The Alpine Pass Hiking Route

See more Walking. See best of Switzerland

More holidays » Featured Holiday

This highly rewarding route is another Alpine classic,passing beneath the famous peaks of ...

7 days, from $1193 (Package trip). Inntravel »

This is a classic hike through the Swiss Alps, called The Alpine Pass Route because it crosses 16 mountain passes. If you’re fit you can do it all at once, otherwise you can do it section by section. If you do choose to do only part of the walk the best sections are in the middle around the highest point Blumlisalphutte. The guide books say the walk takes 18 to 20 days weather permitting, but I think it’s safer to allow a bit longer because most people would prefer to have more rest days than the guide books allow, especially considering some of the legs have very mountainous terrain and the weather can be changeable. The passes are up to 2700 metres high and the valleys drop down a kilometre or more below them, making it hard work on the legs. On some of the stages you can use alternate modes of transport, such as chairlifts, the mountain railway or cable cars, if your feet are wearing out. As I’m sure you can imagine, the scenery is well worth the effort, as are the pretty mountain villages. This is a walk that I feel very proud about completing, I can now tell people I’ve walked across Switzerland.

4 / 5 Review by expert member Russ Claridge