This tour deserves to become as classic a route as "the Haute Route", Chamonix to Zermatt. The tour includes everything a postcard of Switzerland should contain… We plunge your front wheel straight into the northern Swiss German speaking side of the Swiss Alps where you will experience what Swiss mountain bike riding is all about… Here you will pass huge glacier adorned mountains glinting as if dripping in pearls and diamonds, crossing remote rolling landscapes manicured like golf course fairways snaked beautifully with unfrequented singletracks which meander past cows gently grazing, beautiful Germanic architectural styled chalets abundantly flower decorated, with wood piles stacked "just so" with Swiss precision!If you see another cyclist along these trails remember them as you won’t see many!
You will traverse one of the most famous mountain ranges in the Alps, the Bernese Alps.Riding under the mythic and monstrous north face of the Diablerets glacier (3210m) and summits including the Wildstrubel (3245m), Sphinx (3495m), Jungfrau (4160m), Monch (4107m) and finally arriving at the Eiger (also known as the Ogre, 3970m) with its legendary 2800m towering expanse of black north face!Join us for an epic tour in the heart of the Alps.
DAY 1 of arrival (Saturday) : 'Meet and great' by ourselves at the airport and transfer to Chamonix. Deposit baggage at evening accomodation with view of Mont Blanc. Unpacking and preparation of bikes. Last minute shopping requirements and possibilty to visit Chamonix town.
DAY 2 (Sunday) : Depart from Chamonix direction Le Tour, at the eastern end of the Chamonix Valley, with a warm up ride along the valley from where we ease in gently with a lift accessed ascent to the Col de Balme. From here we cross the France/Swiss border and find our first technical descent to the Swiss village of Trient. Followed swiftly by climbing the Col de la Forclaz and descend into the Martigny Valley passing down through vineyard covered slopes. We will finish this ‘warm up day’ riding along the Swiss Rhone valley. Overnight stop in the Rhone Valley.
Ride distance: 45km Uneven positive: 800m Uneven negative: 1800m Physical difficulty: 2/5 Technical skills: 3/5
DAY 3 (Monday) : Ok so today we really start talking mountain biking! Commencing the day with a 1400m ascent from the Rhone Valley floor to the Col de Bretaye! A gentle first section warm up through the vineyards of Saint Maurice, a village sandwiched between the Dent de Morcles (2958m) and Grand Muveran (3051m) on the right hand side and the Dent du Midi (3257m) on the left hand side. From here we continue our ascent to the resort of Villard sur Ollon via peaceful trails and forestry roads. The second section of the climb towards the Col de Bretaye and Col de la Croix is a panoramic 4x4 track showing in its splendour the Dent du Midi and Mont Blanc range. The final descent leads us to the village of Les Diablerets with an technical singletrack terminating almost on the terrace of our beautiful wooden Swiss ‘hand crafted’ hotel.
Ride distance: 41km Uneven positive: 1500m Uneven negative: 800m Physical difficulty: 4/5 Technical skills: 3/5
DAY 4 (Tuesday) : Easy start using the slightly ‘old school’ telecabine of Les Diablerets to access the Col de Anderets and the Arnsee lake. The view over the glaciers of Diablerets and Wildstrubel is awe inspiring and the singletrack heading down to the internationally renowned ‘glitzy’ ski resort of Gstaad, is to me more addictive than sparkly jewellery is to girls! From here we climb to the top of Gstaad on a forest road to access what are called the ‘balconies of Gstaad’. A trail offering a breathtaking view other the Wildstrubel range (3243m) with its hanging tongues of glaciers. The last downhill of the day leads us into the quaint, remote Simmental Valley with all its picture postcard qualities. Overnight stop in the Simmental Valley.
Ride distance: 43km Uneven positive: 1500m Uneven negative: 1800m Physical difficulty: 3/5 Technical skills: 3/5
DAY 5 (Wednesday) : A long day ahead… from the Simmental Valley to Interlaken! Firstly climbing 900 metres to access the Hahnenmoospass (1950m) facing the rocky summit of the Wildstrubel range and the Loner range (3024m). Rewarding our climb we engage into an amazing descent into the small Lurnig Valley, which will deliver us to the Olympic downhill ski village of Adelboden nestled deep in the Entschligetal Valley. We will continue to Interlaken via the right hand side of this deep lush green valley, riding on ancient singletracks used to link remote alpine chalets with neighbouring villages. It is here we finish the day with the view of the two interlocked lakes of Thun and Brienz! A refreshing swim in the clear waters of the Thun lake after this epic long day is well deserved. Visit and overnight stop in Interlaken.
Ride distance: 57km Uneven positive: 1700m Uneven negative: 1600m Physical difficulty: 4/5 Technical skills: 3/5
DAY 6 (Thursday) : Complete change of ambiance today. Starting from the shores of the Thun lake at Interlaken, we will ride toward the Lauterbrunental (the word ‘Tal’ in German means valley) which sits at the feet of the three local ‘monsters’ of Jungfrau (4158m), Mönch (4107m) and the Eiger (3970m) showing us their gnarly north faces. We will warm up cycling along the Lutschine river and then climb to the alpine pastures of the Kleine Scheidegg to arrive facing the Eiger Glacier (2320 m) passing by the historically famous village of Wengen, world renowned for its terrific world cup downhill ski slope. The final descent is on the spine tingling ‘Eigertrail’. Imagine… a technical singletrack nestled at the foot of the north face of the Eiger rewarding every minute of hard work with 1200m of downhill mountain biking! Just ‘alpine’ magic… Overnight stop in the village of Grindelwald, facing the Eiger.
Ride distance: 45km Uneven positive: 1850m Uneven negative: 1300m Physical difficulty: 4/5 Technical skills: 3/5
DAY 7 (Friday) : This last day is like a ‘grand finale’ firework display of ‘big’ mountains and ‘big’ mountain biking where a legendary day awaits you… We climb to the lake of Bach (2265m) on the Grosse Scheidegg via a very scenic jeep track and a short ‘bike carry’ section on a steep singletrack (rewards are plenty later, promise). Now reap the rewards… behold a breathtaking view over the rocky and sharp Wetterhorn (3692m), the Lauteraarhorn (4042m), the Fiescherhorn (4025m), the Finsteraarhorn (4274m) just to name a few... and of course the big brothers of the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau! It is a scenic explosion of monstrous mountains, massive sparkling glaciers, dark rocky walls and rolling green pastures adorned with beautiful wooden chalets and studded with sheep and cows gently grazing.All singing… all ‘Lords’ leaping, we have now opened the curtain to reveal the Switzerland of your dreams! From here we descend to Grindelwald and with a final encore we give you 100% singletrack from top to bottom!Now if not before, is the time for a well deserved toast to the ‘Lords’ and ‘Ogres’ of this dramatic show. Bravo you deserve to take a bow too and revel in every cold sip of your beer!
Ride distance: 30km Uneven positive: 1300m Uneven negative: 1800m Physical difficulty: 3/5 Technical skills: 4/5
Total ride distance: 260km !!!
Day 8 : departure day (Saturday) : Transfer to Geneva airport. * Please make sure to book a late afternoon or evening return flight, due to the transfer time to Geneva airport from Zermatt.
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