Tailor Made Rail · Self-guided walking holiday

Valais Walking Holiday

Valais Walking Holiday, a rail journey with Tailor Made Rail

This fabulous self-guided hiking holiday based above the Aletsch Glacier in Belalp offers hikes for all levels and allows you explore the surrounding region of Valais in Switzerland, dominated by the iconic peak of the Matterhorn.

Day by day

  1. Day 1railovernight: Basel

    London to Basel

    Catch a Eurostar this morning from London to Paris. When you arrive, it's an easy connection by RER (rapid metro) to the Gare de Lyon where you'll board the TGV Lyria service direct to Basel. On arrival in Basel, check in for an overnight stay at the Hotel GAIA (or similar), just opposite the station.

  2. Day 2railovernight: Belalp

    Basel to Belalp

    This morning, leave Basel aboard a train bound for Brig in the Swiss canton of Valais. Once you get here, you might like to enjoy some lunch in town before catching a PostBus for a 20-minute journey to Blatten. Once you reach your stop, disembark and catch the cable car up to the village of Belalp. The hotel is a lovely 25-minute stroll from the top cable car station but your luggage will be collected for you. You have a 3-night stay here.

  3. Day 3overnight: Belalp

    Bruchegg, Lüsgersee & Tyndalldenkmal

    A short but extremely rewarding hike begins by walking from the hotel back towards the cable car station but turning right at Bruchegg and climbing gently thereafter following signs for Tyndalldenkmal, taking in a beautiful mountain lake and spectacular views, with the Matterhorn visible across the Rhone Valley to the south, and breathtaking views over the mighty Aletsch Glacier.

  4. Day 4overnight: Belalp

    Hiking from Belalp

    After breakfast collect your packed lunch from Reception and head towards the cable car station, continuing past it and following the path to Foggenhorn (a steep, 6-hour hike requiring a good level of fitness, with breathtaking views to the summit), or take the gentler alternative via the Foggenhornrundweg to Nessel and back to Belalp.

  5. Day 5railovernight: Brig

    Belalp to Brig

    After breakfast, the Hexpress will leave the hotel at 10:00 and take you and your luggage back to the cable car station from where you head back to Brig via Blatten. Check in here for an overnight stay at the Ambassador Hotel (or similar) and enjoy a relaxed afternoon. Alternatively, extend your holiday by taking the Glacier Express from Brig to Chur and picking up the Graubunden walking holiday.

  6. Day 6rail

    Brig to London

    Make your way back to the station today and catch a train to Basel, where you pick up the high-speed service back to Paris and onwards under the English Channel to London via Eurostar.

Included

  • Standard Class rail travel with seat reservations
  • 2 nights’ hotel accommodation with breakfast
  • 2 nights’ hotel accommodation with breakfast and dinner in Belalp
  • Two packed lunches
  • Hexpress transfer from cable car to hotel in both directions
  • Detailed hiking notes and local maps
  • Easy-to-follow travel documentation
  • Despatch of tickets by email, post or collection from our London office

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