I did! I took the 45L for my "suitcase," but I also brought my 20L day pack for hikes, and a small cross-body bag for carrying stuff around town. I'll share both (with links) when I publish my "what I packed" piece.
We were in the Austrian Alps last week and can confirm much of this is the same there (with some details slightly different, of course). I had to get used to most people not even making eye contact with me when we passed on a trail. We had a fantastic time, it's hard to comprehend how beautiful it is in the Alps. We used Google Translate to translate menus and signs - it does it live with the camera open on your phone, super helpful. Would love to explore the Swiss Alps some day too!
I used ChatGPT a lot to translate websites and menus! It was a godsend. There were FAR more restaurant menus in English in Wengen, and very few in Kandersteg. (This tracks, as Wengen is much bigger with more amenities.)
Sounds like an incredible trip! I would love to do this someday. Would love to know how you made all the plans. Did you have a system? We have been in Japan - not hiking, but the logistics of traveling from place to place sound similar. The planning is a lot. Thankfully here Google Maps is incredible helpful and detailed down to even the platform number and which train car to get on.
I did ALL of the logistics. My sister is in a challenging point in her career right now so I wanted to take all of that off her hands. I used ChatGPT to help us narrow down the towns we'd be staying in based on their proximity to day hikes. From there, I did a LOT of Google Searching, Google Maps, read a ton of blog posts, and used AllTrails to plan our hikes. (ChatGPT helped here too.) We also did a few things based on IG or TikTok posts I saw (I was FIRMLY in the "traveling in Switzerland" algorithm, which was surprisingly easy to tap into), and a few things spontaneously based on what locals or other tourists told us to do!
Kathy’s sports store is WELL known for how awful she is and for the unfriendly vibe😆 Also, #10…. I cackled out loud the other day when you described the hill from the lake up to the Spiez train station as rude😂😂😂 very accurate!
We were DYING at the Kathy's reviews on our train ride back to Kandersteg. Ultimately we were so tired and didn't have the energy to test Kathy's for ourselves, but there is not a single positive review, and the commentary was WILD. We cackled for a half-hour.
Last summer we did a self-guided point-to-point hike there over 5 or 6 nights (with our 10 year old son), staying at both huts and hotels. We walked it all except a train ride at the beginning and end via Zurich and just a couple of gondolas. We carried small packs but had main luggage picked up and driven to the next sleeping spot. Expensive, but overall probably saved money with pre-planned lodging and minimal messing around overall. We did the same thing in Slovenia a few years ago and will be doing it again in the Dolomites this year. It's a great way to do ambitious hiking in the alps.
Hi Julie! Would love to know what service you used for each of these trips. This sounds like an amazing way to travel - we have 2 kids who would definitely be much more likely to enjoy doing it this way.
Did you take anything else besides the 45L backpack…..?
I did! I took the 45L for my "suitcase," but I also brought my 20L day pack for hikes, and a small cross-body bag for carrying stuff around town. I'll share both (with links) when I publish my "what I packed" piece.
We were in the Austrian Alps last week and can confirm much of this is the same there (with some details slightly different, of course). I had to get used to most people not even making eye contact with me when we passed on a trail. We had a fantastic time, it's hard to comprehend how beautiful it is in the Alps. We used Google Translate to translate menus and signs - it does it live with the camera open on your phone, super helpful. Would love to explore the Swiss Alps some day too!
I used ChatGPT a lot to translate websites and menus! It was a godsend. There were FAR more restaurant menus in English in Wengen, and very few in Kandersteg. (This tracks, as Wengen is much bigger with more amenities.)
Also I lived in Geneva for a few months about 25 years ago. I got yelled at several times on my first day alone for not knowing all of the rules!
NO! That makes me nervous. The first time I ordered coffee in Milan (decaf Americano black, I wasn't even going to mess with milk) I was terrified.
Sounds like an incredible trip! I would love to do this someday. Would love to know how you made all the plans. Did you have a system? We have been in Japan - not hiking, but the logistics of traveling from place to place sound similar. The planning is a lot. Thankfully here Google Maps is incredible helpful and detailed down to even the platform number and which train car to get on.
I did ALL of the logistics. My sister is in a challenging point in her career right now so I wanted to take all of that off her hands. I used ChatGPT to help us narrow down the towns we'd be staying in based on their proximity to day hikes. From there, I did a LOT of Google Searching, Google Maps, read a ton of blog posts, and used AllTrails to plan our hikes. (ChatGPT helped here too.) We also did a few things based on IG or TikTok posts I saw (I was FIRMLY in the "traveling in Switzerland" algorithm, which was surprisingly easy to tap into), and a few things spontaneously based on what locals or other tourists told us to do!
Thank you! Sounds like a ton of work that paid off!
Thank you for sharing! The mental load of all the planning seems daunting but worth it!! What an incredible time you guys had!
It was, but it was well worth it, and I really LIKE that kind of planning.
This is great and so happy you had this time and experience!❤️
It was incredible! I'm working on my itinerary Part 2 and what I packed articles now.
Kathy’s sports store is WELL known for how awful she is and for the unfriendly vibe😆 Also, #10…. I cackled out loud the other day when you described the hill from the lake up to the Spiez train station as rude😂😂😂 very accurate!
We were DYING at the Kathy's reviews on our train ride back to Kandersteg. Ultimately we were so tired and didn't have the energy to test Kathy's for ourselves, but there is not a single positive review, and the commentary was WILD. We cackled for a half-hour.
Last summer we did a self-guided point-to-point hike there over 5 or 6 nights (with our 10 year old son), staying at both huts and hotels. We walked it all except a train ride at the beginning and end via Zurich and just a couple of gondolas. We carried small packs but had main luggage picked up and driven to the next sleeping spot. Expensive, but overall probably saved money with pre-planned lodging and minimal messing around overall. We did the same thing in Slovenia a few years ago and will be doing it again in the Dolomites this year. It's a great way to do ambitious hiking in the alps.
Hi Julie! Would love to know what service you used for each of these trips. This sounds like an amazing way to travel - we have 2 kids who would definitely be much more likely to enjoy doing it this way.
That is a great way to do it! Love the self-guided part too
Wow, so insightful/ helpful, thank you!!
Happy to share!