This Switzerland walking tour is a four-day guided tour taking you to the heart of authentic Switzerland. You will start with the UNESCO Abbey District in St. Gallen and its old town where you will stay for the first night. Please note that we will have our 2013 tour dates shortly.

On the second day you will travel to Appensell, the center of culture and tradition. From there, you will hike and visit factories with Swiss specialties. Of course you will take an excursion to a mountain top with breath-taking views. This tour has a little of everything, and is a perfect introduction to the Swiss traditions.

• UNESCO Abbey District St. Gallen
• Visit schnaps and chocolate factories and a cheese dairy
• Hikes in pure nature
• Travelling the Swiss way: public transport

Tour performed by Baumeler Travel Ltd.

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Individual journey to St. Gallen. Check-in at your hotel and meet your guide.

The first excursion will take you to the chocolate fabrication Maestrani in Flawil where you will enjoy a guided tour and immerse yourself in the sweet world of the Swiss specialty.

St. Gallen is a medieval town. It has a Baroque cathedral with the Abbey Library housing some 140,000 documents some of which are more than a thousand years old (some hand written). The history in this university town gives it a lot of civic pride and economic boom. In the afternoon you will enjoy a guided tour within this UNESCO World heritage Site.

Dinner in St. Gallen
Overnight at Hotel Einstein**** or Sorell Hotel Weissenstein***

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Hiking time approx. 2hrs. 30 min.

Breakfast at the hotel.

By bus you will travel to Appenzell. In the Appenzellerland, farms and villages are scattered amid incredibly beautiful scenery. While hiking to Schwägalp along a panoramic trail through meadows and idyllic forest, you''ll see alpine huts and traditional Swiss lifestyle. Enjoy some local food (individual lunch) and at the end of the day, visit a cheese dairy farm.

Dinner in Appenzell
Overnight at Hotel Säntis**** or Hotel Hecht***

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Hiking time approx. 2hrs 30 min.

Breakfast at the hotel.

In the morning  you will hike to the mountain top Hoher Kasten where you will enjoy a fantastic 360° panoramas to Germany, Austria, Liechtenstein and Switzerland. Individual lunch at the revolving restaurant and then head back to Appenzell by cable car and bus. In the afternoon you'll do a pleasant walk through Appenzell visiting the famous Alpenbitter factory (Schnapps).

Dinner in Appenzell
Overnight at Hotel Säntis**** or Hotel Hecht***

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Hiking time approx. 2hrs 30 minutes

Breakfast at the hotel.

On the vast high plateau of the Ebenalp mountain defined by rich Alpine flora, you will have amazing vistas of Appenzell, the hills skirting St. Gallen, the region around Lake Constance, and the impressive panorama of the Alpstein mountain chain.

High up there are even more attractions: In the southeast face of the Ebenalpstock Mountain, you will discover Wildkirchli,  two caves under whose vaults a stone block house and chapel with a small spire are hidden. The caves have remnants of prehistoric life. An excellent mountain trail takes you there from the valley station. The hike will go through the Wildkirchli Caves up to Wildkirchli and then to the Aescher Mountain Inn, an place with an amazing setting. The house is nestled precariously in the giant rock vault and therefore offers a special view. Aescher is only a 15 minutes hike from Ebenalp.

In the afternoon, end of the tour / post tour program can be arranged 

SUBJECT TO ITINERARY AND HOTEL CHANGES!

Hiking times can vary depending on the weather and travel group.

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Guaranteed departures with minimum 2 and maximum of 16 participants

Small group (2 - 5) people surcharge of CHF 250

Note: CHF = Swiss Francs

Tours Include:

• Accommodation, breakfast, and dinner except on day 1 and 4
• Tips to porters and drivers
• All cable car rides and transfers throughout the tour
• All entrance fees for excursions throughout the tour
• English-speaking travel guide/hiking guide
• Extensive travel documentation

Not Included:

• International airfare
• Transfers from and to Zurich
• Meals not noted on itinerary
• All drinks
• Travel insurance
• Optional tipping to the tour guide

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You can purchase your rail ticket with us at a special rate (prices are per person):

Swiss Pass

Free travel for 4, 8, 15 or 22 days or an entire month. it entitles you to free travel throughout the entire Swiss Travel System. The choice of 12,000 miles of train, bus and boat routes is entirely yours. On top of this, you will receive a 50% discount on the majority of mountain and rail and cableways and enjoy free admission to more than 400 museums within Switzerland.

Swiss Flexi Pass

Free travel on 3, 4, 5 or 6 selected days and half-price travel in between.

We are happy to assist you with your pre and post Swiss tour travel arrangements whether your plans include Switzerland or elsewhere in Europe.