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Best Long-Distance Hikes near Bern

6 routes near Bern qualify, ranked below by how much walkers rate them. They average 134 km and 2,780 m (9,121 ft) of ascent, with the longest running to 424 km.

That is 4 percent of the 145 routes we map near Bern. They run noticeably longer than average for the area, 134 km against 15.8 km, so budget more daylight than a typical outing here. The climbing is steeper too: 2,780 m (9,121 ft) on average versus 417 m (1,368 ft) across the wider area.

Multi-day paths, normally walked in stages, with the accommodation and waymarking to support them. These lean toward the demanding end, so plan for a full day and check the forecast before you commit.

Trails

Gnomes and Homes
Expert

Grenzpfad Napfbergland

Bern · Switzerland

Distance
115 km
/ 71.5 mi
Elevation gain
3,219 m
Typical duration
31 hr
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Primeval forest
Expert

Freiburger Voralpenweg

Fribourg · Switzerland

Distance
71.9 km
/ 44.7 mi
Elevation gain
2,730 m
Typical duration
20 hr
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Abbey Altenryf in Hauterive; Fribourg, Switzerland.
Expert

Fribourg en diagonale

Fribourg · Switzerland

Distance
68.0 km
/ 42.3 mi
Elevation gain
1,574 m
Typical duration
18 hr
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Château de Grandcour
Expert

Chemin des Trois-Lacs

Fribourg · Switzerland

Distance
62.4 km
/ 38.8 mi
Elevation gain
564 m
Typical duration
15 hr
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Moonlight over Spiez and Lake Thun. Månsken över Spiez och Thunsjön. Location: Spiez, Thunersee, Canton Bern, Switzerland, Suisse, Schweiz Photograph by: Berit Wallenberg Date: Taken on 19 June 1921 Format: Film Persistent URL: kmb.raa.se/c
Expert

Panorama Rundweg Thunersee

Bern · Switzerland

Distance
60.1 km
/ 37.4 mi
Elevation gain
1,239 m
Typical duration
17 hr
  • Mountain
  • Panoramic viewpoint
  • Waymarked route

The shortlist, side by side

The ten highest scoring routes on this page, so you can compare effort before opening any of them.

Distance, ascent, walking time and difficulty for the top routes
RouteDistanceAscentTimeDifficultyBest season
European long distance path E4 - part SwitzerlandAargau424 km6,393 m110 hrExpertApril to October
Grenzpfad NapfberglandBern115 km3,219 m31 hrExpertJune to October
Freiburger VoralpenwegFribourg71.9 km2,730 m20 hrExpertJune to October
Fribourg en diagonaleFribourg68.0 km1,574 m18 hrExpertApril to October
Chemin des Trois-LacsFribourg62.4 km564 m15 hrExpertApril to October
Panorama Rundweg ThunerseeBern60.1 km1,239 m17 hrExpertApril to October

If you only have time for one, start with European long distance path E4 - part Switzerland, Grenzpfad Napfbergland, Freiburger Voralpenweg. Those are the routes people come back to. Every route on this page links through to a full guide with the map, elevation profile, seasonal advice and what to bring.

Frequently asked questions

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