TOUR OF THE JUNGFRAU REGION (CICERONE)

The Tour of the Jungfrau Region is fast becoming one of the classic walks of Europe. During this 9-12 day trek, walkers travel amongst some of the most spectacular mountain scenery in all of the Swiss Alps. It visits pastures, ridges, summits and passes, skirts exquisite mountain lakes, and gazes on waterfalls, gorges and glaciers – all in the shadow of such iconic peaks as Wetterhorn, Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau.

The Tour of the Jungfrau Region is described as a clockwise circuit, beginning at Schynige Platte and ending at Wilderswil, and is broken into 10 stages (with a number of alternatives offered), each of which equates to a day’s walking of uneven length. It makes a journey of around 111km through this area, in constant admiration of mountain and valley, of lake, river and feathery cascade. By choosing the most scenic trails and some of the most atmospheric places for an overnight stay, it has all the ingredients to ensure a memorable nine or twelve day trek. On most stages it’s possible to take an alternative route should the weather or conditions on the mountains suggest it would be unwise to follow the standard itinerary. These alternative options are described where they occur within the main route text.

Although the route described in this guidebook makes a journey through one of Europe’s most challenging mountain districts, no technical skills are demanded of the trekker tackling the Tour of the Jungfrau Region. However, there are several short exposed sections (mostly safeguarded with a fixed cable handrail), and a few places where metal rungs or ladders aid the ascent or descent of a rock slab or, as on the ascent of the Schilthorn, a steep section of ridge. Apart from these, the trails are mostly straightforward and well maintained, but if wet from rain or snowmelt or skimmed with a glase of ice, there could be some potentially dangerous sections that demand extra care.