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Tailor Made Rail · Self-guided walking holiday

Wengen Walking Holiday

Seven-night self-guided walking holiday based in Wengen, Swiss Bernese Oberland.

Illustration of Wengen Walking Holiday

Tailor Made Rail organises an eight-day self-guided walking holiday centred on Wengen, a car-free village in Switzerland's Bernese Oberland. You travel from London by Eurostar to Paris, then high-speed TGV to Basel, and connect via Swiss trains to Wengen, where you spend seven nights at the Parkhotel Beausite. Each day presents a choice of walks, from gentle local forest trails around Wengwald and Hublen to ambitious ridges such as the Panoramaweg between Kleine Scheidegg and Männlichen, with the Jungfrau, Eiger, and Mönch peaks as your backdrop. On Day 3 you lunch on a traditional farm and learn about alpine dairy farming. Day 5 is free, letting you rest or pursue optional excursions like the Jungfrau Mountain Railway or a lake cruise. Day 6 offers a six-hour traverse from Schynige Platte to First via Bachalpsee. A Swiss Pass included in the package covers all train and boat travel within the country. Tailor Made Rail provides detailed route maps, hiking notes, and local support, but you walk independently and at your own rhythm, making this ideal for experienced rail travellers and independent walkers seeking a week-long base.

What to know before you look closer

  • Day 5 is unguided; Tailor Made Rail describes it as a free day with optional activities, so you plan your own itinerary or book add-ons separately.
  • Two of the seven dinners are not included (Days 1 and 5 or equivalent); the other five are at the hotel.
  • The package does not include cable car fares, the Jungfrau Mountain Railway, or lake cruise costs; these are optional extras or paid locally.

Day by day

  1. Day 1railovernight: Wengen

    London to Wengen

    Leave London on a Eurostar service bound for Paris, then a high-speed TGV Lyria service to Basel, just over the Swiss border. From here, efficient Swiss trains take you to Wengen in the heart of the Bernese Oberland. Check in for your 7-night stay and enjoy a welcome aperitif before dinner.

  2. Day 2overnight: Wengen

    Local hikes to Wengwald, Hublen and Allmend

    Take a stroll around Wengen, then follow signposts to Wengwald and take the trail back up towards Wengen, into the forest and a picnic lunch at Hublen (payable locally), offering sensational views down the Lauterbrunnen valley. Continue to Allmend before heading back to the village.

  3. Day 3railovernight: Wengen

    Leiterhorn, Burglauenen & lunch on a farm

    Heading north out of Wengen, climb steadily towards the Leiterhorn before reaching one of the last family-owned farms around Wengen, at Spätenalp, where the Rubin family explain traditional alpine farming techniques. Have lunch on the farm before a scenic hike down towards Burglauenen, then catch the train back through the Lütschental to Wengen.

  4. Day 4overnight: Wengen

    Kleine Scheidegg & the Panoramaweg back to Männlichen

    One of the most enjoyed walks in the region, the Panoramaweg between Kleine Scheidegg and Männlichen can be done in either direction; starting from Männlichen lets you see the three famous peaks of the Jungfrau, Eiger and Mönch ahead of you the whole way.

  5. Day 5railovernight: Wengen

    Free day or choice of optional excursions

    A free day to decide your own itinerary, with unlimited choice of mountain excursions, hikes and outdoor activities including the Jungfrau Mountain Railway, a cruise on Lakes Thun or Brienz, or a trip to the ski town of Grindelwald.

  6. Day 6railovernight: Wengen

    Schynige Platte to First

    An epic 6-hour hike along one of the most scenic routes in the Jungfrau Region. Take an early train down from Wengen and onwards to Wilderswil, then the cogwheel railway to Schynige Platte, embarking on your hike towards First via Bachalpsee. From First, take the gondola down to Grindelwald and the train via Kleine Scheidegg back to Wengen.

  7. Day 7railovernight: Wengen

    Männlichen Gemsenweg

    The Gemsenweg is a steep climb up the Männlichen face to the summit; starting early enough, you can reach the top before the first cable car. After taking in the views, take the Panoramaweg over to Kleine Scheidegg before heading down on foot or by train.

  8. Day 8rail

    Wengen to London

    Make your way back to Basel via Interlaken and connect with a high-speed TGV Lyria service back to Paris, then aboard the Eurostar for the return journey.

The moments this trip is built around

  • Day 3Lunch on a traditional alpine farm at Spätenalp, where the Rubin family explain traditional alpine farming techniques and serve a farm meal.
  • Day 4The Panoramaweg between Kleine Scheidegg and Männlichen, walking with views of the Jungfrau, Eiger, and Mönch peaks ahead the whole way.
  • Day 6The six-hour Schynige Platte to First hike, travelling by cogwheel railway to the starting point and returning by gondola from First to Grindelwald.
  • Day 7The steep Gemsenweg climb up the Männlichen face to the summit, with the option to return by train via Kleine Scheidegg.

Included

  • Standard Class rail travel with seat reservations
  • Swiss Pass to cover all your rail and boat travel within the country whilst you are there
  • 7 nights’ handpicked hotel accommodation with breakfast
  • 5 dinners at the hotel (other two nights at leisure)
  • Detailed hiking notes and local maps
  • Cheese tasting and lunch on a farm
  • Comprehensive directions to your hotels
  • Easy-to-follow travel documentation
  • Despatch of tickets by email, post or collection from our London office

Questions travellers ask

Is all the train travel included in the price?
Yes. The package includes Standard Class rail travel with seat reservations from London to Wengen and back, plus a Swiss Pass covering all train and boat travel within Switzerland. The from-price is GBP 2,499 (approximately USD 3,337).
Is this trip escorted or self-guided?
Self-guided. Tailor Made Rail provides detailed hiking notes, maps, and easy-to-follow travel documentation. A local contact at the hotel offers advice and recommendations, but you walk at your own pace and choose your daily routes.
What is included in the accommodation?
Seven nights at the Parkhotel Beausite in Wengen, with breakfast daily. Five dinners are included at the hotel; you arrange the other two evenings yourself.
How many hours of walking per day?
The itinerary varies. Days 2, 3, and 4 are moderate walks. Day 6 is an epic six-hour hike from Schynige Platte to First. Day 7 involves a steep climb to Männlichen. Day 5 is free, allowing you to choose your activity level.
What is not included?
Cable car fares, the Jungfrau Mountain Railway, lake cruises, and all meals except breakfast and five dinners are not included. Optional activities and hotel upgrades are available separately.
Are there unguided days?
Yes. Day 5 is a free day; you can choose from optional excursions (Jungfrau Railway, lake cruises, or Grindelwald day trip) or hike independently in the region.

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