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Great travel providers. Amazing trips very well organised and efficient
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Switzerland: The Bernese Oberland
In the heart of the Bernese Oberland lies the pretty village of Kandersteg, where the great arc of the Alps culminates in some of its highest and most spectacular peaks. Awe-inspiring and dramatic, the area epitomises the 'chocolate-box' Alps: lush green pastures and lowland slopes carpeted bright with wildflowers against a backdrop of rugged mountains - all topped off with sun-glistening glaciers.
On this 7 night holiday you can explore the best the region has to offer on foot and by electric mountain bike. This single centre holiday is totally flexible, we have suggested an itinerary for you but on this holiday you are free to pick and choose where you walk and cycle each day. A stay here uncovers the very best of the region: on foot the stunning Oeschinensee mountain lake enclosed by towering cliffs, the Sudrampe; high above the youthful river Rhone passing tradtional Swiss chalets along a fertile valley and superb railway engineering with impressive viaducts tunnels and bridges and an easy stroll to the beautiful Blausee Blue Lake. You can use the extra power that the electric mountain bike has to offer to discover the hidden Gasterntal Valley with its glacial meltwaters thundering down a narrow gorge, the glorious Gemmi Pass crossing the swiss counties of Bern and Wallis before reaching the crystal clear waters of Lake Arven and Daubensee Lake and the spectacular views of the Bluemlisalp mountain range.
Did we mention the spectacular views? One moment you will be spellbound by the glacial legacy, whilst in another it will be the cobalt blue of the Oeschinensee that will take your breath away. Woodlands, pine forest and open meadows are decorated with lady slippers, fire lilies and more than 25 varieties of scented orchid, where you walk to the the tuneful ringing of cowbells. With the company of the occasional swooping eagle, it is easy to feel on top of the world.
The excellent 3 star superior Hotel Alfa Soleil is a wonderful family run hotel, your hosts, the charming Seiler family will ensure you receive a full introduction to the area. The food is of excellent quality and both your picnic lunches/light restaurant lunches and dinner is included each day in Nicos restaurant, with tasty regional dishes and fine wines. When you feel like a rest from walking or cycling, there's an elegant lounge, swimming pool, sauna, solarium and gym to keep you entertained.
*As this holiday uses electric mountain bikes as standard, age restrictions apply.
Arrive at the *** Hotel Alfa Soleil, well known locally for its excellent cuisine and enjoy a welcome drink before dinner. Dinner is included all week along with picnics or light restaurant lunches. Below is a suggested itinerary for the week but you are free to pick and choose where you walk and cycle each day, just be sure to check the e-bike availability with the hotel as they have been reserved for your on the days specified in the itinerary.
Hotel Alfa Soleil with evening meal
Today starts with a 25-minute train ride (payable locally) through the Lotschberg mountain rail tunnel (14km long) to Hohtenn. The walk takes you high above a youthful River Rhone, through a landscape of gorges and hidden side valleys - and small hillside villages boasting traditional wooden chalets built on the upper edges of this fertile, vineyard-adorned valley. You follow part of the Lotschberger-Sudrampe railway trail - superb railway engineering with impressive viaducts, tunnels and bridges - but you don't need to be a train buff to enjoy this great little hike.
Hotel Alfa Soleil with breakfast, picnic lunch/light restaurant lunch and evening meal
Today it's a glorious bike ride into the unspoiled landscape of Gasterntal. With your e-bike follow the route along the river Kander taking the steep, unpaved road up to the Gasterntal, offering the most breath taking views. The road continues through the valley to Selden or you can carry on to Heimritz. The descent passes through dark tunnels as you head back to Kandersteg.
Hotel Alfa Soleil with breakfast, picnic lunch/light restaurant lunch and evening meal
Widely regarded as the jewel in the crown of the Bernese Oberland, Oeschinensee is one of the most beautiful Alpine lakes in Switzerland. After a short ride up on the gondola lift (included), follow a marvellous mountain path up to the Heuberg Viewpoint and picnic spot. The cobalt blue water of the lake, surrounded by the snow-capped, razor-edged peaks of the Doldenhorn (3,638m) and the Bluemlisalphorn (3,663m) towering 2,000m above, will be a lasting memory. Call in at the mountain chalets at Obberbargli and Underbargli for refreshments and soak up this unforgettable scenery as bell-toting cows munch at the grass in the pastures below, while dainty waterfalls trickle down from the Frunden Glacier.
Hotel Alfa Soleil with breakfast, picnic lunch/light restaurant lunch and evening meal
A gentle hour's stroll takes you down to the Natural Park of Blausee - the Blue Lake (discounted entry with short boat ride). Here you can wander through verdant woodland around the little lake, visit the organic trout farm and enjoy a drink on the lake terrace before returning to the hotel.
Hotel Alfa Soleil with breakfast, picnic lunch/light restaurant lunch and evening meal
A glorious bike ride through the impressive Gemmi pass today. You'll soon discover the benefit of an e-bike as you cross the two Swiss counties of Bern and Wallis passing the crystal-clear Lake Arven, as well as the famous Schwarenbach hotel and the stunning Daubensee lake. Reaching the summit of the Gemmi pass take in the spectacular views of the eleven peaks above 4000m that make up the imposing Mischabel massif, an ample reward for your efforts.
Hotel Alfa Soleil with breakfast, picnic lunch/light restaurant lunch and evening meal
Glorious views of the Bluemlisalp mountain range today. Climb uphill from Kandersteg with steep curves on the paved path to Usser Ueschinen where you head right in the direction of Ryharts - Allmenalp. Continue your ascent where you are rewarded for your efforts with more impressive views. Descend from the Allmenalp or if you fancy a rest, you and your bike can use the cable car and then enjoy the easy bike ride back to Kandersteg via Ryharts - Usser Ueschinen.
Hotel Alfa Soleil with breakfast, picnic lunch/light restaurant lunch and evening meal
Breakfast at the Alfa Soleil before departure
This single-centre holiday is based at the following hotel. If you'd like to extend your stay here, or upgrade your room, just let us know at the time of booking.
To find out more call our sales team on 1-800-267-3347 or email usa@exodustravels.com
Find out more on the hotel website.
Read customer reviews on Tripadvisor.
NEARBY:
Room upgrades: Superior Double with Balcony, Junior Suite or Suite.
Junior suites have a seating area and balcony. The recently refurbished Suites have two rooms - bedroom and living room with south facing balcony.
Extra nights: Please contact us for details.
Call now to speak to our specialist team at 1-800-267-3347 or email us at usa@exodustravels.com for enquiries or to book your trip.
Everyone who goes on a Headwater holiday will be emailed a link to our post-holiday questionnaire where they can give us an honest assessment of all aspects of their holiday - everything from how quickly we answer the phone to how clean the hotels were - plus an overall rating and comments about their holiday.
Any feedback collected is posted to our website, so that people can make an informed decision based on past experiences before heading off on holiday. We don’t edit the reviews, the only thing we do is proofread them and alter any typos, where necessary, to ensure they are easy to read for everyone. All reviews will be published (except in certain extreme circumstances), and a member of the Headwater team will respond to any constructive criticisms/comments under the reviews, at their discretion. So, for the real tales, twists and turns of our holidays, look no further than the reviews from our previous travellers.
Great travel providers. Amazing trips very well organised and efficient
A good location for walking and cycling with beautiful scenery. The hotel scores highly for service and food. The Gemmi pass trail is not for those who have little or no experience of mountain biking; it is very steep and rocky in places, which required us to dismount and push our bikes (which are heavy). The Swiss rail experience is a delight.
As for feedback, we have three comments to make about the hotel. We had paid extra for a balcony but it was tiny, barely allowing two people to sit and enjoy the view. It was also at the end of the hotel facing a house and garden which often had at least 6 very vocal dogs present. We love dogs but there frequent barking was a noisy intrusion to our enjoyment of the balcony. Despite the advice that wifi is present throughout the hotel it was not available in our room, on the top floor. I recommend that the coverage be improved if possible.
Kandersteg is an amazing place, beautiful mountains, many routes for both ride and hike. The Headwater routes were as described and its simple to adapt and add more challenging routes if you want, as we did. The navigation app worked well and simple to use, we didn't get lost! I cannot fault the hotel in any way from the moment of arrival until departure. All staff were very welcoming and their care for ensuring we had everything we needed was genuine, they truly wanted to ensure we enjoyed our stay with them. The food is outstanding, fresh cooked, local ingredients, beautifully cooked. No matter how good a place is its been my rule never to return to somewhere I've already visited, the world is a big place. Kandersteg and Nico's team at the Alfa Soleil could be the exception to that rule.
Great holiday lovely hotel great guides to walking and cycling
Kandersteg is a beautiful setting and the hotel Alpha Soleil is comfortable and the staff friendly and helpful. The itinerary is a good mix of walks and e-bike rides, with several options to choose from. We hadn't ridden e-bikes before and found out the hard way just how heavy they are when we had to get off and push them up a couple of steep sections on the route to the Gemmi Pass - in places the path is narrow and rocky and the surface is loose chippings - but the view from the top is worth it.
You can be confident that our pricing includes all the standard requirements of your holiday and many additional extras. Always ensure that you are comparing like for like when booking your holiday.
This 7 night multi activity holiday holiday includes:
Single-centre accommodation in a hotel
All breakfasts, picnic or light restaurant lunches and 4 course dinners included each day
Management by local hotelier
GPS route directions
Headwater navigation app
Bike hire
Complimentary upgrade to electric bikes available
GPS route directions
Headwater navigation app
Regional travel pass for use of local buses and cable cars
Kandersteg Guestcard - discounts at local sites and attractions
How to book:
To book this holidays speak to our sales team on 1-800-267-3347 or click on the appropriate 'book now' button below.
To book this holiday call our sales team on 1-800-267-3347 or click on the appropriate 'Book now' button below.
| Departing | Tour only | Prices  |
Single supplement | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13th May 2023 | US$2649 | US$454 | Tour only: US$2649 Single supp: US$454 |
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| 14th May 2023 | US$2699 | US$454 | Tour only: US$2699 Single supp: US$454 |
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| 20th May 2023 | US$2649 | US$454 | Tour only: US$2649 Single supp: US$454 |
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| 27th May 2023 | US$2649 | US$454 | Tour only: US$2649 Single supp: US$454 |
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| Departing | Tour only | Prices |
Single supplement | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3rd Jun 2023 | US$2649 | US$454 | Tour only: US$2649 Single supp: US$454 |
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| 10th Jun 2023 | US$2649 | US$454 | Tour only: US$2649 Single supp: US$454 |
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| 17th Jun 2023 | US$2649 | US$454 | Tour only: US$2649 Single supp: US$454 |
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| 24th Jun 2023 | US$2649 | US$454 | Tour only: US$2649 Single supp: US$454 |
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| Departing | Tour only | Prices |
Single supplement | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st Jul 2023 | US$2649 | US$454 | Tour only: US$2649 Single supp: US$454 |
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| 8th Jul 2023 | US$2749 | US$454 | Tour only: US$2749 Single supp: US$454 |
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| 15th Jul 2023 | US$2749 | US$454 | Tour only: US$2749 Single supp: US$454 |
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| 22nd Jul 2023 | US$2749 | US$454 | Tour only: US$2749 Single supp: US$454 |
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| 29th Jul 2023 | US$2749 | US$454 | Tour only: US$2749 Single supp: US$454 |
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| Departing | Tour only | Prices |
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5th Aug 2023 | US$2749 | US$454 | Tour only: US$2749 Single supp: US$454 |
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| 12th Aug 2023 | US$2649 | US$454 | Tour only: US$2649 Single supp: US$454 |
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| 19th Aug 2023 | US$2649 | US$454 | Tour only: US$2649 Single supp: US$454 |
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| 24th Aug 2023 | US$2649 | US$454 | Tour only: US$2649 Single supp: US$454 |
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| 26th Aug 2023 | US$2649 | US$454 | Tour only: US$2649 Single supp: US$454 |
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| Departing | Tour only | Prices |
Single supplement | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2nd Sep 2023 | US$2649 | US$454 | Tour only: US$2649 Single supp: US$454 |
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| 9th Sep 2023 | US$2649 | US$454 | Tour only: US$2649 Single supp: US$454 |
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| 16th Sep 2023 | US$2549 | US$454 | Tour only: US$2549 Single supp: US$454 |
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| 18th Sep 2023 | US$2549 | US$454 | Tour only: US$2549 Single supp: US$454 |
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| 23rd Sep 2023 | US$2549 | US$454 | Tour only: US$2549 Single supp: US$454 |
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| 30th Sep 2023 | US$2549 | US$454 | Tour only: US$2549 Single supp: US$454 |
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The prices quoted for each individual departure supercede those published in our current brochures. Air prices are subject to change and we advise early booking to obtain the best prices. Please see our Planning your holiday and What's included in the price? pages for additional information.
Solo travellers
Please call for details and prices
Children
Please contact us for child prices.
Holiday type
Independent multi-activity holiday Managed locally by hotelier.
Departures
Saturdays from 13th May 2023 to 30th Sep 2023, for 7 nights. All dates are subject to availability, please contact us to check.
Meals
All breakfasts, picnic or light restaurant lunches and 4 course dinners included each day
Electric bikes
Complimentary electric bikes are available on this holiday. As these are available on a first come first served basis, we recommend early booking to avoid disappointment.
Tour only
Transfers can be arranged at a supplement from Kandersteg train station at 16:41, and back to Kandersteg train station at 10:00.
To book this holidays speak to our sales team on 1-800-267-3347 or click on the appropriate 'book now' button above.
If you need further information before you book simply complete our Holiday Enquiry Form and a member of our sales team will get back to you.
To book this holiday call our sales team on 1-800-267-3347 or click on the appropriate 'Book now' button below.
