Switzerland Travel: Cheese, Chocolate, and Cows: Hiking and Biking the Swiss Alps

The idea of an “active vacation” initially made the couch potato in me cringe. But since I won the trip in a website giveaway, I wasn’t about to turn it down. Though I’m more of a gym TV-watcher than an outdoor adventurer, it only took five minutes of gliding through a cool Swiss valley on a sleek touring bike for me to become a believer.

From Skeptic to Adventurer

My first reaction to winning a trip to Switzerland? “I’m going to Europe!” Then I learned the itinerary included miles of hiking and biking every day. While I’ve always admired the idea of being athletic, my reality involves stationary cycling while binge-watching TV. Still, I decided to embrace the challenge, hoping this would be the start of a healthier, more adventurous version of myself.

Active vacations—where part of the journey involves traveling under your own power—are a growing trend in the travel industry. Whether you’re a casual exerciser or an endurance junkie, these tours offer biking, hiking, kayaking, and more across stunning landscapes worldwide. My trip was organized by Backroads, a Berkeley-based company with over 140 itineraries in 34 countries. The Switzerland Multisport tour promised a mix of cheese, chocolate, cows, and breathtaking outdoor adventures through the Bernese Oberland region.

A Journey Through the Swiss Alps

The adventure began in Kandersteg, a picturesque mountain village. A chairlift carried us to 5,500 feet, where we hiked along a ridge overlooking the brilliant blue-green waters of Oeschinensee, framed by freshly snow-capped glaciers. The scenery was so stunning, it felt almost unreal—like a backdrop in a high-definition nature documentary. Fueled by excitement and adrenaline, I tackled the first five miles of mountain hiking with surprising ease.

Biking Through Alpine Valleys

On the second day, we swapped hiking boots for bikes, cruising down the mountains and along Lake Thun toward Interlaken. I always wondered who spent $1,800 on a bicycle, but after riding one of Backroads’ ultra-comfortable, high-performance bikes, I understood. Even those who hadn’t biked in years breezed through 25 miles of stunning valley scenery, pausing for a lakeside picnic.

The Luxury of a Guided Adventure

After backpacking Europe in my twenties (when budget travelers joke that you only see Americans twice—right after college and then at retirement), I appreciated the luxury of a guided trip. Unlike traditional tours with buses and name tags, Backroads keeps things flexible—no rigid schedules, just clear directions and seamless logistics. Luggage was transported between hotels, gourmet meals awaited us, and we had options each day: go the full distance by foot or bike, take alternative routes, or simply enjoy a leisurely drink at a Swiss café.

Our journey featured an impressive variety of transportation: ferry rides, cable cars, scenic trains, and even a funicular—a staircase-shaped railcar that seemed to drag us up the mountain.

Mürren: A Car-Free Alpine Escape

Midway through the tour, we arrived in Mürren, a remote resort village so high in the mountains that cars don’t exist. Hiking trails led us through forests hiding cascading waterfalls, over ridges dotted with traditional cheese-making chalets, and into valleys where vanilla-colored cows, their enormous bells clanging, lazily grazed on Alpine grass.

For thrill-seekers, paragliding over the Swiss Alps was an option. Advanced climbers could ascend near the Schilthorn at 10,000 feet, while those seeking a more relaxed adventure (like me) took a cable car to the summit, walking among the clouds.

Biking Through Swiss Villages

Back on our bikes for days four and five, we wound through valleys where waterfalls tumbled down mountainsides into crystal-clear streams. The Swiss love cycling, and many trails led us through charming villages, where grannies waved from flower-filled porches as we rode past.

A Taste of Swiss Luxury

On our final night, we indulged in the ultimate reward: a stay at a five-star hotel near Lucerne, ranked among the best in Europe. A peek at the price list revealed I was lounging in a $350-a-night room, all part of the Backroads package. Many luxury hotels in Europe are now offering more affordable group rates, making high-end travel more accessible.

After spoiling myself on my private balcony (and raiding the minibar), I was ready for our last adventure: a hike up to Europe’s highest outdoor glass elevator, which soared several hundred feet up a mountainside. From the top, we gazed out over Vierwaldstättersee (Lake Lucerne), with the city shimmering in the distance.

A Trip to Remember

As our tour came to an end, we boarded a ferry to Lucerne, where many of us chose to spend additional time together. Our group ranged in age from early 30s to late 50s, yet friendships had formed through shared experiences on the trail.

Backroads tours aren’t cheap, and the European itineraries are among the priciest. But the service, adventure, and seamless logistics made it all worthwhile. I returned home realizing that long hikes along Lake Superior would be far more rewarding than any treadmill session. While I may not become a hardcore adventurer, I now know that an active travel tour is worth every step—even for a once-in-a-while explorer like me.