Family holidays in Switzerland
| country: | Switzerland |
| location: | Swiss Alps |
| departures: | 2009: 23 May, 18 Jul, 25 Jul, 1 Aug, 8 Aug, 15 Aug, 22 Aug |
| price: | From £799 - £849 (8 days) per adult and from £759 - £809 per child including flights from the UK. From £729 per adult and from £689 per child excluding flights. |
| vouchers: | Gift vouchers can be used with this holiday |
the amazing things you'll be doing
Walking through beautiful countryside
and mountains - with mules to carry
your bags (& occasionally tired kids!)
Walking with Mules
Your exploration of this tranquil corner of the Alps begins in the hamlet of Prés d’Orvin. On your first morning you’ll meet and learn to take care of the mules who’ll be your companions for the week. Introductions complete, you’ll take the first of two exploratory day walks, enjoying picnics in alpine meadows and visiting isolated farmsteads where cheese is still made in the traditional way.
Peaks, Lakes & Vines
You embark on a three-day trek through the mountains to reach the shores of Lac de Bienne. En route you’ll bed down in the traditional way – sleeping on straw in high pasture bergeries. You’ll leave your mules shortly before arriving at the lakeside village of Twann. From the comfort of your hotel here there’s plenty of time to swim in the lake and cross by small boat to St Peter’s Peninsula, site of an 11th century monastery and now a nature reserve. This is also Swiss wine country so what better way to spend your last night than relaxing over a celebration meal in a vineyard!
Walking with Mules
Your exploration of this tranquil corner of the Alps begins in the hamlet of Prés d’Orvin. On your first morning you’ll meet and learn to take care of the mules who’ll be your companions for the week. Introductions complete, you’ll take the first of two exploratory day walks, enjoying picnics in alpine meadows and visiting isolated farmsteads where cheese is still made in the traditional way.
Peaks, Lakes & Vines
You embark on a three-day trek through the mountains to reach the shores of Lac de Bienne. En route you’ll bed down in the traditional way – sleeping on straw in high pasture bergeries. You’ll leave your mules shortly before arriving at the lakeside village of Twann. From the comfort of your hotel here there’s plenty of time to swim in the lake and cross by small boat to St Peter’s Peninsula, site of an 11th century monastery and now a nature reserve. This is also Swiss wine country so what better way to spend your last night than relaxing over a celebration meal in a vineyard!
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1: | Fly to Zurich; transfer to Prés d’Orvin |
| Day 2-3: | Bread & cheese making; day walks with mules to Chasseral & Les Copperies |
| Day 4-6: | Walk with mules through the Jura, overnighting in the high pastures to reach Twann on the shores of Lac de Bienne |
| Day 7: | Twann; St Peter’s peninsula; boat ride to Ligerz to visit wine museum and vineyards |
| Day 8: | Transfer to Zurich; fly to London |
how this holiday makes a difference
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Our stay employs the services of local people who depend on our visits for valuable income. We use locally-run accommodation and activity operators. Our visit to Villa Cassel provides us with an understanding of the natural environment and how best to protect and conserve it, with our entrance fees contributing to ongoing environmental education programmes. Our small groups have minimal impact on the local environment.
Our Responsible Travel Code: Clients who travel with us will automatically receive a copy of our Responsible Travel leaflet. This contains details and advice on how you can make a positive difference when you travel. If you would like a copy in advance of travel please contact us. Charity Partnerships: We work in partnership with Plan International. Plan works with some of the world’s poorest communities where three out of four children die before the age of five. We also support Friends of Conservation – an international charity committed to working with local people to develop a balance between their needs and the wildlife with which they share the natural habitat and ecosystems. Carbon Balancing: Global warming is a real issue and is a direct result of your travel. We have teamed up with Climate Care to give you the opportunity to offset the carbon emissions from your flight. You’ll be asked upon booking if you want to donate – with set amounts from £5. As a company we offset the carbon emissions from all staff travel in full. Our Foundation: We’ve highlighted a few of the ways in which we offer our support, financially or otherwise, and now you can, too. We have set up our own foundation, which will administer funds donated by you. A small donation of £1 per person will be taken when booking a holiday and that money will be put to good use by one of our carefully selected projects. If you don’t want to make the donation, just tell us when you book. |
Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people. We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel. 'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left). We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've led the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays. We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism. This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards. |