I lead an annual tour to the Swiss Alps in the Bernese Mountains, more specifically in the Valais. It’s not Zermatt, where everybody goes, but it’s better! No crowds, just people who love nature and hiking and the historic beauty of these mountains: the Lötschental Valley. In 2026, because of the 2025 glacier landslide in the Valley, we will still visit the Valley but will stay in the Aletsch Arena, home of the longest glacier in Europe, with a day excursion planned to the Lötschental.
See also my posts on Best Times to Hike in Switzerland and about my Amazing Hiking Tour in Switzerland!
Here’s what I recommend packing for my tours…
What to Pack for Summer Hiking in Switzerland?
- Hiking Boots (I prefer Merrell, or Oboz, you can also get these at REI, but what’s important is to wear a boot that is comfortable and protects your ankles)
- Day Pack/Backpack (I like Osprey for travel as well) Lightweight day pack for hiking to carry water bottle, lunch, bathing suit, towel, etc.
- Lightweight rain/wind jacket with hood waterproof jacket if it’s raining/drizzling while we are out
- Comfortable shorts for hiking (or athletic skorts, shorts) and long pats for hiking (or the kind with zippered legs that turn into shorts)
- Long, comfortable pants or leggings for the evenings
- Fleece sweater or sweatshirt for cooler evenings
- Hiking pants if you have them (with removable legs to turn into shorts)
- Hats – one for warmth (beanie/ski hat) and one for sun (visor/safari/sunhat) there are Lötschental caps & t-shirts available for purchase at the tourism office next to the grocery store at the gondola station)
- Stainless steel water bottle(s) – these can be refilled on most of the hikes
- Swiss adapters if possible, for example this one on Amazon (As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.)
- Chargers, Swiss adapter or European universal adapter for charging your phone
- Optional: E-sim card or phone plan (there is Wi-Fi in the chalet)
- Swiss Francs cash (change at airport or in Bern or Zurich if you arrive earlier)
- Credit card for train and hotel purchases outside, and to and from the Valley
- Passport (check to make sure it still has at least 6 months of validity after the date of your RETURN to the US!
- Tank tops, T-shirts, and Long-sleeved shirts
- Cotton underwear (multiple pairs)
- PJs, ear plugs, rechargeable nightlight, other sleeping gear
- Darn Tough, Smart Wool or similar hiking socks (multiple pairs)
- Sweaters/sweatshirts and warm clothing for rainy days and/or cooler nights
- Swimsuit and towel for dipping/swimming
- Sunblock/Sunglasses if you use these (I make non-nano zinc oxide tallow sunscreen as well as Alpine Mint lip/hand balm and other tallow balms and body butters and tallow foot salve for after hiking on my Etsy shop)
- Slippers/indoor shoes (I use separate “indoor” sneakers for inside the chalet (we leave our outdoor/hiking shoes in the foyer of the chalet at the main entrance)
- Lightweight, telescoping walking/Hiking Sticks or Poles that telescope (personal preference – they help knees on the hilly/rocky terrain, and give the arms a workout! (In a pinch, you can buy them in Bern as well.)
- One nice dress/outfit for our restaurant outing (we will hike to the restaurant, so something loose enough to hike in!)
- Swiss army knife with scissors (they are indeed handy! Buy this in Switzerland, they have every color and tool! A great souvenir and gift!)
- For the Winter, you will need warm, waterproof everything. I run my tours in the summer, when the snow has melted!
- Add these apps to your phone if you are interested: Peak Finder (costs $4.99) to tell you the names of the peaks you are seeing (you may need cell service for this app), and PlantNet, a plant and flower identification app while you are hiking. We will be hiking with a local guide on one of our days and he explains all about the flowers, herbs and even berries we see along the way!
Join us in the summer: July 4-11, 2026!
Group hiking in the Loetschental Valley in a meadow
Note: A very rare geological occurrence has just happened in the Lötschental Valley, a landslide covering one of the villages. Luckily, the Swiss are the best at monitoring geological movement and evacuated the town (along with its cows) a week before the landslide occurred. Our chalet is situated up on an Alp across the valley from the beautiful Bietschhorn and Kleines Nesthhorn peaks and other peaks that rise above this magnificent valley. We will try to come back next year. My heart goes out to the citizens of the towns of the Lötschental, and I hope to continue supporting this unique valley, its tourism, and people with my annual pilgrimage to this unsurpassed valley! They need our love more than ever now! I call it God’s Cathedral!
Here is a link to my video explaining what happened, and what our tour looks like there!
Addendum: We are pivoting to go to Bettmeralp and will take a day excursion to the Loetschental Valley July 4-11, 2026!
