Hiking the Swiss Alps: A gay and lesbian vacation week.

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Hiking in the Swiss Alps with Alyson Adventures

It's easy to get to know the other travelers in our small, friendly, gay and lesbian groups.

An active, outdoors vacation with Alyson Adventures.

Every day is different, hiking with our friendly lesbian and gay group in Europe. Walk through a field of wildflowers one day, then past mountain waterfalls.

Edelweiss: Hiking in the Swiss Alps

Scenic hiking, at your own pace, with a friendly group in the Swiss Alps.

With 388 kilometers of unforgettable hiking trails, criss-crossing the valley below Switzerland's soaring Matterhorn, the old European village of Zermatt richly deserves its reputation. A renowned ski vacation center in winter, base camp for intrepid summer mountaineers, Zermatt provides the perfect base for our gay and lesbian getaway.

The Swiss are avid hikers. It's their national pastime, and they've created an elaborate network of well-marked trails for Alpine travel. One day you'll be hiking over wooden footbridges, past gushing waterfalls, then stop for soup and strudel in a tiny mountain hamlet. Another day, ride the cablecar to a high peak, then walk past summer skiers, over a snowfield, past a mountain lake, and back to a hearty dinner..

Highlights:

Enjoy the company of other gay men and lesbians as, ten minutes from your door, you hike through a mountain meadow sprinkled with wildflowers.
Feel the immense power of the ice ages, as you follow the catwalks bolted to the narrow walls of the Gornerschlucht canyon.
Ride up the Gornergrat train, Europe's highest open-air railway, for spectacular views of the Swiss Alps and easy downhill walking.
Hop over a serpentine stream, and hike past tunnels carved through the shimmering ice, as you explore the surreal world of an alpine glacier.
Try out Zermatt's many other vacation activities, including paragliding, mountain biking, wildlife walks, and even summer skiing.
And finally, reward yourself with an apfelkuchen at the end of the day.

Is it the right vacation for you? This trip is for hikers of all abilities. We provide lodging, some meals, and social opportunities. Each day, our guide will propose both easier and more challenging options, allowing you to adjust that day's hiking to the level you want. If you love mountains, hiking, traveling abroad, good company, and the outdoors, you'll have great flexibility to make this your dream vacation.

Past travellers comment on this trip: "Exceeded my expectations (which were high to begin with) in every way."— Richard Thorngren, S. Burlington, Vt.

"The views, the adventure, and the friends will last a lifetime."— Bill Kessler, Atlanta, Ga.

Dates and Price:
We don't offer every trip every year, and no departures are currently scheduled for this trip. Our home page will make it easy to locate forthcoming departures of interest.
Prices are per-person, based on double occupancy. Tours often fill up months before departure. We regularly update our travel schedule to show the status of this and other trips.

Travelling Alone?
So are most of the people who travel with us. You do not need to pay extra to travel by yourself. Prices are per-person, and the single supplement applies only if you'd like a room by yourself.

Location: Based in Zermatt, Switzerland.

Price includes: 7 nights lodging in a comfortable studio, 2- or 3-bedroom apartment with kitchen (small surcharge may apply for studio apartments); Opening-night reception, orientation, and dinner; Two mid-week dinners; Welcome packet with map; Breakfast supplies for first day; Cablecar ride to the top of Klein Matterhorn; Round-trip cog rail ride to Gornergrat; Funicular and tram ride to Blauherd; A beer-tasting, featuring regional specialties; Closing-night dinner at a superb local restaurant.

Not included: Transportation to and from Zermatt (easily accessible via excellent public transportation); Meals not listed here; Gratuities for guides.

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