Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau: the Alpine Heart of Switzerland

descriptionDescription

The Berner Oberland is the visual heart of the Swiss Alps, and this itinerary exploits it to the full by combining classic climbing with high-altitude trekking. Grindelwald, the valley's most famous village, is the base of operations. The Eiger, with its 1,800-meter north face considered one of the hardest walls in the world, is the most ambitious objective. The Mönch, the 'monk' at 4,107 meters, offers a more accessible climb but no less spectacular. The Jungfrau, the 'virgin' at 4,158 meters, completes the trio of summits that defines the region's horizon. The Jungfraubahn, the railway that bores through the mountain to Jungfraujoch at 3,454 meters, is a feat of engineering that grants access to high-altitude terrain without climbing. The route also includes the Aletsch Glacier, the largest in the Alps, and the Schlappindree via ferrata, a modern one. Every day ends at a mountain hotel with sauna and fondue, but the daytime activities are hardcore.