The Greatest Trail Running Vacation, Ever
Summary
This is our dream trip.
If you had a month, you could experience so much of what makes the Alps one of the best places in the world to trail run. You could do exactly what you wanted: see what you want to see, run the trails you want to run– even race the races you wanted.
This is the ultimate trip for a trail runner – and Run the Alps is in a unique position to make it happen.
To ensure that this is your dream month of trail running, we’ll design it according to the places and activities you choose. Want to get started daydreaming? Great! Here are a few suggestions of what’s possible:
Where to run? Run the Alps offers tours all over the Alps and could arrange your stay wherever you want to go, be it the Dolomites in Italy, Zermatt in Switzerland, or anywhere else you’ve always wanted to visit.
Running through the wilds of Switzerland’s Berner Oberland. (PatitucciPhoto.)
Remote and wild runs… Find your own space in the wilder regions of the Alps – maybe in the lesser-known mountains of Switzerland such as the Engadine or Verbier – Saint Bernard.
Trail running through the old dairy farm village of Meglisalp, in the Alpstein mountain region of eastern Switzerland. (Photo: PatitucciPhoto.)
…Or run through quaint Alps villages. Like car-free Mürren, Switzerland, Vallorcine, France, or the narrow, centuries-old Dolonne, Italy.
Trail running in the Engadine between St. Moritz and Silvaplana. (Photo: PatitucciPhoto.)
High elevation runs: Get some vert on Switzerland’s Via Valais or run through some of the 3000m passes on the epic Tor des Geants route in Italy.
Want to run this? Known as the Hardergrat, this ridgeline in the Bernese Oberland region of Switzerland could be part of your trip. (Photo: PatitucciPhoto).
Technical runs: If you’d like to have a go at a harder trail, we could set you up with a guide for something like the Hardergrat, or even Mont Blanc….
Getting some refreshment at the water fountain at Chalet Floria (Photo: Daniel Fitzgerald)
Pretty: Hang out in some of the most beautiful places. You could run to Chalet Floria, above Chamonix or Mürren or Grindelwald in the Bernese Oberland.
Day’s end and time to rehydrate in Selva, Italy. (Photo: Milo Zanecchia.)
Guided runs: Spend time with a Run the Alps guide to find the best trails and learn about the region you’re running through.
At the home of Chamonix’s best tarts, Refuge du Plan de l’Aiguille (Photo: Kim Strom)
Trail Races: Take part in Chamonix, France’s legendary Mont Blanc Marathon in Chamonix, France or the more low-key Trail des Dents du Midi in Champéry, Switzerland. You can see a list of major Alps trail races with whom Run the Alps works, right here.
Runners about to start the 90km race during the Mont Blanc Marathon weekend. (Photo: Pierre Raphoz).
Best cafés and restaurants: The Alps has a host of well-positioned cafés and restaurants. We can ensure you have time to enjoy plenty of cafés au lait and chocolats chaud in stunning settings – as well as traditional Alpine meals high on the mountainside.
Schönbielhütte, above Zermatt – a classic Swiss Alpine Club cabin (Photo: PatitucciPhoto.)
Classic huts: Stay overnight in an iconic alpine hut such as Cabane de Moiry in Switzerland or Rifugio Bonatti in Italy. We could arrange a point-to-point fast-packing trip staying in high-altitude cabins.
Run the Alps Ambassador David Laney on the move at La Jonction, the meeting place of the Bossons and Taconnaz glaciers above Chamonix, France. (Courtesy photo.)
Run with an elite runner: We’re in touch with many of the world’s top runners – some of whom are ambassadors of Run the Alps. Spend a day hearing tales and picking up tips from a pro.
Rest & Recuperation: We are blessed with plenty of thermal spas in the Alps, for example at Leukerbad, Switzerland and Pré St Didier, Italy. Or you could chill-out just wandering around one of the quaint Alpine towns, such as Annecy, France.
Here’s an example of the sort of itinerary we could put together for you: What just might be the greatest trail running vacation, ever.
Please get in touch with us if you fancy creating your own dream trail running tour!
Self-Guided Tour FAQ
If you have 3 weeks or more available, contact us and we can start discussing your ideal trip.
Your tour will be planned in detail and include the following components:
*Hotel and mountain hut bookings.
*Thorough travel instructions; regional information; our Guide to Trail Running in the Alps; Guide to Trail Racing in the Alps; detailed run descriptions printed on durable, waterproof paper, complete with a run profile, time estimates, bail-out options, emergency numbers, and a map – See a sample of the ‘Overview’ section.
The pricing of this tour will depend on the exact itinerary. To give you an idea, typical pricing for our six-night, seven-day tours is $2,300, or $1,990 per person when sharing a double.
No matter where you are, on every self-guided trip, if a serious problem arises, Run the Alps is just a phone call away.
Terms and Conditions: Read up on Run the Alps’ Terms and Conditions, Covid-19 policy, and travel insurance.