Guided hike to the Tour d'Aï

Guided hike to the Tour d'Aï

Limestone peak with a lake view, by day or at sunset

Duration

1 day

Next Date

Flexible

Prices

fromCHF 180

Impressive views into the depths leave no room for boredom
A well-maintained hiking trail awaits us on the way to the summit of the Tour d'Aï.
The view from the summit extends to the high 4000-meter peaks of the Valais Alps and around Chamonix.
Lush mountain flower meadows glow in spring and early summer
If desired, the climb can be shortened by taking the cable car to Berneuse.
+2

The Tour d’Aï is the limestone peak above Leysin that looks unapproachable from below and rewards you with one of the finest views in western Switzerland from the top. We climb it by day or at sunset, on a well-secured trail and with a guide by your side.

Your advantages

  • Limestone peak with a panorama from Lake Geneva to the Mont Blanc massif and the 4000ers of Valais
  • Exciting, well-secured scrambling on the rock band, with a guide by your side
  • By day or as a sunset hike with the sun going down over Lake Geneva
  • Edited photos of you and the tour by internationally awarded photographer Falko Burghausen included
  • Easy to reach by public transport and often accessible earlier than tours in the high Alps

fromCHF 180

per person

Dates

1 day

Date of your choice

A Few Words from Me

« A particular highlight is climbing up in the evening to admire the indescribable sunset over Lake Geneva. An incredible atmosphere! »

Falko BurghausenFalko Burghausen

Personal advice

Do you have any questions? I will be happy to advise you on this travel offer.

Falko Burghausen

Falko Burghausen

+41 76 586 67 87hello@beanywhere.ch

Requirements

Fitness
Technique
Distance13 km
Duration5 - 6 h
Ascent1100 m
Descent1100 m

For this hike, you need to be sure-footed and have a head for heights on alpine hiking trails with a difficulty rating of T3+.

Day hike

We start at Leysin-Grand-Hôtel station and follow a gentle farm track most of the way to Alp Temeley, giving your legs time to warm up. If you’d like a shorter day, you can take the cable car up to the Berneuse and skip part of the ascent.

At the Buvette d’Aï at 1892 m, a rustic cluster of old mountain huts, the terrain becomes more alpine. Now for the exciting part: over the rock band, which looks pretty unapproachable from below, a well-secured trail leads us up onto the long ridge of the Tour d’Aï. Depending on the season, we walk through a sea of alpine flowers, with the views down thrown in for free.

The last 200 metres of ascent lead along the east side to the summit and are the most impressive of the whole tour. After about three hours, we stand on top at 2331 m, with Lake Geneva at our feet and a view stretching from the Mont Blanc massif to the 4000ers of Valais. Time for a long break.

We descend the same way. We take the secured section calmly and with focus, stop for a refreshment at the Buvette d’Aï and are back in Leysin in the afternoon.

Sunset hike

Same route, different time: we set off in the late afternoon when the day hikers are already heading down, and reach the summit in time to watch the sun set over Lake Geneva. We then descend the secured section in the last light and walk the rest of the way back to Leysin by headlamp. The light is perfect for photos, and the atmosphere is unbeatable anyway.

CHF 180 per person in the small group, from three people.

The price includes guiding and a selection of edited photos of you and the tour. The cable car up to the Berneuse is optional and not included.

The choice is yours: the classic day hike or the sunset hike with the sun setting over Lake Geneva, both at the same price.

On your own or just the two of you? Send me your preferred date and I’ll team you up with others. The tour goes ahead as soon as three people are in for the same date.

Rather keep it to yourselves? The private tour is a flat CHF 590 for one or two people.

Variants

Pure Flex tours don't come with a fixed date, they come with yours. Tell me when you'd like to go, I'll check availability and usually get back to you within a day. If you have wishes for how the days should run, we'll build them in.

Small group, 3 or more

Price per person. Maximum of six participants, by day or as a sunset hike. Edited photos of you and the tour included.

CHF 180

Private, 1 to 2 people

Flat rate for one or two people. You choose the date, pace and time of day, by day or at sunset. Edited photos included.

CHF 590

Options

These are optional extras you can add to your booking.

Sunset hike

Instead of the morning, we set off in the late afternoon and reach the summit in time for sunset. Descent by headlamp, back in Leysin late in the evening. Same price, available from June to August.

no extra charge

Leysin sits high above the Rhône Valley, nestled against the slopes of the Tour d’Aï and other limestone peaks. The dense network of trails offers great views and varied routes, some of which call for a bit of hands-on scrambling.

Leysin is easy to reach by public transport: take the train to Aigle, then the cog railway up to the terminus at Leysin-Grand-Hôtel, our meeting point, in just under 40 minutes.

On the sunset hike, we’re only back in Leysin late in the evening. Plan to drive home or stay overnight in Leysin; we’ll sort out the connections together beforehand.

Please bring your own food for the day. Depending on the season and time of day, you may be able to get drinks at the Buvette d’Aï, but better not count on it.

  • Daypack (20–30 liters)
  • Hiking boots with good tread
  • Weatherproof, breathable hiking clothing according to the onion principle
  • Rain jacket
  • Warm mid layer, as it cools down quickly on the summit after sunset
  • Sunglasses & sunscreen
  • Food and drinks
  • Hiking poles optional
  • Headlamp with a full battery (mandatory for the sunset hike)
  • Your own arrival and departure
  • Optional cable car ride up to the Berneuse
  • Drinks and food
  • For the sunset hike, an overnight stay in Leysin if needed
  • Personal expenses
  • Cancellation insurance

Insurance is the responsibility of the participants (accident, health, and liability insurance). We recommend REGA membership and cancellation insurance.

Non-binding request

Your non-binding request will bring you one step closer to your experience. I will get back to you shortly with further information on dates and the exact procedure and discuss the next steps together.

Questions? Answers!

Still have questions about the offer? I have compiled the most important information for you.

No. There is also a via ferrata on the Tour d’Aï, but we go up the hiking trail. It’s well secured in places and occasionally needs your hands, but you won’t need a via ferrata set or helmet. If the via ferrata is what you’re after, I’m happy to recommend a good mountain guide. Just drop me a message.

A little respect is good company in the mountains. What matters is that you walk confidently on narrow mountain trails and don’t freeze on steep sections. On the rock band, we go at your pace and I’m by your side the whole time. If you’re not sure whether it’s right for you, give me a call or send me a message and we’ll figure it out together. And if heights really hold you back, my fear of heights training might be the better first step.

We plan the evening so that we’re past the secured section while there’s still some light. We walk the rest of the way back to Leysin on easy terrain by headlamp. A good headlamp with a full battery is therefore a must, and a second light source or spare batteries never hurt.

A few clouds often make the view even more interesting. But we won’t set off in rain, with wet rock on the rock band or a risk of thunderstorms, because wet limestone quickly takes the fun out of it. Especially on summer sunset hikes, we keep a close eye on the thunderstorm forecast. If it looks bad, we’ll move the tour to an alternative date together.

In the days after the tour, you’ll receive a selection of edited photos of you and the tour via download link. So you don’t have to keep reaching for your camera and can simply enjoy the summit.