Costs
What is included:Tour organisation and expert local leadership, transportation during the hike as specified by the itinerary and use of shared equipment as binocular, maps, books, first-aid kit, and toilet-articles, sightseeing as noted, accommodations in hotels or inns, based on double room occupancy.
What is not included:
Transportation to and from the starting point, visits to museums and other points of interests other than those specified in the itinerary, expenses due to personal changes on the original hike and personal expenses for meals, all beverages, phone calls, insurance of any kind. If you prefer single accommodations you are required to pay a single supplement fee.
Unused transportation or other tickets will not be reimbursed.
Confirmation
When you send CULTURA MONTIS the completed registration form, you will receive an e-receipt immediately.Payment
To prepay for the hikes you will receive the needed payment information together with the hike-specific documentation. All payments must be made in Swiss Francs.Trip infos
You will get a hike-specific documentation with information about the hike(s), the meeting place and time, the schedule and also a clothing and equipment list.Clothing and Equipment
Depending the hike and arrangement the needed equipment may vary. Recommended is to dress in layers, which will allow you to adjust to suit the changing weather conditions of the Alpine region. CULTURA MONTIS also will ask you to bring a raingear with you regardless of the weather. To help you pack, you find a packing list on the detailed trip information send to you by email after signing up.If you live in Switzerland you are probably well equipped, which allows you to join all kinds of hikes. But, please read the detailed description with the specification for the needed food-wear carefully as this is essential for a safe and agreeable hike. For your and the groups safety and well-being your guide can also change the itinerary or ask you to leave the group due to inappropriate clothing and foot-wear.
No equipment? – no problem!
You are travelling through Switzerland or are staying here on a business trip and did not plan going on a hike, and hence some parts of the needed equipment are missing. No problem, just three main choices: you only opt for a hike with minimal needs of equipment (grade “easy”, and sneakers) or you ask for a possible adaptation on a private hiking tour. Or you use the possibility of renting what you need. In all larger cities you will find specialized outdoor equipment stores where besides the shoes you can rent jackets, softshells and pants as well as daypacks and hiking-sticks.
Activity level
CULTURA MONTIS hikes are designed for flexible, energetic people, who like to be active, have a positive attitude and an average fitness. People with a handicap are invited to ask for personal advice and possibilities.ZWe hike at a comfortably, leisurely pace, even when a few hikes are more strenuous and so ask for sportive hiking. Our focus lies on enjoying and having fun en route and not on collecting peaks and “outdoor workout”. Some hikes may seem short ad first sight. But as we want to spent time to admire and discover, stop for a rest and as there is so much to hear and talk about, out of experience a short hike needs as much time as a more demanding one.
Hike rating
Rating a hike is not easy when everyone’s level of fitness and its own estimation are different, and the terrain each person is accustomed to may also vary. The hike standards used in the description rate the overall “seriousness” of a hike and are based on a combination of factors such as strenuousness and path condition.| ▲ | easy | Easy hikes in mostly hilly landscape, with gentle ascents or descents on well maintained walking and hiking trails. |
| ▲▲ | moderate | Varied hikes mostly on hiking trails with a few, short ascents and descents on steep, sometimes rocky ground, some exposure possible. |
| ▲▲▲ | demanding | moderate to difficult hikes often through challenging, high-Alpine terrain with more and longer steep ascents and descents on smaller, less well-marked trails and some exposure. |
In the detailed descriptions of each hike you will find the information about the average hiking time (without breaks), about the ascents and descents, steepness and exposure and kind of trails. This should also help you rating the impact on knees and general physical stamina.
Transportation
Switzerland has a really great public transportation system, which makes that virtually all walks and hikes CULTURA MONTIS offers are accessible by train, bus, ship, cable-car or a so called local alpine taxi. It is the most environmentally friendly way of getting around. But it is also the more social way: To get in touch with the locals is not possible riding ones own car or using a tourist bus.Weather
Due to weather condition a planed hike is cancelled by CULTURA MONTIS only in an absolutely inevitable case. The decision whether the hike takes place lies in the competence and responsibility of the guide on place only.Is the hike not feasible in the described way, your guide will take you on an also attractive alternative hike. The participants will be informed the latest at the meeting point.