This tour features a combination of escorted and independent travel. Part of your journey will be enjoyed as a group experience, led by expert tour leaders or local guides. The remainder is self-guided—whether by rail, cruise, or overland—allowing you the freedom to travel between destinations independently and explore at your own pace.
This tour is categorised as 3 out of 5
Balanced exploration with walking tours: Our most popular style, this tour offers a good mix of planned activities and free time. Expect moderate daily walking tours, so pack comfortable shoes.
As a general requirement across all of our trips, you may be required to walk up and down stairs, get on and off transportation, handle your own luggage, and participate in all scheduled sightseeing that may be conducted on uneven ground and terrain. Any physical ailments you may have must be disclosed at the time of booking to determine your suitability and where required, supporting documentation may be requested to ensure that we are comfortable that you will enjoy your trip.
Experience a superior level of comfort. Our Small Group tours have been crafted for Inspiring Vacations travellers exclusively, with personal and unique experiences in mind. Travel with no more than 26 people, allowing for a more personalised and immersive experience. Please see the Important Information on your selected tour for the exact group size.
✓ Incredible sightseeing! Tour Switzerland by world-famous rail journeys and luxury vehicles, experience the alpine wonderlands of Jungfraujoch and Gornergrat, explore cosmopolitan cities like Zurich and charming Swiss villages and resort destinations like Lucerne, Lugano, St. Moritz, Montreux and Grindelwald
✓ Intimate group experience with no more than 12 people
✓ 9 nights in centrally located, premium 4-star accommodation
✓ Breakfast daily
✓ Dedicated luxury transportation in a Mercedes Cabrio Sprinter convertible with a sliding roof and windows, including professional English-speaking driver-guide and on-board WiFi
✓ Convenient luggage transfers from day 2-9
✓ 1st class scenic train journeys through the Swiss Alps, including the spectacular Golden Pass Express, Glacier Express, Bernina Express
✓ Seat reservation on all scenic trains
✓ Self-guided excursion to Jungfraujoch, Europe’s highest railway station, and Gornergrat
✓ City tour of St. Gallen including entry to the UNESCO Abbey Library
✈ Needing international airfares to accompany your Inspiring Vacation? You will be able to access our flight portal after securing your package to add international airfares to your booking.
Travel with the experts for a carefully curated, value-packed discovery of the world's most iconic destinations. Our tours are bursting with must-see sights, rich experiences and quality inclusions, all at an unbeatable price. Bucket list dreams are ticked off on these all-encompassing journeys.
Welcome to Switzerland!
We recommend a stroll through the picturesque Old Town (Altstadt) with its historic churches and charming streets.
Airport transfers are not included. Our transfer portal offers the option to book your airport transfers for an easier arrival experience (additional charges apply). Access to this portal will be available through your Traveller Hub once your booking is confirmed.
Meet your driver-guide in the lobby for an exciting day trip to the Rhine Falls, Europe's largest and most powerful waterfall. After a refreshing lunch break, your driver will accompany you to St. Gallen. There, you'll have the opportunity to explore the captivating medieval old town and visit the renowned Abbey library during a guided city tour. Enjoy a day filled with natural wonders and cultural delights.
Today's journey takes you to one of Switzerland's most renowned resorts, St. Moritz. En route, relish the opportunity to savour a quintessential Swiss delight – Swiss Cheese. At the Appenzeller Show Dairy, witness the art of Swiss cheese-making and indulge in its delectable flavours. Following a stop in the picturesque town of Appenzell, your adventure continues to the capital of Liechtenstein, Vaduz. Here, you'll have ample leisure time to explore and enjoy all that this charming city has to offer.
Arrive in St. Moritz and spend the rest of the day at leisure.
Embark on a remarkable journey as you board the Bernina Express. This panoramic train will carry you from Switzerland, weaving its way over and through the majestic Alps, ultimately arriving in Tirano, Italy, where you'll have the opportunity to relish a delightful lunch break. Afterward, your driver will be waiting for you in Tirano, and you'll continue your travels along the picturesque Lake Como, making your way back to the Italian-speaking region of Switzerland known as Ticino. Your day concludes with an overnight stay in the charming city of Lugano.
Your journey continues with your driver picking you up from the lobby. You'll traverse the scenic Gotthard mountain pass en route to Andermatt, where you'll have the opportunity to relax and enjoy some leisure time as well as a delightful lunch. In the afternoon, your adventure reaches a new high as you board the iconic Glacier Express, which will carry you through stunning landscapes all the way to your next destination, Zermatt.
Savour your morning at leisure in the charming town of Zermatt, and don't miss the opportunity to take the cogwheel train up to the Gornergrat, where you'll be treated to the most stunning view of the iconic Matterhorn. Following your journey back to Zermatt, your next destination is the French-speaking part of Switzerland. Upon your arrival in Montreux, you'll have the chance to relish an afternoon at your own pace, exploring the beautiful surroundings and enjoying the leisurely atmosphere of this picturesque town.
Your journey continues as your driver escorts you to the train station in Montreux, where you'll board the GoldenPass Line. This scenic train route will lead you through various language regions, ever-changing landscapes, and past numerous pristine lakes as you make your way to Interlaken in the Bernese Oberland. Enjoy some time at leisure in Interlaken by exploring the famous Höhematte park before traveling up to Harder Kulm, the local mountain with scenic views over the lakes and alps.
Your morning begins with an exploration of the renowned Jungfraujoch, often referred to as the "Top of Europe." The journey to this lofty destination, which houses Europe's highest railway station, is a marvel of engineering, with the last section of the rail line ingeniously carved into the mountain itself. On the way back to Interlaken you get to explore the famous mountain town Grindelwald as well as the Lauterbrunnen valley. After your return to Interlaken, your driver will whisk you away to Lucerne, taking the scenic route through the picturesque mountain pass of Brünig. Once in Lucerne, you'll have the afternoon to enjoy at your own pace, allowing you to explore this captivating city and its charming surroundings.
You will be transferred to Zurich to spend the remainder of the day at leisure. We invite you to explore and enjoy all that this vibrant city has to offer. Perhaps take a boat ride, or relax by the water with a picturesque view of the Alps. Alternatively, discover Switzerland's rich cultural history through a diverse collection of artefacts, art, and exhibitions. And don’t forget to sample Swiss chocolate and cheese at local shops and markets to savour the country's culinary delights.
We hope you've had a wonderful time exploring Switzerland and that you depart with cherished memories of your visit. Safe travels!
Departure transfers are included as part of your package. Your train ticket includes the rail transfer from Wilderswil to Zurich airport, allowing you the flexibility to select a suitable connection for your departure flight. Trains via Lucerne typically depart every hour.
Secure your trip with a $99.00 deposit per person.
Once we receive your deposit, we will send you an invoice with your remaining balance and payment options.
Instalment Schedule:
This is a land only package.
This package does not include international airfares. If you would like to add airfares to your booking our flight portal will be available via your Traveller Hub. The flight portal will allow you to search for all available airfares to your destination. The function works like most general flight search engines allowing you to select your preferred airline, book different cabin classes (eg. Business class) and view flight durations and transit times to your destination.
The flight portal will be available via your Traveller Hub once the following criteria has been met:
Visit our Flight Hub for more information on terms and conditions, amending your flights and information on luggage allowances.
Some of our packages will include airport transfers in either one or both directions when arriving or departing from your destination. To know if transfers are included please view the ‘inclusions’ section of your selected package. If airport transfers are stated, transfers will be included as advised.
If transfers are not included, we also offer the option to book your airport transfers using our online portal. Access to this portal is available through your Traveller Hub once your booking is confirmed. Transfers are readily available and do not need to be booked until your final hotel list has been confirmed. Once you have made a transfer booking, please refer to your confirmation email for all transfer details including a local contact number for the transfer company.
If you book pre and/or post-tour accommodation on your own arrangement, and the tour includes transfers, note that these will be forfeited. The transfers are only provided in line with the tour dates and pre and/or post-tour accommodation purchased through Inspiring Vacations when available.
It is the traveller's responsibility to ensure they have a valid passport. The passport must be valid for a minimum of six months from the intended date of return. Visas may be required for your destination. For further visa information, click here.
Fitness Requirements
While the tour itinerary should give you some guidance and overview to the expected requirements, to determine if this tour is right for you we categorise each of our tours in terms of their intensity. These guidelines are to ensure that each tour group is conducted as expected and to ensure the overall satisfaction of all Inspiring Vacations customers.
As a general rule, porterage is not included, therefore at all times you are expected to handle your own luggage where help may not be available.
This particular tour is categorized as a ”3”
3 – Moderate Tour: A good level of fitness and mobility is required, as this tour includes a moderate level of physical activity and is considered a medium-fast paced tour. You should be able to walk up and down stairs, get on and off the coach and able to walk reasonable distances of approximately 2 kilometres per day or more with ease. Any physical ailments you may have must be disclosed at the time of booking to determine your suitability. If you have any form of walking aids, other than a walking stick or hiking poles, then this tour is not suitable.
Tipping
A friendly reminder that tipping is not included in your package. Tipping is not compulsory on your trip, but they can make a big difference to locals employed in the tourism industry. If you feel that your guide and driver have done an impeccable job, you can choose to give a gratuity, but this is entirely your decision.
Accommodation
The accommodation listed is subject to change. Any changes will be of an equal or higher standard. Bedding configurations (double or twin) are requests only. All efforts will be made to meet your preferences, but we can’t guarantee your request will be available at all properties.
Single travellers
When booking this tour, solo travellers will be presented with two options:
1 - Single Supplement
By paying an additional $1,279.00 per person, in addition to the twin-share price, you guarantee the privacy of your own room throughout the entire trip.
2- Shared Room with a known friend
If travelling together with a friend, you can opt to share your room with him/her and avoid paying a single supplement.
You and your friend can create a unique booking each. Creating a unique booking, gives each of you the flexibility of making different travel arrangements (such adding extra accommodation, flights, etc), make separate payments and have individual access to our Traveller’s Hub
During the purchase path, you will need to provide your friend’s booking ID (if known) or at a minimum, your friend’s full name.
Transportation
Your designated transport will be a Mercedes Cabrio Sprinter convertible equipped with a sliding roof and windows. If the group size does not exceed 3 guests, it will be replaced with a Tesla X.
Triple Share
Not available.
Travel Insurance
Travel insurance is recommended to protect yourself against the unexpected. In addition to the support that a policy may provide, you may be asked to present a copy of your travel insurance documentation while traveling.
Group Size
2 -12 Persons
Children
Children must be 5 years old or above and share a room with parents at all times. Children are charged the same price as adults.
Tour Style
To meet the needs of various types of travelers, we choose to operate various types of tours, and depending on your selected package will mean different services are provided throughout your trip. The following descriptions of each tour style we hope will ensure that each traveller has appropriate expectations before they start their travels:
All participants must be in good physical condition to fully engage in this journey. For the safety and welfare of yourself and fellow travellers, if you are feeling unwell prior to departure, we advise staying home and contacting us to arrange alternate plans.
Prior to selecting your trip, carefully review the itinerary to assess your ability to comfortably manage our travel style. Please be aware that if, based on evaluation by our leader or local representative, a participant is deemed unable to safely complete the itinerary, we retain the right to exclude them from all or part of the trip without reimbursement.
It is advisable to consult your physician for current medical travel advisories and any required vaccinations before embarking. We recommend carrying a first aid kit and any necessary medications in their original packaging, as they may not be readily available during travel. For those carrying medication, it's essential to check your government's foreign travel guidelines for local restrictions or regulations.
You can enhance your holiday by arriving or departing before or after the tour. On this tour you can choose from the following options:
Pre Tour Accommodation
Post Tour Accommodation
Please select the number of extra nights required in the 'Additional Nights Accommodation' field when making your purchase. The additional cost for these arrangements will be added to your final payment invoice and are subject to availability.
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