Soar higher and take your travel wishes a notch higher by hiking the Alps in Switzerland. You may think that hiking is not for the faint of heart as well as not for the thrifty travellers, but the good news is there are ways and means to make the hike up the Swiss Alps affordable and doable for the regular travel bugs. Yes, it is better for you to physically prepare for the trip and yes, you must invest on those thick hiking jackets, pants, shoes, and backpack prior to taking this breath-taking trip up the Alps.
Are you ready to challenge yourself and travel outside your comfort zone? Then make sure you have all the requirements need to secure a Schengen visa. Switzerland is one of 26 countries that comprise the Schengen area that implement the same visa for foreign visitors. This means that you can enter any one of these countries with the same visa. The application process for a Schengen visa is quite easy to do; here are the requirements that you need to prepare:
- Valid passport and copies of the front and back pages
- Current passport-sized photos with white background
- Completed Schengen Visa application form
- Proof of travel such as flight booking, travel itinerary, and hotel booking – You may get a Flight Booking for Visa and Hotel Reservation for Visa just for your visa application without having to pay for the airfare or hotel booking.
- Travel Insurance – It is better to acquire this from Schengen Travel Insurance, an affordable and reliable insurance company.
- Personal Coverage Letter
- Bank Documents
- For employed travellers, a No Objection Letter is highly recommended
Hiking the Alps in Switzerland:
Hiking the Swiss Alps is a once-in-a-lifetime event that every traveller must experience. Imagine seeing different peaks with different priceless views that comes with every hike. The view at the Alps is bar none the best in the world and this is what all other professional hikers have to say about these mountains. You need not be a hiker to be able to enjoy the sights of the Alps, but this article made sure that there are available hikes for beginners and advance climbers.
For Beginners: Hiking up Bachsee:
This easy climb is suitable for non-hikers who want to experience the excellent views of the Alps as well as the older travellers who want to erase some must-dos off their bucket lists. To get to the area, you need to take a trip to Grindelwald to get to the First (pronounced as Fierst) Gondola station.
From the gondola station, you can follow the easy trail that leads to Bachsee. You actually do not need a guide because the trail has yellow arrows that are easy to read and follow. These arrows act as your guides that will bring you to the best view of Faulhorn.
This hike may take up to 3 hours but majority of the terrain is low slopes and meadows. Only a short portion of the trail requires hikers to go up a steep ascent. This part of the hike may be quite difficult for elders but young, newbie hikers must be able to get by it. At the end of the 6-km hike, expect to see the picturesque view of the famous Faulhorn as well as the small mountain lake found at the foot of the mountain. If you still have energy up in your sleeves, then it is highly recommended for you to climb up Shreckhorn and see the view of the area from its peak. This is a great start to your hiking the Alps in Switzerland adventure.
For Experienced Climbers: Hiking from Bettmerhorn:
This moderately difficult climb starts from Bettmerhorn and ends at the famous Fiescheralp peak.
To get to Bettmerhorn, you need to take a train to the valley station of Betten. From there you need to walk to the cable car station. Take the cable car up to Bettmeralp and then finally take the gondola rail up to Bettmerhorn. Once you get to Bettmerhorn, prepare to follow the trail along the famous Aletsch Glacier.
This glacier is the largest glacier found in the Alps which is declared by UNESCO as a heritage site.
The entire 10-km climb can be divided into three parts. The first part of this hiking the Alps in Switzerland adventure starts on a trail that is parallel to the Aletsch glacier. After a couple of kilometres of walking, you will notice that you are walking away from the glacier but approaching a wonderful lake called Marjelen.
There you can take your first stop. Take lots of pictures of the lake and the mountain.
The second part of the hike takes your hiking experience to a different level. From the Vorder Lake you will need to walk a kilometer inside a dark tunnel which is built under mountain and ice to make hiking safer and easier. If you are claustrophobic then you have no other choice but to take the longer route around the Vorder Lake.
As soon as you exit the kilometer-long tunnel, the third part of the hike begins. You can take a routine stop here to rest and take snapshots of the tunnel exit and the view. As you exit the tunnel you will be facing the Fiescher Glacier and the Rhone Valley.
If you want to extend your hike, then you can add a fourth part to your climb by taking the cable car to Eggishorn.
Hiking the Alps in Switzerland:
Are you ready to wear your hiking boots and carry your hiking backpack? Make sure you have secured a Schengen Visa to be permitted to set foot in Switzerland and to be able to tick off a few boxes from your bucket list. Should you have more queries about the visa application process, you may contact us through our website or Facebook page.
Explore the wonderful views of the mountainous regions of the Land of Chocolates and challenge yourself to hiking the Alps in Switzerland.
