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Mirna Valerio celebrating getting to the top of the Swiss Alps pass with two Run the Alps team members
A trail runner on Bernese Oberland single track
Mirna Valerio drinking from a water fountain in the Alps
Mirna Valerio celebrating getting to the top of the Swiss Alps pass with two Run the Alps team members
A trail runner on Bernese Oberland single track
Mirna Valerio drinking from a water fountain in the Alps
Mirna Valerio celebrating getting to the top of the Swiss Alps pass with two Run the Alps team members
A trail runner on Bernese Oberland single track
Mirna Valerio drinking from a water fountain in the Alps
Switzerland

Trail Run with The Mirnavator in Switzerland!

Dates
Difficulty
Guests
4 - 10
Type
Guided
CO2
135
Mirna Valerio, aka “The Mirnavator”, is back again this summer, and we could not be happier! We’ll run alpine trails around the iconic Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau, stopping at mountain villages, and using the famous Swiss mountain transport.

We are so excited to welcome Mirna Valerio back to the Alps! This trail running tour of Switzerland’s scenic Bernese Oberland traverses some of the most famous mountain terrain in the world. We’ll take plenty of breaks, support each other along the trail and the stoke factor will be high. (Psst: If you’re looking for fast-paced long days on technical trails, this is not the tour for you! Contact us for suggestions.) 

We’ll run about 4 – 8 miles each day, and make the most of Swiss mountain trains and gondolas. There’ll be plenty of time for photographs, to enjoy the scenery, and to sample great food and drink en route. We’ll trail run over historic Grosse Scheidegg pass, then cruise smooth trails through high alp pastures with striking views of the Eiger. In the alps villages of Wengen and Mürren, we’ll take in working alp farms and stop at mountain restaurants. We’ll run alongside waterfalls in the Lauterbrunnen valley, just beneath the Jungfrau, one of the most photographed mountains in the world.

Our typical day starts with a continental buffet breakfast at our hotel – fresh baked bread, local cheeses, cereal, fruit, coffee and juice. Once out on the trail, we’ll ease into a steady pace and take advantage of mountain trams and railways. Most days, there are options for either a shorter or a more ambitious route. Each morning, we’ll offer a variety of trail nutrition from which you can choose, to keep you fueled during the day. Almost all of our runs will include stops at mountain huts or alp farms, where we can sample local cheeses, röstis or a fruit torte.

In the evenings, we’ll enjoy dinner together at our hotel. These are multi-course meals featuring local Swiss specialties, and will definitely be hearty, filling, well-earned and very delicious. We will leave one night in Grindelwald unscheduled, so you will have a chance to explore to your heart’s content. 

Book this tour

Cost
$6,690/person assuming double occupancy
$850 single supplement
*Please note there are limited single rooms available
Dates
Make it private guided
Your companions, your dates, your tour– we do the rest. Inquire here.

Itinerary

A group of trail runners stopping for coffee at an Alpine hut

We’ll make the most of the Alpine huts dotted along our runs! (Photo: Sam Hill)

Day 1

Arrive in Switzerland, and travel by train and then Swiss Post bus to Schwarzwaldalp Inn. We’ll meet before dinner to discuss the week ahead and get to know each other.

Accommodations: Chalet Schwarzwaldalp

Taking in some of our first views of the Eiger. (Photo: Emily Geldard)

Day 2

After a hearty breakfast, we’ll run and fast hike up to the historic Grosse Scheidegg pass for our first views of the Eiger and of the Grindelwald valley. From the pass, we’ll traverse the upper reaches of the valley to reach the gondola station of First. 

Accommodations: Eiger Mountain and Soul Resort, or Hotel Caprice

Running downhill towards Grindelwald. (Photo: Yuji Yanaru)

Day 3

Today we visit the Gletschershulcht, or glacier gorge, just above Grindelwald. Dinner will be on your own tonight, giving you a chance to roam the town and explore at your leisure.

Accommodations: Eiger Mountain and Soul Resort, or Hotel Caprice

Underneath the Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau. (Photo: Kim Strom)

Day 4

Today we leave Grindelwald, and run to Wengen via the Kleine Scheidegg pass, literally under the Eiger North Face. We’ll use gondolas or trains for the uphills and for our descent to the quaint car-free mountain village of Wengen.

Accommodations: Hotel Schönegg or Hotel Regina

Our mountain hotel – Obersteinberg. (Photo: Kim Strom)

Day 5

Starting high in Wengen, we’ll take the train down to the glacier-carved and steep-walled Lauterbrunnen valley, and then run alongside the river, beneath 10 glacier-fed waterfalls, including the famous Trümmelbach Falls. From there it’s a long hike up to our overnight stay at the Obersteinberg mountain hut. 

Accommodations: Obersteinberg Hut
A female trail runner on a flowery trail with a mountain backdrop in the Bernese Oberland

Running through the meadows above Mürren. (Photo: Kim Strom)

Day 6

A shorter day takes us back to civilization in the car-free town of Mürren. We have the option of an extension via the panoramic high plateau of Tanzbodeli, or the Ballroom, before descending through forest into the beautiful Sefinental valley.  

Accommodations: Hotel Edelweiss
A group of trail runners hiking up a wide trail in the Bernese Oberland

Run the Alps guide and a group heading towards Mürren. (Photo: Kim Strom)

Day 7

 The trail running possibilities in Mürren are excellent, and we’ll enjoy a run through high pastures with views of the Jungfrau, the most photographed mountain in the Alps! Or you might choose to simply relax for the day with Mürren’s unparalleled cliffside views of the surrounding mountains. 

Accommodations: Hotel Edelweiss
A group of trail runners stopped at a sign post in the Bernese Oberland

Taking a pause to check out the view. (Photo: Kim Strom)

Day 8

Today we say good-bye to the Bernese Oberland and depart for our post-tour destinations.

Meals: Breakfast

What's included

Five nights at three- and four-star hotels; one night at a rustic inn with shared rooms; one night at a mountain hut with shared rooms; all breakfasts, trail nutrition, light lunches, six dinners; daily runs with certified guides; all transfers to and from trailheads; mountain trains or gondolas when part of the planned run route; luggage transfers, license-free photography, Run the Alps' Guide to Trail Running in the Alps and other supporting materials.

Plan to arrive the day your tour starts, July 4th, 2024 at the latest. Flights from the US usually depart the day before. The closest airport is Zurich, which is a little over three hours away by train and bus. Geneva is four hours, forty-five minutes away. There are train stations in each airport, making for convenient transport to the region. Your tour package will include detailed information about traveling on the Swiss rail system to the start of the tour in Schwarzwaldalp.

Plan to depart late morning after your tour ends on July 11th, 2024 at the earliest. The closest airports from our finishing point are Geneva and Zurich. Plan for one night at a hotel in your departure city if you have a morning flight. We can assist you with hotel information, and Geneva and Zurich city information, if you like.

All Run the Alps guests receive a copy of our Guide to Trail Running in the Alps to assist in preparing for their trip.

Run the Alps Stories: Stechelberg: The Alps of the Alps Käse Selbstbedienung (Aka, Self-Service Cheese)

Terms and Conditions: Read up on Run the Alps’ Terms and Conditions and travel insurance.

Concerned about being ready? We can help! We’ve teamed up with the wonderfully supportive team at Vert.run to offer customized training plans tailored to each Run the Alps trip. Once you’ve signed up for a trip, we’ll email you all the details and your unique code for your FREE first month of training! In the meantime, you can start exploring the plans here.

Tour Balance: Your tour balance is due 90 days before your tour starts. We will send you an invoice about a month before that due date. However, you can pay your balance at any time. If you’d like the simplicity of paying in full sooner, or would like to pay in installments, please contact us.

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Need a hand preparing?

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We offer pre-trip coaching as a benefit to our guests for a reasonable fee. Spaces are limited.