zermatt brings those interests together.
The trip begins in Sils Maria, where trails lead past mountain lakes, through larch forests and into the villages and pastures of the Engadine. Then the scenery changes. In Italian-speaking Ticino, you’ll explore stone villages and historic pathways, with Locarno on Lago Maggiore as your base. Zermatt finishes the trip with glaciers, mountain hamlets and the Matterhorn.
It’s a wonderful introduction to how different one corner of Switzerland can feel from the next. With three nights in each location, you have time to get familiar with the village, return to a café you liked and enjoy your hotel.
The hiking offers variety, too. Your guides can draw on a range of routes, with gentler and more challenging options to suit the group.
“The accommodations and food were great, the trek itself was the right level of strenuousness, and there was a good amount of time to rest and recuperate.” — Pam F.
A good fit if: You like varied scenery, appreciate a comfortable hotel and want some flexibility in your hiking days.
Explore our guided Highlights of Switzerland trek
The Italian Dolomites: Dramatic Peaks and Distinct Mountain Cultures
8 days • Guided or Self-Guided • Village hotels and one mountain rifugio night
In the Dolomites, you’ll want to stop walking before you look up. The limestone towers have a way of distracting you from the trail.
Below them are broad green meadows, Tyrolean villages and mountain rifugios where you can stop for lunch with a view. This corner of northern Italy brings together Italian, Austrian and Ladin influences, reflected in everything from the village names and architecture to the food on your plate.
Our Italian Dolomites Trek, offered guided and self-guided, is one of our longtime favorites. The combination of mountain trails, welcoming hotels and regional cooking makes it a trip we’re always happy to return to.
You’ll travel from Völs through Val Gardena and Alta Badia to Cortina d’Ampezzo, crossing the Alpe di Siusi and hiking beneath some of the region’s most recognizable peaks. Most nights are spent in village hotels, with one night in a mountain rifugio. You carry what you need for that overnight and reconnect with your luggage the following day.
Choosing between guided and self-guided comes down to how you like to travel. Join our guides for their local knowledge and the company of a small group, or bring your own hiking companions and follow our established routes at your own pace.
“Our family has been doing summer hiking trips for nearly 20 years and this was the nicest and most enjoyable we’ve had, with a great combination of fabulous hikes and wonderful places to stay.” — Francie H.
A good fit if: You love dramatic mountain scenery and enjoy discovering the food, languages and traditions of the places you walk through.
Explore the Italian Dolomites Trek: Guided | Self-Guided
Detour du Mont Blanc: Beyond the Famous Circuit
8 days • Guided • Hotels throughout • Longer hiking days and substantial climbs
Maybe Mont Blanc has been on your list for years, but you’re curious about the trails beyond the Tour du Mont Blanc.
Our guided Detour du Mont Blanc: Chamonix-Mont-Blanc to Val d’Isère begins in Chamonix and heads toward the Tarentaise, linking mountain passes, old farming hamlets and quieter valleys in the French Alps.
You’ll hike beneath the Dômes de Miage, follow historic paths toward the Col du Bonhomme and explore villages such as Le Monal, where traditional mountain architecture is as much a reason to pause as the views. Farther along, the high country around Val d’Isère brings alpine lakes and another rewarding day on the trail.
There’s substantial hiking here. The longest day covers 12.2 miles with 4200 ft of climbing, so you’ll want to be comfortable with consecutive days of substantial hiking. Comfortable hotels, regional cooking and shared dinners round out the days.
Our guides know these trails and villages from years of exploring the region. Walking with them gives you the chance to learn more about the landscape and the people who have made their lives here.
“Ken was the perfect guide for our group. He set the pace for a great week of hiking. Everything was memorable including our picnics with story-book views.” — Susan C.
A good fit if: You want challenging mountain days, French alpine villages and a less-traveled route through Mont Blanc country.
Explore our guided Detour du Mont Blanc trek
Which One Fits?
The scenery may draw you to a destination, but the daily details help determine how much you’ll enjoy it.
Would you rather stay put for a few nights? Highlights of Switzerland gives you three nights in each location. The Dolomites and Detour du Mont Blanc treks keep moving, with one or two nights at each stop.
Does a night in a mountain hut sound appealing? Of these three, only the Italian Dolomites Trek includes one.
Is your group hiking at different levels? Highlights of Switzerland offers the most flexibility.
Are you looking for the biggest hiking days? Detour du Mont Blanc has the longest climbs of the three.
Would you prefer to hike independently? The Italian Dolomites Trek is the only one of these three offered self-guided, so you can travel with your own companions and set your daily pace.
Look beyond mileage when comparing routes. A rocky descent can ask more of you than a longer walk on a smooth trail. Consecutive hiking days also feel different from a single weekend outing, so consider how the itinerary matches the hiking you regularly enjoy.
Looking for Gentler Hiking or a Shorter Trip?
There are plenty of other ways to explore the Alps with us. Our Easygoing treks offer gentler hiking days in places such as the Engadine, Berner Oberland and Italian Dolomites, with more time to enjoy the villages along the way.
Explore our easygoing and easy-to-moderate treks
If you have fewer days available, our self-guided Mini-Treks let you make hiking part of a longer European vacation. Choose from alpine destinations including the Swiss Engadine, Italian Dolomites, Berner Oberland and Chamonix to Champex.
Let’s Find Your Next Trek
You don’t need to have a destination picked out before getting in touch. Tell us about a hike you loved, who you’re traveling with and what you’d like from your next trip.
Perhaps you’re ready for longer mountain days. Perhaps you’d like a little more time in the villages. Or you’re traveling with people whose interests and hiking experience differ from yours.
Those are the conversations that help us recommend a trip you’ll enjoy. We know these places well, and we’re happy to help you narrow the choices.
Talk with our team about your next hiking trip
Comments are closed.