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This was a trip to the Alps, for clients interested in all aspects of nature. Some were birders, some lepidopterists, some botanists, but all were well-catered for in their particular interest. The two leaders had complementary skills, in both identification and the locating items of interest. The accommodation was in a traditional hotel, perfectly comfortable and well-run. Meals were good, both the evening restaurant dinner, and the lunchtime picnics in the field. The minivans were comfortable and appeared to be in good condition. The daily walks were well-planned and well-judged for the predominant age group. In all, an excellent experience of the Swiss Alps. Naturetrek has considerable experience in this field. The communication with the clients is good. The tours tend to be well planned, well run and good value.
P.W. West Sussex, June 23
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The Swiss Alps in Summer
Tour Code: CHE06An 8-day holiday to the Swiss Alps in search of birds, as well as butterflies and other wildlife, amongst some spectacular mountain scenery.
£2,795 (Inc flights)
£2,545
Highlights
Tour Itinerary and Reports
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Summary
Situated in the canton of Valais, the picturesque and historic town of Evolène in the Val d’Hérens, which is both a Parc Regional and a Biosphere Reserve, is our base for this single-centre holiday. From our family-run hotel we explore the Alpine meadows and forests of the surrounding mountains in search of the region’s varied wildlife. With daily excursions to thoroughly explore the valley, the group will enjoy walks amongst fine scenery, pine forests and rich pastures, home to birds such as Nutcracker, Golden Eagle, Lammergeier, Wallcreeper, Snowfinch, Alpine Chough and much more. The butterflies are equally spectacular and we hope to find many fritillaries - including Asian, blues – including Alpine, whites and ringlets. A handful of longer drives take us to Zermatt and Derborence, as well as reserves along the Rhône Valley for a breeding colony of Bee-eater. There will be plenty of time to relax and stroll about Evolène too, enjoying the local Black Redstart, singing Serin, Fieldfare and even Red-backed Shrike around the town.
- Nutcracker, Golden Eagle, Willow Tit & Firecrest possible from hotel grounds
- Stay in a family-run hotel in the picturesque village of Evolène
- Mountain birds such as Snowfinch, Alpine Accentor, Wallcreeper & Citril Finch
- Varied butterflies including Alpine Grayling, ‘clouded yellows’ & Asian Fritillary
- Superb range of ‘blues’ – Mazarine, Large, Damon & Alpine
- Mountain meadows full of alpine flowers, including Edelweiss, primroses & orchids
- Led by expert naturalist guides
Grading
Grade B - We enjoy walks ranging in difficulty from ‘easy’ to ‘moderately strenuous’ each day, but always on well-made paths or tracks. Each day’s walk varies in distance up to around 3 miles, though it will always be at a relaxed pace with plenty of time to look for wildlife.
The sun-bathed canton of Valais sits along the Swiss-Italian border and hosts some of the most spectacular scenery and highest mountains of the Alps, running from the Matterhorn in the east to Mont Blanc in France to the west. The Val d'Hérens, midway along the Rhône Valley, is both a Parc Regional and a Biosphere Reserve, managed using traditional methods and without chemicals, and it is here that we will base ourselves for a full week to enjoy the best of the Swiss Alps' birds, butterflies, stunning scenery and other natural history.
Our tour begins with a short flight to Geneva, before we drive around the north shore of Lake Geneva itself. From the town of Sion, we head south into the Val d'Hérens and the picturesque town of Evolène, our base for the week. We will keep our daily itinerary flexible to take best advantage of the weather each day, taking a series of short drives, walks and a few longer excursions to explore further along the valley. There will always be the option of a pre-breakfast stroll around Evolène, and every morning brings something different as we walk about the historic buildings. Before we even leave the hotel grounds we are likely to hear Black and Common Redstarts, Serins and Firecrests singing, and watch the busy Crested and Willow Tits coming and going. Dippers are found on the local stream and Red-backed Shrikes feed in the nearby fields.
We begin our week with local visits south along the valley to Arolla and Ferpècle. Following the track slowly from 2,000 metres up to 2,500 metres, we can expect a fine range of alpine birds and butterflies — along with spectacular views! The Arolla Pines and birch scrub are home to raucous Nutcrackers, with well-grown young in June that call and fly ahead of us as we walk. Crested Tits and Crossbills can be found amongst the trees and just occasionally a Black Grouse may flush from the Alpenrose beneath. Higher up, Tree Pipits sing from prominent perches, and Lesser Redpolls, Lesser Whitethroat, Cuckoo, Bullfinch and Mistle Thrush may all be found. On a sunny day, amongst the many butterflies, we will look for Alpine Grayling, Alpine Heath, Mazarine and Alpine Blue, and a number of fritillaries — Heath, False Heath and Small Pearl-bordered amongst the most common.
Higher up, the alpine meadows are filled with Globeflowers and Birdseye Primrose, Alpine and rare Red-billed Choughs dance above the meadows, and the alarm call of Alpine Marmot may alert us to the presence of a Golden Eagle or possibly Lammergeier quartering the slopes. Glanville or Alpine Marsh Fritillary can be found by the trackside, accompanied by numerous Chequered Skippers and Little Blues, as well as day-flying moths.
The Grande Dixence Dam is also a short drive from the hotel, and we will take the brief cable-car ride to the top. After looking for Snowfinch and Alpine Accentor, we descend by foot along a well-made track, with good opportunities to see both Chamois and Alpine Ibex. Wallcreeper and Alpine Accentor may be found on the cliffs, Golden Eagle and maybe Lammergeier pass overhead, plus Ring Ouzel, display-flighting Water Pipits and chattering Lesser Redpolls are all likely. Water Ringlet and Peak White can be found amongst the scree, while plants include Snowdon Lily, a variety of primroses and possibly Edelweiss.
Longer excursions during the week will include a drive to Zermatt, where we will take the mountain railway up to the Gornergrat at around 3,000 metres and enjoy the stunning panoramic views, as well as a morning near Leuk along the Rhône Valley bottom, where the stars of the show will surely be the Bee-eater colony that nests here. Our final excursion will be to the 'hidden valley' at Derborence; a spectacular drive to a wonderful setting, where we walk round a blue alpine lake, checking in particular for Lammergeier. This is a spot where they often breed, and we have an excellent chance of seeing them. Enjoying a relaxed walk and lunch, we should find many interesting butterflies — Chequered and Glandon Blue maybe — and birds like Citril Finch, Goshawk and Black Woodpecker.
Finally, at the end of a busy and varied week, we must make our way back to Geneva Airport in time for the short flight home to the UK.
Outline Itinerary
What's Included?
- Flights
- Accommodation:
We will be staying in the charming and comfortable, family-run Hotel Hermitage in the delightful Swiss town of Evolène, which has been in the hands of the very friendly and helpful family Gaspoz for many years. All rooms are simple, yet comfortable and have en suite facilities, with a bath/shower.
- Food:
All meals are included in the cost of this holiday (except for any meals or snacks you require during travel to and from Switzerland), from the evening meal on Day 1 to lunch on Day 8. Evening meals will be two courses, normally consisting of a salad style starter and a main course.
Reviews
Dates & Prices
2025
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The majority of our wildlife tours focus primarily on birds, allowing us to offer a huge choice of bird holidays. On most of our birdwatching tours we aim to see a wide variety of species, while taking time to enjoy other wildlife as well as cultural highlights and architecture.
Naturetrek Birdwatching Tours
We have one of the largest selections of professionally organised, small group birdwatching holidays around the world and all of our birdwatching tours are accompanied by at least one professional ornithologist leader with detailed knowledge of the area.
The majority of our bird tours have a relaxed, flexible approach which allows more time for photography, detailed wildlife exploration, leisure time and the region’s people, culture, history and architecture, while allowing the group to see a wide range of bird species.
Here is a small selection of our many bird holidays:
- Southern Morocco – an exploration of the birdlife in Morocco’s southern deserts, oases and mountains
- The Camargue in Spring – a short break to enjoy the spring birds of the Rhône Delta and Camargue wetland
- Wallcreepers & Cranes in Northern Spain – a 2-centre holiday focusing on Lammergeier, Wallcreepers, raptors, Cranes, bustards, sandgrouse and more!
- Madeira & Desertas Islands – A Seabird Extravaganza! – a short break focusing on special breeding seabirds, including a night on the remote Destertas Islands
- Peru – Macaws & Machu Picchu – searches for boobies, macaws and Inca Terns
- Spain & Morocco: Birding on Two Continents! – watch the spectacular spring bird migration from both sides of the Straits of Gibraltar
Our Bargain Birdwatching Selection
Our Bargain Bird Tours are intensive birdwatching holidays suitable for the serious birder. They are led by expert English-speaking local guides (and not accompanied from the UK by a tour leader). You can expect a higher-paced tour and to spend long hours in the field.
Our specialist recommends...
Byron Palacios - Tour Leader
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Butterfly Watching Holidays Led by Expert Naturalists
Who can fail to be delighted by butterflies – the intensity and variety of their colours, their delicate beauty and fascinating life cycles? Our tours allow butterfly-watching enthusiasts to observe marvellous species all around the world. Sadly, butterflies are in decline in many regions. To help prevent the loss of these beautiful creatures, our butterfly holidays make a direct contribution to their conservation.
Naturetrek Butterfly Tours
- We offer an excellent range of dedicated butterfly holidays
- All tours are led by a Naturetrek butterfly-watching expert
- Although butterflies are the main focus of our butterfly tours, we also take time to observe other wildlife
- By booking one of our dedicated butterfly holidays you will automatically be making a contribution to their conservation.
Here’s a selection of our dedicated butterfly tours:
Although we include butterfly-watching in many of our holidays, we offer a wide selection of dedicated butterfly tours, including:
- The Cevennes – we look for butterflies in the Massif Central
- Butterflies in Normandy – we go in search of some of Normandy’s 160 species of butterfly
- Sweden's Butterflies & Dragonflies – Sweden is home to Large Blue, Apollo, Scarce Copper and many more species
- Butterflies of the Dolomites – we explore sheltered valleys and butterfly hot-spots in the Italian Dolomites
- Sri Lanka - A Butterfly Tour – seeking Sri Lanka’s dazzling tropical species
- Butterflies of Morocco's High Atlas Mountains – a search for the butterflies of the High Atlas Mountains, with a wealth of other wildlife and mountain walks in spectacular scenery.
Naturetrek & Butterfly Conservation
As a top category ‘Gold’ corporate sponsor of Butterfly Conservation (BC), we donate around £1,500 annually to the charity. As well as this, since 2002 we have donated 10% of all income generated by our annual programme of butterfly tours that we run in partnership with BC, and give BC membership to all non-members joining the tours.
Our specialist recommends...
Tom Brereton - Operations Manager
Prefer to Travel in a Private Group?
For any interested natural history club or society, we can arrange for a private departure of this tour.
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Why Naturetrek?
At Naturetrek we craft expertly-guided group and tailor-made wildlife holidays and cruises to all seven continents. On one of our holidays, you can be assured that our passionate team will enable you to experience and enjoy the best of the world's wildlife and natural spectacles in as comfortable and rewarding a manner as possible, caring as best we can for the environment in the process. We are proud to provide:
- The widest choice of wildlife holidays worldwide
- Tours managed and led by naturalists, for naturalists
- Outstanding value and exceptional customer service
Furthermore, as a Naturetrek client, our office team are always to on hand to help you – so if you have any queries about your holiday, whether before or after you have booked, we will be delighted to answer them on the phone. Please just give our team a call!
