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UNESCO World Heritage Site
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Overnight in a mountain hut
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Walk on a glacier
Aletsch Glacier Hike
Venture into the awe-inspiring Swiss Alps and experience a unique hike on the longest glacier in Europe—the Aletsch Glacier. This glacier hike offers unparalleled views of the Jungfrau-Aletsch UNESCO World Heritage site, with no prior glacier experience required.
The Aletsch Glacier is the longest glacier in Europe, winding an impressive 23km from the famous peaks of the Jungfrau Region down to the Valais. This massive ice flow, shredded with deep crevasses, lined with moraines, and surrounded by 4000m peaks, lies in the heart of the Jungfrau-Aletsch UNESCO World Heritage site.
On this unforgettable 2-day tour, hikers with no prior glacier experience have the opportunity to safely explore this natural wonder and spend an evening at the spectacularly situated Konkordia Hut.
Tour Details
- Fitness Level: Moderate
- Experience Level: Advanced Beginner
- Minimum age 14 (official groups)
- Guests over 75 please contact us before booking
No prior mountaineering experience is needed for this tour, but it is only recommended for experienced hikers who are comfortable with hiking durations of up to 6 hours with a backpack. You are an experienced mountain hiker and comfortable with varied terrain. This tour will include passages over hills, rock, ice, water, and crevasses. There are no trail tracks, and it is assumed you have surefootedness for steep descents and narrow ascents, including an ascent of a long metal staircase.
We hike in a group as a roped team and adapt to the weakest participants. Please bear this in mind if you are accustomed to a faster hiking pace.
Group Tours (5-8 participants)
CHF 395 per person | |
Private Trips
1-2 people | CHF 1900 per group |
3 people | CHF 650 per person |
4 people | CHF 495 per person |
5-8 people | CHF 395 per person |
To book a private tour please contact us:
Day | Elevation + | Elevation - | Kilometers | Walking time |
1 | 150m | 750m | 8.5km | approx. 4 hours |
2 | 150m | 650m | 12.5km | approx 5-6 hours |
Day 1: Hike from Jungfraujoch 3454m to Konkordiahütte 2850m.
Meet your guide at the Jungfraujoch and proceed to the glacier where you will form a roped party and begin your hike. At around 11:15am you will start hiking over the Jungfraufirn towards Konkordiaplatz. Before you cross the huge glacier surface, you will take a break in the middle of the glacier and enjoy a refreshment from your backpack. After crossing the glacier, you will exit by way of a metal staircase, which leads you to the romantically situated Konkordia Hut. Enjoy unbelievable views from the front of the hut as the sun sets over the mountains.
Day 2: Hike over the Aletsch Glacier to Fiescheralp
You will wake up early the next morning, eat breakfast, and prepare for the day. Leave the hut to the south and take the mountain path to the glacier. Hike along the middle moraine to the point where the enormous glacier slopes off to the right. Here you will leave the ice and continue along the alpine trail, where a quick glance back brings your entire hiking path from the Jungfraujoch into view. The last part of the hike leads you along the Märjelesee and over blooming alpine pastures to Fiescheralp. Have lunch from your backpack, or from the sun terrace of Hotel Alpina, before descending by cable car to Fiesch around 2pm. Journey home by way of Interlaken Ost in the late afternoon (arrival around 5pm).
Season | June 15th - September 22th |
Departures for official tours | Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday |
Departures for private tours | Private tours can be booked daily. |
Meeting point | 10:45am at the coffee bar at Jungfraujoch |
- Guiding from a licenced mountain guide/ aspirant guide
- His or her expenses
- 1 night in bunk room with half-board
- Tea for the next day
- Technical equipment (crampons, harness, poles)
- Your expenses
- Snacks
The Konkordiahut is a modern hut of the Swiss Alpine Club (SAC) and was built on a rock ledge above the glacier. The hut was recently renovated, however it cannot be compared with the standards of a hostel in the valley. There is a huge logistical effort to make your stay as comfortable as possible. All food and fuel must be transported by helicopter, and water sources are scarce. The water is laboriously melted from the snow and cannot be wasted. For this reason, there are no showers and toilets cannot be flushed.
The night camps are equipped with quilts and wool blankets, so you do not need to bring a full sleeping bag, but for hygienic reasons we suggest you pack a light silk sleeping bag liner to sleep in. Slippers are available in the hut, so you do not need to bring extra shoes.
If you are a vegetarian or have other dietary restrictions, please let us know in advance so we can inform the hut.
Here you'll find the kind of footwear you need for this tour. If you have purchased new boots, we suggest you try them out on an easy hike before undertaking a longer tour.
Sneakers and simple trekking shoes are NOT allowed. You must bring solid hiking or mountaineering boots. It is helpful if your boots have a hard sole suitable for crampons, but it is not mandatory.
Backpack
- 25-30l
Clothing
- Warm, functional clothing
- Rain jacket
- Rain pants
- Mountaineering or hiking pants
- Sunhat
- Gloves
- Beanie or headband
- Extra underwear and socks
Footwear
- Hiking boots or crampon proof mountaineering boots
The basics
- Sunglasses (category 3 or 4)
- Thermos flask, drink bottle
- Silk sleeping bag liner
- Headlamp
- Toiletries
- Sunscrean lotion and lip balm (minimum factor 30, 50 better)
- SAC/DAV permit (if you have one)
- GA or Half Fare Travelcard (if you have one)
- Earplugs (optional)
- Camera and binoculars (optional)
Technical Equipment
- Harness (included in trip price)
- Crampons with anti-sno plates (included in trip price)
- Hiking poles (included in trip price)
Route
General Information for Mountaineering School
Our team is here for you. If you have any questions, please contact us or visit us in our shop in Grindelwald. We are happy to help!
OUTDOOR - Mountaineering School Grindelwald
Dorfstrasse 103
3818 Grindelwald
Switzerland
Trip status for group courses
1-2 days before your tour or course we will review the weather forecast and conditions with the mountain guide to determine if we can operate. We will contact you by phone with an update.
Minimum of participants (group tours)
As soon as the minimum number of participants is reached, we will send you a confirmation by email.
Cancellation
If we have to cancel your tour, you have the option to reschedule to a new date, or you will receive a full refund.
Equipment
Please refer to the equipment list for your tour or course. At our shop in Grindelwald, you can purchase technical equipment, mountain clothing, shoes, and backpacks. We also have technical equipment available for rent.
Clothing
Choose functional clothing that is moisture-wicking and quick-drying. Dress in layers so you can easily react to temperature changes. The range at our shop in Grindelwald is tailored to mountain tours and our expert staff are happy to advise you on the best clothing for your tour or course.
Lunch
Lunch is not included in the offer. We recommend bringing bars, dried fruits, nuts, or a sandwich. The amount you will need to drink depends on your individual needs and the length of the tour. We recommend .75 -1.5 liters of water, warm tea, isotonic drinks, or whatever you prefer. We also recommend that you hydrate enough the day before, so your body is well prepared for the tour.
Huts
A mountain hut is not a hotel. Running water is not guaranteed and electricity is not available everywhere, so it is not always possible to charge batteries or phones. If you have special dietary needs, please inform us in advance so we can make arrangements with the hut.
Safety
Our tours and courses are led by IVBV certified mountain guides or mountain guide aspirants. We prioritise your safety by requiring regular training to ensure our guides have relevant, up to date knowledge. Outdoor is certified by the Swiss Council for Accident Prevention (BFU) and our safety and emergency concepts are audited by this organization annually.
General terms of contract
Our General Terms and Conditions apply.